The official Raconteurs Instagram account recently shared a photo of Jack White with his new customized Fender Acoustasonic Tele, which the accompanying caption stated is the “first Acoustasonic to be done in the Fender Custom Shop.”
The guitar, made by master builder Chip Ellis, resembles “Claudette,” his Gretsch Rancher acoustic. Like the Gretsch, the new Acoustasonic has an orange finish, black pickguard and three black arrows below the bridge. There’s also a black headstock with a red Fender logo to top things off.
The Fender Acoustasonic Tele was unveiled at this year’s NAMM show. A hybrid acoustic/electric guitar, it sports a fully hollow Tele body featuring an integrated forearm contour, plus a smooth-playing mahogany neck and open-pore satin finish.
The guitar also features Fender’s Stringed Instrument Resonance System, which aims to deliver “a naturally loud voice with lively harmonics." A Fender and Fishman-designed Acoustic Engine, which offers a blend of analogue and digital technologies that “optimize the guitar’s natural sound, and then modifies the resonance to deliver a curated collection of voices," also comes standard.
White plans to use the Acoustasonic on his upcoming tour with the Raconteurs, which will be in support of their new album, Help Us Stranger, due June 21. He also pulled it out for a performance of the band's new song, "Help Me Stranger," at the Third Man Records 10 year anniversary celebration in Nashville on April 9. You can check out a clip above.
