| Fender Telecaster - COMING SUMMER/FALL 2026 |
| The Specs |
Year: 202x
Builder: Fender
Series: American Ultra II
Model: Telecaster
Color: Sinister Red
Hardware Finish: Chrome
Serial Number: US2xxxxxxx
Body: Alder
Body Finish: Gloss Urethane
Body Binding: None
Cutaway: Single
Pickguard: 1-Ply Black Anodized Aluminum
Bridge: String-Through-Body Hardtail
Saddles: Chromed Brass Block
Fretboard: Maple
Fretboard Binding: None
Fretboard Inlay: Black Pearloid Dots
Neck: Maple
Neck Profile: Modern "D"
Neck Finish: Satin Urethane
Nut: Graph Tech Tusq
Headstock: Telecaster
Headstock Binding: None
Headstock Logo: Gold Fender "Spaghetti" Logo
Tuners: Fender Deluxe Locking
Neck Pickup: Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Tele
Bridge Pickup: Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Tele
Pickup Switching: 3-Way plus S-1 Switch
S-1 Switch: Both Pickups in Series
Control Knobs: Heavy Knurled Flat-Top
Controls: Volume (w/ S-1 Switch), Tone
Case: Fender deluxe hardshell case
Body Size/Shape: Telecaster
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo
Fretboard Radius: 10" to 14" Compound
Scale Length: 25.5"
Nut Width: 1.685"
Body Width: 12.75"
Body Depth: 1.75"
Strings: D'Addario EXL115 (11-49)
Many guitarists choose to play certain guitars because those are the ones that their heroes play—and I'm certanly no exception to that. My first love on electric guitar was the Fender Stratocaster, because it seemed like all the guitarists I admired played one.
The other classic Fender electric, the Telecaster, always looked really cool to me—I loved the single cutaway and the elegance of its simple, dependable design—but it wasn't nearly as popular with the blues and rock guitarists I was listening to as the Stratocaster was. And when I tried playing Teles in music stores, I couldn't quite get the sound I was looking for (at that time) out of them.
I bought my first Telecaster mostly based on the look. I was—and still am—a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen, and one day in the early 90's I walked into my local guitar shop with some money burning a hole in my pocket. My main guitar at the time was a sunburst American Standard Stratocaster, and I think my intention that day was to buy another Strat to use as a backup on stage.
But as I walked in, my gaze was immediately drawn to a butterscotch Fender Telecaster with a black pickguard. The wood grain was visible through the transparent finish, and it was gorgeous. It reminded of Springsteen's iconic Telecaster, so I played it and quickly decided I had to have it.
I never ended up using it on stage, because it never quite sounded like
me. And by that, I mean it never sounded like a Stratocaster with the pickup selector switch in positions 2 and 4, which I'd come to think of as "my" sound. And eventually that Telecaster ended up getting sold or traded for something else—but I would go on to try many other Telecasters over the years.
For most of that time, I kept getting drawn back by the iconic appearance of the Telecaster, and thinking that I'd find a use for its famous "twangy" voice. But I never fully embraced the sound of the Tele, and would always end up reverting back to Strats.
That all changed when I started playing mostly jazz. That's when I fell in love with the sound of the neck pickup on a Telecaster. The combination of warmth and clarity works really well for my style—especially with the volume and tone rolled back slightly, which provides a more open/airy sound that I typically only get from hollow or semi-hollow guitars.
