Now I’m going to tell a story aimed at the guitar aficionados out there. You may after reading this say, “Your Full of S#@t.” But I have no course to lie about anything. Cause I’m an old man.

I had this Telecaster built by the Fender Custom Shop in Corona, California. I ordered it in 1992 and it took them two years to build it. I sat with the sales rep and gave every detail of what I wanted and how to build it. I was modeling it after my friends modified 1949 “No Caster” which he had routed out and put a Humbucker Pick-up in. Or so he claimed about his 49’. We could never corroborate his story. Well who cares anyway except that his guitar sounded awesome. Naturally broke over without the use of any fuzz boxes or anything. Just straight up and cranked.

Now back to the red Tele. Wanting to duplicate my friends 49’, I had the following specifications: 1966 re-issue Telecaster. Louisiana swamp ash body. 11 ¾ radius neck. 22 frets. Strings hole thru body. Custom blood red paint. (my own paint sample sent to them) Clear coat finish. White binding top and back. Humbucker pick-up at the neck and single coil at the bridge. I had to send them the schematic too for the wiring of the switch. Then I had a 6 saddle bridge added instead of the vintage 3 saddle type. Because the vintage ones sucked, and went out of tune. Then I added the neck truss rod adjustment to the headstock. Finally the neck is a 4 bolt with an added micro tilt.

Now when the guitar finally showed up, they called it a Custom Collins Telecaster. At this time I had heard of Albert Collins but I sure as hell did not order “his” guitar. And as it turned out I didn’t. Because unlike all the other signature guitars that come from the custom shop, it didn’t have Albert Collins signature on it. Nor did the standard signature series Teles have any of the cool stuff I added.

Now onto the boring stuff. After getting the guitar and two or three failed band attempts, I locked the guitar into it’s tweed case and tossed it under the bed. There it would sit for about 4 years. Finally in 1999 I busted it back out and started using it again for a couple of projects. It took a 3 year rest again until 2007 when I got the itch back.

Recently for insurance purposes and the fact that the guitar was 15+ years old now, I though I’d get it appraised. Turns out the Fender boys in Corona did not document “any” of the specs I had given them. So basically it’s a used custom guitar. Period. In a way I was kinda glad it did not turn out to be worth 5 digits. Cause if it was worth that much, I would not be able to take it anywhere.

Still this fact remains. This is the only guitar like this in the world. And to add insult to injury. I noticed in the years after I ordered up this axe, a lot of Fenders “Chinese” crap started showing up with the same design. American Series Telecasters they called them. Yeah right.

Now you can say I’m full of it. Your call. On another note, my fiend with the 49’ No Caster used to pick with three metal picks in a similar style to Albert Collins. I let him play my red Tele one night and he scratched up the Pick guard pretty good. Thus leaving the only cosmetic damage to an otherwise mint condition instrument. On a final note. My friend OD in 1999. His precious 49’ No Caster guitar remains with his mom in it’s case that I packed up for him after they carted his dead body from my home. And that is another story completely.

Thanks for reading all of this. And if your wondering. The name of the Red Telecaster is, “Rooster.”