That Tele twang could have been a Broad twang

[Sherman Willden]

I just found out that the Telecaster was first a Broadcaster. The article mentioned that the name had to be changed but didn't say why.

[Bob Knight]

The Gretsch company, itself a manufacturer of hollowbody electric guitars (and now owned by Fender), claimed that "Broadcaster" violated the trademark for its Broadkaster line of drums, and as a newcomer to the industry, Fender decided to bend and changed the name to Telecaster, after the newly popular medium of television. (The guitars manufactured in the interim bore no name, and are now popularly called 'Nocasters.') The Esquire was reintroduced as a one-pickup Telecaster, at a lower price

[Dave Hopping]

So if Fender owns Gretsch,and presumably has rights to the "Broadcaster" name,do you think we might see Broadcaster re-issues?
Prhaps even a Squier Broadcaster CV?

[David Mason]

The Fender Custom Shop has been happily producing $5,000 "Broadcasters" and "No-Casters" for years now - you got to pay to play. The No-Caster comes from a brief period when they were put out with no name on the headstock. There are even re-issues of the 3+3 "snakehead", the very first prototype (in pine) that got passed over for the 6-in-line headstock on the production models.

http://www.themusiczoo.com/product/6250 ... prototype/

$6,000 for a one-pickup pine guitar, now there's a deal....

[b0b]

I wonder if Fender has legal issues with this one.

[Dave Harmonson]

I've got issues with those boots

[Kevin Hatton]

I think that player has issues.

[Jussi Huhtakangas]

I wonder if Fender has legal issues with this one.

That guy clearly digs weird basses and fruity outfits:

[Leslie Ehrlich]

So if Fender owns Gretsch...

I believe the Gretsch family still owns the company. I think Fender just handles the distribution for Gretsch guitars.