Rory acquired this Telecaster Deluxe around the time of the San Francisco album recordings in 1977/78, and it was also used during the sessions for the Photo-Finish album in 1978. The Telecaster Deluxe, with its humbucking pickups, contributed to some of the heavier tones heard on these recordings.
I got a Fender Tele-Deluxe with the humbuckers, might as well see what they’re like. There’s no doubt they have that heavy fat sound the single-coils don’t have, but the main problem with most guitars with humbuckers, until recently, is that they used to put the wrong values in tone pots and volume pots, so when you took your volume down to 8 the guitar went dead, and you couldn’t get that natural fade away sound.
Rory Gallagher, Guitar Magazine, September 1978.
Specs
The guitar, bearing serial number 713777, features a brown finish and retains its original two humbucking pickups. However, the tone control pots were replaced at some point, and the neck has undergone a re-fret.
In 2024, this guitar appeared at auction through Bonhams as Rory Gallagher: A Fender Telecaster Deluxe Electric Guitar, 1976, with an estimated price range of £10,000 – £15,000.
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