Any Masterbuilt piece is going to be impressive, but we wanted to take it an extra step with the wear and worked with Jason Smith to design something unique. When it landed, we were blown away. We are proud to present the Ultimate Relic 1964 Telecaster in Blue Ice Metallic.
As the name says, the guitar was given the Ultimate Relic treatment - that's more than a Heavy Relic or even a Super Heavy Relic. What you get is a ton of character. Officialy, the specs call for the Rory Gallagher Strat treament. We couldn't be happier with what he did. We could describe but a picture is worth a thousand words, and we have some great pictures - we'll pause now so you can check them out.
With an alder body, maple neck and rosewood fretboard, you get the classic combination of woods, resulting in a sweet high-end, punch low end, and excellent sustain. Even unplugged, it sounds great. The finish being so worn really lets it breath. The end result is a beautiful and very resonant guitar.
We chose the 60 Oval C neck shape, which is the most popular choice for Custom Shop guitars, but with a custom carve (.820 - .890"). This gives you a bit more grip in the first position and a slimmer profile in the higher register. The modernized tweak we added is that this guitar has a 9.5 - 12.0" compound radius and jumbo (6100) frets. This makes it easy to play, even up high on the neck when bending notes and digging in. That, coupled with the perfectly sculpted neck that has the finish worn off, makes this guitar a dream to play.
It's not just about looks and feel - the third element - the sound - is where this guitar really shines. We agreed with the suggestion of doing an HS configuration, to give you the best of both worlds.
In the bridge position, we like keeping it old school, so this Tele is equipped with a Custom Shop Original Blackguard bridge pickup, known for its throaty midrange and bite. You'll get serious twang out of it, while retaining the ability to keep it smooth when cleaned up. It's a top notch vintage sounding pickup.
In the neck position, we went with Andy's suggestion of a Seymour Duncan SH1 '59 Humbucker. We love this one, so we weren't going to argue. It's a vintage output humbucker that’s great for rock, blues, and more. This delivers classic P.A.F. voicing with modern versatility. The vintage-style coils produce an open, articulate character rooted in golden-era design, while alnico 5 magnets and vacuum wax potting provide enhanced compatibility with high-output amplifiers. The result balances authentic vintage warmth with a lifted treble response and controlled compression, offering players period-correct tonal DNA without sacrificing the dynamic range demanded by discerning ears.
We stayed period correct for the hardware, going with vintage tuners, bridge string guide, etc. The idea is to have everything you'd expect in a vintage Tele from the 60's, with a unique level of customization and a modern feel to the neck. The guitar comes with a Custom Shop tweed case, strap and Certificate of Authenticity.
A Masterbuilt instrument is like no other, and this is truly a one of a kind. When it's a Jason Smith build, it's truly something special. Come to Truetone Music to experience it today, or make it yours right here.
ABOUT THE MASTERBUILDER: JASON SMITH
A Custom Shop veteran and son of longtime Fender R&D legend Dan Smith, Jason Smith grew up on Fender—“It has always been in my family,” he said, “And I was always extremely interested in everything my father did.”
Born in Rochester, N.Y., and raised in California, Smith remembers meeting guitar greats from about age five on through his father’s work with Fender—Eric Clapton, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jeff Beck and Robben Ford, to name only a few. He went to his first big rock concert at age six—Rush—and Smith remembers going backstage with his dad and meeting Geddy Lee after the show. Before he was even in his teens, Smith was going to see Pink Floyd, ZZ Top and many other major artists.
Rock music and Fender are part of his DNA. Smith joined the Fender Custom Shop in 1995, and in 2006 completed a five-year apprenticeship under acclaimed Senior Master Builder John English. Among many diverse projects with English, Smith worked on a pair of double-neck Stratocaster guitars for Stone Temple Pilots guitarist Dean DeLeo. He has since crafted fine instruments for players and acts including John 5, Michael Landau, Flea, Josh Klinghoffer, Geddy Lee, Steve Harris, Reggie Hamilton, Linkin Park, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Neon Trees and many others.
- Serial # R132362
- Model# 9211003203
- Weight: 7.4 lbs
- Finish Package: Ultimate Relic
- Finish: Nitro Lacquer
- Color: Blue Ice Metallic
- Body: Alder
- Neck: Maple - Medium Tint
- Fretboard AAA Rosewood (Flat Lam)
- Neck Nut Width: 1.650"
- Neck Butt Width: 2.200"
- Neck Shape: 60 Oval "C"
- Neck Thickness at 1st Fret: .820"
- Neck Thickness at 12th Fret: .890"
- Frets: 21
- Fretwire: 6100 Jumbo
- Radius: 9.5 - 12.0 Compound Radius
- Dots: Micarta White (Narrow Spacing)
- Pickguard: 3-ply Parchment
- Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan SH1 59
- Bridge Pickup: Handwound Original Blackguard
- Nut: Bone
- Hardware: Nickel/Chrome
- Tuners: Vintage
- String Guide: Vintage
- Bridge: 63 Tele
- Knobs: Knurled Tele
- Neck Plate: Vintage
- Switch: 3 Way
- Wiring: Modern
- Case: Custom Shop Black
