WIN! A SIGNED ANGUS YOUNG SG INSIDE
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*UK ONLY
Issue 466
DECEMBER 2020
EDDIE VAN HALEN 1955 - 2020
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FENDER VINTERA ROAD WORN ’70S TELECASTER DELUXE £1,099 WHAT IS IT? Limited, aged nitrofinished repro of Fender’s 70s-era twin-humbucker challenger to the classic Gibson style
One For The Road The latest version of Fender’s indie favourite comes as a limited-edition Road Worn model, and not only looks the part but packs a rather surprising punch Words Neville Marten Photography Neil Godwin
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e’ve said it many times before, but Fender’s simple Telecaster platform of slab body, bolt-on neck and basic pickups, switching and controls makes it the perfect candidate for ‘pimping’. Fender recognised this early on, with models such as 1959’s bound-bodied Custom, the Paisley, Blue Flower and Thinline of ’68, the Rosewood version from the following year, and many more. Come the early 70s and a tougher rock movement had ushered in the new decade. This time Gibson ruled the roost and for a change Fender found itself on the back foot. So it chose the good ol’ Tele to represent its vision of a thicker-toned and more powerful instrument. Enter the Custom and Deluxe, the former with single neck humbucker but retaining the Tele’s bridge single coil, and its double-humbucker sibling the Deluxe (as reviewed). But while both were capable guitars in their own right, they failed to set the rock fraternity on fire. However, as has so often happened with models that missed bullseye at launch, the Deluxe and Custom would have their day. As with the Jaguar and Jazzmaster before them, these quirky Telecasters
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GUITARIST DECEMBER 2020
DECEMBER 2020 GUITARIST
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Patrick James Eggle Oz with Cream T Original Banger
3. There are more subtle cracks in the nitro finish on the face and back of the headstock, although the neck back is bare and oiled for a typical PJE super-smooth finish. Fretwork and setup are what you’d expect: faultless. It plays superbly with a great weight of 3.35kg (7.37lb) 4. “That’s the ageing lacquer, so it’s been in the freezer and it will crack more as time goes on – that’s the idea. We now use it on pretty much half of our guitars, the more vintage-style,” says Patrick 5. This original P-Bassstyle control plate (aged, of course) and the single-ply cream scratchplate mimic those on the numerous similar-style Billy Gibbons guitars. The simple volume and tone circuit use a treble-bleed circuit and NOS Russian K42Y-2 500V 0.033 microfarads paperin‑oil capacitor 6. Another popular ‘boutique’ twist is the cut-off Tele-style bridge with throughbody stringing. This one is made by Kluson and uses Wilkinson compensated brass saddles treated with a cold patination fluid to create the old, used look
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wishlist
Photo by Kevin Baldes
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“Frank Zappa once said that Eddie Van Halen reinvented the guitar. I agree. He will be sadly missed, but his brilliant legacy will always be remembered. The ultimate guitar hero”
Photo by Steve Granitz/Getty Images
RITCHIE BL ACK MORE
A plain finish would just not do for the effervescent guitarist: the stripes of Eddie’s 1975 ‘Frankenstein’ build would become synonymous with the man and, later, his EVH brand
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4 1. Musicmaster &Â Duo-Sonic 2. Musicmaster II & Duo-Sonic II 3. Mustang 4. Competition Mustangs
PHOTOS BY PAUL KELLY
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Bought & Sold