I love how they try to do damage control on the mystery hole like it could've come from the factory that way, lest the value be decreased, like some yokel with a long drill bit didn't put it there for some unknown reason. Gorgeous guitar in any case. Thanks for sharing.

@ak1969

2 ай бұрын

And that hole was drilled after the paintjob.

@georgeellison926

2 ай бұрын

Agreed. To think that a guitar left the factory with a hole in the side like this is absurd. And there are an awful lot of people who can drill holes at an angle, and a whole lot of people who own drill presses and milling machines.

This is what was commonly referred to as a "toot hole", pioneered by Joe Walsh. You'd run a clear tube in there with some refreshment powder in the cavity and take yourself a little toot while pretending to fiddle with your amp mid set.

@jasonbates2687

2 ай бұрын

blow hole? lol

@jasonbates2687

2 ай бұрын

the blow hole?

Tyler Mehal played beautifully… the passages leading into those major 7th chords are so sweet, the volume swells, the management of clean versus breakup tone… masterful! That angle hole was obviously for weight relief and improved tone….

500 made, 2000 known to exist

@gordonanderson3111

2 ай бұрын

20,000,000 relic replicas coming out of China - and to be fair some of which sound really good, 'cause yu know they have cornered the market on rare earth magnets.

I really appreciate your time. I love watching these. Thanks.

It sounds absolutely incredible too. both pickups sound great. You can tell the guitar was played a lot and loved. Makes the guitar even more special.

The best explanation of the Telecaster genre of guitars I've ever heard is this...two sticks of wood bolted together with some metal bits screwed to them. Oh, and that's a tone hole.:)

Beautiful playing!

Very nice demo. Excellent story and vid of the original guy. Too sweet!

Great preserved guitar and cool story. The irregular drills in my trade, tool maker, are refereed to "jobber length" where they are ordered custom for the job.

So much better than a West Coast partial eclipse. 🤓👍🏽 the truth about aircraft drill bits.

as an ex advertising guy im guessing it was to mount the guitar on some sorta space age looking floating display. given the provenance and that the dude drove around the west showing off and selling the new fangled fenders, thats my guess. so it would’ve looked like it was floating in front of some sort of display .

@Old-Skull.

2 ай бұрын

That doesn't make sense, you don't make that amount of work just to screw a hook, if you want the guitar floating the best way to do it is with a hook, screwed like the strap buttons, one because it's not something so destructive as it was that hole , second because the only way you could use that hole to support that guitar is by placing the guitar upside down , it doesn't make sense and third because nobody destroys a pefect playing finished instrument for marketing purposes, to integrate a the guitar in a display they could have used a non working guitar with fake pick ups and all . If you listened the guy and you know something about working with wood you know that all what he says is truth, it's a very complicated hole to do it straight , now imagine in angle , the objective of that hole was to reach that cavity, I have no doubt of that and the first thing that comes to my mind is to attach a microphone like Les Paul did , maybe it was a custom order in which the buyer wanted the option to place a microphone but never was installed .

@jeremyversusjazz

2 ай бұрын

@@Old-Skull. youre prolly right.

That is definitely a tone adjustment hole. A cinch for any home DIY player looking to enhance high end notes at little cost. Some people also apply shielding paint with a long fine brush. Rock on.

Very nice plying enjoyed that 🙌

great amp sound and chord progressions, playing.

Might have saw one of those once. Wasn’t supposed to look at it , but we did.

Never seen someone try to over explain a drill press so much

@Meddled

2 ай бұрын

It feels like it is gearing up to making this hole some sort of miracle factory mod, rather than a random pointless hole drilled into a guitar. "It's a factory hole". Maybe, but it is also a useless, ugly, irreversible modification. Finish in the hole could point to a high quality, period correct refinish.

@looking_33

2 ай бұрын

@@Meddled They're trying to get some mojo voodoo price premium because it's worth significantly less with a 1/4 hole straight through it. Just act as normal humans and either plug the hole and spot refinish and disclose it or leave it as it is, damage to the body, and sell it for less without gaslighting people.

It sounds incredible

The Fender Broadcasters/Nocasters are the crown jewel for any collection not only because of their history and rarity, but also their unique sound. Something about them is just so hard to replicate. I was lucky enough to be able to hold and examine one for roughly 30 seconds at an event years ago. They sound and look amazing in person. I know I'll never have one, but I've had 30 seconds very few other people will be able to relate to.

A piece of history 👍🏻!

Am still looking for my 51 Fender NoCaster stolen in 1981 serial number 011 if ever come across it

I agree with the mic theory. Les Paul had a mic setup on his guitar. This may have been set up for one and never finished.

Great sounding guitar - reminds me of the time I was visiting some folks in the mountains of Colorado, yes in South Park, and there was a Native man there with a cheap beat-up case with a guitar he wanted me to look at. I was not in the mood to do a restring on a cheap old guitar but after dinner I opened the case and 'AHHHHhh' - there was Broadcaster serial number 0223! Without going into the whole story of trying to buy and/or sell it - I was too poor to have even tried at the time and wary of angering a Navaho Medicine man - u yet it was an awesome adventure driving it out to LA and seeing what Norm might give for it! but i digress - You know about the small holes that are used to hold Fender bodies in the milling machines and then plugged? It is one way to ID a real vintage Fender body; look up the exact placement measurements and look for the trace of a hole under the finish, right? It would be interesting to look at some other 'no-casters' and see if they have a plugged hole in that spot, maybe, maybe not.

Maybe the guitar was part of a display?

This is a guy that knows how to get the tones out of a Tele. Nothing shrill, but still twangy. Nice job.

Leo fender was an inventor and tinker almost more than anything else. Could have been anything. I find it hard to believe they wouldn't have plugged the hole with a dowel and finished it right over. I'm also hesitant to discredit the competence of someone living in that area back then and their woodworking skill. Pine is very soft, and with a punch and a small pilot hole that could have been done easily by an amateur even. Unfortunately, the younger people are, the more incredulous they seem to be that someone without advanced technology and resources could do anything with any kind of skill or precision. There are amazing examples of wooden instruments from hundreds of years ago that can't be replicated today. But its simply a skill issue. Until you have had a lifetime of self reliance and patience to perfect a craft, it may seem mysterious. But personally, I think there's too much hipster and not enough common sense in the analysis of something that in the end, don't amount to a fart in a windstorm. Perhaps just say, well, I don't know why its there, rather than throw some shade at someone or try to assign some significance or added value to a hole in a guitar. All that aside, a beautiful example and a piece of American history, thanks for sharing it with us!

@johnbriggs3916

2 ай бұрын

A Nocaster has an Ash body. Pine was only used for early Esquires.

@persistence_of_vision

2 ай бұрын

Naw, it was aliens.

Wow. Rarely does a material item make me drool. A true dream guitar

I have seen a few 50's Fender Guitars that had holes drilled in that spot for Saxophone Strap holders. The hole in this one is much, much longer than would have been needed for a Sax Strap, but it might have been done to have something attached to hold the guitar.

Skyler, beautiful, man. I knew a fella bought his first guitar a ‘51 nocaster, I was a young guy 17 I think, my parents and the Birdsongs talked and I got to sit there and play it through his silver face Twin Reverb for 30 minutes. I had an emotional reaction listening to Skyler make that guitar sing again

I miss my 1951 Esquire I was the 2nd owner. Original poodle case with sales receipt. TV Radio Center in North Carolina. Gone long ago where I don' t know now.

Good explanation about the “factory hole”. Noting the cigarette burn on the headstock my guess it was a holder for a lit smoke, legal or otherwise. 😂

Roy Buchanan used to drill a hole in the headstock and hang his on the wall!!!

My Telecaster is No Caster - and never will be even if I scrape off the Telecaster label. What an amazing guitar.

10:43 - Holy baseball bat, man!

Be a great addition to JB’s collection.

Great story! those saddle height screws look nasty though!!

Pure Americana baby . Nothing like it anywhere .

That hole could have held a switch of some kind , since the pots have been changed ,to drill a hole you ad electronics for mods,

If money were no object.......great video

You put your weed in there

@sixstringcity3931

2 ай бұрын

Yeah that makes sense Are you 12 ? Or just recovering from the times you fell?

@jpaul251

2 ай бұрын

​@@sixstringcity3931It's a SNL skit.

@hh4826

2 ай бұрын

​@@sixstringcity3931Are you dense? Or just recovering from a lack of humour? 😮

@greenfly1264

2 ай бұрын

Love it !

@greenfly1264

2 ай бұрын

​@@sixstringcity3931it's a comedy reference if you know its funny,if you don't you come over abusive. Get some comedy in your life bruv. Comment only on what you know.

Great video and amazing guitar! Maybe Joe Bonamassa or John 5 would be interested in buying this storied instrument.

@philbert006

2 ай бұрын

Shit, those guys buy the ones that didn't get played or drilled. They can afford to. Joe seems to avoid everyone except Norman on the west coast, probably because he hates hipsters, even though norm is kinda the original hipster. They also go way back and Joe gets the first look at anything in his wheelhouse there, too. Sure that has some relevance.

Damn that thing sounds amazing, sounds like 1950s America

Wow.

pretty caster, what's the price? my guess 80g plus.

Skyler, I just want to say thank you. I’m sure Leo is somewhere thinking, “Now THATS what I built this guitar for. Thank you Skyler.”

When I lived in Seattle I got to see Jay Roberts play the Twilight Zone Telecaster. His dad Howard Roberts was played that TV show theme when he was part of the Wrecking Crew.

It's obviously to hold an extra cigarette when the one in the headstock burns out!!

Maybe for a second jack input in case it was to be restrung left handed? Like maybe they qere experimenting with ambidextrous appointments? Its a mystery to be sure.

whats the amp??

Tyler is great. What a great detailed response. Well with the super short strap the mic holder or harmonica holder would make sense to me anyway.

B String Bender?

That guitar has some growl! 👍

The absolute longest explanation of how a "hole" came to be........

Sounds like my Classic Vibe.

@paluceash

2 ай бұрын

Theres no a galaxy of difference between a Squier CV and a Vintage or Cistom Shop guitar IMO

@miserableunoriginal

2 ай бұрын

Craftsmanship

@gryzew

2 ай бұрын

@@miserableunoriginal yes the expert luthier just spent 7 minutes talking about the craftsmanship and originality of a hole. This video is literally "jumping the shark" of vintage guitar corksniffing vids.

@miserableunoriginal

2 ай бұрын

@@gryzew I’m not sure if you’re trying to bash my comment or support my statement? I was just simply stating the difference between a squier and custom shop guitar from the last poster. Essentially they’re all just pieces of wood with wiring and electronics. But attention to detail separates a production line squier and a custom shop made guitar.

Broadcaster was second to the one-pickup and rarer two-pickup Esquire. Got some nice tones there although it would have been nicer to switch to the dark capacitor as well, but nevertheless, this is a beauty to the ears as well as the eyes!

@ChrisShortyAllen

2 ай бұрын

As if

@ChrisShortyAllen

2 ай бұрын

?

@b.rodclark334

2 ай бұрын

​@ChrisShortyAllen huh?🤷‍♂️

Come on bro, i could drill that hole no prob. I got a tool box full of long bits like that. Being a guitar maker i have drilled lots of holes like that. Its just not that big a deal. The guitar is awsome

@amslu

2 ай бұрын

This is how you sell an overpriced vintage guitar nowadays

@looking_33

2 ай бұрын

Lmao he was talking like it was some impossible scientific feat.

@flapjack413

2 ай бұрын

Lol, I was thinking the same thing. If you peck drill it, rather than just plow through, it tracks straight every time. I did a lot of that in my first couple of guitars that I built, before I started putting more thought into cavity and channel layouts on my own designs. He's just trying to hype the thing up.

@ChrisShortyAllen

2 ай бұрын

So are you saying an amateur drilled it?

@danlawson3986

2 ай бұрын

@@ChrisShortyAllen no, just not that hard a hole to drill. Easy peasy

That amp sounds amazing.😉

Nice! Nice Work! WooF!!🐶🐶

Very expensive but worth it

The hole. I have no inside information, but similar to an idea of my own. To install a piezo pickup into the body of a guitar. There could be many reasons why they opted not to in the end. Perhaps they could not shield it well enough or it caused feedback or it just wasn't the sound they wanted. So they already drilled to holes in "X" number of bodies?

It’s for a green bullet microphone, just like Jack White

Too bad they weren't as precise with the holes holding the neck on the Body. The Bass string at the end of the fretboard is almost even with the side of neck. And the treble E is too far from the side. But it is a Nocaster and I wouldn't kick it out of bed. Sounds amazing.

@1man1guitarletsgo

2 ай бұрын

I'd slacken the neck screws a tiny bit, then reposition the neck and tighten the screws back up to realign it. Something I've done many times.

@chuckyz2

2 ай бұрын

@@1man1guitarletsgo I doubt there is enough slack to easily fix it just doing what you suggest. It looks way off. But it would be cool if that is all it needs. At least for them. Plug and drill might hurt the value.

@dezionlion

2 ай бұрын

I did the same Fixed it right up! Actually my friend did it Wouldn’t have believed if I hadn’t seen him do it

3:19 Peavey T-40!!! One of the heaviest basses known to mankind 😂

Damn

the perimeter of the hole inside of the cavity would have chipped out if it was drilled after the body was shaped. as this isn’t the case, it’s likely the hole predates the shaping of the body

@ES-qm5hr

2 ай бұрын

My assumption is the same. I think it was just a blank with a hole drilled in it before shaping. I don't think it had any real purpose, they just probably had it lying around, and then made into a Nocaster. They weren't too fussy with the parts. I have vintage Fenders that were made from old parts lying around. For instance, I have a 1972 Stratocaster which is was made with an earlier body which was half shot in sunburst (they never fully finished the sunburst process) then had a black finish over top. It is made from parts that date from 1970 to 1972, and should have been a three bolt neck by that time, but it is a 4 bolt. My guess is someone wanted a custom color black guitar, so they throw together parts they had to make one.

Great story/ piece/ guitar. Why no mention of Esquire? Is it just me or is it often just not mentioned as the first electric- not Broadcaster, not Nocaster not Telecaster… or am I just to attached to mine!

I'm so glad I didn't move to seattle. I spent a hole day up there. What a hole I drill pilot holes all the time, then use a 12" long tube well bit

It had a plug init and it fell out later

What so special with that hole? There is a hole that is all. All that is needed is an pillar drill and a aircraft bit they got them back then and as much more as common.

@flapjack413

2 ай бұрын

Nothing, and it's not difficult to do even with a hand held drill if you know what you're doing.

@stevepelham9010

2 ай бұрын

That is right! That hole is annoying them as it sure will take some value off so what the did was an Saga of mystery and greatness one will need an huge industry machine! Yeah right...

Hole to install a kill switch 😮

Hold my beer and give me that drill

Drill bits do not wander if they are sharp.

Weight relief

The same guy's the built the Egyptian pyramids drilled the hole, weight relief.

How much did the owner's son get ?

Maybe this is why I love classic designs but with modern appointments , so..at 9:53 you can see how far down the saddles are to make this guitar (beautiful guitar) playable to today's standards, ...Stew Mac 1° neck shim , it's maple ..am I alone ? Christ with the purists ( beautiful tone don't get me wrong) but it's ok we all understand don't we?

It was going to be a B bender.

Trying not to devalue the guitar by pretending whoever drilled the hole split the atom or something. It's a hole someone drilled in the guitar after it left the factory. I use long drill bits like that every day. It's really not that difficult.

It's obviously a victim of an alien abduction, they left their screwdrivers on some alien planet. Your welcome.

That has Joe Bonamassa written all over it

Stop waving it about, you’re making me nervous 😄

$ 218,734.00🤑🤑

I'll start the bidding at 1 Dollar. Promise I won't fill in the hole. 😊

Unbelievable' No one can figure out what the purpose of that hole is? What if someone was to inform you that their grandfather worked for fender when that hole was drilled' what would it be worth to you to know that information.

@ChrisShortyAllen

2 ай бұрын

Did he chat about holes with his grand children regularly? Sounds like you might have loads of valuable information or is it just this? Thought so.

@BryanClark-gk6ie

2 ай бұрын

@@ChrisShortyAllen Mostly talked about his time working for fender and digging ginseng as a kid' encounters running into wild animals' bears/Mt lions/ Bob cats etc. Always told one story about running into a big foot but most people knew he was just stirring up drama/ joking. As far as holes' other than the guitar, he said to never wipe that one with a razor blade.

It's the original 1951 factory cornhole. Leo Fender was so ahead of his time that 73 years later you still can't say what the hole is for.

Holey...grail

Don't tell Bonamassa.

"Excellent weight" So how much does it weigh?

Dude, you look so much like FooFighters Taylor Hawkins, you could play an evil prank on Grohl 😈 😂

You missed what could be the coolest thing about this guitar- the neck pick up blend switch.

I’m L/H can’t play for shirt but that’s sounds absolute dynamite.

Please keep this out of John5 hands. There was less than 500 produced, and he owns more than any other person.

Whoever talked you into that haircut….stop listening to them. Awesome guitar, love the vids.

just a fucking telecaster

High sound too brittle for my taste .88

Did daddy leave you a trust fund? 😂