DoctorPaul's Guitar Emporium

2012 Fender Custom Shop Custom Deluxe Telecaster

"Twister"

#7335

​

My 2016 clear-out saw me shedding lots of guitars, given that the collection had reached (exceeded?) manageable proportions.  I sold a large number of guitars, including most that I either didn't get on with any more, or that (for whatever reason) got little playing time, along with most of the lower-value stuff.  My mindset for years and years was that if it was good, I wanted it. But that led me to buy LOTS of gear, and the slow market for guitars put buyers in a strong position.

​

And ... you know ... there is powerful voodoo in my haggling pants.

 

I made a conscious decision to only bring in gear that I absolutely loved, and that it would be difficult to improve on (without going crazy-vintage-nuts).  That was the case with "Abby", which was the strat to end my strat-GAS.  One strum made me forget that other strats were available, which felt good.

 

So, when narrowing down the field of stuff that MIGHT be targets for my next snag, it made reasonable sense to translate the overwhelming success of Abby into something Telecaster-shaped.

 

Now, I've never owned a Tele before. I've played lots, and thought that some were lovely (but thought that some were shite ...) but I maintain that there is a place in any modest guitar collection for at least one of them.  So the search began.

 

Whatever it was, I was hopeful that it would be a Custom Shop, although is always kinda liked the AVRI models.  After spending a while looking at CS stuff, AVRI stuff, and dozens of relics, it struck me that bringing in a CS relic that had been deliberately made to look like a wet, beaten old dog wouldn't really fit into my plan ... I saw the collection being pared down to a few dozen very nice, shiny things.  So, I wanted a CS, and wanted something shiny ... so what better way to do that than to get the Telecaster equivalent of my shiny CS Strat?  

 

So.  Whereas Abby is a Custom Shop Custom Deluxe Strat, THIS is a Custom Shop Custom Deluxe Tele.  And why ever not.

​

Now, I always saw my first Tele as being a black-on-blonde ... it's a pleasing combination after all.  But when I saw THIS ... I immediately forgot that black-on-blonde had ever even been a 'thing'.

​

The idea at the Custom Shop (according to Mike Eldred) was that "We wanted to make something for a player who really wanted something that was a little bit more sophisticated than just a beat up Tele" ... No shit Mike.  You knocked it out if the park there my dear boy.

 

So, some spec.  The body is lightweight ash, with a chunky cap of AAA quilted maple (Fender's classification, although I'd agree ...) with the same access-heel neck joint as my CS Strat.  The neck is a one piece slab of AA flame maple with a "Large-C" profile (same as the Strat) and 22 medium jumbo frets on a 9.5" radius.  Lovely.

 

Whereas Abby has hand wound Ybarra pickups, this has a set of CS 'Twisted Tele' pups, which are a touch warmer than the usual Telecaster offerings, which suits me just fine (I'm not a big fan of ice-pick treble).  The tone pot also has a grease-bucket ... thing, which helps to maintain output and clarity as you wind off the treble.  All good so far.  The tuners are staggered Sperzels with the same fancy-pants frilly pearl knobs as the CS Strat.  Although they're no more or less effective than standard Sperzels, the bling kinda suits the guitar.  

 

This one is finished in 'Faded Cherry Burst' which, if I say so myself, is absolutely bloody stunning.  It's like a Telecaster, only PRETTY.  And that's weird.

 

In use, the chunky satin-finished neck and the immaculate fret job add up to make this slinky and easy to play.  It also SOUNDS really rather nice, although I'm going to have to work (hard) on my chicken-picking if I'm going to do it justice ... I can't insult it with my usual Van Halen, Iron Maiden and Dire Strairs forever ...

 

By rights, of course, it SHOULD sound like crap, as it has a shiny chrome 'Custom Classic Tele' bridge, with individual saddles.  As the Tele aficionados will tell you, Teles MUST have those silly pseudo-archaic brass saddles, or they're guaranteed to sound crap.  Ahaaa ... but Mr Eldred and his buddies at the Custom Shop have obviously outwitted the Tele consignenti ... as the whole bridge arrangement (each of the saddles AND the whole base-plate) are actually made from chromed BRASS. So I guess we're ok ... drama averted.

 

Anyway, all in all, this is a LOVELY thing to play, and a lovely thing to look at.  And I won't deny that it's also pretty ok to have a matching set of 2012 Custom Shop Custom Deluxes ... although maybe I need to paint this one seafoam green?  Anyone got any spray paint?