Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Jason Smith 1951 Nocaster Relic – 2013

This is a particularly special Fender Custom Shop instrument: a 2013 Masterbuilt 1951 Nocaster Relic, hand-built by the highly regarded Custom Shop Master Builder Jason Smith. The Nocaster is one of the most significant instruments in Fender history, representing the very beginning of the Telecaster story, and Jason Smith’s work has long been respected for its exceptional attention to detail and superb playing feel. Fender’s Custom Shop design programme continues to recognise Smith as one of its Master Builders.

This example is in excellent condition, having seen just a few hours of careful home use. The Relic finish is, of course, part of the original Custom Shop specification rather than wear accumulated through ownership. It remains a remarkably clean and fresh example and is supplied with its original paperwork and Fender Custom Shop Certificate of Authenticity. It also has a World Guitars hard back photo book which is a nice thing to keep with the guitar.

At an exceptionally desirable 7.22 lb, it is also a particularly lightweight example, which is a major part of its appeal.

The ’51 Nocaster recipe is about as pure as Fender gets: a lightweight ash body, one-piece maple neck and classic Nocaster “U” profile. The original-style specification centres around a 25.5" scale, vintage-radius maple fingerboard, 21 frets and a bone nut. Fender’s Nocaster specification uses a nitrocellulose lacquer finish and the familiar three-saddle bridge with brass saddles, vintage-style tuning machines and black single-ply pickguard.

The pickup configuration is equally authentic, with hand-wound Nocaster-style single coils providing that unmistakable early Fender voice. The bridge pickup has all the snap, bite and authority you would expect from a great Blackguard-era Fender, while the neck pickup is warmer and rounder, retaining plenty of clarity. In the middle position, the two pickups combine to give a wonderfully open, woody and slightly hollow character.

Tonally, this is the sort of guitar that rewards a good right hand. It has tremendous immediacy and dynamic response, with a lively acoustic character that translates directly through the amplifier. The bridge has that unmistakable Telecaster/Nocaster combination of twang, cut and midrange punch, while the neck is beautifully articulate for blues, country, roots and jazzier playing. Roll the guitar volume back and it cleans up exceptionally well; dig in with a pick and it responds with authority.

This is very much a player’s instrument. The lightweight construction gives it an effortless feel on the shoulder, while the substantial ’51-style neck provides plenty of substance without feeling cumbersome. It is the kind of guitar that encourages you to play differently — direct, dynamic and with very little between your hands and the amplifier.

There is a reason the early Nocaster has become such an important reference point for serious Fender players and collectors. The design is stripped back to the essentials, and a well-executed Custom Shop Masterbuilt example such as this takes those ingredients and refines them to an exceptional level.

For the serious electric guitar player, this is a particularly compelling Custom Shop instrument: genuinely lightweight, beautifully made, superbly playable and built by one of Fender’s most respected Master Builders.

2013 Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Jason Smith 1951 Nocaster Relic

• Masterbuilt by Jason Smith
• 1951 Nocaster specification
• Lightweight ash body
• One-piece maple neck
• ’51-style Nocaster “U” neck profile
• 25.5" scale length
• Vintage-style maple fingerboard
• 21 frets
• Hand-wound Nocaster-style single-coil pickups
• Three-way switching
• Vintage-style three-saddle bridge with brass saddles
• Vintage-style Fender tuning machines
• Nitrocellulose lacquer Relic finish
• 7.22 lb
• Excellent condition
• Just a few hours of home use
• Original Fender Custom Shop paperwork
• Fender Custom Shop Certificate of Authenticity

A genuinely special Fender Custom Shop Nocaster, and an exceptionally attractive opportunity for anyone looking for a lightweight, Masterbuilt early-Fender-inspired instrument with serious musical credentials.