REVIEWS
FENDER
American Elite Tele
By Joe Gore
T
here are vintage guitar fans, and then there are vintage
Telecaster fanatics. True Telecaster purists turn up
their noses at “improvements” like individual string
saddles. They snort derisively at contoured bodies and low-noise
pickups. The Telecaster design was perfect in the 1950s, damn
it, and it’s perfect today.
Does that sound like you? Then move along — there’s
nothing to see here.
But if you like the idea of a Telecaster packed to bursting
with savvy modern updates, man, have I got an axe for you.
Reet Elite
The American Elite adheres to the classic Tele profile and
traditional Telecaster design elements—at least when viewed
from the front. Our review model’s body wears a lovely and
flawless three-tone burst finish, framed by understated white
binding. Its neck and fingerboard are maple, though the model
is available with a rosewood fingerboard and in multiple finishes.
But the instant you strap on the Elite, you know you’re not
in Vintageland anymore. There’s the comfy body bevel, and the
modern neck-body joint with its asymmetric plate. The neck
Truss rod
accessible at heel
Alder body
Chromed brass
bridge with
individual saddles
9.5" to 14"
compound radius
maple fretboard
Push button for series
i ku onfi ur tion
140 PREMIER GUITAR SEPTEMBER 2016
premierguitar.com