Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Austin MacNutt 1952 Telecaster Custom Heavy Relic Purple Sparkle over Taos Turquoise Sparkle With Case

When we got word that Austin MacNutt had joined the Fender Custom Shop as the newest Masterbuilder, we immediately set up a meeting to cook up a batch of very special guitars.  We always like to ask the builders what they would like to build, colors they want to use, etc., in an effort to truly collaborate on guitars that they are excited to build.  Sometimes we go crazy with something off the wall, sometimes we go with a more traditional target and sometimes we mix both approaches.  The last is what got us to this amazing Tele  Of course, he absolutely nailed it.
 
We went for a classic guitar with a super unique look - it's Purple Sparkle over Taos Turquoise Sparkle.  Not only that, this Tele is double-bound, so you get a touch of the 60's on a 50's model - hence why this is a Telecaster Custom.  You definitely haven't seen a Tele like this before. 

 

Austin did an amazing job with the Heavy Relic finish, giving it the look and feel of a Tele that's been through a few battles over the last 70 years.  Be sure to check out the level of detail shown in the photos - it's evident that not only does Austin have his own style, but he knows exactly what he's doing.  We love how this one came out, not just with the paint job but also the way the binding looks.  It's not just about the aesthetics though - as anyone that has played a Custom Shop guitar like this knows, it's just as much (if not more) all about the feel.  The neck feels perfectly broken in.  As a Masterbuilder, Austin has this art down to a science, and this is one of the best playing Telecasters we've had in a very long time.

We chose to keep this guitar period correct and went with a 52 "U" neck shape, but a slimmed version - it runs .860" at the 1st fret to .920" at the 12th fret.  It's a very comfortable vintage feeling neck, and perfect for anyone that wants an old school Tele that has some girth but not too much.  As you go higher up the neck, it gets thicker, but again, not too thick, providing a great grip for lead work.  The modernized tweak is that the guitar has a 9.5" radius and Narrow Tall (6105) frets.  This makes it easy to play, even up high on the neck when bending notes.    Also, this ash-bodied Tele is very light, weight in at just 7.2 lbs.

It's not just about looks and feel - the third element - the sound - is where this guitar really shines.  It's loaded with Custom Shop Josefina Handwound pickups.  The '51 Nocaster bridge pickup provides classic Tele twang, with traditional brightness and the ability get warmer when needed.  It's a highly expressive pickup  The Twisted Tele neck neck pickup adds a touch of moderness, giving you high-output, hot Telecaster tone with a sparkling, Strat-like character.  Simply put, the guitar sounds amazing, with a great balance of warmth, twang and clarity to cut through the mix.

The guitar has vintage tuners, and an old school bridge with Gatton saddles. These are specialized, compensated brass saddles, designed to improve intonation while retaining a vintage vibe.  Other features include a disc string tree, bone nut and eggshell pickguard.  The idea is to have what you'd expect in a vintage Tele from 1952, with the slight tweak of modern playability and a truly unforgettable look.  It comes with a Custom Shop Tweed case, strap and Certificate of Authenticity.