A Tele for the “Okie from Muskogee”
Straight from the Fender Custom Shop, the signature Tele of late country legend Merle Haggard is an undeniable stunner, visually and sonically speaking. Taking form from Fender’s Thinline Tele blueprint, this deluxe signature sports a maple center block that’s flanked by chambered alder, topped in luxurious figured maple, and speared with a set maple neck and 22-fret fingerboard to boot. You’ll fall in love with its tone just as quickly, thanks to a pair of Texas Special Tele single-coils with custom 4-way wiring for twangy country sonics as sweet or downright sinister as you please. Lavishly treated to gold hardware, Ivoroid accenting, and captivating natural grains from top to bottom, this Merle Haggard Signature Telecaster is sure to steal the show wherever the music leads you.
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Striking maple and alder body
Here at Sweetwater, we love seeing inspiring signature builds that deviate outside the box — and that’s exactly the path that the Merle Haggard Signature Telecaster takes. A modified Thinline Telecaster at heart, the body of this 6-string is constructed with a vibrant maple center block, alder wings with tone chambering, and a stunning figured maple top to complement with mesmerizing natural waves. Its set neck of figured maple features a deep carved heel, coming profiled to a comfortable classic C shape and radiused with a 9.5-inch maple fingerboard that won’t strain your chording hand. This signature’s combination of organic style and flawless command proves itself a knockout champion for authoritative live performance and commanding studio work.
Texas Specials for tone as huge as the Lone Star State
These red-hot Texas Special single-coils come overwound with enamel-coated magnet wire for extra output; meanwhile, Alnico V magnets and height-staggered pole pieces ensure a focused yet balanced sound with plenty of dynamics. The neck pickup features a plated cover for added warmth and clarity. The extraordinary attention to detail continues with vintage-style cloth output wire, fiber bobbins, and copper-plated steel bottom plates. Finally, this Tele’s premium electronics package includes a custom 4-position pickup selector, enabling Bridge, Bridge/Neck (parallel), Neck, and Neck and Bridge (series) optioning, the latter supplying a fatter, higher output tone. Crystalline cleans? Rousting bite? These versatile, custom-wired Texas Specials will do the trick.
Charming appointments abound
Gold-plated hardware accentuates the Merle Haggard Signature Telecaster throughout, from its American Tele bridge to the Pearloid-buttoned Fender/Schaller Elite die-cast tuners up top. In contrast, Ivoroid body binding and a single-ply Thinline-style pickguard add a charming cream-colored presence to beautifully complement the 2-color Sunburst finish of this axe’s stunning figured maple top. Complete with its striking natural back stripe and a “Tuff Dog Tele” headstock inlay neighboring Haggard’s signature, this Custom Shop creation serves up the perfect degree of organic grace and country charm to satisfy 6-stringers of any tenure.
The marvelous tones of Merle Haggard
A legendary music man of true outlaw country and leading star of the original “Bakersfield” sound, the mighty Merle Haggard reigned over the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s country scene with his distinct and often unapologetic sound that would work to earn him dozens of hit records. An extremely active recording artist, Haggard clocked over 60 studio albums throughout his career, between his work with The Strangers, his solo efforts, and collaborations with the likes of Willie Nelson, George Jones, and Albert Brumley Jr. When plugged-in, the original Stranger helped solidify the Telecaster’s rank as the top electric-of-choice within the country music scene, ultimately leading up to the gorgeous Fender Custom Shop Merle Haggard Signature Telecaster we see before us.
Fender Custom Shop Merle Haggard Signature Telecaster Features:
- Fender Custom Shop creation sporting the signature sights and sounds of the late legendary country star Merle Haggard
- Modified Thinline Telecaster body features a maple center block, alder wings with tone chambers, and a figured maple top
- Maple set neck with deep carved heel, C-shaped profile, and 9.5-in. radius maple fingerboard presents stunning command
- Texas Special Tele single-coils serve up both classic clean tones and red hot bite to accommodate country and beyond
- 4-way pickup selector boasts custom wiring for Bridge, Bridge/Neck (parallel), Neck, and Neck and Bridge (series) options
- Rock-steady and performance-ready hardware includes an American Tele bridge and Fender/Schaller Elite die-cast tuning machines
- Signature flair throughout, including gold hardware, Ivoroid binding, natural back stripe, "Tuff Dog Tele" inlay, and 2-color Sunburst finish
