Francis Rossi’s battered Status Quo Fender Telecaster sells for over £100k!
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Francis Rossi's battered Status Quo Fender Telecaster sells at auction · Source: Bonhams
Francis Rossi Status Quo Fender Telecaster · Source: Bonhams
Love ’em or hate ’em, Status Quo are an incredibly successful band around the world. Francis Rossi recently decided to sell his old battered green Fender Telecaster. Not sure even if he had an inkling how much this guitar was going to sell for! Even if it was used on all their hits and recordings…
Status Quo Green Fender Telecaster
A guitar that was originally purchased by Francis Rossi for £75 in Glasgow decades ago has just sold at auction – for £118,812!
The green Tele served me extremely well for almost 50 years and I’m always amazed when I look back and realised what a chequered history we had together…’
–Francis Rossi
Francis Rossi Status Quo Fender Telecaster · Source: Bonhams
Mean Green Machine
The Status Quo lead singer and guitarist is synonymous with this battered and highly modified green Fender Telecaster. He has it re-finished in green wood stain. At one point in its long and chequered life it had a Gibson-style tailpiece! Nowadays it sports a mixed set of Fender Lace Sensor and rail pickups.
Francis Rossi’s Status Quo Fender Telecaster · Source: Bonhams
Massive Hole
Purchased in 1968, the guitar has a ’57 body and would originally have been sold in a Sunburst finish. The neck, though, dates to 1965, but then the guitar isn’t exactly all original.
Probably Rossi’s most eyebrow-raising mod is the massive hole he drilled through it, to accommodate his guitar cable…
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2 responses to “Francis Rossi’s battered Status Quo Fender Telecaster sells for over £100k!”
I always wondered what that hole was for.
Rossi didn’t buy this guitar in Glasgow, he bought it in London. Parfitt, on the other hand, *did* buy his guitar in Glasgow – perhaps you mixed-up the two musicians, Jef? Furthermore, Parfitt’s guitar didn’t cost him “eighty quid” as he states in the above video, he paid – or should I say – Rob Young paid, £160 for the guitar when it was purchased in MacCormack’s music shop in Bath St Glasgow, in 74/75.
You’re welcome.
Kenny Turner, junior salesman, MacCormack’s Music Ltd, 1974-75.