This is a relic guitar built from quality parts, including Fender. It has now been sold.
She’s a ‘partscaster’ with some great features, like a Fender Telecaster Licensed neck, 4-way switch, Fender Japan pickups and a 1980s Fender Japan ‘A’ serial stamped bridge with brass saddles. She also comes with a Hiscox Lifelite Standard hard case which cost around £100 new.
Let’s talk you through this beauty.
FENDER (R) Lic. NECK & TUNERS
This is an offical Fender (R) Licensed Telecaster neck from Mighty Mite (see the Mighty Mite/Fender stamp on the heel).
Unlike the body, the neck hasn’t been given the relic treatment (it’s so easy to ruin a neck) but it’s got a vintage tint colour and looks the part.
It’s a C profile with a 7.25in vintage radius and. The frets have had very little wear and are in great shape.
The guitar is set up for low-medium action – with 10-46 strings – and can go lower if you want. With a slim shim in the neck and optimal set up, the action in spot on.
It’s got Fender PNG tuners you’ll see usually see on USA/Mexico Fenders. The sticker on the back of the headstock is removable.
PICKUPS + 4-WAY SWITCH
She’s got Fender Japan vintage reissue pickups for that classic Fender sound.
I’ve added a 4-way switch instead. (You’ll note the added third wire from the neck pickup which enables this.)
The 4-way expands her sound to another level, giving you:
Position 1 (bridge only): Normal end position for that awesome Telecaster bite.
Position 2 (bridge and neck – in parallel): Normal Telecaster balanced sound.
Position 3 (neck only): Normal atmospheric neck sound.
Position 4 (bridge and neck – in series): This is the extra position. Working in series, the pickups give you a much bigger, fatter sound,
SEA FOAM GREEN RELIC BODY
The body is a ’52-spec made from alder by Guitar Build. Lovely mid-weight, unlike some of the heavy monsters around or lightweight guitars.
Having primed her, I sprayed her sea foam green, then some clear coats. The colour is the closest I can get to sea foam green (it’s possibly slighter darker/richer) but extremely close.
She has lots of deliberate scuffs, nicks and scrapes to replicate real, natural wear over years of heavy action. She was wet-sanded with Lemon oil for a smooth, clean finish (an old Gibson factory tip I read about).
She’s rough in places (deliberately) – so no complaints please from ”guitar polishers”. The idea here is that she’s been on a world tour. The result is a old-looking, finish that’s comfortable to hold and looks great. Hard to capture in pics, but I’ve tried my best.
OTHER COOL FEATURES
Fender Japan Bridge plate (Below): The A serials are from 1985/86 – a golden era for Fenders being built at the FujiGen factory in Japan.
Brass compensated saddles (Above): I love the look of these. The compensated variety give you better intonation.
Jack socket: It’s the much-improved screw-in type rather than the original Tele design with the stupid ‘claw’ that keeps working loose and giving players endless grief.
HARD CASE INCLUDED
She comes with a used, top-quality Hiscox Lifelite Standard hard case.
These normally cost around £100 new. Cosmetically, this case isn’t pristine (it’s been used). But it’s good condition in terms of being completely useable with all hinges and clasps OK – and a lovely velvet-style inside – and it comes with 2 x keys.
This guitar has now been sold. Thanks for reading.
Axe Relics UK 