# NGD: Fender Limited Edition Sandblasted Ash Telecaster Sapphire Blue!



## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

So this all started when my beloved wife showed me a link on the Fender's site with these Limited Edition Sandblasted Telecasters, as I wasn't aware of these... 

I've been looking for quite some time to get a Telecaster. I wanted something a little different from the super-strat shape guitars I bought over the years, and the Telecaster shape has grown on me. Undecided what to get (so many models and colors...), this had to be it! 

To each their own, tastes are subjective, but I simply loved the finish! And, the day my local store received this one we visited the store and me and my wife loved it, of course. Pics don't do it justice, it's simply beautiful in person (again, my tastes  ). I wanted to stay away from the traditional butterscotch blonde finish, but wanted a "vintage" looking Tele with a maple board and 3-saddke bridge. And I felt in love with this finish, a modern/vintage blend to my eyes, that almost look like a swirl. 

So, with the help of my dear father, 25 years after my first Fender (and first guitar), an American Standard Stratocaster, I have now a USA made Telecaster. 

And I simply love it, it's great and refreshing to have something so "simple/basic". The neck is wonderful, it plays amazing, it sounds great with that Twang... oh well... 

And finally, the pics (cell phone pics, nothing special, with the guitar still with the plastic on it), since each one is different and only 250 were made of each color:


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## craigny (Feb 27, 2015)

Awesome!


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## Chokey Chicken (Feb 27, 2015)

That sure is a beautiful finish. Very unique indeed! I hope it serves you well! Congratulations and hngd!


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## Mordacain (Feb 27, 2015)

Damn dude that is awesome! I about shat myself when I saw this finish revealed at the NAMM show. One of the strats will be mine. Congrats!


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

craigny said:


> Awesome!



Thanks!


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

Chokey Chicken said:


> That sure is a beautiful finish. Very unique indeed! I hope it serves you well! Congratulations and hngd!



Thanks! I'm shure it will!


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

Mordacain said:


> Damn dude that is awesome! I about shat myself when I saw this finish revealed at the NAMM show. One of the strats will be mine. Congrats!



Thanks! In my opinion they look even better in person than in pics. I also played the red one, but I always liked more the blue one. 

Go for a Strat!


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## JD27 (Feb 27, 2015)

Awesome, these things are so cool. I'm almost tempted to pickup the Strat model.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Feb 27, 2015)

Wait wait wait wait.

Your wife links you to new guitar models that you might end up buying?





Does she have a sister?


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## Jarmake (Feb 27, 2015)

Wow! Amazing...


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## Esp Griffyn (Feb 27, 2015)

That looks amazing bro, welcome to the Telecaster club. You can't beat that twang!

If you haven't tried it yet, run it through a Fender amp with a little spring reverb, a slapback and a compressor to give the notes some pop (not too much though, you want pop, not squish), the sound is heavenly.


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## jamesfarrell (Feb 27, 2015)

I don't always like telecasters, but when I do, they are sapphire blue.


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## Noxon (Feb 27, 2015)

Amazing finish, man. HNGD!


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## Skyblue (Feb 27, 2015)

It's like the perfect balance between vintage and modern tele's... 

HNGD, she's an absolute beauty!


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## Dudley (Feb 27, 2015)

Congratulations, that is absolutely gorgeous! Looks even better than the professional catalogue shots! I'm living in hopes that they make a green one some day


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## AkiraSpectrum (Feb 27, 2015)

wow that is hot!


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## Michael T (Feb 27, 2015)

Very cool man. I love me some Fenders....if you haven't seen some of my previous guitar recommendations to people.

I hate to say it because the 3 saddle configuration is "true" tele style but i usually switch out to a 6 saddle bridge just because "I" tend to get better intonation and lower action. Plus i still play old school metal on them and the ashtray bridge tends to mess with my palm mute. Just my opinions.

Regardless that is one sick Tele you got there.

Hows the tone? It'd seem with that wood and finish combination the guitar could breathe greatly.


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## ittoa666 (Feb 27, 2015)

That looks insane! I love it. 

HNGD


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## vilk (Feb 27, 2015)

that finish it looks like it'd feel_ icky_ if you touch it. I'm sure that's not the case. It's a cool looking guitar but I just don't want to touch it!


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## yellowv (Feb 27, 2015)

That is friggin cool as shit.


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

JD27 said:


> Awesome, these things are so cool. I'm almost tempted to pickup the Strat model.



Do it! These are limited editions, and if you like Strats I'm shure you won't be disappointed with this unique finish, way more cool in person.


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> Wait wait wait wait.
> 
> Your wife links you to new guitar models that you might end up buying?
> 
> ...





I'm the most fortunate man in the world!  Yes, my wife supports me on my love with guitar stuff, whenever money allows. And although she does not plays, she has a good taste for iconic guitars like a Telecasters, a Gretsch, a Les Paul... When she saw this Telecaster she said something like "that's a really gorgeous Tele... "


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

Jarmake said:


> Wow! Amazing...



Thanks, I couldn't agree more!


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

Esp Griffyn said:


> That looks amazing bro, welcome to the Telecaster club. You can't beat that twang!
> 
> If you haven't tried it yet, run it through a Fender amp with a little spring reverb, a slapback and a compressor to give the notes some pop (not too much though, you want pop, not squish), the sound is heavenly.



Thanks for the advice, I'll do that! I already tried something with some software plug-ins and the sound was to die for


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

jamesfarrell said:


> I don't always like telecasters, but when I do, they are sapphire blue.



In my opinion, a lovely color


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

Noxon said:


> Amazing finish, man. HNGD!



Thanks!


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

Skyblue said:


> It's like the perfect balance between vintage and modern tele's...
> 
> HNGD, she's an absolute beauty!



Thanks so much!

Exactly what I thing. Love the "modern" finish and the "vintage" features like the the 3-saddle bridge and the maple neck (a must for me on a Tele). Although I really like the classic butterscotch blonde, I was becoming a little tired of it, with all this vintage reissues all over the place. So, for something different, but not far-off, this is, to me, the perfect combo of a modern/vintage balanced Tele.


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

Dudley said:


> Congratulations, that is absolutely gorgeous! Looks even better than the professional catalogue shots! I'm living in hopes that they make a green one some day



Thanks! And yes, I agree with you, and to me (personal opinion, of course), I like the one I got better than the catalog one shown by fender 

About a green one, I'm shure it would look cool as hell too!


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

AkiraSpectrum said:


> wow that is hot!



Thanks!


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

Michael T said:


> Very cool man. I love me some Fenders....if you haven't seen some of my previous guitar recommendations to people.
> 
> I hate to say it because the 3 saddle configuration is "true" tele style but i usually switch out to a 6 saddle bridge just because "I" tend to get better intonation and lower action. Plus i still play old school metal on them and the ashtray bridge tends to mess with my palm mute. Just my opinions.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the reply! 

I agree with you, I'm shure I would get better intonation and control with a 6 saddle bridge, but these "vintage" 3 saddles ones is one of the features that seduce me on a Tele and inspire me to play one, so I guess it's a compromise 

About the tone, I'm no expert on Tele's, only played a few of them on stores. But this one has NOS American Standard Tele Alnico V pickups, I think. Fender isn't very clear about these, and are the ones used on American Standard Teles before 2012, I think. And they shure deliver that wonderful Twang I always associated with Teles, with a very defined tone and note separation with chords and all. 

I love it, and I'm in heaven with this my first USA Tele (looks and tone-wise)!


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

vilk said:


> that finish it looks like it'd feel_ icky_ if you touch it. I'm sure that's not the case. It's a cool looking guitar but I just don't want to touch it!



 It's a satin finish, very cool to touch and not _icky_ at all, but I understand what you mean.


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## armdias (Feb 27, 2015)

yellowv said:


> That is friggin cool as shit.



Thanks! I can't agree more!


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## Harry (Feb 28, 2015)

Lawd that is one pretty Tele


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## CaptainD00M (Feb 28, 2015)

that reminds me of the voodoo pauls/xplorer/sg's

boo ya


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## armdias (Feb 28, 2015)

Harry said:


> Lawd that is one pretty Tele



Thanks


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## armdias (Feb 28, 2015)

CaptainD00M said:


> that reminds me of the voodoo pauls/xplorer/sg's
> 
> boo ya



Cool! I didn't knew about these!


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## JustinG60 (Feb 28, 2015)

damn, that's gorgeous!!!


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## armdias (Feb 28, 2015)

JustinG60 said:


> damn, that's gorgeous!!!



Thanks


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## mnit1965 (Mar 4, 2015)

Now, this is an AWESOME Tele! Love it! HNGD!


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## armdias (Mar 4, 2015)

mnit1965 said:


> Now, this is an AWESOME Tele! Love it! HNGD!



Thanks!


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## mnit1965 (Mar 5, 2015)

armdias said:


> Thanks!



It kinda reminds me the finish on this Atlantis Telecaster, Custom Shop:







But I still think you have a gorgeous guitar in there


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## BlaK-Argentina (Mar 5, 2015)

That is the coolest Tele I've seen. Congrats on the guitar and your awesome wife! My girlfriend is just like that too.


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## Esp Griffyn (Mar 5, 2015)

mnit1965 said:


> It kinda reminds me the finish on this Atlantis Telecaster, Custom Shop:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## MikeH (Mar 5, 2015)

Holy shit, that is perfect.


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## armdias (Mar 6, 2015)

mnit1965 said:


> It kinda reminds me the finish on this Atlantis Telecaster, Custom Shop:
> 
> But I still think you have a gorgeous guitar in there



Thanks for sharing, I already knew about this model, awesome indeed! 

Unfortunately is one of a kind model and too expensive for mere mortals...


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## axxessdenied (Mar 7, 2015)

mnit1965 said:


> It kinda reminds me the finish on this Atlantis Telecaster, Custom Shop:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I need to sit....

I'm already sitting.


I need to lay down.


Holy fuark.


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## TdP (Mar 7, 2015)

One of the most awesome finish that I've ever seen.


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## armdias (Mar 7, 2015)

TdP said:


> One of the most awesome finish that I've ever seen.



Thanks, I completely agree!


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## vonzion18 (Mar 9, 2015)

Real cool man. Love the color. So bad ass


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## SYLrules88 (Mar 10, 2015)

these are gorgeous and I really really want a strat in the blue finish. I love ash bodies as is, but this type of finish just takes them above and beyond. congrats and enjoy!


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## armdias (Mar 10, 2015)

vonzion18 said:


> Real cool man. Love the color. So bad ass



Thank you so much


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## armdias (Mar 11, 2015)

SYLrules88 said:


> these are gorgeous and I really really want a strat in the blue finish. I love ash bodies as is, but this type of finish just takes them above and beyond. congrats and enjoy!



Thanks! 

Strats in this finish are also awesome, but since I didn't had a Tele I choosed this as my first one.

Also, they look even better in person, pics don't do them justice. I was "shocked" (in a good way) when I saw them in person


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## mnit1965 (Mar 13, 2015)

Just out of curiosity, and since these are limited to 250 (I think), does it has some kind of "16 of 250" kinda stuff somewhere?


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## armdias (Mar 14, 2015)

mnit1965 said:


> Just out of curiosity, and since these are limited to 250 (I think), does it has some kind of "16 of 250" kinda stuff somewhere?



No, just a regular serial number.


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## HighGain510 (Mar 14, 2015)

That's pretty sweet, never heard of that series but I dig that finish quite a bit! Nice score dude!


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## armdias (Mar 14, 2015)

HighGain510 said:


> That's pretty sweet, never heard of that series but I dig that finish quite a bit! Nice score dude!



It's definitely unique to each one of the series and a departure from the vintage looking finish Teles (Butterscotch Blonde for instance... which I also love but I was getting a bit tired of), and it's got the essentials features I was looking on a first Tele, the vintage 3-saddle/ashtray bridge and a maple fretboard - to me, that's what's creates the Tele "mojo". 

Like already was said, to me it's the perfect balance between a modern Tele and traditional one. I love it, it's different from the usual but has (to me and my likings) the "essential" features to make it a "proper/authentic" Tele 

And 25 years after my first electric guitar, the American Standard Strat, and never owning a Tele, I couldn't think a better way to celebrate this with a limited edition (and to me a first) Tele with an awesome finish (obviously this is subjective...) 

It's funny how Teles never grabbed my attention all these years (always loved Strats and Supertrats - Jackson, Ibanez, Charvel etc.), but a couple of years ago they started to grow on me and Teles are now one of my favourite guitars. Gotta love the basics and simplicity of them 

Thanks for the comment


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