Well, Fender has managed to do it again! They’ve taken a vintage guitar and hot-rodded it for the 21st century, and the end result is an instrument that’s both pleasing to the eye, as well as capable of producing some new contemporary sounds. In this case, we’re talking about the Fender Vintage Hot Rod ’52 Telecaster, which is today’s official Guitar of the Day! Decked out in the company’s original Butterscotch Blonde finish over a premium ash body, you really have to look closely to see that this is indeed a modern instrument, but with all the vintage appeal any player could possibly ask for. See, the Vintage Hot Rod ’52 Telecaster bridges the gap between those expensive Custom Shop models and the more realistic price (for the average guitarist, that is) of a production model. First off, it’s equipped with a Custom Vintage Tele bridge pickup that looks like it’s straight out of 1952, since it’s sitting in a vintage-style bridge block with three compensated brass saddles. But then a closer look reveals a Seymour Duncan Vintage Mini HB in the neck position.
Fender gives this guitar a newly formulated thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish over the Butterscotch Blonde stain, then adds a remarkably comfortable “U”-shaped maple neck with maple fingerboard, 21 medium jumbo frets, and a satin nitro lacquer finish. It even has a slightly flatter, more contemporary 9.5-inch radius, so it’ll feel like you’re playing a guitar that’s as comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans. The end result is an exceptional (and exceptionally good-looking) guitar that has a true vintage feel, but with modern tonal capabilities. When you pick it up, you’d swear you were lifting an instrument that had been lovingly played for decades, and carefully maintained – a “broken-in” vibe if you will! If you ever picked up another guitar and felt like it would take years to make it feel “lived-in,” you’ll be blown away by the feel (and sound) of the Vintage Hot Rod ’52 Telecaster. To capture the 1952 feel, it comes complete with a period-accurate black, single-ply pickguard, along with a master volume and master tone control with a 3-position pickup selector. Naturally, it comes in a vintage-style tweed case and includes free FedEx shipping right to your door!
