1950 Fender Broadcaster, Blonde
Regular price
- Unit price
- / per
At a Glance:
Model: Broadcaster
Year: 1950
Finish: Old refin body, oversprayed neck
Body Wood: Ash
Neck Wood: Maple
Fingerboard: Maple
Neck Profile: Soft V
Tuners: Mixed Klusons - 3 x ‘PAT applied’ closed shell, 3 x single-line Pat No. open shell
Pickups: Correct chrome-covered neck pickup. Slightly later bridge pickup with copper-plated baseplate
Bridge: Correct Broadcaster bridge #0080 with correct flat-bottom brass saddles
Plastics/hardware: Correct Black Bakelite guard, tall dome knobs, round Pat Pend switch tip
Electronics: Correct CRL switch, wax paper .05 capacitor, 15k resistor, Stackpole solid-shaft pots, cloth wiring, correct Broadcaster blend circuit.
Modifications: Body refinished, neck oversprayed, refret, replacement nut, mixed tuners, later bridge pickup.
Provenance: Same ownership since 1981. Prior ownership by Martin Barre and Paul Hamer.
Weight: 3.23kg
Nut Width: 40.7mm
Neck Depth: 1st Fret 22.8mm | 12th Fret 25.1mm
Pickup readings: Bridge - 9.15k | Neck - 6.41k
Case: Original thermometer case
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
1950 Fender Broadcaster, Blonde
Regular price
- Unit price
- / per
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1950 Fender Broadcaster, Blonde
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Description
A superb piece of Fender history, this 1950 Fender Broadcaster #0080 is a fantastic early example from the very dawn of Leo Fender’s solidbody revolution. Having remained in the same ownership since 1981, this Broadcaster was previously owned by Martin Barre, who acquired it from Paul Hamer in the 1970s.
The ash body was refinished a long time ago, certainly before the current ownership and known to pre-date 1981. The grain is particularly attractive, and the body retains all the early Broadcaster tooling details, including the long drill-hole wiring channel from neck pickup to the bridge pickup cavity, seen before Fender introduced the later doughnut and channel route to make production/assembly easier.
The neck is everything you’d hope to see from this period, with the maple truss rod plug, single round string tree, correct Broadcaster decal, and router hole behind the D tuner present and correct. As is sometimes the case with Broadcasters there are no pencil dates or signatures, which is consistent with other examples. The profile is a lovely soft V, perfectly proportioned and very comfortable in the hand. It has been refretted with larger fret wire, the nut has been replaced, it's been oversprayed a long time ago and there is honest wear from years of use, giving that silky feel players know and love.
The bridge pickup measures just over 9k, which is not unusual for the Broadcaster period. There’s real weight and substance in the bridge position without losing clarity or string to string definition, with a nicely balanced top end and plenty of rich midrange behind it. Bringing the neck pickup in via the original blend circuit gives some superb rhythm sounds, adding warmth and roundness while still retaining definition. On its own, the neck pickup is beautifully bell-like, warm and rounded, offering a softer character that contrasts perfectly with the punch and drive of the bridge pickup.
The bridge pickup is a copper baseplate version typically seen from '51 onwards. The bobbins fluoresce correctly under blacklight. It retains its string wrap and black and white cloth leads. The chrome covered neck pickup appears correct. The Broadcaster blend circuit is still intact, with the early three-way layout of dark neck preset, neck with tone control, and bridge with blend control, along with the correct CRL switch, wax paper .05 capacitor, 15k resistor, Stackpole solid-shaft pots, and period cloth wiring. There is some messy soldering, but the overall loom appears correct.
The tuners are mixed, with three 'PAT applied,' no line, closed shell Klusons typically seen from '51, and 3 later '50s single-line, Pat No. open shell Klusons made between '58-'60, all with correct slot-head screws. It retains its black Bakelite guard, tall dome knobs, round Pat Pend switch tip, correct bridge with flat-bottom brass saddles, neck plate, strap buttons and correct slot-head screws throughout.
All in all, this is a fantastic early Broadcaster with huge historical importance, excellent provenance, and all the right early-production quirks that make these first-generation Fender solidbodies so desirable. A serious collector’s piece, but also still a wonderfully alive and inspiring guitar to play. Comes complete with the original 'thermometer' case.
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At a Glance:
Model: Broadcaster
Year: 1950
Finish: Old refin body, oversprayed neck
Body Wood: Ash
Neck Wood: Maple
Fingerboard: Maple
Neck Profile: Soft V
Tuners: Mixed Klusons - 3 x ‘PAT applied’ closed shell, 3 x single-line Pat No. open shell
Pickups: Correct chrome-covered neck pickup. Slightly later bridge pickup with copper-plated baseplate
Bridge: Correct Broadcaster bridge #0080 with correct flat-bottom brass saddles
Plastics/hardware: Correct Black Bakelite guard, tall dome knobs, round Pat Pend switch tip
Electronics: Correct CRL switch, wax paper .05 capacitor, 15k resistor, Stackpole solid-shaft pots, cloth wiring, correct Broadcaster blend circuit.
Modifications: Body refinished, neck oversprayed, refret, replacement nut, mixed tuners, later bridge pickup.
Provenance: Same ownership since 1981. Prior ownership by Martin Barre and Paul Hamer.
Weight: 3.23kg
Nut Width: 40.7mm
Neck Depth: 1st Fret 22.8mm | 12th Fret 25.1mm
Pickup readings: Bridge - 9.15k | Neck - 6.41k
Case: Original thermometer case
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.