70 TH ANNIVERSARY BROADCASTER
KEY FEATURES
• Ash Body
• U-shaped ‘ Maple / Maple ’ Neck
• 21 Vintage-tall Frets
• ’ 50- ’ 51 Blackguard Pickups
• Blackguard Blonde Lacquer Finish
• Crafted in Corona , CA
• 7.25 ” Radius Fingerboard
MUST OWN ?!? Of the six Fenders I bought this year this one tops the bill . From the moment I pulled it out of the tweed case , this guitar made it abundantly clear that everything about it was special , including the care with which it was created . From worship to whatever , this guitar is one of the best instruments I ’ ve ever played . If you love Telecasters and can afford the price tag , this guitar is well worth it and checks off every box on my ‘ must own ’ list .
THE TONE This instrument has become my go-to guitar when I need amazing Tele tone . The combination of warmth , woodiness , and definition are pretty much breath taking . Seriously , it ’ s that good . The transient attack is always defined without being harsh , and all the classic Tele tones are ‘ in there ’.
THE PICKUPS According to Mike Lewis , VP of Product Development at Fender ’ s Custom Shop , the ’ 50- ’ 51 pickups “ are the closest thing to the originals .” Whether you ’ re a vintage fanatic or not , these pickups sound amazing . The blend and balance as you move between the three positions is outstanding . That said , if jangle is your thing , the middle position is pure money . Seriously , this is the best jangle tone I ’ ve ever heard , and the pickups are a vital part of that equation .
THE FEEL For me , the body wood has a huge amount to do with how the notes feel under your fingertips . The ash body on the Broadcaster definitely has a fuller feel when compared to the pine body on the Esquire . However , this does not mean that the Broadcaster is tubby ( nor that the Esquire is bright ). This fullness informs your picking hand on how hard you need to hit the strings as you can feel the resonant frequencies the moment you hit the strings . The envelope is silky smooth , and the notes just feel great under the fingertips .
THE NECK Like the 70 th Anniversary Esquire , the Broadcaster sports a U-shaped , one-piece maple neck and fingerboard with a 7.25 ” fingerboard radius . Although this neck may seem a bit large at first , it is super comfortable to play and starts to feel like ‘ home ’ pretty quickly .
THE WRAP This is one of those guitars that is both a dream to play and hear . Given how much one would have to spend the buy the vintage equivalent , Fender has gone the extra mile to deliver the goods on this one . Five stars from The Dopp on this one !
$ 1,999.99 with Tweed Case Fender . com
70th Anniversary Broadcaster , Blackguard Blonde