TransFender

Ltd Edition American Standard Offset Telecaster

This Telecaster is a six-string crossbred. Now before the purest in you demands a wall of sound be built to keep the half-breds out, know this. Some of rocks most famous instruments have been mutts. There’s Springsteen’s Telecaster/Esquire, Eddie Van Halen’s Frankenstrat and apparently the lute Sting played on Songs from the Labyrinth is undergoing surgery to become a Martin cutaway.

Most of these six string anomalies go unnoticed by the average fan. Springsteen’s 1950s Esquire is really subtle. Fender’s Esquire and Telecaster are pretty much identical at first glance. The biggest difference being Tele’s two pickups to Esquire’s one. Easily missed at first glance, but fans of the discontinued Esquire will tell you that the wiring of the single-pickup Fender creates a sound like no other.

So what about the featured Limited Edition American Standard Offset Telecaster? Well, as mentioned it’s a cross between Fender’s offset Jazzmaster and a Telecaster. Jazzmasters were the first of Fender’s offset body guitars. Like the Esquire and Telecaster the difference between the Jazzmaster and the Jaguar are minor at first glance. As the name suggests, the the Jazzmaster was created with jazz musicians in mind. The body is sculpted for comfort, especially when played seated.

Fans of Elvis Costello will recognize the Jazzmaster from the other king’s debut album cover. The Jazzmaster’s tone can be heard on many Surf hits of the 60s. It’s longer tremolo fit the warblely notes of Surf. More recently, it’s been the guitar of choice for a lot of alternative musicians including Kurt Cobain. The likes of which latched onto second-hand Jazzmaster and Jaguar guitars found at pawn shops. Once again the sound of these electrics complemented the fuzz drench sound of the music being created.

But you’re not getting that specific tone here. This transFender has a Jazzmaster body, but the pickups and neck are all Tele. Which is great if you want range and flexibility of the latter.

So why pick this beast over a classic Telecaster? It’s that sexy, 60s sci-fi silhouette. Superficial yes. But that’s cool. Choosing a guitar needs to be done with the crotch and much as the head.

For more click over to Fender.