Decades of speculation on the magic of those early vintage models have set a new trend in guitar manufacturing. Custom shop building!
Like Gibson, Fender has a custom shop department where they recreate the look, feel and tone of those vintage instruments every axe wielder dreams of.
It is not hard to explain why these old vintage guitars got to such a mythical status. Apart from all the drugs taking and big rock&roll stories, Imagine a guitar company that still has to be build up from scratch, where people build one guitar at the time, where the best materials are selected in order to build a great sounding guitar… because you still have a market to conquer. This is the company that will make you a magical guitar. When the demand becomes as big as it did, you can’t keep working that way, you have to standardise and you run the chance to lose some of that magic.
The custom shop philosophy has finally got to terms with this fact. The old instruments were better, because more attention was paid to the materials and the building process.
Fender custom shop is like good oll’ Leo’s 1957 workshop tucked neatly into this million dollar company called Fender.

Boy! they sure are expensive. Dr. Giordano, Is it really worth the money?

Compared to a middle of the road axe, yes, they are expensive. But you have to realise that these are exceptionally well build guitars. If you have a batch of wood of 50 pieces, you just might find one or two pieces that really are the bee’s knees in terms of tonewood. Every piece of wood is selected to be the best of the best. The instruments are 100% handcrafted and all the other materials are of top quality. With that comes a feel and look, that is crafted with attention, love and passion for the art of guitar building. These really are the dream instruments you always feared you could never own. The guitar where it truly all comes together.
So yes, I think it is worth the money. This is the guitar equivalent that well crafted Maserati, the hand tailored bespoke Saville Row suit, that exclusive Wilier racing bike, the handmade pair of Borgioli shoes. And a certain price comes with that.

So, Dr. Giordano? Should I get one?

Well, I wouldn’t want you to get into financial trouble over my rantings. So first…. do the numbers before you indulge yourself in full fledged Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
A great guitar is many things. Apart from it being a beautiful thing to look at or the icon with which you identify your rock heroes, it is first and foremost an instrument that needs to be played. It’s exquisite tone preferably needs to be enjoyed and heard (be it by one, some or by many).
Also a high quality instrument like this will be appreciated more by it’s player and ultimately the listener as well, when the player realises and recognises of what high quality this instrument actually is. If your first guitar is a custom shop Fender Tele with a fat round neck… you might be disappointed by it’s (or perceived lack of) magic.
Your reasons for wanting a guitar like this are entirely your own. And can be very valid on many levels, but make sure you know what you’re buying. Make sure you appreciate the differences. because these are really good instruments and they deserve to be acknowledged as such.