Blackguard Fender Broadcaster

Here is a Great article about the Fender Blackguard from:

Jacksons Rare Guitars

I first came across this wonderful Black Guard in the very early 1980′s, must have been 1981. At that time the local gang of Pre CBS Stratocaster collectors all scratched their heads (including myself). The guitar had a Fender Telecaster decal that was added I would say in the seventies. We had never seen an early fifties Black Guard before, how do you tell what’s original? Well that was over a quarter of a century ago!

1981 – Sold for $1,000

Today we have had the opportunity to educate ourselves with the benefit of having seen these beautiful Black Guard Tele’s, Esquire’s, Nocaster’s plus a couple of rare Broadcasters (to which we believe this to be one!) which have come into the store. The reason we say believe is due to the fact that the decal is not the original and maybe (being pinpointed to 1950), could it have been a 1950 Esquire? Which would then make it much rarer than a Broadcaster from that era!

1998 – Sold for $6,500

Until the "Black Guard Book" by Nacho Benos (which is the most comprehensive and detailed look of the Black guard era of Fender) We thought the dates had been lost to the thirty plus year old refinsh. The book clearly shows that most of the early Black Guards from 1950 were without dates. It was also near impossible to date these instruments via pot dates, as the solder was (in nearly every case) placed over the codes in the centre of the pots. This Guitar when I first saw it had the original pots and were replaced some twenty years back.

First style 1950 Bushings  -  The peg head had the original PAT APPLD for tuners to which we inadvertently sold to a US dealer around ten years ago (As they floated into the store separately) and we didn’t know they were off this guitar until it’s return a fair while later. However, the original machine head screws together with the first style 1950 string post bushings still remain.

First style Truss Rod Screw – The neck features the first type flat truss rod screw, that changed to a double (Star – Phillips) in 1951.

First style 1950 String retainer – The guitars show a slightly different 1950 string retainer, compared to the 1951 style that gradually dishes in on the top rim.

2003 – Sold for $12,750

First style 1950 Fender Knobs – The guitar still carries the original first series knobs which have a taller dome than later versions. The original control plate is showing plenty of character as it has had much use in its 58 year history.

First style 1950 Ferrules – these are found on the rear of the guitar for which to feed the strings through. These are the original first version 1950 ferrules on this guitar.

First type Strap Button ’50 – 51 type – The guitar still has the original "Steel Rod" nickel plated with the shaper top edge and flat base. These of course are also showing their age.

Bridge Saddles from November 50 Broadcasters onwards – The saddles are the original second series Brass with flat bottom that appeared on Broadcaster and Esquires from November 1950 onwards.

First style Bridge plate – The bridge plate is the original and has the early mat lower half as all the earlier Black Guard models have. Interesting to note is the rear of the bridge has a small hole drilled in the rear. We will come back to that later.

Serial number – One of the reasons I always thought this guitar was later (all those years ago) was due to the serial number being #1803. Once again after reading the fabulous Black Guard book, it reveals that Leo Fender exaggerated with higher numbers in the serial numbers being used and made the production of guitars look much higher as he jumped forward in sequences, to suggest Fender had made many more instruments than they had at that point in time.

First series Jack Cup – This Jack Cup fitted here is one of the three early 1st versions made for these guitars.

First version rear pickup – Elevator Plate – The first versions of these 1950 – 1951 Black Guards had a zink plated Elevator plate as does this guitar. The pickup was weak and open circuit and has been rewound with original type wire by Martin Kell and sounds fantastic. The original Rope was replaced in the same position and looks like the pickup has not been touched. The front pickup appears to be original and I will keep researching that …. Back to the Black Guard book!

First series Switch Lever – The book states the first examples of the Broadcaster have a two PAT Number Switch that ran up intil early 1951 when they switched to a three Pat Number switch. Pictured here is the original first version switch. Attached is also the first series original Capacitor. The switch like most old Tele style guitars has had the wiring converted to the conventional Tele pickup selections. The switch tip is a type two PAT number which may have been replace early on, as like the bridge cover, it was easy to lose or possible brake.

Original Pickguard – The Black Guard on this guitar is original. To quote the Black Guard book " …..  Most Broadcasters come with the Straight-Edged pickguards"  This guitar has the Straight-Edge (Non Beveled) pickguard. The Characteristics of these early guards have traces or polish on the bridge end of the pickguard as does this one! Under the guard shows the factory original 5" paint can ring. On close inspection, this guitar shows the traces as stated, on the bridge end of the pickguard.

The rare cavity rout –  The rare cavity rout on this guitar has the early “gully way” for the wiring to pass through the bridge pickup cavity to the neck pickup cavity. This early wire feeding system proceeds the Diagonal rout that followed on later bodies. The cavity also shows the earlier router entry circle off the the right rather than the centre found on post 1950 bodies.

Early 1950 Control Cavity Rout  - Early Broadcasters had handmade enlargements to the pickup cavities … as this guitar has! The post 1950 guitars had a flat lower end. The Control cavity also has the punched hole on the bass side of the control cavity found on most Broadcasters.

Back to the hole in the Bridge …. An interesting thought … We were looking at pictures of the "Bill Carson" playing a Broadcaster and we noticed the way Bill played with the Bridge cover slid back on the bridge with the rear pickup exposed. This guitar (when I first saw it) had the bridge cover attached with an original bridge screw so one could slide it back with an original spring on the inside, to stop the cover from moving away from the bridge (in the slid back position). Also when being refinished back in the seventies, the top horn had a little more attention with the sanding than anywhere else …. Right where a name may have been!

Secondly, the headstock has a unique circle with a factory type fill with almost matching timber that does not go right through. The circle is around the same size as the top dish of the original string retainer. A factory second given to an Artist? If anyone can shed some light, that would be appreciated.

Over all …  playing this guitar one can see what all the fuss is about with these early Black Guard Fenders. It is super light weight, warm, colourful and takes you back to the time pre the Stratocaster, when Fender were like a big custom shop. One could almost see
the thoughts going into these guitars!

Thanks to the Black Guard book, researching these early Fenders has become much easier. I suggest anyone that has an interest in the Black Guard or the history of Fender, read this wonderful book more than once!

These books are numbered and I was fortunate to get the matching number to this guitar #1803 which the picture on the cover supports. The book comes with the guitar.

2008 – Yours for $75,000

• Kim LaFleur talks PAF Pickups

Tags: Black Guard, Broadcaster, Fender Guitar, Telecaster