Fender '51 NoCaster Closet Classic

This is a 2005 model. Get the features off the Fender website. You're on a computer, right?

Earthy, woody, chirpy, and biting. This guitar sounds absolutely authentic. I have never played a real '51 Nocaster, but I recognize this tone from hundreds of famous recordings.

This guitar cannot be properly intonated because of there being 3 bridge saddles for 6 strings: 2 strings for each saddle. I have a guitar with the Buzz Feiten intonation system. Yes, the Buzz Feiten intonation is great. However, consider this. You're ear is not used to hearing the guitar with almost perfect intonation. In fact, it is often that somewhat "sour" note in a chord that tips me off to the correct voicing. This inherently poor intonation is part of the integral sound or the instrument that you've been carefully listening to for... however long you've been playing. The 3 saddle bridge actually makes the guitar sound more vintage to your ear.

Extremely well made. It will last far longer than you will.

I have not needed any customer support from Fender.

Great overall rating. If you like telecasters, you have to play one of these. It is the definitive sound. I love mine.

I bought this guitar in 2000 and have played the poop out of it. Great guitar, huge neck, and great tone. Only problems: saddle wear and finish wear. I had to have saddles sanded a little bit cause strings wore ridges into the metal and high e string would buzz like a sitar...it was an easy fix. Finish on neck is starting to disappear for that vintage look and feel...cool for me maybe unwanted for some. Also guitar came from factory with unbalanced tone (volume wise) from neck and bridge pick-ups. The neck pick-up was too far away from strings. Raised it up...perfect, another easy fix. This is a simple guitar, not feature laden. The switch on my has been rewired to standard 3-way operation (neck, both, bridge) instead of factory set-up (dark neck, neck, bridge). I never used the dark neck position. I choose not to change the mix knob to a standard tone knob. I like the subtle tone differences that the mix knob allows. Body: ash, Neck: maple. Nitro finish. Vintage style tuners. After set-up, it stays in tune very well. Tone: fantastic...rock, roots, country, americana, pretty much covers all the bases depending on what amp you use and how you set your levels. The neck on mine has some slight birds-eye, flame, and figuring that you san find on some earlier timemachine instruments. I don't really care either way, but I guess it does looks nice.

I use this guitar with a 1957 narrow panel fender deluxe...super duper tone. Teles and tweed deluxes are a great match. Seems like a simple set-up, but you can cover alot of bases with this gear. The two volumes and tone knob on the deluxe react with each other in amazing ways and there are many tone variations available. If overdrive is needed, just crank the amp. Sometimes I do use a Durham Electronics Mucho Boosto pedal for some umph.

Had to make some changes from factory set-up, but the guitar was built with great care and attention to detail. No flaws.

This guitar has withstood live playing, with only minor issues that were easily fixed. This could be expected from any guitar that is played constantly for five years. Warning: finish on neck and body is thin and will wear out quickly especially if you sweat acid like I do.

Had to get parts for a different customshop guitar. They were nice on the phone and I got them in the mail within three weeks. Seemingly decent customer service.

I am 25 and I've played for 13 years and I've got two other guitars (a 60 reissue customshop strat and a 57 reissue les paul)and between the three, I am the most comfortable playing the tele, probably because I have had it the longest, but they are all nice guitars and have their own distinct voices and positive attributes. Favorite features on this guitar are its neck (it's enormous), its tone, and its versitility.

'Born' on 09/09/04. About as basic as an electric guitar can be, although it does have more features than my Fret King Esprit 1!!!!! Plain maple neck with a flat nitro' finish, very smooth. (Some C.C's, N.O.S's, and Relic's have highly figured necks, which look beautiful, but IMO it detracts from the'workhorse' nature of a Tele')But, you buys whats ya wants..........I suppose if I were a player who cosseted my guitars and polished 'em and hung them on the wall I'd go for a figured showpiece as they really do look phenominal, but IMO these things are meant to be played, and usually quite aggressively. No point in having one if you're afraid to take it out of the case.
The neck is HUGE, almost as big as the guitar I swapped for it, a Gibson '57 Reissue Les Paul Goldtop. Bigger than my '94 S.R.V. Strat' too. However, I do find bigger necks more comfortable if you're playig for an extended period of time. That said, I've been told I have hands like shovels. I'd imagine if I had small hands I'd struggle with the neck, so if you're thinking of purchasing one, TRY 1 FIRST.
Vintage tuners are period accurate, nickel, and ever so lightly aged. But, be under no illusion, these are extremely well geared tuners. Stays in tune for ever, better than my '93 Pre-Historic Flame Top LP.
Custom Shop printed logo on back of the head stock. Serial Number elsewhere.........Spaghetti Fender logo on front of headstock. No other logo/id as it is a 'Nocaster'.
21 medium profile frets, beautifully finished from the factory. Sometimes, as Im sure we are all aware, this is not the case. Maufacturer's take note, not acceptable!! Fender gets a pass here 'though.
One down side is very small 'pits' in the fingerboard nitro' application, but i can live with that, and you have to really look close to notice these.
1 piece ash [I think] body. Quite heavy but I haven't weighed it. Beautiful yellowy/blonde see through finish. There is no Relic wear per se as is a C.C., but there is alot of the Custom Shop paint 'crazing' which looks great.
Correct through body stringing, nickel ferrules.
Thin satin nitro' finish, with some 'aged' appropriate grain sinkage, very subtle.
Single ply black scratplate. I've just bought single ply parchment scratchplate on Ebay as find it aesthetically more pleasing. 5 hole vintage fixing, and not the more common 8 hole.
All screws flat head, not Phillips/crosshead.
Nickel plate ashtray bridge plate, 3 brass saddles. Nickel plate bridge cover. Bridge pickup has aged polepieces. Neck pickup has nickel plate cover. The serial number is stamped onto the face of the bridge plate inbetween the pickup and the saddles. For those 'gearheads' who are interested, the number of my guitar is R3516. If you work at Fender and worked on this, ta very much!!!
Don't know exact spec's on the pickup's,but assuming Fender vintage voiced. Lower output than the Van Zandt Texas Specials on my Strat,but these definately 'cut the mustard' when playing at volume.
'Milled' volume and tone pot's, 3 way selector switch, and a 'correct' milled jack input.
As this was a swap, I've only got the 1 case, Feder logo'd abs black formfit case. I believe these are supposed to come with 2 cases, the other being the vintage tweed case. However, nothing wrong with the abs case, very strong and lockable. Sexy plush black lining. Came with COA, lead, care pack,and lead. Keys for locking case too. Which is handy.
Some may feel the rating for this section is high, for what is essentially a very basic tool. But, it is all executed to the highest degree, therefore I feel it is appropriate. If it were a Mexican Tele' for example (nothing wrong with 'em mind...)I'd differ.

Traditionally thought of as a 'Country' guitar. Well, I don't play Country. I play Rock. And a bit of Bluesey type stuff.We're talking Led Zepp', Clapton/Page era Bluesbreakers, Skynyrd, early AC/DC (the proper AC/DC....), Hendrix et al. This thing does Led Zepp' as proficiently as my Gibson Les Paul. Believe me.
I tend to take the view that it is not solely about WHAT guitar you use for a particular style of music, but how YOU as the musician apply yourself to the instrument.
By nature the sound of the bridge pickup is 'cutting'. However, this is a VERY veratile instrument which belies it's basic components. USE the tone controls,use the pickup's, use the amp's. This guitar will do anything you WANT it to, but you have to manipulate it. It is certainly possessed of a wider tonal scope than a Les Paul. Don't be afraid to try one of these, or any Tele' type guitar for that matter. I will own a Tom Anderson Cobra one of these days!! Again, a Tele' type guitar. Think on.........
No noisier than any other guitar out there. Just experiment with your set up. Quality leads help folks.
I don't use pedals often, mainly for 'dicking around' with. At home, use a valve Laney LC15, Bixonic Expadora overdrive, MXR compressor modded by Robert Keely, Dunlop wah, and a Morley volume pedal. It takes to pedals well, but I prefer straight into the amp.
When not at home, I use a Marshall '62 Reissue 50 watt (and yes, mine is a 50 watter, not the 35 watter) all valve with 2 Celestian Greenbacks, commonly referred too as the 'Bluesbreaker' model, and a Carvin Bel-Air 50 watt 2 channel valve combo, with 2 upgraded Celestian's. Generally, the only thing between the guitar and the amp is a tuner pedal.
Through the 'onetrick pony' Marshall, it sounds AWESOME, but you have to work the controls, and the amp, as previously stated. And be careful, as this guitar will squeal like a very unhappy little piggy if you don't keep your playing technique under control. Them fingers are important.
Hasn't half got some bite to it tho'.............
Haven't tried it throught the Carvin as our lead 'guitarista' has nicked it due to his amp passing away. The Carvin is a vastly more versatile amp than the Marshall, so a looking forward to giving it some 'boot' through that!!!!
Graded as it puts a smile on my face!!! Hurts the ears tho'......

I'm advised that all is as it was in 1951. As I haven't has the pleasure, or not, of playing a '51 Tele, I have to place my faith in the art of the luthier's at Fender, as I do those at Gibson and Fret King.
Everything works. The fit and finish, with the exception of the previously noted fingerboard 'bubbles', is perfect. Which makes a nice change, as all manufacturers have been guilty at one time or another of pushing out sub-standard gear. But as this is a 'high-end' instrument, it should, and does, live up to my personal expectations.

Everything is rock solid. Literally. As I've said, I PLAY my guitars, I don't 'mother' them. That said, I do not purposefully abuse them, you won't catch me throwing them on the ground and setting them alight, or hurling them through an amp grille!!
I have no doubt that someone will be playing this guitar when I'm dead and buried, and as I'm only 33, I don't expect that to be for some time yet!!!!
That said, if I keep buying guitars, 'wifey' might stick a cleaver in my head. Food for thought.

Never had to contact Fender, and no warranty as it was a swap. But don't expect any trouble, as is solid. I've had my Strat' for 11 years and it's never been anything other than reliable,same manufacturer..........

Been playing, although that is a matter of opinion, for 18 years.
I own a 1994 Fender Signature Series Stevie Ray Vaughan Stratoaster, bought new. Stripped finish, so it breathes, try it, works wonders on your sound. Big neck, big frets, high action. Has stock Van Zandt Texas Special pickups which are truly awesome.
I have a 1993 Gibson [and what is referred to as a Pre-Historic model, ie; Histroric's before Gibson started making Historics officially in 1994] 1960 Pre-Historic Les Paul in [faded now!!] Heritage Cherry Sunburst, and the most amazing Flame Top. Absolute stunner, and I have not seen ANYTHING since I got this last year on Ebay that matches it on Ebay. Period. (As a note, the seller was Thaiairways who is based in Tokyo, Japan. Look him up as he sellssome quality Les Paul's folks!!) Has Patent Applied For '57 Humbucker in the neck, and I've put a Seymour Duncan Zebra 'Pearly Gates' in the bridge. Too cool man, sounds tip-top!!
Also have a [Trevor Wilkinson, he of the Wlkinson Bridge, made] Fret King Esprit 1. Explorer/Firebird-esque shape, set neck, 1 high out put P90, all Korina body and neck, infinately more basic than the Tele' but a dream to play andsounds and looks a beast. Get yourself to www.fretking.com and check them out, really intersting alternative to the 'big'manufacturers. Amp's and pedal's as noted previously.
Would I buy another '51 Nocaster Closet Classic if mine were stolen?? Oh yes..........................
It's basic,unpretentious, well made, sounds great, looks cool [well they have to don't they??] and does what you want and really can cover all styles. Anything I hate?? Nah. They are expensive to buy here in the UK, RRP around about 2 thousand pounds, but, you get what it says on the tin. Quality ain't cheap.

Made in 2001 in US Custom Shop.
Light weight (7lbs. 3 oz.) ash body with butterrscotch body and highly figured "Thick U"shaped bird's eye maple neck. Slight checking on the body and a bit of tarnish on the hardware, but no "relicing". Standard Nocaser wiring and components. The Blender replaces the second "tone" control allowing a lot of tonal variations.

Realy a simpple guitar, but a total tone machine.

This guitar covers all the bases from country to rock and jazz.
I play it through a Mesa Boogie Mark IV and it sounds full, rich and alive. From twang and bright to mellow and thick, I can always find it easily with this guitar.

Perfect build quality.
The setup was perfect out of the box. Unbelievebly it arrived in perfect tune. It's rock steady and expressive, all at once.
The body is two pieces with nice figuring. The butterscotch is not as "orange" as the '52 re-issue and looks much nicer, in my opinion. The bridge pickup routing is accurate and does not show around the bridge plate, like my '52 re-issue did. The jackk hardware is milled rather than stamped, too.

Overall, I can feel and hear the difference between this guitar and the '52 re-issue. This particular one has "it".

I've Owned Fender pproducts for over 40 years and expect this one to last. It is every high quality and well built.

I've been playing for almost 50 years.
This tele is the guittar I'd chose from all my roster, if I could only have just one.