[Please note: Reverb required me to upload new photos of the guitar - I'm bad with cameras, if you'd like to see more detailed professional photos from the original listing, please message me. Thanks!]

Fender Custom Shop Empire 67 Telecaster Heavy Relic, Rosewood Fingerboard, Aged Sonic Blue.

IMHO the Empire 67 is the best spec Fender Custom Shop Telecaster available for several reasons:

• Roasted body and roasted neck. Tuning stability and feel.
• The desirable thin 60's oval C neck (.79-.93)
• A compound radius 9.5" - 12" AAA rosewood board
• Narrow Tall 6105 frets.

These features result in a superior-playing instrument that still maintains the classic Tele look. This example also features light weight (7.4lbs) and a heavy relic job so the neck plays like butter.

The only negative (in my opinion) of the Empire 67 is the "red hot" pickups, which are much too hot for my tastes and for a tele. I didn't think they sounded good, so I upgraded the pickups with an Acrane 42 Experience Tele Neck and Arcane 50 Experience Tele Bridge. The neck pickup is more like a Strat neck pickup and the bridge is a classic perfect Tele sound. So the best of both worlds.

I will include the original pickups if you want to return to stock or just try the hotter setup.

Purchased for $4750 brand new from Empire in 2022. Never left my temp/humidity controlled music room. Barely played - condition is close to mint as far as I can tell with no issues I can see or feel. New versions (heavy relic) retail for $5500 if you can find them. Needing to reduce my collection for an upcoming move.

Includes original hard shell case and all original case candy in unused condition. Will be packed in the same box and packaging that it arrived directly from Empire.

Below are descriptions from Empire and Arcane. Please see the Floor Traveler Spec Sheet for full detailed specs. (The pickups have been upgraded from the original specs, everything else is 100% stock.)

Empire 67 Exclusive Telecaster

EMPIRE MUSIC EXCLUSIVE- Designed by store Manager Todd Myrah and built by the master craftsmen at Fender Custom Shop, this special run of 67 Telecaster guitars are sure to be an instant classic. Features such as a Roasted Alder Body and Roasted Maple Neck, AAA Rosewood Compound Radius Fretboard, 60's Style Oval "C" Neck Shape, and Custom Designed pickups will win over any guitar enthusiast. Featuring our exclusive Empire Music Custom Shop 67 Red Hot Tele Hand-Wound Pickups!! We partnered with Fender Custom Shop to create our very own pickups that can only be found on our 67 Telecaster guitars. Based off of the Abigail Ybarra designed Red Hot Tele pickups, our version was designed to produce increased output, presence and midrange. In other words, fat and juicy with lots of bite and snarl! To celebrate the release of these amazing guitars, we are offering special pricing so get yours now before they're all gone!

42 Experience Tele Neck

This Neck pickup is designed to correct issue many players have with traditional Tele neck pickups, a tone that is too dark.

The specs of this pickup are selected to have the clarity and tone of a Strat neck pickup by using Strat gauge wire and turns count as well as a nickel silver cover instead of the traditional brass cover to increase clarity. Wound by hand using only the finest components each pickup is engraved and serial numbered on the base.

Hand wound in Los Angeles, the birthplace of the electric guitar, assembled by hand with precision that transcends vintage pickups.  

Neck 5.8k

50 Experience Tele Bridge

This pickup is a vintage correct replica of a 1950 bridge pickup, with a tone that is fat and hot with no ear-piercing highs more output and grind than the 51. Made the old way, wound by hand using only the finest components, built with select grade and tuned Alnico 3 magnets that are non staggered, period correct gauge and type wire, a black thread wrapped coil, vintage style cloth push back wire and a Zink plated steel base plate stamped with our own stamping die to exact specifications. Every pickup is hand assembled with precision that transcends many vintage pickups this produces a pickup that is the ultimate in quality. Each pickup is engraved with the Arcane Inc. logo and individually Serial Numbered, includes screws and springs, a cloth bag with spec card and an Arcane Inc. sticker.

Hand wound in Los Angeles, the birthplace of the electric guitar, assembled by hand with precision that transcends vintage pickups.  

This pickup is a great choice for people who think they don’t like Tele’s.  No shrill highs but with what tele bridge pickups do best, still all Tele.

Artist Users:  Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbrakers.  This is the bridge pickup in his Red Dog Fender Telecaster.

Bridge: DC Resistance 10.5k