Joe Strummer Telecaster?

[Pieman]

Anybody ever own one of these or had the opportunity to try one out?  If so, pluses or minuses?  Thanks

Saw this at a Dr Z Monza demo video beginning at 1:15

 

 

[velorush]

None on Reverb ATM, but it looks like you can expect to pay around a grand for one. https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/1501-fender-joe-strummer-telecaster-2007-black-relic

Here's the spec rundown from when they were new (Musician's Friend):

FEATURES

• Body: Alder
• Neck: Maple, "C" Shape (Gloss Polyurethane Finish)
• Fingerboard: Rosewood, 7.25" Radius (184mm)
• Frets: 21 Vintage Style Frets
• Pickups: 2 Vintage Style Single-Coil Tele® Pickups with Alnico Magnets (Neck & Bridge)
• Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
• Pickup Switching: 3-Position Blade:
• Position 1. Bridge Pickup
• Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups
• Position 3. Neck Pickup
• Bridge: Vintage Style 3-Saddle Strings-Thru-Body Tele Bridge
• Machine Heads: Fender®/Ping® Vintage Style Tuning Machines
• Hardware: Distressed Chrome
• Pickguard: 3-Ply Mint Green
• Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
• Width at Nut: 1.650" (42 mm)
• Unique Features: Revolution Rock Neckplate, Road Worn Finish, Art Customization Kit (First 1500 Units Only)
• Kit Contains: Joe Strummer 12" Album Cover, Art Print, Stencil Sheet, Sticker Sheet, Template, Instructions and Bio.
• Strings: Fender Super 250R, Nickel Plated Steel,
• Gauges: (.010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046),
• p/n 073-0250-006

 

OVERVIEW

Equal parts tribute and roadworthy rocker.

From Fender®'s Artist Series, this Telecaster features an alder body with a maple "C" shape neck, rosewood fingerboard and 2 vintage style single-coil Tele® pickups with alnico magnets.

Designed in cooperation with the Strummer estate, the Joe Strummer electric guitar has a highly distressed "road-worn" treatment that duplicates the original's worn-to-the-wood layers of gray auto primer and flat black spray paint. It also features a "Revolution Rock" engraved neckplate and a limited edition art customization kit that includes Strummer-inspired stencils, stickers and graphics by designer Shepard Fairey.

Strummer was, of course, the Clash's articulate and fiery co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead singer; he later founded, recorded and toured with the Mescaleros. All his life, he vigorously championed individuality, self-expression and change--tenets often reflected in the constantly altered look of his favorite instrument--his Telecaster (currently on display in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland), an otherwise standard '60s-era model with all the original parts and specifications.

When Strummer bought it in 1975 for 120, the guitar had a Three-color Sunburst finish. He was having none of that, of course, but his improvised DIY gray and black "finishes" deteriorated quickly, giving the Telecaster its distinctive look. Like Strummer's music, the battered electric guitar changed constantly--plastered as it was with stencils, stickers and new paint jobs through the many stages of Strummer's life and career.

To celebrate Strummer's fierce sense of individuality, Fender and acclaimed artist Shepard Fairey collaborated on the new guitar's limited edition Joe Strummer Telecaster customization kit, which includes stencils and stickers inspired by the custom designs Strummer decorated many of his instruments with. The kit comes in a classic 12" album cover featuring graphics by Fairey and photography by Bob Gruen and will accompany the first 1,500 guitars.

The legacy of Joe Strummer (1952-2002) continues to live on, grow louder and shake up the establishment with the release of the Joe Strummer Telecaster, modeled after the beat up and battle-hardened '66 Tele® he wielded as leader of "the only band that matters"--seminal Brit punk commando unit the Clash.

 

 

[kizanski]

[Pieman]

Thanks to you both. 

Kiz, is that from the Rock Hall?

Thanks, Velorush. I read it was a 60's telecaster but your post says it has a 7.25" radius neck.  That would kill it for me. So it goes.

[bubs_42]

PFF, I love the 7..25 Necks, super comfortable and if they are setup correctly, they don't buzz even bending the shit out of them. 60's Teles' most notable the MIJ are the same Radius Neck

[kizanski]

25 minutes ago, Pieman said:

Kiz, is that from the Rock Hall?

Indeed it is.

[cmatthes]

Great playing guitars.  I foolishly passed on several of those below $500, thinking they'd be around a while...

[polara]

I got one for $300 off CL a few years ago only to flip, and I did get something like $800 for it. A nice and comfortable Tele, though I think it's not that hard to find a good Tele cheaper. If yer a Clash fan you won't regret it.

[velorush]

7 hours ago, bubs_42 said:

PFF, I love the 7..25 Necks, super comfortable and if they are setup correctly, they don't buzz even bending the shit out of them. 60's Teles' most notable the MIJ are the same Radius Neck

I agree completely.  If it's been a while since you've tried one you might give it another try.  As Bubs said, properly set up I never had issues with my old S9 Strat (7.25 radius, vintage frets (back then we just called them "frets")) was able to bend for days!  Played it all through college and beyond.  I think the vintage radius is something that became objectionable with the advent of guitar forums.

Last one I played was a fantastic LSL at Martin Music (Memphis).  Didn't even notice it was vintage radius until the salesperson told me.  Played a killer GE Smith Tele (also 7.25" radius) the same day.  Neither presented a problem and the Fender had vintage frets.

[crunchee]

1 hour ago, polara said:

I got one for $300 off CL a few years ago only to flip, and I did get something like $800 for it. A nice and comfortable Tele, though I think it's not that hard to find a good Tele cheaper. If yer a Clash fan you won't regret it.

I like The Clash and Joe Strummer, but I'm a bigger fan of good cheap Teles!   

Speaking of Joe Strummer, here's the video for "Love Kills", a song he did for the movie Sid And Nancy:

 

[bubs_42]

12 hours ago, velorush said:

I agree completely.  If it's been a while since you've tried one you might give it another try.  As Bubs said, properly set up I never had issues with my old S9 Strat (7.25 radius, vintage frets (back then we just called them "frets")) was able to bend for days!  Played it all through college and beyond.  I think the vintage radius is something that became objectionable with the advent of guitar forums.

Last one I played was a fantastic LSL at Martin Music (Memphis).  Didn't even notice it was vintage radius until the salesperson told me.  Played a killer GE Smith Tele (also 7.25" radius) the same day.  Neither presented a problem and the Fender had vintage frets.

I want a GE Smith Tele!

[velorush]

54 minutes ago, bubs_42 said:

I want a GE Smith Tele!

Finally getting to play one was a bizarre (in a good way) experience.  In theory (i.e., guitar forum speak) it was absolutely nothing I would like in a guitar other than a gigantic phone pole for a neck - vintage radius, vintage frets.  Martin Music had two that day, a black one and a used red one.  I played them both and both were fantastic.  Never noticed the vintage radius except to note chording was easier.  The vintage frets didn't bother me at all because of the fantastic finish on the neck (way cool position markers, too).  If there was one giant takeaway, however, it was the cut-off bridge.  IF I find myself building a T-style partscaster I definitely want to find a bridge like that one.  It was so not in the way! 

ETA: found this

DEEEE-licious!

[cmatthes]

I was the stage manager/director of a regional blues festival for a number of years not too long ago.  We had G.E. Smith headline one year, and I’ve gotta say, he could not have been cooler.  He brought a Tele, a customized Esquire and a single cut 50s Junior and tore it up.   He said that of all his guitars, he thought the single pickup ones were the most magical and made you play better.   He let me and a friend play his Tele (I think it was a ‘56), and it was super light, with an incredibly fat neck, but was PERFECT. A truly amazing guitar.   After the show, he invited us to share his wine - he had a special leather road case for his wine glasses, but we had to use plastic cups...  😆

guitar.

[DeVai]

On 9/4/2020 at 3:17 PM, kizanski said:

Indeed it is.

If you ever come back ,contact me. We could have a meet and greet. Wayne