3 Things to Know About Mike Oldfield’s Telecaster on Tubular Bells

The guitar was a 1966 blonde Fender Telecaster previously owned by Marc Bolan. Oldfield acquired it from the T. Rex frontman before recording his landmark album.

Oldfield modified the Telecaster by adding an extra Bill Lawrence pickup. This custom setup helped him achieve the distinctive layered guitar sounds on Tubular Bells.

The guitar connects two very different British guitar talents. Bolan’s glam rock and Oldfield’s progressive instrumental work share this single piece of rock history.