Well, I seem to be on a bit of a trip at the moment, as a new arrival this morning ticks off another of those guitars-I-never-thought-I'd-own entries on the list marked Non Chance.
As you can probably see it is a Rosewood Telecaster, something I've long lusted after since seeing George Harrison's one somewhere or other.
First things first, it is a 'Replica' put together in the UK by a top chap called Rich and dare I say it is closer to the original in a lot of ways than any Fender have made since Let It Be. It also didn't cost the £15K one of the old uns seem to go for.
For a start, the body is solid rosewood, made from two pieces and utterly stunning looking. The one Fender gave to Georgy Boy was solid (though pancaked with a maple strip - which this isn't), but the ones they made for sale were chambered to get over the fact that solid rosewood weighs a ton or more. This is just shy of 13lbs according to the kitchen scales, so go figure. Regardless, it has had a lovely nitro finish and will no doubt age like a demon.
The neck too is all rosewood apart from a maple skunk stripe (again differing from the originals). Most of the recent Fenders have just gone for normal maple/rosewood necks and lose a lot in the process I fear.
As for the rest, all the parts are standard Fender fayre, with the exception of a couple of Marc Ransleys excellent pickups, which lets face it I would have put in anyway.
As for the sound, well Rich described it as a monster and that is spot on. The sustain is incredible - good Les Paul territory and it has a different tone from any other tele I've played. Still with all the twang, but maybe a bit warmer and richer (fuller? - god I'm crap at describing this stuff). It does need a few tweaks but nothing drastic and it will make it feel more like mine anyway, so no worries there.
As for the weight - as I tend to play sat sitting these days, it isn't an issue but I can imagine standing on a roof top for a couple of hours in London, it must have been trying.
Other than that it arrived in one of those lovely retro Fender G&G hardcases which sets the scene.
So there we are, Old Rosey is in the house and for once I really can't imagine this guitar ever leaving me.
La la laaaa
