SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS ON THE WIRE
Soundcheck: Now Let’ s Plug It In
BY JOHN SCHROETER WITH KEVIN VEATCH
To better understand where the 75th Anniversary American Professional Custom Telecaster sits within the broader Telecaster lineage, we spent considerable time comparing it against Kevin’ s vintage 1966 Telecaster fitted with Fender’ s Pure Vintage‘ 64 pickup set. Both guitars were played through a 1970 Fender Deluxe Reverb with the volume and tone controls on the instruments fully open. The setup removed as many variables as possible and allowed the differences between the two guitars to emerge on their own terms.
The two pickup systems represent different philosophies separated by six decades of Telecaster evolution. The Pure Vintage‘ 64 pickups pursue a specific historical target. Their voice feels rooted in the mid-1960s Fender vocabulary: pronounced twang, exceptional note separation, airy upper harmonics, and the slightly unruly character that makes a good vintage Telecaster all the things we expect it to be. The bridge pickup possesses that familiar wiry bite that seems to leap from the speaker, while the neck pickup delivers a woody warmth that rewards clean playing and lighter touch dynamics. Individual notes occupy their own space, and chords retain a sense of openness.
The V-Mod II pickups in the 75th Anniversary Professional Custom occupy much of the same territory, though they arrive there differently. Designed by Tim Shaw, they retain the essential asymmetry that has always defined a Telecaster’ s appeal while introducing a greater degree of balance and refinement. The bridge position maintained the familiar Telecaster bite, though with more authority behind it, while the neck pickup sounded fuller and more substantial than the vintage guitar. The biggest surprise emerged in the middle position. Rather than forcing a choice between depth and sparkle, the anniversary model somehow delivered both. Notes carried more weight through the center frequencies, yet the upper harmonics remained lively and present. Through the Deluxe Reverb, the middle position consistently sounded larger
132 | SUMMER 2026