In 1950, Fender became the first company to successfully market solidbody electric guitars. The instantly-recognizable two-pickup, single-cutaway design that we now know as the Telecaster originally debuted as the Broadcaster, but a dispute with Gretsch drums forced a name change. Before Fender adopted the "Telecaster" moniker, factory workers simply snipped the "Broadcaster" name from the existing stock of decals, and fewer than 500 guitars were made with just the Fender name. Known among collectors and Fender historians as "Nocasters," these rare blackguards are the stuff of legend.
This Nocaster Relic rolled out of the Fender Custom Shop in 2006. It is a simple, straightforward recreation of the early-'50s blackguard specs. It features an Ash body and one-piece Maple neck with at the proper U profile, faithful to original Fender neck carve. The blonde finish looks just right with some subtle relic-ing. Since 2006, the Custom Shop has grown more aggressive with the "heavy relic" concept, but this one is more tasteful. It captures the right played-in vibe, but unlike more modern Custom Shop stuff, this Nocaster was spared from the medieval torture implements.
This 2006 Nocaster Relic has been played, but because of the Relic treatment, it's hard to tell if any of it is authentic wear. The previous owner swapped out the original pickups for Custom Shop Texas Special pickups, and the wiring harness has been replaced with a prewired Emerson harness (250k pots and a .047 mf paper-in-oil tone cap). As far as playability is concerned, this Nocaster is set up perfectly, and fret wear is not a concern. The intonation is pretty good with the original bass saddles, and it holds tune well. Nice weight, too—6 lbs 11.6 oz.
The Telecaster is known as a transparent guitar—it has been used across every genre, and its simplicity brings out the character of the player's own unique style of playing. This 2006 Custom Shop Nocaster is one of the better modern blackguard builds we've found. It does everything you could need it to, and it includes its original tweed thermometer case and Certificate of Authenticity.