ELECTRICIZED

Fender Wallpaper Telecaster

1968-1969
Alder, Maple

Fender wanted to give the Telecaster a popularity boost among the then important Hippie community. To do so, Leo issued two Telecaster models with a psychedelic touch. One had a blue floral pattern, the other one a pink paisley. That cheap move didn’t convey enough flower power to pump up the sales and the production of the nicknamed ‘Wallpaper’ telecaster got stopped a year after its introduction.

It took a rockabilly guitarist to immortalize the model — Well not any rockabilly guitarist, we’re talking about the Master of the Telecaster, James Burton. Since Burton brought the Pink Paisley to fame, several reissues of that telly have been produced in the last two decades. Hear Burton make it swing.

If you can afford it, it’s for sale

Gibson Les Paul Deluxe

1968-1985
Maple, Mahogany, Rosewood

Pushed out by the SG, the Les Paul Model which hadn’t said its last word came back for another round of production in 1968. Along with Standard and Custom, a new brat joined the family: The Les Paul Deluxe.

The brighter, snappier sound juiced out of its two “New York” mini-humbucker was favored by some well known guitarists, and was famed by Pete Townshed who played a few during his career with The Who.

Victim of the 70s Norlin era, the Deluxe model lived through many variations in construction. Early models even featured the heavy “pancake” body (layers of maple and mahogany)

Epiphone Cailoa Custom
Maple, Mahogany, Rosewood
1963-1969

Despite Al Caiola never participated in its design, the versatile guitarist gladly endorsed the guitar. The model also made some time in the hands of Barry Tashian (The Remains) and even Tom Verlaine (Television).

The Cailoa has a hollow body but no f-holes, two mini-humbuckers and sports an unusual 25 1/2 scale length (at least in Gibson’s book. Pictured is a 1968 Cailoa Custom in Walnut. 

Photo by John Deas

Jacobacci Studio

Mahogany, Ebony

The very gibson-esque Jacobacci Studio was the french attempt to revive the Les Paul Standard, which had been replaced by the double-cutaway Gibson SG during the sixties. The first studios came out in 1968. Bad timing… That same year, Les Pauls were re-introduced into Gibson’s catalog.

The guitar is chambered and sports Schaller tuners. Two models exist: Studio 2 and Studio 3, with respectively two or three pickups. It had a few famous aficionados, including Frank Zappa.

Photo: Stanislas Grenet

Rickenbacker 360/12

1963-present
Maple, Walnut, Rosewood

A Rick’s classic. First 12 strings, with stereo output. Favored by dozen of guitar legends. George Harrison, Pete Townshend, Brian Jones, Jeff Buckley to name a few. Pictured is a 1968 Fireglo

1968 Sekova Grecian with a crazy set of stereo pickups. Rumor says the Grecians were built by the famous fujigen gakki team (Greco, early Ibanez, Yamaha)…

more info @ myrareguitars.com

The famous 1968 Rosewood Telecaster, otherwise known as George Harrisson’s “let it be” guitar.

After a suite of dissatisfaction with both Gibsons and Fenders, Queen’s guitarist Brian May started designing his own guitars in 1968, with the help of his father. And there was the Brian May Red Special

Kustom used to make guitars, and they looked like this 1968 Kustom K-200B thinline.

SOME of Jimi Hendrix’s guitars. From left to right: 1968 Stratocaster Olympic White (the Woodstock strat), 1965 stratocaster 3 tone sunburst that Jimi burnt at the Finsbury Astoria in 1967, 1968 three-tone sunburst stratocaster, 1967 Gibson Flying V he painted himself, 1969 Gibson Flying V used at the Isle of Whight.

they are all damn sexy.

Danelectro Silvertone Model 1452

1968

Yummy 1968 Danelectro Silvertone Model 1452. One of the last models made before the company pulled the curtain. Apparently, there is a vibrato beneath that bridge.