As early as 1950, Fender became the first company to successfully market solidbody electric guitars. Since then, the two-pickup, single-cutaway Telecaster has remained a simple, yet effective design that delivers versatile tones. There's a reason why players of all genres gravitate towards the Telecaster—its tone is transparent, dynamic, and straightforward. It seems to do everything well.
The Telecaster Plus rolled out in 1989, and it brought cutting-edge Lace Sensor pickups to the time-honored Tele design. It features the classic single-cutaway made from Alder instead of Ash, and while it resembles the original design, it has different hardware such as a six-saddle, strat-like bridge. In the neck position, the Tele Plus has a Lace Sensor Blue, and in the bridge position, it has a "Dually" humbucker, which is two Lace Sensor Red pickups paired to function as one.
At the time, Lace Sensors were all the rage. As a true single coil pickup, the Lace Sensor design retains a lot of the dynamic qualities players love about Fender pickups. But unlike most single-coil designs, the Lace Sensor's coil is encased in metal barriers, which help reduce electro-magnetic interference and excess noise/hum. According to the manufacturer, the barriers also help concentrate the magnetic field, allowing weaker magnets to be used. This results in less string pull, so that means truer pitch and intonation as well as superior sustain.
Beyond the pickups and the bridge, the Telecaster Plus looks a lot like a regular telecaster, except it has an additional three-way switch on the control plate. That switch allows you to split the coils on the Dually bridge pickup. With the switch toward the neck, you get the active coil closest to the neck, and toward the bridge, you get the opposite—the pickup closest to the bridge. In the middle position, you combine both for an especially fat, full tone. In practice, this switch allows you to explore all the tonal possibilities of the pickups, and you're able to dial in tones only available on the Telecaster Plus model.
This 1995 Telecaster Plus shows some wear and tear, but it plays and sounds exactly how it should. There are a few finish chips along the edges: right by the waist on the bass side of the top, on edge of the back lower bout, and around the input jack area (see photos). Otherwise, there appear to be no repairs, damages, or issues. Just a great-playing Telecaster Plus.
This 1995 Fender Telecaster Plus includes its original molded plastic hardshell case, which is slightly cracked and has also seen better days. But all the buckles still work, and the case protects the guitar as it should. Get yourself a Honda sticker, and you'll be good to go!