Fender Custom Shop S23 Limited Edition Reverse '50s Tele Custom Journeyman Relic Guitar, Aged Black

PLAYER'S PERSPECTIVE

We're stoked to bring you another beautiful creation from our friends over at the Fender Custom Shop! This stunning Reverse '50s Telecaster Custom 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 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, along with a few other tricks up its sleeve. It's finished in a timeless aged Black and comes with a gorgeous one-piece riftsawn maple neck, and an excellent medium relic pattern that remains tasteful whilst having the worn-in look and feel of a well-loved guitar. The Custom double-bound body is an excellent touch, and blends a few different eras of Fender Teles, as this look wasn't available on the original early-'50s instruments.

The resonant ash body and riftsawn maple neck come together for the familiar tonal recipe found on all of your heroes' favorite '50s Teles. 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 .94 and going up to a colossal 1.00 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 6105 frets, which makes bending and getting a lower action much easier than a vintage 7.25". Part of the aging on this guitar is the sanded neck back, which allows for a more natural-feeling, smooth playing experience without the usual stickiness of a new gloss finish.

The first thing that may catch your eye when you lay your eyes on this beauty is the reversed control plate. This is a very popular mod among session players and prolific sidemen, as it allows easier access to the volume control for swells and fades, and reduces the amount of times you accidentally hit the pickup switch while rocking out. It's accompanied by an absolutely gorgeous-sounding '50 - '51 Blackguard pickup set, which captures all the twang, muscle, warmth, and brightness of those original-era pickups.

You know you're getting a special instrument in your hands any time you pick up something built by Fender's Custom Shop team, and this guitar is sure to not only meet but exceed your expectations.

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