Fender Custom Shop Set Neck Telecaster

[Paul B]

Hello

Does anyone own this tele?

I understand that it is made from mahogany and maple cap.

How is the tone of this instrument ?

Is it similar in tone to a Robben Ford guitar of the 1990's ?

Would you recommend getting one?

[jwells393]

Well .............. I just ran through all the current Custom Shop Telecasters and didn't see one with that name or one that would appear to be a set neck .........other than the Merle Haggard Tribute. Maybe it's an older model.

[AjayTele]

I have two CS set neck teles. Both are Tele Jnr models, with twin P90 pickups. They are very nice guitars indeed and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one...

[pchilson]

Hey AjayTele, can you post some pics of the backside of those set neckers?

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by AjayTele

I have two CS set neck teles. Both are Tele Jnr models, with twin P90 pickups. They are very nice guitars indeed and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one...

How come you got two? Do they have different sounds, or are they just different colors?

[AjayTele]

Sure, here's some photos of the second one...

[pchilson]

Nice, thanks.

[jwells393]

AjayTele ............ are those solid or chambered?

[Paul B]

What wood is used ?

How is the sound ?

Does anyone have the set neck with humbuckers out there ?

[AjayTele]

I'll answer the questions as best I can:

1. Yes, they appear to be chambered in the top section of the body.

2. I don't know what wood they are, although they look like they may be Mahogany.

3. They are both quite loud acoustically, and have a big output when electrified, a dirtier sound than a standard Tele, as you would expect with P90s.

[teleon]

Sorry, but I am deeply in lust whith your smokin blonde beauty

[Paul B]

I wonder how the maple cap would affect the tone on a tele with a mahogany back ?

[spicolli]

Originally Posted by Paul B

I wonder how the maple cap would affect the tone on a tele with a mahogany back ?

prolly sound more les paul?

[Paul B]

Seems like no one owns the model I am asking about.

Did these sound good at all ?

Or they just did not make many of this model ?

[Jake D]

Originally Posted by Paul B

Seems like no one owns the model I am asking about.

Did these sound good at all ?

Or they just did not make many of this model ?

Dude. . .Seems like AJ has two of them that sound dirtier than a normal tele sound and loud accousitically.

And maybe the don't have a maple cap at all. But I might be splitting hairs.

[stevieboy]

The Tele Jr had a chambered, all mahogany body and neck, with a pau ferro fretboard. Of course it was a custom shop guitar, and there were special runs of them made, and one offs on order, so there may well be maple capped versions out there. I have a blond one similar to AJ's, I changed the pickups on mine to Lollars, and went with creme, but the originals were Seymour Duncan hot ones, I forget the model names, overwound with ceramic magnets, they still make them and I could check SD's website.

Here's mine , which I have posted here several times before, including a recent thread on P90 guitars.



Hard to tell from Ajay's pic, but I think I can see grain in his. Mine has a thick poly finish and you can't see anything through it!

As far as Paul's original question, there are a lot of CS limited models kicking around, I don't specifically recall that one, but I 'd be surprised if they hadn't at some point made one. I can check a few places, but gotta work now.

[Robin Nahum]

Originally Posted by Paul B

Seems like no one owns the model I am asking about.

Did these sound good at all ?

Or they just did not make many of this model ?

I know the one you mean. There is a picture of one on the last page of the colour section of the Tele Bible with a "gorgeous quilted maple top".

They were fitted with Di Marzio humbuckers and an AmStd Strat hardtail bridge, and were chambered and had a set neck.

I had a line on one some years ago but the neck was not in good condition and I passed. But it looked so good that it got me started building partscasters with maple tops.

Nowadays, I would not be keen to own one of these (even in good condition):

• I think the join used by Fender for their set neck models looks really ugly
• in my eyes, it ain't a Tele without a vintage bridge

[Paul B]

Do these models sound similar to Robben ford model ?

[newtwanger]

Do these models sound similar to Robben ford model ?

Uh.. if no one has one it's hard to say what it sounds like...

The CS Tele masterbuilt for Ford in 1990 had 3 pickups and a 24 3/4" scale so it should be quite different.

I've never heard of a CS Robben Ford model Telecaster.

This is the masterbuilt CS model. (note the larger body too)

[Robin Nahum]

Originally Posted by Paul B

Do these models sound similar to Robben ford model ?

The Robben Ford model was not a Tele but a double cutaway solid with two buckers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmQLFv_Pa3U

[Paul B]

What I am trying to find out basically - does the Robben Ford elite model in the youtube video have the same tone that the
picture of the last page of the colour section of the Tele Bible with a "gorgeous quilted maple top" ?

These are the two models that I am comparing.

I am also trying to get feedback on anyone who has own this Set neck Telecaster with the maple top.

Does anyone know how thick the maple top was on these instruments ?

[Paul B]

Is there any one out there that owns these guitars ?

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by AjayTele

This looks like mahogany to me.

Mighty fine geetar, Ajay, might fine indeed.

You know, this could be a maple neck through body guitar with mahogany wings, only I've never heard of Fender doing such a design. Comments?

[tiktok]

If pickups or construction have anything to do with tone, it seems doubtful that the Robben Ford and the set neck Tele sound "the same".

[timmer]

There's one on eBay now.