When it comes to electric guitars, few finishes capture the imagination (and stage lights) quite like a sparkle finish.

Originally used in the '20s as a drum finish (all part of the post-war celebratory spirit of the '20s), sparkle finishes made their way into guitar culture in the '50s courtesy of the Gretsch company, who were already known for their drums, so it was only natural for them to apply this finish to certain models in their growing electric guitar lineup.

This Custom Shop Telecaster Custom finds the Fender Custom Shop exploring their own version of the classic sparkle finish - Champagne Metallic in this case - along with some cool and unique specs: a Wide Range CuNiFe humbucker in the neck position; a Bigsby B5 tremolo; Fender's RSD bridge (a shop fave); black body binding w/rope purfling; and a matching sparkle headstock.

There's been a resurgence of interest in Fender's Wide Range Humbuckers over the last few years, no doubt driven by their ability to produce them with the original magnet CuNiFe materials (copper / nickel / iron). Designed for Fender by Seth Lover, who designed the humbucker we all know and love for Gibson in the '50s, these pickups sound phenomenal and are a great alternative to a traditional humbucker.

"Wide Range pickups deliver rich bell-like humbucking tone with full bass and clear treble. CuNiFe pickups have 'hi-fi' clarity yet never lose their attack and definition no matter how hard they are pushed." - Fender

Another highlight for us is the oval C profile on the maple/rosewood neck. It's the perfect blend of depth and comfort, making pretty much anything you want to play a breeze.