Fender Custom Shop '50s Tele Journeyman Relic Guitar, Seafoam Green, Masterbuilt by Yuriy Shishkov

PLAYER'S PERSPECTIVE

We're stoked to bring you another beautiful creation from our friends over at the Fender Custom Shop! This stunning '50s Telecaster Relic is part of a group of eleven very special one-of-a-kind instruments we took home at the Fender Custom Shop Spring & Summer 2023 Event. This one shines the brightest of them all - it's masterbuilt by renowned Fender Custom Shop Master Builder Yuriy Shishkov! Yuriy has become known the world over for his artisan craftsmanship, phenomenal attention to detail, and some of the most true-to-life looking Relic work ever to leave Fender's workshop. 

This gorgeous guitar has all the ingredients that make a '50s Fender Telecaster incredible and the aesthetic touches that truly make it a convincing vintage recreation, and then some. Right off the bat, this guitar oozes 1950s class - the Seafoam Green custom color finish and maple fretboard already screams "50s" and is an iconic look of the muscle cars of that era, but then you add the uniquely hand-aged tortoiseshell pickguard and gold hardware on top for a truly one-of-a-kind look. The maple neck is no ordinary maple, either - it's a selected 2A Flame Maple piece that reveals some nice figuring in the right light. And last but certainly not least, this guitar is built upon a special Roasted Alder body instead of the typical Alder - this significantly cuts the guitar's weight and exponentially enhances its resonance and sustain, simulating the vibe of a vintage instrument that has been dried out over decades. It's amazing!

The aging on the nitro lacquer is simply perfect. The neck profile on this one is an absolute beast - it's one of the heftier shapes we've put our hands on, which is accurate to early '50s baseball bat-esque Tele profiles. Starting at an already beefy .925 and going up to a colossal 0.99 at the 12th, it's perfect for the big benders and aggressive bluesmen out there who really love to dig in and get their hands around the instrument.  This profile works great in combination with the modern 9.5" neck radius and "Vintage Upgrade" .045 x .085 frets, which makes bending and getting a lower action much easier than a vintage 7.25".

Another thing you'll quickly notice is going to be the way the gorgeously tinted maple neck feels. Perceptible both visually and in hand, Shishkov carefully sanded it down for a silky smooth finish that doesn't have any of that stickiness that glossy necks can have. Yuriy's fretwork and overall fit and finish make playing this guitar effortless and a truly incredible experience.

This Tele is equipped with a very, very special set of '55 / '56 Telecaster pickups. Not only does it accurately capture the legendary tone of mid-50s instruments, but it is hand-wound by legendary Fender pickup winder Josefina Campos herself. Josefina's pickups are coveted by countless Fender Custom Shop enthusiasts for her attention to detail and simply knowing what makes great tone.

With Shishkov's unparalleled level of quality in his builds, this Tele stands out from the rest. When you pick this guitar up, you immediately know it's a once-in-a-lifetime instrument.

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