In Store – 1998 Fender USA Tele-Sonic Cherry

On Reverb - We can look at buying your guitar/amp (in trade) if it's listed or you list it on Reverb.

Tony Elder / Steve Jackson
Black Dot Music
Est 1985

Recently traded, this guitar is in extremely clean condition, it’s hardly been played. Who want’s a

Gibson-esk Tele?

Info from “The Twelfth Fret”

The Fender Tele Sonic was built from 1998 to 2003, combining elements of several classic designs – the construction methods of the Fender Telecaster, the scale length of a Gibson style guitar, and a pair of DeArmond 2K single coil pickups, like a Gretsch Jet.

There are other notable differences from stock models to the Fender Tele Sonic. The body is Honduran Mahogany, with tone chambers added. This would typically mean that, like the Telecaster Thinline, the top of the body blank is sliced off, tone and wiring chambers routed, the cap is restored and the body finished. In place of the traditional Telecaster ‘Ash Tray’ string-through-body bridge, a Wilkinson stop-bar wraparound tailpiece is used, in a form that allows both individual string adjustments for height and intonation.

The Fender Tele Sonic has a 24.75 inch, or 628.6mm scale length, a very familiar scale to any player of Gibson guitars, and perhaps that’s why a Rosewood fingerboard was chosen. To top it off, a pair of DeArmond 2K pickups are given an upper-bout toggle pickup selector and individual volume and tone controls.

This is a very interesting guitar to play. Its short scale gives it a slightly ‘looser’ feel than a stock Telecaster, and the deArmond 2K pickups have a thicker, full sound – not like classic Telecaster pickups, P-90s or full size humbuckers. Reviews of this model by owners laud its tone and versatility.

The original molded Fender hard shell case is included.

Here’s a listing of the basic features and specifications for the Fender Tele-Sonic:

• BODY Honduran Mahogany Body with 11 Tone Chambers
• NECK Maple, Modern “C” Shape,(Satin Polyurethane Finish)
• MACHINE HEADS Fender/Schaller Deluxe Staggered Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
• FINGERBOARD Rosewood, 9.5” Radius (241 mm)
• NO. OF FRETS 22 Medium Jumbo Frets
• PICKUPS 2 U.S. DeArmond 2K Single-Coil Pickups
• CONTROLS Volume 1. (Neck Pickup),Tone 1. (Neck Pickup),Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup),Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
• BRIDGE Fender Tech-Tonic™ Bridge.
• Fully Adjustable, Low Profile 6-Saddle Locking Bridge/Tailpiece
• PICKUP SWITCHING 3-Position Toggle:Position 1. Bridge Pickup Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups Position 3. Neck Pickup
• HARDWARE Chrome
• STRINGS Fender Super 250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to .042), p/n 073-0250-003
• CASE Standard Molded Case
• PICKGUARD 3-Ply Black
• WIDTH AT NUT 1.6875”

UNIQUE FEATURES 11 Tone Chambers, Black Painted Headstock, DeArmond 2K Single Coil Pickups, Fender/Schaller Straplock Strap Buttons.

ACCESSORIES Standard Moulded Case
INTRODUCED 7/1998