Fender Custom Shop - 51 Nocaster Relic
For sale is a 2008 Fender Custom Shop 51 Nocaster Relic Telecaster. Finished in Nocaster Black, with a Maple fingerboard.
This is a pretty awesome guitar! It is extremely resonant thanks to its thin nitro lacquer. These guitars are well renowned for their killer tone, and fantastic playability. The Relic finish adds a touch of vintage feeling to a modern built instrument, adding all the cool marks & cracks in the thin Nitro-Cellulose lacquer that would occur to an original 1951 Tele Nocaster, without the worry of playing or gigging a ££$££ original ’51! The guitar has been professionally setup, and is ready to go straight out of the box.
The neck is the 50's U shape, as per original 51 spec. Regarding the pickup switching; when in the bridge position the tone control acts as a blend to add the neck pickup to the sound. Eg: When Tone is full (10) you get the bridge on its own, and as you lower the Tone to 0 the neck pickup is added, so when Tone is set to 0 it is the same as the Middle pickup selector switch setting on 'normal' Telecasters..
In summary:
Position 1: neck pickup alone with pre-set bassy sound and no tone control (i.e. "deep soft rhythm")
Position 2: neck pickup alone with a normal sound, but no tone control (i.e. "straight rhythm work")
Position 3: both pickups together with the neck pickup gradually "blended" into the lead pickup using the tone control. Tone 10 for Bridge, Tone 0 for Bridge & Neck.
This was the spec of the original Nocaster's / Broadcaster in 1951. It was changed to the more conventional "Neck - Both Together - Bridge" from 1952 to modern today. If you wanted to re-wire it to todays spec, the wiring kit and resistor are included, however, I have never been tempted to do this as I quite like it and will be wiring one of my other Tele's to this spec on the sale of this one.
The guitar is in factory condition; little fret ware, no buzzing, and all electrics work with no crackling etc. Guitar is 100% original and comes complete with all case candy and the official Fender Thermometer-Style Vintage Tweed hard case.