Description
This Fender Custom Shop LTD Roasted Pine Double Esquire Relic in Black Paisley is as cool as it gets! Many of you know, that I, Matt, am a Telecaster fanatic. And if I were going to spec out a Tele with my favorite finish of all time onto any guitar, this would be basically be it! And oh yeah, it just so happens to be a feather weight at only 6.5 lbs! You know, I try to be objective and stick to the facts in my write-ups but sometimes, that's just not possible!
Pink Paisley is cool and all but Black Paisley is badass! With a Relic finish, the body has a yellow patina to it that gives it an authentic from the 50's look without the distressing being too over the top. The back of the neck is stripped of lacquer but that's more of a feel thing. The rest of the relic'ing was done with a lighter touch
A lightweight, tone-ful wood in Roasted Pine carries top end better than Ash or Alder to my ears. There is a charming warmth, much like a cedar top compared to spruce in the acoustic world. The body is roasted or heat treated which stabilizes the wood and in theory ages the wood much like time does. Pine was used in the Snakehead Prototypes from the 1949-1950 and is a marvelous tonewood for solid body guitars.
The neck is a full feeling 10/56 V Profile is carved from Rift Sawn Maple. It measures in at .940" at the 1st fret and .970 at the 12th fret, a modest taper. A compound radius is the shining star of the neck because chords in the 1st 5 position are super comfy and as the neck flattens out, big bends and fast licks become easier. From 7.25" in the lowest position to 9.5" up high, the shift is far more subtle than what you'll find on most shredder's but still effective at making chords AND leads easier.
Finally the electronics... Oh, the electronics. A Handwound Blackguard Neck Pickup is paired with Handwound Crushed Blackguard Bridge Pickup and the vintage style Nocaster Wiring. The electronics control layout is the same but they operate differently. The 3 way works: Bridge/Both w/Blend/Neck w/Tone Off. Some love it, some don't. It's an easy swap out if it's not your thing. The bridge pickup is installed in a left handed bridge for reverse angle, much like the Jimi Hendrix Strat Bridge Pickup. Oh, and the compensated Brass RSD Saddles not only look cool but offer superb intonation. Thanks, Scott Buehl!
In composing this effortlessly long stream of text it's hitting me that this is probably the coolest Tele we have seen in years. So, uh hey, if any one out there is feeling charitable, I would treat this guitar like the King that it is. Just sayin... :)
The Music Gallery has been a Fender Custom Shop dealer since their formation in 1987. We keep a bevy of about 50 Fender Custom Shop instrument in inventory at all times. Whether you're looking for Stratocaster's, Telecasters, Precision Basses or Jazz Basses we are able to help you design or find whatever the special instrument you're looking for may be!
Features
- Fender Custom Shop
- Limited Edition
- Roasted Pine Double Esquire
- Relic'ed Finish
- Black Paisley Finish Front and Back
- Roasted Pine Body
- Weighs 6 lbs 8 oz
- 10/56 Neck Profile
- 7.25 - 9.5" Fingerboard Radius
- Rift Sawn Maple Neck
- .940" at 1st Fret
- .970" at 12th Fret
- Black Micarta Dots
- Bone Nut
- 25.5" Scale Length
- RSD Compensated Brass Saddles
- Left Handed Bridge for Reverse Pickup Angle
- Handwound Blackguard Neck Pickup
- Handwound Crushed Blackguard Bridge Pickup
- Master Volume
- Pickup Blend Control
- 3 Way Switch
- Original Hardshell Case
- Certificate of Authenticity