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Fender Jim Adkins JA-90 Telecaster Thinline Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar - Natural with Indian Laurel Fingerboard

Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar, Signature, with Ash Body, Maple Neck, Indian Laurel Fingerboard, and 2 Soapbar Pickups - Natural
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Fender Jim Adkins JA-90 Telecaster Thinline Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar - Natural with Indian Laurel Fingerboard
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A signature Thinline with a pair of P-90s!

A collaboration between Jim Adkins and Fender, the Jim Adkins JA-90 Telecaster Thinline is a re-creation of Adkins' old TC-90 - with some special touches specifically for this new model. The Jim Adkins JA-90 Telecaster Thinline's semi-hollow ash body is joined to a set maple neck with an Indian laurel fingerboard - a great combination that produces a warm tone with a nice edge. Pickups are Seymour Duncan soapbars, and a Adjusto-matic bridge with anchored tailpiece round out the hardware. The Jim Adkins JA-90 Telecaster Thinline is a sweet axe for any style!

The story behind this Tele

When Jim Adkins, guitarist and frontman for Jimmy Eat World, challenged Fender to design his perfect guitar, a collaboration began that resulted in the JA-90 Telecaster Thinline. Fender sat down with Adkins and went over his old Fender TC-90 spec by spec, making some important changes that subsequently produced this unique model. The significant features include a maple neck set into a semi-hollow ash body, Seymour Duncan soapbar pickups, independent volume and tone controls, an Adjusto-Matic bridge, and an anchored tailpiece.

Built for tone

The semi-hollow ash body merges classic Tele tone with the added body and resonance of a semi-hollowbody guitar. The set maple neck bolsters the sustain, and the Indian Laurel fingerboard adds warmth to the tone. A pair of Seymour Duncan soapbars provide vintage-tinged P-90 tones that cut through the mix.

Fender Jim Adkins JA-90 Telecaster Thinline Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar Features:

  • Body: Semi-Hollow Ash
  • Neck: Maple, Set Neck, Modern "C" Shape, (Gloss Urethane Finish)
  • Fingerboard: Indian Laurel, 9.5" Radius
  • No. of Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Frets
  • Pickups: Seymour Duncan SP90-1NRWRP Vintage P-90 (Neck), SP90-3B Custom P-90 (Bridge)
  • Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone
  • Pickup Switching: 3-Position Toggle
  • Bridge: Adjusto-Matic Bridge with Anchored-Tailpiece
  • Machine Heads: Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
  • Hardware: Chrome
  • Pickguard: 3-Ply Black
  • Scale Length: 24.75"
  • Width at Nut: 1.650"
  • Matching Painted Headstock
  • Jim Adkins Signature on Back of Headstock
  • Black Plastic Parts
  • White Pearloid Dot Position Inlays
  • Oversized Strap Buttons

NOTE: This product is available in the United States only - no international sales.

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Tech Specs

  • General
  • Number of Strings 6
  • Left-/Right-handed Right-handed
  • Body
  • Body Type Semi-hollowbody
  • Body Shape Jim Adkins Telecaster Thinline
  • Body Material Ash
  • Body Finish Gloss Polyurethane
  • Color Natural
  • Neck
  • Neck Material Maple
  • Neck Shape Modern C
  • Neck Joint Set Neck
  • Radius 9.5"
  • Fingerboard Material Indian Laurel
  • Fingerboard Inlay Dots
  • Number of Frets 22, Medium Jumbo
  • Scale Length 24.75"
  • Nut Width 1.650"
  • Nut Material Synthetic Bone
  • Hardware
  • Bridge/Tailpiece 6-saddle Vintage-style Adjusto-matic with anchored tailpiece
  • Tuners Die-cast, Sealed
  • Electronics
  • Neck Pickup Seymour Duncan SP90-1N RWRP Vintage Single-coil
  • Bridge Pickup Seymour Duncan SP90-3 Custom Single-coil
  • Controls 2 x volume, 2 x tone
  • Switching 3-way toggle pickup switch
  • Miscellaneous
  • Strings Fender NPS, .009-.042
  • Case/Gig Bag Sold Separately
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 0262354521

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 4/5

Great guitar, but Les Paul Special has nothing to worry about

Instead of reiterating what the other reviews have already covered, I'll take a different approach by addressing the 800 lb gorilla in the room by comparing this model to the Les Paul Special. Of course characteristics of ever individual guitar will vary, especially when factoring in different builds, electronics and tone wood. The Gibson is solid mahogany while the Tele is a thinline (semi-hollow only beneath the f-hole and control cavities) with an Ash body and Maple neck. The Gibson has stock P90s and the Tele has Seymour Duncan P90s.

Having said that, the two guitars have very similar tonal qualities. What stands out for me is that the output on the Tele is hotter and has a bit more headroom. Although the body is chambered, the Tele is quite weighty; similar in weight to the Gibson. Eventhough they're both the same scale length and guage strings, the playability and tension of the strings on the Tele still feels tighter and fights you back more. Perhaps my mind is playing tricks on me and psychologically convincing me it's a 25.5 inch scale length?

Although I really dig my new Tele, it doesn't gravitate me to pick it up as much as the Les Paul does. Only time will tell if that'll change.
Music background: Rock and Blues
Rated 5/5

Telecaster Jim Adkins model

The guitar arrived today in perfect condition, the packaging was excellent. Fit and finish is flawless only thing I did was oil the fretboard and adjust the pickups to my liking. Some have said the Seymour Duncan pickups are noisy but mine are quiet as a church mouse. Kudos to the Sweetwater staff. I have made many purchase from them and have always been very happy with my purchases.
Wayne C
Music background: 50 Years playing history
Rated 5/5

Fender Jim Adkins JA-90 Thinline Tele

I was looking for a guitar with P-90 pickups for a protopunk project I am working on; however, I must note that this guitar also sounds great playing country, blues, rock ... anything. While I was only slightly familiar with Jim Adkins and Jimmy Eat World (thus, I did not come to know the guitar through anything related to him, I came across it looking on the Sweetwater site), I am delighted that I got this guitar. A pretty unusual setup for a Thinline Tele, but a really great sounding one - great tone, in a wide range, from the woods (swamp ash body, maple neck, Indian laurel fretboard) and Seymour Duncan pickups. It feels great to play, and it looks amazing. My son (22 years old) has fallen in love with it - seems like every time I turn around, it is in his hands. Thus, I ordered another one, in Crimson, the first one was natural wood. I love the look of both of them. While I have been using Sweetwater for a few years now, I have never ordered a guitar through them - I always want to play a guitar before buying it; I also fear having guitars shipped to me. Well, with Sweetwater's great customer service, I have never had any experience at Sweetwater that was not smooth and pleasant, (my sales engineer is Chris Barry, and he is amazing), I felt confident in having them ship a guitar to me. The guitar arrived in New York from Indiana quickly and in perfect shape. I have to say, that the packing job they do at Sweetwater is amazing!! My wife initially thought it was overkill, but then she realized that when dealing with musical instruments, this is the only way to ship them safely.
Music background: Guitarist, vocalist, composer (over 30 years experience)
Rated 5/5

Holy smokes!!

This guitar is a wholly different animal than what you may expect. Its built like an LP, stop bar tail piece, adjustomatic bridge top mount and 24 3/4 inch neck. Kinda like an LP built by Fender with a Tele shape. The Duncan P-90s are great, just do some research about them real quick and go from there, wonderful tone! As for "ol boy" who said this guitar is so light(??) it weighs more than my Epi LP! WTH? But that is a good thing to many. Pricey for a guitar made in Indonesia, but the build quality is spectacular! Gorgeous!! I have flipped for this new guitar and I have had a few. SOOO fine!
Music background: 50 year wanker!!
Rated 5/5

Great Guitar!

I never write reviews but this guitar deserves one especially since it doesn't have any. The P90's really bring out the warm tones + this guitar is incredibly light!

It’s impossible to imagine a world without Fender guitars, and if you’re like many of the guitarists at Sweetwater, then Fender not only made the first guitar you ever bought " they made the last one too! From building the first mass-produced solidbody electric guitars and basses in the 1950s to creating some of the most influential amplifier designs in history, it’s no wonder why Fender is one of the biggest names in the business. As one of the world’s largest Fender dealers, we have countless guitars, basses, amps, effects pedals, and accessories in stock and ready to ship, whenever you need them. We’re always getting our hands on their latest creations, and there’s nothing we love more than to tell our customers all about them! So, whether you’re looking for your first axe or a Custom Shop creation, make sure to give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.

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