The Sound of The Police in a Guitar Built by a Master!
Andy Summers' 1961 Telecaster was the driving force behind many of the classic Police songs of the late 1970s and early 1980s. His distinctive palm-muting gave the Police a sound that was instantly recognizable. His style only accounts for half of that unique sound - with the other half being this Tele that's loaded with custom appointments. Andy acquired this Tele in the early 1970s from one of his guitar students in Southern California. The Tele was certainly a bit beat-up, but it became Andy Summer's signature sound. Now you play it for yourself! Only a handful of these instruments were built by the Fender Custom Shop Master builder, making this Andy Summers Tribute Telecaster even more special!
Related Videos: Limited Edition Masterbuilt Andy Summers Tribute Telecaster
- Very unique feature set
- Limited Run of only 250 instruments
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Very unique feature set
The Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Andy Summers Tribute Telecaster is unlike any other Tele you've ever seen. The 2-piece select alder body sports a whole host of modifications that aren't stock Tele features. For starters, the bridge is brass with a small crack in it rather than the traditional chrome. The bridge pickup is mounted directly to the body. Electronically, the Andy Summers Tele incorporates 3-way switching with a mounted mini-toggle phase switch. A third knob mounted below the two traditional Tele knobs controls the on-board overdrive unit. A second mini-toggle activates a body-mounted preamp (the original preamp "died," and the Fender Custom Shop was able to recreate the Police-era preamp). Rounding out the electronics, there's a humbucker at the neck that can conjure some ferocious tones.
Limited Run of only 250 instruments
The prototype, built by Fender Custom Shop Master Builder Dennis Galuszka over the course of a year, is currently in use with Andy now. The guitar features the same "eccentric" modifications that the original had when Summers first bought it, most of which were unchanged throughout the nonstop work and excitement of the Police years. Now, Fender couldn't be more proud and excited to unveil a very special 250-instrument Limited Edition run of the Fender Custom Shop Andy Summers Tribute Telecaster as part of the Fender Custom Shop's legendary Tribute Series. It's a note-perfect replica of the 1961 Tele that Summers used to help propel the Police to untold heights of worldwide pop superstardom.
Summers played number one of the 250 replicas when the Police once again electrified the music world by reuniting on Feb. 11, 2007, to open the 49th annual Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. Even more exciting, Summers will play the replica during the momentous 2007 30th anniversary worldwide Police reunion tour, one of the most hoped-for and eagerly awaited events in pop music history. It promises to be a thrilling musical event featuring one of rock's most innovative guitarists playing a spot-on replica of one rock's most distinctive guitars.
A rare instrument
The complete run of Andy Summers Tribute Telecasters involved the efforts and expertise of all the Custom Shop Masterbuilders. Sweetwater has the good fortune of offering this instrument, and if you've already checked out the detailed photos at our online Guitar Gallery, you'll agree that it's an amazing recreation of a great axe!
- Color: 3-Color Sunburst, (Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
- Body: 2-Piece Select Alder
- Neck: Quarter-Sawn Maple, "C" Shape, (Tinted Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
- Fingerboard: Quarter-Sawn Maple, 7.25" Radius
- No. of Frets: 21 Vintage Frets
- Pickups: 1 Custom '63 Tele Single-Coil Pickup (Bridge), 1 Seymour Duncan SH-1N '59 Humbucking Pickup (Neck)
- Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone, Preamp Gain
- Pickup Switching: 3-Position Blade
- 2-Position Mini-Toggle Preamp On/Off Switch
- Bridge: Strings-Thru-Body 6-Saddle Brass Bridge with Crack in the Pickup Mounting Hole
- Machine Heads: Fender/Gotoh Vintage Style Tuning Machines
- Hardware: Nickel/Chrome
- Pickguard: 3-Ply Mint Green
- Scale Length: 25.5"
- Width at Nut: 1.650"
- White Binding on Top & Back
- Black Dot Position Inlays with Wide Dot Spacing
- "Top Hat" Switch Tip
- Custom Shop Limited Edition Decal
- Cracked 6-Saddle Brass Bridge Plate
- Brass Bridge Saddles
- Rectangular Jack Plate
- Control Plate Mounted Mini-Toggle Phase Reversal Switch
- Rear-Mounted Preamp "Overdrive" Unit
- Body Mounted Preamp On/Off Switch
- Body Mounted Preamp Gain Control Knob
- Shows natural wear and tear of years of heavy use, nicks, scratches, worn finish, rusty hardware, and aged plastic parts.
- Accessories: Deluxe Brown Hardshell Case (Orange Interior), Strap, Cable, Limited Edition Certificate, Signed Copy of Andy's Book "One Train Later", DVD Interview with Andy, "Message In A Box" CD Box Set
Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Andy Summers Tribute Telecaster - a truly unique signature Telecaster!
