Music

The Perfect 10 Years ago, we approached our friends at the Fender Custom Shop with a proposal: would they build us guitars that combined the mojo of a true-to-vintage reissue with modern handfeel and comfy modern ergonomics? They were enthused about the idea, and the Wildwood 10 was born. Thanks to the Custom Shop’s incredible craftsmanship and artistry, these guitars look gorgeous, sound killer, and play like butter. Each of these Custom Shop creations features a thin fifties-style nitrocellulose finish, which allows the voice of the resonant hand-selected tonewoods to shine through. They also have hand-wound Custom Shop pickups that are sure to inspire you to reach new heights on your sonic journey. Wildwood 10s feel great in your hands, too. Their modern 10” radius is suitable for a wide variety of styles and techniques, and their 6105 narrow-tall frets allow you to expend less energy with your left hand, especially when bending strings. To top it all off, they come with a limited edition Dealer Select Wildwood 10 hardshell case and a certificate of authenticity. Fabulous Fifty-Fives By 1955, things were hopping at Fender, and the Telecaster was the hottest new electric guitar in all the land. Rock and roll, rockabilly, and country music were all taking off, and the Fender Telecaster was at the epicenter of it all. Our Wildwood 10 1955 Telecasters are an homage to the Telecasters that rolled off the line and into the hands of thousands of guitar players during the mid-1950s. They feature resonant ash bodies, period-correct neck shapes, hand-wound Custom Shop electronics, and maple necks. But they also feature our dealer-exclusive 10" radius and narrow-tall 6105 frets for comfortable modern handfeel. So, you get the best of both worlds: all the fabulous fifties Fender tone you can handle AND modern playability. Please keep drooling to a minimum as you browse our many Wildwood 10 1955 Telecasters. We have lots of colors, neck profiles, and relic'd finishes, so we're sure you'll find something to make you salivate! Pickup Rundown Wildwoodians, the Hand-Wound Wildwood 10 Twisted Tele pickups in this guitar are the winners of the most fearsome shootout since the OK Corral! When we were trying to figure out what type of special sauce to put in our Wildwood 10 Tele pickups, the Twisted Tele was an easy choice for a starting point. Standard Twisted Teles have high output for fiery Tele tone, a dash of Strat-y sparkle, and excellent articulation. That sounded like a good base to work from, so we asked our friends at the Custom Shop to send us some underwound versions with AlNiCo II magnets instead of the standard AlNiCo V, and we asked that Fender’s resident pickup maestro, Josefina Campos, be the one to wind them. They sent us multiple guitars with different output levels, and the whole staff got together to put them through their paces and compare notes. After a delightful Tele-filled afternoon, we reached a rare unanimous consensus, and these pickups emerged bloodstained from the octagon as the winner. How Do They Sound? How did these pickups unite the notoriously opinionated Wildwood staff? Well, for starters, the lower output makes them wonderfully touch-sensitive and dynamic, allowing you to alter your tone significantly using just your hands. But, they also have plenty of power because of the nature of the Twisted Tele. They’re also unbelievably articulate, so they have that iconic woody Tele twang and capture every percussive detail of your right-hand attack. The bobbin for the bridge pickup is also shorter and the neck taller, which warms up the bridge and livens up the neck. Speaking of lively, the Wildwood 10 Twisted Teles have a Strat-like sparkliness, and they’re similarly vocal. As a result, the bridge pickup is punchy and has excellent presence with plenty of jangle, chime, and sparkle. But, it still sounds quite round with no ice-pick frequencies or harshness. The neck pickup is sweet, warm, and vocal, yet it also remains open, lively, and dynamic. Teles may be simple guitars, but the amazing thing about them is they always fit in no matter what you’re doing musically. In that spirit, we believe the Hand-Wound Wildwood 10 Twisted Tele will allow you to cover just about any musical territory you want to adventure through, and its dynamic, iconic voice will inspire all sorts of musical joy. Model: Dealer Select Wildwood 10 '55 TelecasterFinish Color: Orange Sparkle over 2-Tone SunburstAging: Heavy RelicFinish Type: Nitrocellulose LacquerWeight: 6.49 lbs.Body Wood: Highly-Figured AshNeck Wood: One-Piece of Quartersawn MapleNeck Shape: '55 Soft VNeck Dimensions: .880 1st - .970 12thFingerboard Radius: Exclusive Wildwood Custom 10" RadiusInlays: Micarta DotsScale Length: 25.5"Width at Nut: 1.650"Nut Material: BoneFrets: 21 6105 Narrow-TallPickups: 2 Wildwood 10 AlNiCo II Hand-Wound Josefina Twisted Tele Single-CoilsControls: Volume, Tone, 3-Position Switch with Modern WiringHardware: Chrome/NickelBridge: Vintage-Style TeleTuners: Vintage-Style with Nickel ButtonsPickguard: 1-Ply ParchmentCase: Limited Edition Hardshell Case with Embroidered Custom Shop LogoCOA: Yes

The Fender Telecaster, known affectionately as the "Tele," emerged as the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar, marking a significant milestone in music history. Its straightforward design and innovative sound paved the way for new trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music. Since its debut in the 1950s, the Telecaster has been celebrated for its versatility, serving artists across genres from country to jazz, rock, and beyond. Its solid construction, characterized by a single-cutaway body made typically from alder or ash and a bolt-on maple neck, contributes to its distinct, bright, and cutting tone as well as a warm, mellow sound depending on pickup selection. With minor modifications over the years, the Telecaster has remained largely faithful to its original design, featuring two single-coil pickups, a three-way selector switch, and simple volume and tone controls. This enduring design has kept the Telecaster relevant and in continuous production, solidifying its status as a beloved icon in the guitar world.