Joe Bonamassa's Secret-Weapon Telecaster: A 1968 Fender Loaded With Gibson PAF Humbuckers

Vintage guitar collectors often spend years searching for instruments that remain completely original. Joe Bonamassa occasionally does the opposite.

For example, one of Bonamassa’s favorite "secret weapons" is a 1968 Fender Telecaster that someone modified with two Gibson PAF humbuckers and 500k potentiometers in place of the Telecaster's traditional single-coils and 250k pots.

"It's basically a Gibson Les Paul jammed into a Fender Telecaster," he explains. "Sometimes, a hybrid turns out to be the best."

In this exclusive Guitar Center demo, Bonamassa explains why this atypical Telecaster has become one of the most versatile guitars in his collection.

When Modding a Vintage Guitar Becomes an Upgrade

In many cases, swapping out a vintage Telecaster’s original single-coils for humbuckers would horrify most guitar collectors.

"When this guitar was worth 200 bucks, nobody cared," says Bonamassa. "The pickups alone were worth more than the guitar."

But, as it was already modified when Bonamassa purchased it 15 years ago, he didn't worry about preserving original specs. Instead, he inherited a guitar that had evolved into something entirely its own.

"When I plugged it in, it was magic," he says.

When a Telecaster Morphs Into a Les Paul

Here’s the recipe: Take a vintage 1968 Fender Telecaster. Replace the original single-coils with a pair of Gibson PAF humbuckers. Swap the electronics to Gibson-approved 500k pots, instead keeping the Telecaster's traditional 250k controls. Serve when ready …

“This is a little brighter than a Les Paul because it doesn't have the mahogany and it doesn't have the maple. In addition, the Tele’s ash body does something cool with the humbucking pickups. I've used it for everything because it has so much flexibility.”

Swap, Mod or Buy New

Of course, you don’t have to mod a vintage 1968 Fender Telecaster if you want to emulate the sound of Bonamassa’s hybrid. You can audition current Fender Teles equipped with humbuckers, such as the Fender Player II Telecaster HH, Fender American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe or Fender American Vintage II 1972 Telecaster Thinline.

Got questions? We have answers. Speak to one of our Gear Advisers or ask an associate at your local Guitar Center for recommendations. It’s also fun and educational to type something like “Fender Telecaster with humbuckers” into our Rig Advisor to see what options it returns.