I am offering a Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster HS Relic from 2020, a crafted in the Fender Custom Shop in Corona, California (USA), luxury reissue model of a 1951 vintage Nocaster telecaster with a resonant ash body (weighing only 3.07 kg!), bolt-on maple neck with chunky Nocaster “U” neck profile, one-piece maple fingerboard with 9.5" radius and 41.9mm bone nut, flexible HS pickup configuration with a Seymour Duncan SH1 59 humbucker at the neck and a Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster singlecoil at the bridge, classic 3-piece string-through body Nocaster bridge with brass string saddles and high-quality Fender Vintage Style tuners in an authentically aged White Blonde Relic Nitro finish with single-ply black pickguard in mint condition, including Fender CS G&G Tweed deluxe case, all manufacturer's papers and professional setup with 10-gauge Elixir strings.

Gretsch did not make things easy for Fender in the early 1950s. Although “Broadcaster” was a fitting name for Leo Fender's first solidbody electric guitar, Gretsch had been using the name since the 1920s for a drum model. To avoid further disputes over naming rights, the model name was quickly removed from the headstock, which now only bore the company name Fender. Shortly thereafter, a new name was found: “Telecaster,” which is now familiar to every guitarist.

The nameless guitars, which were only manufactured between February and September 1951, were later given the nickname “Nocaster,” on which this 2020 reissue model from the Custom Shop is based. A special feature of the Nocaster is its really strong “U”-shaped neck, which, at 2.4cm thick at the 1st fret, offers a decent piece of wood in your hand. However, once you get used to it, you won't want to pick up anything else. In addition, the high mass of the neck is also noticeable in the tone.

This HS variant combines the raw, immediate directness of an early '51 Nocaster with a significantly expanded tonal range. The lightweight ash body provides exceptionally fast response, crisp highs, and pronounced twang, while the powerful Nocaster “U” neck profile with its generous dimensions delivers an authentic '50s playing feel and enormous sustain. Despite its historical orientation, the modern 9.5“ radius combined with 21 narrow tall frets offers comfortable playability with clean bendings without ”choking."

Sonically, the humbucker/singlecoil combination opens up a wide range of possibilities: at the bridge, the hand-wound Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster singlecoil delivers the typical wiry Tele twang with clearly defined highs, tight bass, and assertive mids—perfect for country, blues, and classic rock. The Seymour Duncan SH1 '59 at the neck complements the spectrum with warm, round PAF-like sounds with creamy dynamics and singing lead tones. In the middle position, an extremely exciting mix of clarity and richness is created, which is convincing both clean and distorted.

A sound sample of a similar model can be found above at the end of the photo gallery.

The classic 3-piece string-through-body Nocaster bridge with brass saddles delivers the characteristic attack and crisp articulation of early '50s models. High-quality Fender Vintage Style tuners and the thinly applied nitrocellulose relic finish not only emphasize authenticity, but also contribute significantly to the open vibration behavior. The White Blonde Relic finish in combination with a black single-ply pickguard gives the guitar a particularly striking, purist look.

Technical specifications:

• Origin: Corona, CA, USA (Custom Shop)
• Year of manufacture: 2020
• Body: Solid ash
• Neck: Bolt-on maple
• Neck profile: Nocaster “U”
• Neck thickness: 24.1mm (1st fret) / 25.4mm (12th fret)
• Fingerboard: One-piece maple with black dot inlays
• Fingerboard radius: 9.5"
• Frets: 21 narrow tall
• Nut: 41.9mm, bone
• Pickups: 1x Seymour Duncan SH1 59 humbucker (neck), 1x Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster Relic singlecoil (bridge)
• Electronics: 3-way switch, 1x volume & 1x tone control
• Tuner: Fender Vintage Style
• Bridge: 3-piece string-through-body Tele bridge with brass saddles
• Hardware: Chrome/nickel, aged
• Pickguard: Black, single-ply
• Finish: White Blonde Relic, nitrocellulose
• Scale length: 648mm
• Weight: 3.07kg
• Serial no.: R102728
• Includes Fender Custom Shop G&G Tweed deluxe case, all manufacturer's papers (including C.o.A.), case candy

This Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster is in mint condition and technically flawless. Visually, apart from the intentional factory aging, it shows virtually no wear whatsoever (see pictures). The frets are immaculate.

The instrument has been professionally set up with 10-46 Elixir Optiweb strings, and I (a long-time guitar teacher) will ship it fully insured with DHL for €49.99 within Germany or €119.99 within the EU. Worldwide shipping is possible—individual shipping costs available upon request.

All pictures shown are of the actual instrument for sale.