Fender Custom Shop 1952 Telecaster Heavy Relic Electric Guitar Shell Pink

After having owned this guitar for several months, I have to say my earlier impressions were a bit off. This guitar has become my go-to among several other excellent guitars. The tone is delicate and suited for expressive playing; the neck is ultra-comfortable for me (unlike my initial impression); and the visual aspect has indeed grown on me like on old friend. I added an Ilitch Electronics noise-cancelling pickguard system to improve its usability for recording and playing in general. I'm not sure this guitar would be for the average Telecaster player, as the tone is quite unique among Telecasters (at least mine is); it's less hard-edged, more spongy, bright, and, as I've said for lack of a better word, delicate. One thing that makes this guitar particularly cool for me is how it contrasts, yet blends, with other fuller-bodied guitars like my Gretsch 6122-1962 in a recording. I did have to bring the neck pickup closer to the strings for a slightly fuller tone.

The sound is great; I really like the clarity of the Strat-like Twisted Tele pickup in the neck, and the '51 Nocaster in the bridge blends with it nicely. Very responsive and clear, especially great for playing in a variety of styles from the 1950s and 60s. It's extremely light (6.2lbs) which some claim sound better, and the 6150 frets (less common than 6105s) are extremely smooth playing. The setup was perfect. I'm not a fan of the heavy relic look, but I like this guitar so much, and the fact that it's an individual instrument with a unique appearance, makes me forget it looks like something pulled from the rubble of a demolition. My only real disappointment is with the neck. In the first place, it's flat-sawn rather than the usual quarter or rift-sawn typical of Custom Shop necks. I suspect GC specified these to cut cost, but then they charge the price of one with the more expensive (and stable) neck anyway. Some (few, I'd guess) players apparently prefer flat-sawn necks, claiming them to be snappier, and this is the way the originals were built back in the day (so if you buy vintage, it'll have a flat-sawn neck), but I highly doubt period correctness was GC's motivation here. Secondly, the neck is nowhere near as fat as one might expect from a "52 U" (Its .850-.960) -- and rounded almost like a "D" or "C". Anyway, I would have liked the larger neck, but this is a personal preference obviously not everyone would share. GC should show more of specifications from the Shop Traveler for these expensive instruments on the website so we can make better informed decisions before purchasing. Another frustration, is the un-intonatable three brass saddles. Fender should at least include their compensated RSD saddles (along with a hex key) in the case as an option. Aftermarket are inexpensive, so it's not a biggie.