Fender Japan Custom Shop Keith Richards Sonny Telecaster

Good day! Here is another rare bit from the Fender Japan Custom Shop: a rare 1967 Reissue Keith Richards signature Sonny Telecaster. The serial number on this one is P021121, and it is marked Crafted in Japan, which according to Fender means that this was produced between 1999 and 2002.

This guitar is expertly crafted with a white ash body, sprayed with a 3-tone sunburst finish, so that the grain shines through. A single-ply flat black pickguard is mounted.

The neck has a medium C profile with vintage frets. A late 60’s type logo is used. Gotoh tuners are used on these Fender Japan Custom Shop models for their stability, although they look really out of place on this guitar. A four-bolt F-stamped plate holds the neck to the body.

The most unique feature is that the bridge is machined from a block of brass, with six solid brass saddles. It makes a huge difference in the tone of the guitar.

Ah, the pickups. This one uses a Fender humbucker at the neck and a traditional vintage single coil at the bridge. The pickup used in the neck position has that Gibson PAF '57 reissue humbucker sound. Sweet!

The craftsmanship on this guitar is impeccable. The fretwork, nut-detailing and finish is superb. The neck pocket fit is as tight as they come. There is a good reason that these guitars are not exported to the US, as they are a tough act to beat.

It plays as nicely as it looks, and I had it set up with 0.010 Slinkies when I owned it. It is SO crunchy with the pickup selector in the neck position. And it plays as well as any Telecaster I have ever owned, even the US Custom Shop models.

Fender Japan Keith Richards Micawber Telecaster

This guitar is yet another tragic example of how Fender is really missing the boat by importing only a few models from their Japanese subsidiary.

It is a super-rare '52 Reissue Telecaster that was crafted by Fender Japan Custom Shop. And yes indeed, it is a Keith Richards signature Micawber model! Buying one of these would save a fellow a lot of trouble if he is in a Rolling Stones tribute band. You listening, Mark?

This guitar is expertly crafted with a white ash body that is sprayed with a light Butterscotch Blonde finish, so that the grain shines through. In real life, the finish is a bit lighter than the US Made ‘52 re-issues. It is at least a shade or two lighter, and is closer to the way the finishes came from the factory in the early 50s. It comes with a single-ply flat black pickguard.

The neck has a chunky C profile with a deep nitro tint, and vintage frets. A 50’s type spaghetti logo is used on the headstock. Gotoh tuners are used on these Fender Japan Custom Shop models for their stability, but unfortunately do not fit the theme of this guitar. A four-bolt F-stamped plate holds the neck to the body.

The bridge is machined from a block of brass, with six solid brass saddles (one more than Keith’s). It makes a huge difference in the tone of the guitar.

Ah, the pickups. This model comes with a Fender humbucker at the neck and a traditional vintage single coil at the bridge. I have heard from my guitar sources in Japan that the pickup used in the neck position is actually a Gibson PAF '57 reissue humbucker. I cannot verify this, but it looks like one too. It certainly has that Gibson humbucker sound.

The craftsmanship on this guitar is impeccable. The fretwork, nut-detailing and finish is superb. The neck pocket fit is as tight as they come. The main reason these guitars are not exported is because their quality surpasses that of the Fender USA products.

It is pretty light, coming in at around 8 pounds, and it is unbelievable how easy it plays and how great it sounds.

Too bad that you will never see one of these at your local Guitar Center.