1969 FENDER TELECASTER BASS
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Fender begins to use polyester as body and neck undercoat finishes. Instruments can be found with a combination of both cloth wiring and plastic wiring together. During the year a stamped ® mark is introduced onto the Fender name imprinted non-reverse clover tuners and the Fender "fishtail" silver plastic logo is introduced on the black tolex case. White/black/white pickguards were introduced, along with single ply white. The grey bobbin single coil pickup was often hand dated for first part of year and ink stamp dated for the remainder of the year and wrapped in string.
Other 1969 Telecaster bass characteristics: Small logo including one patent applied under the finish, one piece maple neck with skunk stripe, black plastic dot fret markers, medium jumbo fret wire, neck butt date etc. ink stamps, fifth hole on neck butt for hanging while painting, 4 bolt F Series neck plate, non-contoured slab body, neck pocket paint stick etc., thumb rest under G string, no ground shield under pickup, chrome pickup cover and bridge cover with foam rubber string mute, metal pots assembly plate, flat top knobs, CTS potentiometers (often with overstocked 1966 codes), round yellow tone capacitor, input jack cup, small slightly raised string grommets on body back, two saddle metal bridge, ground wire route underneath bridge. Custom color finishes were offered, including Pink Paisley and Blue Floral with clear pickguards.
Serial numbers ranged from roughly 232550 to 280000 although there are many overlapping exceptions. For more precise dating, cross reference the serial number with the instrument's neck butt stamp, pickup stamp and potentiometer codes.