A Fender Nocaster is one of the true holy grail electric guitars, and has become one of the most sought after Fender instruments for players and collectors alike. These first solid body Fenders would go on to be known as Telecasters, but were originally sold under the Broadcaster model name. Due to a copyright claim from Gretsch, who also manufactured BroadKaster drum kit at the time, Fender were forced to drop the Broadcaster name from these instruments. As such, there is a period from February to the summer of 1951 where around 480 Broadcasters left the factory bearing only the Fender decal on the headstock, leading to the Nocaster name that is now used to describe the instruments produced during this period. This 1951 Fender Nocaster is a fantastic example of one of Fenders most collectible guitars in all original condition.
This guitar features a slab Ash body with a Maple neck and fingerboard. The neck has a fairly large rounded 'D' profile which is typical for the time, along with a 7.25" neck radius. The body is fitted with the original single coil pickups, with a flat coil in the lead position with a copper base plate under the bridge, and a chrome covered single coil in the neck. The bridge is original as are all saddles and screws, with the serial number (1590) stamped on to the bridge. The electronics are all original, with the Stackpole pots dating to the early part of 1951. The original 'no line' Kluson tuners are also present and correct. The guitar has been fully black lighted to confirm that the Blonde finish is original throughout. There is some play wear to the fingerboard as can be seen in the photos, as well as some wear to the finish on the bottom of the guitar. This is present on the back and front of the lower bout of the body, and bottom edge of the instrument. We believe this may have been caused by moisture damage. This guitar also includes its original 'thermometer' case.
This guitar has been given a full appraisal by our luthiers at the Vintage Instrument Workshop, with a detailed breakdown confirming the originality of all constituent parts, including internal photos that are available on request. As with all our vintage instruments, this guitar includes a 3 year warranty.
