MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. That is one constant which they refuse to change, and for a good reason. program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This page contains information, pictures, videos, user generated reviews, automatically generated review and videos about Fender American Special Telecaster but we do not warrant the quality, accuracy or completeness of any information on our web site. 4.0 out of 5 stars "Special" American Fender Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2018 This guitar was created for those guitar fans that needed something solid and well crafted made America. Unveiled for the first time at the 2010 NAMM show, and available to the public since January 2010, the "American Telecaster Special" is available in only two colors: "Olympic White" (the … Disclaimer. The American Special Telecaster is a Fender Mexico guitar as good as the USA made guitar. Instead of having to strain your hands in order to reach those higher notes, that cutaway allowed guitar players to do so with ease. As you'd expect, middle position is 'twang city', but again, back off some tone, pile on a bit of drive and in effect you have 'Crossroads Light'. This particular Tele comes with a set of two single coil pickups, one at the bridge and one at the neck. American Special Telecaster Review Well, if anyone can fulfil that promise, it's Fender.The American Specials' colour range is very limited albeit tasteful, with the Tele available only in three-tone sunburst and Olympic white. The more recent, matt-finished Highway One series also fills a spot in the market between the more affordable Mexican-made guitars and the upmarket American Standard and Vintage series, but lots of people want their guitars shiny, not matt. Your email address will not be published. (Affiliate links highlighted) Check out my "60 Second Guitar Review" for Ultimate-Guitar.com Overview & Final Score: 9.1/10 The Fender Professional II series has long been speculated… © Read honest and unbiased product reviews … I love my Texas Special pickups in my Strat. Finish options are somewhat limited but sufficient enough to depict the classic nature of this guitar. Our Tele is sunburst and features the thin polyurethane finish that, unlike the matt look of the Highway One models, emanates a classy and upmarket vibe. This 2016 Fender American Special Telecaster Blonde Maple Neck is an absolutely amazing guitar. Thank you for signing up to Musicradar. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Fender American Special Telecaster, Maple Fretboard - Three-Tone Sunburst at Amazon.com. Finish … The whole Fender range is along for the ride in this upgraded collection, including Strats, Jazzmasters, and Jags. All rights reserved. So what, if anything, is so 'special' about this Special? It starts with an alder body, offering strength in construction and clarity in tone. And even when this is a Mexican-made series, it can be as good as a USA-made Fender. Fender introduced the American Special Series in 2010 in an effort to offer more affordable American-made guitars. It’s an excellent guitar, whether you … BA1 1UA. The word that sums up our Tele's overall tone is 'clarity', but there's a definite 'snarl' here. All in all, the Fender American Telecaster is a guitar you’d want to have. A celebration of classic '70s style and an excellent chance to reevaluate some Fender design details buried in the CBS-era mire, this Tele Custom is faultless, with a … Now a legendary instrument available in dozens of variations, the iconic “Tele” became the world’s first successfully mass-produced solid body electric guitar.Fender's Esquire guitar was the first prototype for the Telecaster and was produced in limited numbers. Fender American Original ’70s Telecaster Custom Review. The difference between this models is usually limited to the type of electronics they feature. It was introduced in 1950 and renamed the Broadcaster shortly after… The American Special Strat is light in weight; the finish looks flawless and rich, while the body contours are vintage correct and lusciously curvy. … For more info about the Fender American Special Telecaster, click here. In 1951 the Telecaster was introduced to the world by Leo Fender, a Southern California inventor and businessman. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You can't help feeling that Leo Fender really did get it right first time; so much so that the humble Tele has probably had more versions built around it than any other guitar alive. This guitar is like made for blues and rock. It's great for Hendrixy fills and Gilmour-like leads, while taming the tone slightly makes for some delightfully rich jazzy tones. The Final Mojo We found the build quality, fit and finish of the American Special Stratocaster and Telecaster to be on a par with many of Fender’s top Mexican-made offerings, but we can’t say they’ve exceeded them. Our Tele is sunburst and features the thin polyurethane finish that, unlike the matt look of the Highway One models, emanates a classy and upmarket vibe. American Special Telecaster Review | Beginner Guitar HQ. The Fender American Special Telecaster has the Texas Special™ Single-Coil Tele for its neck and bridge pickups to help it produce classic tones. So, really, what we have here is a pretty archetypal Fender Telecaster, with all the twang and honk that we expect from this style of guitar and with some nice touches that bring it right up to date. A quick scan over the whole guitar reveals the type of build quality, fit and finish that has put Fender back in front of late. Having spent time with this guitar, a ’52 reissue Tele, and an American Deluxe, it seems like a bridge with 6 independent saddles (1 for each string) is easier to intonate. The 24 Best Bass Guitars In Today’s Market – What Makes a Good Sounding Instrument? There was a problem. The Special adopts the now standard 'post-1967' control configuration of single master volume and tone pots governed by a three-way lever switch. We … It’s one of the more comfortable and original designs out there. The Best Guitar Amplifiers On The Market – The Complete Buyer’s Guide To Great Guitar Tone, The 23 Best Guitar Pedals – Your ‘Must Have’ List, The 10 Best Guitar Strings – Recommendations, Categories and a Beginner’s Buying Guide, Top 5 Online Guitar Lessons Websites in 2019 [Beginners To Advanced], The 10 Best Guitar Tuners – Get the Most out of Every String. We'd like to see a more adventurous colour palette and better gigbag (or form-fit case), but otherwise we can't fault the guitar at this price point. We have a vintage style ashtray bridge with three adjustable saddles instead of six. Well, yes, but as of 2017, the American Standards are dead. All in all, the Fender American Telecaster is a guitar you’d want to have. The American Special Telecaster is similar in most ways to the American Standard Telecaster… With its fulsome alder body, substantial (though comfy) medium-C maple neck, broad 15-screw pickguard and – especially – its Tim Shaw–designed resurrection of the near-mythic Seth Lover CuNiFe Wide-Range Humbucker, this is a Telecaster on a diet of porterhouse and pull-ups. GuitarFella.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising Our expert team will guide you with gear reviews, lessons and advice to help make your guitar life a little easier and more enjoyable. Fender rolls out the American Special Telecaster Electric Guitar that delivers a healthy combination of modern and traditional tones at a price that won't drain your wallet. Fender American Professional II Telecaster & Stratocaster HSS review Barely four years ago, Fender introduced the American Professional line – now it’s been refreshed. Fender introduces the American Special Series Telecaster guitar, which puts everything you want in an affordable U.S.-made instrument within your reach. Fender American Special Telecaster is one of those guitars which you’ll simply want to have. In terms of hardware, Fender kept things old school as possible. This Telecaster is part of Fender’s latest American Professional series, which essentially supersedes the company’s long-lived American Standard range. It’s a single cutaway design which was popular and even somewhat advanced for back in the day. Fender American Special Telecaster 4.16 out of 5 based on 21 ratings . beginnerguitarhq.com. What's slightly different to many Teles is that our neck pickup has two adjustment screws that allow you to set its height with much less fuss than on Teles of yore; and Fender has also chosen a black laminated scratchplate that goes rather well against the body's three-tone glow. Despite that, the American Special Telecaster does have what it takes to satisfy many, if not all, Tele afficionados. Wonderful neck. Each pickup is made of alnico 5 magnets that have wires coated with enamel and evenly distributed poles to pick up clear bass, mid-range, and high notes. Long live the all-new American Professional series. The American Special model has a major element in common with its original … The neck is a standard C shape with a traditional maple fretboard. Both of these belong to the Texas Special series, and are up there when it comes to performance as well as range. Telecaster body shape is familiar to anyone who knows a thing or two about guitars. Cheapo gigbags. The 35 Best Electric Guitars – Your Guide To A Great Sounding Instrument, The 43 Best Acoustic Guitars – Great Sounding Instruments In Every Price Range. There’s not a whole lot that is wrong with this instrument. It’s classic, it has a timeless design, and sounds like a goddess coupled with a tube amp. It has great pickups with the Fender Texas Special pickups. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. If you're in the market for a Tele, then you'd have to spend an awful lot more money to find something significantly better than this. For more info check our Affiliate Disclosure page. These American Specials take some of the best features of all the above, add a neat new twist here and there, and come up with a sparsely populated line that should instantly appeal to Fender-heads who don't have bottomless wallets, but who feel they too deserve full-on American quality - and gloss - at streetwise prices. And even when this is a Mexican-made series, it can be as good as a USA-made Fender. On the other end of the business, Fender installed a set of their vintage tuning machines. Fender overhauls its most affordable USA-made instruments for 2019 with new pickups, a fresh lick of paint and plenty more besides. Introduced at Summer NAMM of 2000, Fender's newly-minted American Series Telecasters saw numerous minor changes to the American Standard Tele's platform, from pickguard and tuners to newly-designed pickups and the overall feel of the neck, with slightly rolled edges to make for a more "broken-in" feel. I have been able to find the resistance of the Custom Shop Texas Specials online but not the Fender ones that are in the American Special. The Fender American Professional II Series unites a diverse range of artists spanning different genres and styles. Fender’s role in popularizing solid body guitars has been known for decades. Fender literally wrote the book on electric basses, laying the foundation for musical innovation and evolution. But don't let the stripped-down price fool you into thinking it's a stripped-down guitar. Leo Fender started a whole new trend with his Telecaster solid body guitar, thus changing the world of music forever. Gloss headstock fascia would look classier. When it comes to controls available, you are looking at the standard Telecaster configuration. The Tele's fuss-free nature reveals itself when you pick it up to play; there's little fightback from the flat 'board and big frets. Texas Special pups offer a nice range, but also bring that grease bucket tone many are trying to find. In this review we’ll take a look at Fender’s American Special Series Stratocaster and Telecaster. Read more: Blade RH-4 Classic 30th Anniversary DMG. If you are looking for that old school single coil tone, Fender American Special Telecaster is definitely the way to go. The neck is smooth, comfortable, and easy to play. It's put together with an attention to detail that means it's impossible (discounting the three-piece body, which might bother some) to find a flaw in either construction or finish. ... American Special Telecaster Shop Home American Special Telecaster Shop 0 results Compare up to 4 products. Plug it into a decent tube amp and find out what the golden years of rock were all about. For more electric guitars under 1000$, click here. Anyone who keeps a close eye on the pricing of new electric guitars in the UK will tell you that £1,000 isn’t quite what it used to be. Not surprisingly, we find a traditional bridge with three brass saddles and the use of a twin-pickup layout. I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to find info to keep the Tele American Special sound as is and merely add their 4-way switch for the guitars pickups in series and keeping the stock “Greasebucket” tone control. The American Special features a Vintage Tele bridge with 3 brass saddles. So, the American Special slots in under the long-running American Standard range - for many, Fender's staple Tele. The Fender American Special Telecaster is a recent introduction by the company to fill the void between the Mexican made Standard models/Classic Series reissues and the US Standards. Note the 2 screws for the back plate, which is unusual. Your email address will not be published. Fender introduced the American Special Series in 2010 in an effort to offer more affordable American-made guitars. When it comes to American guitars the Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster are legendary, and through the American Special line they’re more affordable than ever. Instead of having to strain your hands in order to reach those higher notes, that cutaway allowed guitar players to do so with ease. "You'd have to spend an awful lot more money to find something significantly better than this.". Switching to the neck pickup, clarity still rules, but obviously with more inherent warmth. The pole pieces on the bridge pup are not staggered and sit just above the bobbin face. Great sounds. Fender’s use of Alder dates back to their roots. Guitarists, welcome home. Telecaster Obviously, the Telecaster is a very different beast from its Stratocaster cousin. Don't miss the latest deals, news, reviews, features and tutorials. http://www.nstuffmusic.com/p-12802-fender-american-special-telecaster-electric-guitar.aspxFender introduces the American Special Series Telecaster. The Fender American Special Stratocaster is an excellent guitar. It’s classic, it has a timeless design, and sounds like a goddess coupled with a tube amp. We investigate what’s changed… By Dave Burrluck 15 December 2020 The Special Stratocaster (non HSS) comes with a regular coil bridge pickup whereas the HSS version comes with a much better Fender Atomic humbucker bridge pickup with a high 16.4 kilo Ohms output … better as a scalpel rather than a sledgehammer. Firstly, you can choose two finishes for the Special Stratocaster HSS guitar; 3-colour sunburst and all black. I’m not sure that its a coincidence that I fool with the intonation on the ’52 which as the same bridge as the American Special … That is one constant which they refuse to change, and for a good reason. The American Specials' colour range is very limited albeit tasteful, with the Tele available only in three-tone sunburst and Olympic white. Please refresh the page and try again. The further in the past (and thus usually higher in age now) the Guitar Player started in, the smaller the wire he TENDS to like. The bridge pickup is as bright as you'd expect when played clean, but as with all good Teles, seems to darken as the gain increases. Even though you get to work with only three saddles, adjusting the action height and intonation on this guitar is relatively straight forward. Hey there. Once again Fender has focused its sights, aimed at the target and hit bullseye with its first shot. Credit: Fender Cost: $1499.99, find your own from Fender.com, Reverb.com, or Amazon.com! Fender American Professional II Telecaster & Stratocaster HSS review Barely four years ago, Fender introduced the American Professional line – now it’s been refreshed. The American Special has (other than the rare Yngwie Malmsteen model) the very largest fretwire you can get on any Fender 6 string guitar. Choosing a guitar and learning how to play can be overwhelming. Fender’s use of Alder dates back to their roots. The Artists. The entire body is made from Alder and the has a glossy urethane finish whereas the fretboard is crafted from Rosewood. I am getting a Tele because I want a little different sound. There are nine guitars in the new guitar range: Strat, Tele, Strat HH, Strat HSS, Telecaster Deluxe, Jazzmaster and Jaguar, plus Strat and Tele … To me this version is the best … We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices, Buyers' guides to all the best music gear, The 16 best software samplers in the world today, 15 easy blues guitar chords every guitarist needs to know, The 25 best VST/AU plugin synths in the world right now: all the best soft synths you need in your DAW, Guthrie Govan: the 10 guitarists who blew my mind, How to position your right hand when you're playing the keyboard, Learn 16 of the best guitar chords for clean tones, Learn to play guitar and keyboards at home: easy free lessons for beginners. Fender's own take on Fender's new American Special line-up is that they are "value-conscious guitars for the times… designed specifically to bring the full Fender experience of a terrific-sounding, smooth-playing, rock-solid-built US-made guitar to the working man, without emptying his bank account." Compare Clear All. From hip-hop to country, and electric bass to guitar, check out some of the artists who rely on the Fender American Professional II Series to bring their music to life. Superseding the previous American Special range, American Performer is now the most affordable way to get your hands on a solidbody built in Fender’s Corona facility in Southern California alongside the company’s recently overhauled American Professional and American Original lines. That is a bit unorthodox for Telecasters but it works rather well. The American Special Telecaster is a Fender Mexico guitar as good as the USA made guitar. Fender American Special Telecaster remains one of the most authentic classics you can grab under a grand which is exactly the way it should be. Write a user review Ask for a user review. While you certainly could push out some decent heavy vibes out of this thing, it works much Required fields are marked *. Aimed at the gap in the market between the American Standard and the Highway One ranges, these American Specials succeed with value and tone in abundance. We are your new best friend when it comes to guitars, gear, lessons and everything else that goes with the greatest musical instrument in the world! Well, if anyone can fulfil that promise, it's Fender. I like the american special tele … This is my 4th Fender American Special Telecaster. It's a 'buttery' playing experience whether you go for country bends (the Tele's perceived home territory) or bluesy slurs and rock-style finger vibrato. The guitar is perfect, great frets, nicely finished, nice neck pocket, really cool retro bridge with three brass saddles, stable tuners, nice gig bag. You will receive a verification email shortly. Will Fender's new, shiny take on the Tele live up the high standards we expect in 2020? Telecasters came, and still come in a variety of models. The end result is one of the best value for money Teles that you can get today. It also features Fender's Greasebucket tone circuit. Finishes are refined to hark back to classic Fender eras (the sparkling seafoam green of the review model […] England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Brand new model so it would have to have been made late 2009/early 2010, 22 jumbo frets and the Standard Fender scale of 25.5. I am not one to splurge on myself and consider myself a frugal man, but I pulled the trigger on the 2011 American Special Telecaster in white. I am thinking about getting an American Special Tele, which has Texas Special pickups. Cons: A bit expensive. Everything about the guitar smacks of function over form; indeed it could well adopt Rory Gallagher's mantra of 'let's go to work' as its own. Fender American Special Telecaster: fcalas 's user review « A Telecaster for all » A Telecaster for all » 12/03/2012. Both pieces of hardware work incredibly well, especially the tuners. This really is of fairly little consequence when considering the overall playability and feel of the guitar, and it definitely lends it self to that classic look. Visit our corporate site. It’s a single cutaway design which was popular and even somewhat advanced for back in the day. Does a Telecaster with Texas Specials still sound like a Tele… Sam Bell. Pros: Modern features Classic looks/feel Great playability/tone Well made. New guys, young guys are much more amenable to this HUGE wire the Am. In other words, you have one volume knob, one tone knob, and a pickup select switch. Our Tele is certainly not an unwieldy beast. Texas Specials are the choice, the rear coil retaining the black 'open' bobbin look and the neck single-coil with a shiny chrome cover for a look that's marked out this model for an astonishing 60 years. One thing you can count on Fender American Special Telecaster to deliver is that vintage tone. Build-wise the American Special Tele is made from three-piece alder, perfectly coated in three-tone sunburst urethane and with an attractive light maple neck that's been treated with a slinky satin finish.The 22 jumbo frets sit on a 9.5-inch radius 'board and tuners are Schallers, with a single string tree adorning the headstock. Learn more about Fender electric basses.