This is NOT a Telecaster—"American Standard Offset Telecaster", live from NAMM 2016

Cheese, and I thought that I was a retro grouch! It's Fender's design and they can call it anything they want to call it. If you like it (as I do) then buy one or build one (like I am doing). If you don't like it, don't trash it because it's not "traditional". People and companies have made tons of money of of Fender designs almost since their inception. It's about time Fender put out their version without so many people whining about the design or how Fender is "just looking to make money" or "be hip". It's a business and that's what they do - make cool stuff and sell it for a profit. There's a hell of a lot more to life than ragging on Fender because they don't make 'em like they used to. Buy a reissue if that's the case but remember that while every change is not good a lot of them are.

 

All I know is I'm glad they're only offering boring colors and not a blonde one or something, I'd have to sell some ****.

 

I really like it. I'm pretty traditional BTW, and although this may be a new model it's very traditional looking. It's an obvious reminder to several double cut guitars and I think quite attractive. To each his own.

 

I just bought one of the white ones. No Telecaster label, just "Fender". The action off the shelf, impeccable, pickups sound amazing (and I have D. Allen '53s in my Amer. Tele). I maybe understood the haters until I picked one up and purchased it within five minutes. I've owned 5-6 MIM Teles and 3-4 Americans and this ranks right up there with some of the best stuff I've owned.

 

They sort of did: the 57 Pawnshop. Here's mine. I love it to death. It is a great gigging guitar. Very flexible tonally. Plays great (the coil-split HB is the bomb). Not expensive. Just a killer working musician's axe.

Fender 57 Pawnshop Strat by ByronMGSanford, on Flickr

 

You mean Fender 51, not 57

 

It certainly isn't a Telecaster. Ron Kirn calls his version Telemaster, which I think is totally correct.

I'll add that I find it super cool (especially in LPB) and that I am fighting GAS, big time. It's even got a Twisted Tele neck pickup.

It would be perfect if it didn't have the micro-tilt and had vintage tuners.

 

Custom shop did these a long time ago. They weren't allowed to call it a Telemaster because there was already a model airplane with that name which is exactly why everyone call this guitar a Telemaster!

 

I too like the style of the pawnshop. As far as the tele, I like the offset-but would have called it something else. It reminds me of the fenders they put out with mixed parts back in the sixties- the swinger and custom? Cant remember names. I have always liked the offset bodies- but not the pick up , trem, bridges and switching systems of those guitars. Putting the tele electronics makes the platfom very interesting- although I might have put a strat neck on it-big headstock balances body better.

 

I'm not sure the plane had anything to do with it. Totally different market. There are many things called a "Mustang", Including a guitar and a car.

 

Good point, just what I'd heard.

 

Found the original description for the CS version;

"THIS FENDER CUSTOM SHOP GUITAR is NOT A TELEMASTER®. TELEMASTER® is a registered trademark of Hobby Lobby International, Inc., 5614 Franklin Circle Pike, Brentwood, TN 37027. The body shape on THIS FENDER CUSTOM SHOP GUITAR is the same as a Fender Jazzmaster. The headstock, bridge, control plate, switch and knobs are all associated with the Fender Telecaster. While THIS FENDER CUSTOM SHOP GUITAR was designed to offer a hybrid of Jazzmaster and Telecaster features, it is in NO WAY to be referred to as a TELEMASTER®. As was previously stated in this description, TELEMASTER® is a registered trademark of Hobby Lobby International, Inc., 5614 Franklin Circle Pike, Brentwood, TN 37027. Not the Fender Custom Shop.

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, REFER TO THIS FENDER CUSTOM SHOP GUITAR as a TELEMASTER®.

We are trying to be perfectly clear in order to avoid creating confusion in the marketplace."

 

Who knows. Trademark law is very shades-of-grey, but at its core, it's all about what Fender says in that last sentence: avoiding confusion in the marketplace.

Within a market, like the Broadcaster guitar and Broadkaster drum kit, there's far more potential for confusion (not confusing the two items as the same, but confusing them as coming from the same company or being part of the same product line).

I cannot possibly fathom anyone mixing up an R/C airplane and a Fender guitar or assuming there is ANY relationship because they're both called Telemaster, but FMIC likely erred on the side of safety just to avoid a possible legal issue. Even if they were sued and had won, it would have cost time and money to defend. They probably decided it wasn't worth it.

 

I've actually built a Telemaster R/C plane, and have another kit in my basement, and reading this thread never made me even think of the plane, until someone mentioned it.

Seems silly.

 

Maybe Hobby Lobby is aggressive about protecting their trademarks and Fender's legal doesn't want to tangle with them. I'm sure Hobby Lobby would make the case that playing music is "just another hobby" like building R/C planes, R/C cars, etc.

 

Looks a lot like my Grosh Electrajet VT:

 

Jazzcaster

 

I'm surprised the country of Offsetia isn't suing them for the use of "offset guitar".

 

I don't dig that sunburst thing at the beginning of the thread but I do dig this!

 

Needs a Star Trek logo...