Description
The Fender Custom Shop Artisan Korina Telecaster in Aged Natural is a fresh take on the Telecaster formula that leans heavily into warmth, resonance, and refined craftsmanship. Built as part of the Custom Shop Artisan Series, this model pairs the unmistakable feel and attack of a Tele with the richer tonal complexity of a semi-hollow korina body, creating an instrument that feels equally rooted in vintage Fender tradition and boutique-level artistry.
The semi-hollow korina body immediately sets this Tele apart. Often referred to as African limba, korina shares some tonal similarities with mahogany but adds extra openness, sweetness, and midrange complexity. Combined with the chambered thinline construction and single F-hole, the result is a lively, resonant instrument with impressive warmth and natural sustain. The Aged Natural nitrocellulose lacquer finish allows the fine grain and golden hue of the korina to remain fully visible, giving the guitar an understated elegance that feels organic and timeless rather than flashy.
Tonally, this Artisan Telecaster offers an incredibly versatile pickup pairing. The Custom Shop hand-wound '50-'51 Blackguard bridge pickup captures everything players love about early Tele tone; articulate highs, dynamic attack, and rich harmonic bite with plenty of twang and snap. In the neck position, the Custom Shop P90 introduces a thicker, warmer voice with smooth mids and a more open, rounded response than a traditional Tele neck pickup. Together, they create a remarkably flexible instrument capable of everything from classic Tele bite to smoky blues, roots rock, jazz-influenced textures, and beyond.
The roasted quartersawn maple neck features a comfortable '60s Oval C profile and is paired with a round-laminated rosewood fingerboard. The roasting process adds stability while enhancing the neck's naturally broken-in feel. With a compound 9.5 to 12 inch radius and jumbo 6100 frets, this Tele plays effortlessly across the neck, blending vintage-inspired ergonomics with a more modern, expressive feel under the fingers.
Visually, the details elevate the guitar even further. The brown shell pickguard perfectly complements the korina body, while the tortoiseshell-button vintage tuners and brass compensated saddles reinforce the guitar's boutique-inspired personality. No pickguard-mounted neck pickup here either; the clean P90 mounting keeps the top visually balanced while allowing the natural beauty of the korina body to remain the centerpiece.
At Cream City Music, we love when Fender steps outside the traditional formula without losing the soul of the instrument. This Artisan Korina Telecaster does exactly that; rich, resonant, and incredibly responsive, with a tonal range that stretches far beyond what most players expect from a Telecaster.
Specifications:
- Body: Semi-Hollow Korina with Single F-Hole
- Body Shape: Telecaster
- Body Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer with WLS Undercoat, Aged Natural NOS
- Neck Material: Roasted Quartersawn Maple
- Neck Shape: '60s Oval "C"
- Neck Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
- Fingerboard Material: Round-Laminated Rosewood
- Fingerboard Radius: 9.5" - 12" Compound Radius
- Scale Length: 25.5"
- Number of Frets: 21
- Fret Size: Jumbo (6100)
- Inlays: Vintage Clay Dot
- Side Dots: Vintage Clay
- Nut Material: Bone
- Nut Width: 1.650"
- Truss Rod: Early '60s Style
- Bridge: '58-'63 Tele Bridge with Brass RSD Saddles
- Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style with Fender Logo, Tortoiseshell Buttons
- Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
- Pickguard: 4-Ply Brown Shell
- Control Knobs: Knurled Chrome
- Switch Tip: Barrel Style, Black
- String Tree: Single-Wing
- Neck Pickup: Custom Shop P90
- Bridge Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound '50-'51 Blackguard Single-Coil Tele
- Pickup Configuration: SS
- Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
- Switching: 3-Position Blade
- Wiring: Dual-Stack HS Tele Wiring
- Strings: Nickel Plated Steel (.010-.046)
- Case: Deluxe Hardshell Case
Sku: 9236081276
