Fender

Fender Masterbuilder Apprentice Mike Morales Setneck Mahogany Tele Tobacco/Journeyman

$7,925.00

Pickup available at 165 Showroom

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Product information

Set neck, koa top, Lollar P90s, and a voice that'll make you forget everything you thought you knew about what a Fender Custom Shop Tele sounds like.

This is our first guitar from Mike Morales, a Masterbuilder Apprentice, and hopefully it won't be our last. Before sitting down with this gorgeous Tele, we quickly read through the spec sheet and by the time we got to the end, we realized that Mike is definitely speaking our (boutique) language.

While we usually dissuade customers from relying too much on an instrument's specs alone, they do provide value of course, in that they can give you some idea of what to expect when you sit down with a guitar. Let's check the specs on this guitar out - set neck construction, mahogany body / koa top, 1 piece koa neck, Lollar P90s, 22 stainless steel frets (medium jumbo), Custom Music Master bridge w/RSD saddles, truss rod access at the headstock...

Translation? This is a builder who knows exactly what they're going for, who they're building for, and while using tradition as a springboard (we are talking Fender after all), isn't afraid to go off the beaten path in pursuit of something unique.

Now is the part of the write-up when our "ignore the specs" approach comes into play - what does this guitar actually feel like in hand? How does it play? Sound? Does it have any vibe? Is it inspiring? Would we own it?

Our first impression? It's incredible. It has a great vibe visually and aesthetically, which sets the tone to be sure, but it's really the lack of weight, it's balance, and it's loud, rich acoustic voice that blew us away from the first strum (at this point we determined, yes, we'd gladly own this).

We plugged into a Carr Skylark Special to really get down to business and were met with punchy, open, nuanced, chimey goodness in every position on the 3-way switch. The neck pickup tones are fat, round and just gorgeous. Touch sensitivity is high on this build and these pickups capture that perfectly without introducing too much of their own personality - it's a wonderful pairing. The bridge position has a great bite and midrange snarl, which sounds huge with some gain.

The neck profile is a very comfy '65 Strat C, and its medium jumbo stainless frets feel slick and fast under your fingers. There's really not much that gets in your way of executing fast runs, broad chord voicings, or just good ol' power chords.

As you might be able to tell, we really like this guitar - a lot. It takes the familiar Tele silhouette into new places - and we're here for it. Brilliant stuff, Mike!

Body
Body
Mahogany
Top
4A Flame Koa
Finish
Nitro
Aging
Journeyman

Hardware
Pickups
Lollar P90s
Controls
Volume / Tone / 3-Way
Bridge
Custom Music Master w/RSD Saddles
Tuners
Vintage-style

Neck
Construction
Set Neck
Neck
1 Piece Koa Neck
Profile
'65 Strat C (.82-.95")
Radius
9 1/2"
Frets
Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
Nut
1.65" Bone
Inlays
Dots

Other
Weight
6lb. 8oz.
Serial Number
US23013509
Case
Hardshell
Strings
10-46

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We hand-select each one for its tone, feel, and build quality - instruments that inspire and stand up to real-world playing. Whether you're chasing a lifelong companion or something that just clicks, our curated lineup reflects decades of experience matching players with the right guitar.

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We only stock new instruments from builders who meet our highest standards for tone, build quality, and consistency, each one carefully selected to reflect the level of craftsmanship our customers expect.

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Inspection & Setup

Each instrument is thoroughly inspected by our staff for authenticity and condition, with any necessary work and a full setup completed before it’s listed for sale.

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