#5974 – Fender Custom Shop Tele Junior – used/1998 – cherry

The large bulk of the Fender Custom Shop product range is all about the vintage retro market – Detailed replicas of the best selling models from their golden era – Yet the ‘Custom Shop’ tag also allows Fender to create new variations, of a classic model – So can I extend a warm welcome, to my showroom, to this used, Fender Custom Shop Tele Junior, from 1998, with a vintage cherry finish – Complete with a deluxe case and the appropriate certificate of authenticity, signed by John Page, from when he was the main man at the helm

A few key details are as follows :-

• Fender initially released this model, as part of a limited run of only 100, earlier in the 90’s – Yet it proved quite popular, so it became part of the product catalogue/range for a few years – I believe there was a slight change to the way the Custom Shop team carried out the ‘chambered’ body, to the original run – The later model, as per the version that I now offer for sale, has been spec’d similar to a Fender Tele Thinline – So chambered on the wings of the body – Yet still solid in the centre
• The Tele Junior is the guitar that blends the attributes of two classic models from the 50’s  – A Tele and a Les Paul Special
• Whole guitar only weighs 7lbs and 3oz
• 25.5″ scale length
• Chambered mahogany body
• Glue in mahogany neck
• 1 11/16″ top nut width so more in keeping with a Les Paul – equates to 43mm
• Medium depth C neck profile – measures .866″ around the top nut end with a gentle taper to .904″ around the 12th fret
• Mother of pearl dot inlays – believe a Pao Ferro fingerboard
• 22 x Medium/jumbo frets
• Note top nut end access to the truss rod
• Vintage cherry finish including a matching headstock
• Modern based hardware including sealed tuners, as per those on many USA production models – Plus a fixed ‘non-trem Strat’ style bridge with rear/thru the body string loading
• Barrel vintage style switch tip + a pair of domed + knurled control knobs and a traditional 3 way switch
• Custom spec’d/wound Seymour Duncan P90 Soapbar pick-ups – neck measures 11.35K and the bridge measures 14.45K so both more on the hot side
• Condition wise and this is fairly clean guitar – Certainly not as new/mint, yet any light grazes, or compression marks are only skin deep – On second viewing I found the only negative blemish – A nick on the rim of the body – So maybe not a museum grade, a s new collectors grade, yet still worth a strong 8 out of 10 condition wise – So you can play it with out giving it the kids glove treatment – Taking into account it is now around 24 years old, then overall I’d say few would have any issues with the overall condition

Playability :- As with many modern instruments, this Tele is slick to handle – Some vintage guitars can be a bit stiff, or less forgiving as you play them – This is far more easy to handle – Riffs and power chords, dig in for simplistic blues licks, or show off a few party tricks – Whichever you play, this is a guitar that is easy to play – The neck profile is more modern with a medium-slim profile – Many Custom Shop models, in particular the 50’s Black guard Teles possess a very chunky neck profile – The Tele Junior is nothing like that – More akin to a PRS wide/thin and/or even some Gibson SG’s and to a degree the modern AM Tele Deluxe – 22 medium jumbo frets and a slinky action ensure you can burn off a few flashy licks as required, or indeed dig in and milk every ounce of should from those big pentatonic bends

Tonal character :- I’m a P90 soapbar fan – On twin pick-up models like the Tele Junior, then I like the Jekyll and Hyde character that they offer – The neck pick-up can be so warm and succulent – Single coil clarity, but with far more body to the tonal character – It can be so  lush, that both blues players and laid back jazz players enjoy the tone that such pick-ups offer – On clean amp settings, the bridge pick-up can offer the hot country pickin’ attack of a good Tele – But as you add some gain, then it becomes raw, punky, aggressive, plus somewhat of a shin kicker – Yet the beast can be tamed with a slight tweak on the volume pot – Jerry Finn (producer for Blink 182, Sum 41 amongst others) was a fan of this guitar, especially for de-tuned work with high gain amp settings – The custom wound Seymour Duncan pick-ups are on the hot side and initial thoughts are that it might not be the guitar for a traditional blues based player – I found that playing around with the gain settings on the amp, along with tweaks on the  Tele’s volume pot that I could acquire some very traditional 50′ s flavoured blues tones – Aka Muddy Waters etc – Like a good Gibson SG Special, I don’t think it is a one trick pony – Granted it won’t do everything, but it is a versatile instrument – Depending on your playing style, then you might well find it is the only guitar you’ll use/need – For others, then it will certainly offer something different as part of a collection

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For additional product info, to arrange a showroom visit + viewing, or indeed any other questions, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Call: 01335 345777 or email: mark@guitars4you.co.uk. Please note that showrooms visits are strictly by appointment only.

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Guitars4You is not another corporate high street guitar store - My selection of premium grade guitars is about quality not quantity. Every guitar has been selected, inspected and approved by me, with particular attention to the set-up and playing performance. Every sale, phone call, email and mail order transaction is handled by me. A journey that is now over 40 years old, has fuelled my knowledge, experience, love, devotion and passion for exceptionally fine guitars.