what color was the shield on the original telecaster

The original Telecaster’s pickguard was black. Early production Telecasters and Broadcasters used one-ply black pickguards before Fender later switched to white guards in the mid-1950s.

Quick note

If you meant the body finish instead of the guard, the earliest production Telecasters were typically blonde finishes, not black.

In plain terms

• Pickguard: black on the earliest models.

• Body color: blonde/transparent blonde on many early Telecasters.