A clean, lively mid 70s Made in Japan Matao Tele, built during the Kasuga era when Japanese factories were quietly nailing the feel of early Fender designs. Natural Blonde ash body, thin lacquer, steel saddles, and that unmistakable Tele snap that only decades-old wood can deliver. Freshly restrung, cleaned, and lightly serviced — a lot of old Tele mojo for not a lot of money.

Features

• 1970s MIJ Kasuga era build
• Natural Blonde ash body with thin lacquer
• Vintage script logo with long sweeping "T"
• Steel saddles for classic Tele bite
• 50s style hardware with light patina
• Original ashtray bridge cover
• Vintage curved Tele hardcase (yellow/orange plush)
• Brand new Levy's strap included
• Fresh D'Addario XL 10–46 strings
• Cleaned, polished, and lightly serviced (DeoxIT on pots/switch/jack)

Tone & Feel

This guitar has the real 70s warmth that's hard — if not impossible — to replicate in modern builds. The wood has aged beautifully, the pickups have mellowed, and the whole instrument feels open, resonant, and alive. The ash body is in unusually clean condition for a 50+ year old instrument — the grain and lacquer have aged beautifully.

• Bridge pickup: bright, snappy Roy Buchanan style twang with a musical top end
• Neck pickup: warm, round, vintage Strat character; with gain it blooms into a fat, fuzzy Hendrix-like voice
• Low output single coils mean tons of clarity and dynamic range — push your amp and they open up beautifully
• Acoustic resonance is strong; the guitar rings in your hands
• Action and intonation checked after the fresh string change — plays clean and feels ready

This one surprised us in the best way. It captures the feel of a real 70s Fender Tele better than most copies out there, with a wide tonal range from clean snap to bluesy fuzz.