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If you want a Tele that nods to the classics and leans hard into modern playability, Fender’s 75th Anniversary American Ultra II Telecaster is built for exactly that lane. In this demo, guitarist Molly Miller digs into the Ultra II’s pickup combinations and switching to show how wide the palette can get—from warm, round neck tones to clean, funky bridge sounds—without losing that familiar Tele feel.
What Makes This 75th Anniversary Tele Different?
Fender frames this model as a “diamond anniversary” celebration of the Telecaster’s legacy—pairing a vintage-inspired Butterscotch Blonde reference with a futuristic Liquid Gold finish for a high-contrast, modern look. The vibe is: heritage silhouette, performance-first build.
Fender 75th Anniversary American Ultra II Telecaster Specs
- Ash body
- Maple Modern D neck
- 10"–14" radius ebony fingerboard
- Medium-jumbo frets
- 75th Anniversary Ultra Rail/Ultra Noiseless Tele pickups
Molly Miller on the 75th Anniversary Ultra II’s Tones
Miller’s favorite part of this guitar is how much ground it covers across pickup positions and switching—especially if you want one instrument that can move between styles without feeling like a compromise.
“I’m loving all of the different pickup positions on this Telecaster, because I feel like they do all the things. The neck 75th Anniversary Ultra Noiseless pickup is big and luscious—what I dream of when I think of a front Tele pickup. I can play some jazzy stuff and get a warm, round sound.”
She also calls out how the bridge pickup responds when played clean: “The bridge humbucker, when played clean, responds to funkier styles very well.”
And she frames the Ultra II as a best-of-both-worlds Tele compared to her own lineup: “My ’52 reissue has single-coils and my Danny Gatton signature Tele has humbuckers, but here I have one of each. All the tonal options exist in this guitar—especially with the S-1 switches.”
Shop Now: Fender 75th Anniversary American Ultra II Telecaster in Liquid Gold
A Tele for Today: Contours, Neck Heel and Effortless Feel
Beyond tone, Miller highlights the physical design choices that make the Ultra II feel like a modern player’s instrument—especially if you’re coming from more traditional T-style builds.
“The 75th Anniversary American Ultra II Telecaster blends that historical 75 years of Tele with more modern features. For example, the sculpted body contours and tapered neck heel make this guitar really easy to play. I don’t have to fight the instrument, which is great.”
Who The 75th Anniversary Ultra II Telecaster Is For
This model makes the most sense if you want:
- A “one-guitar” Tele that can cover jazzier neck sounds, clean funk rhythm work and fuller bridge tones
- A modern-feeling neck and fingerboard radius geared for comfort up and down the fretboard
- Expanded switching options (Miller specifically points to the S-1 switching as a big part of the tonal range)
- A standout anniversary finish that’s intentionally not subtle
The Takeaway
The 75th Anniversary American Ultra II Telecaster is positioned as a celebration model, but the story in Miller’s hands is less about nostalgia and more about range. It’s a Tele platform that’s engineered to move quickly across tones and playing situations, without feeling like you’re fighting the instrument.