Blasphemy for some, a practical addition for others, Telecasters with tremolo systems have long been among the rarest finds in the annals of Fender history, particularly those that depart from the Jack White-favored Bigsby setup. Yet recent launches in the Parallel Universe and American Ultra Luxe series have bucked the hardtail trend, and now another new model has joined that most elusive of spec sheets: the Limited Edition Made-in-Japan ’70s Telecaster Deluxe.
Naturally, the model’s big selling point is the inclusion of a Strat-style Synchronized tremolo, which doesn’t look too out-of-place beneath the Deluxe’s oversized scratchplate – of course, its trademark Strat-a-like headstock doesn’t go amiss, either.
Elsewhere, the model is spec’d similarly to the Vintera ’70s Telecaster Deluxe, with a few subtle differences.
So, while there’s an alder body, the gloss-finished maple neck is U-shaped, as opposed to the Vintera’s Thin C, and the finish options differ, too: there’s a choice of Three-Tone Sunburst, Butterscotch Blonde and Lake Placid Blue – the latter of which comes with a rosewood fingerboard.
The guitar’s 9.5” fingerboard radius is complemented by Narrow Tall frets and a 42.8mm nut width, while ’70s-style ‘F’ tuners round off the neck spec.
Naturally, two Wide Range humbuckers are onboard – although there’s no word on whether these are the same as the revoiced versions found in the guitar’s Vintera equivalent – while there’s a period-correct three-bolt neckplate around the rear, as well as a backplate-covered tremolo cavity.
From what we can gather, the model is currently exclusive to Europe, with a number of UK retailers listing the guitar for around £1,179 (approx $1,600).
There’s no info on when it might land in the States, so for now, you can gaze in wonder at the spec over at Andertons or Gear4Music.
