Fender Special Edition Lite Ash Telecaster Guitar Review

The classic Telecaster line of guitars, by Fender, has been a mainstay for country, rock, and blues artists for decades. One of the reasons it has remained so popular is that, every year it seems, Fender is somehow able to reinvent the Telecaster and make it that much better. One of the most recent of these additions is reflected in the Fender Special Edition Lite Ash Telecaster. Let's take a closer look at this guitar to find out how it measures up against others of its make.

Features: The body of the Lite Ash Telecaster is what gave its name. It's also the main upgraded feature with this model. Instead of normal alder wood, which is the standard for most Fender instruments, this Telecaster is made of select ash wood. Accordingly, the guitar itself is lighter, and sound resonates better through it. There are a few different finishes available with the Lite Ash Tele, including the classic vintage blonde and harder edged black. All versions, however, come with a black pickguard included. The neck is bolted onto the body, and is made from select grain maple wood. The fretboard is maple as well, and there are twenty two medium jumbo frets with abalone dot inlays. The hardware on the Lite Ash Telecaster, including the tuning heads, bridge plate, and control plate, is all chrome. Electronically, the Telecaster features two Seymour Duncan designed Alnico single coil pickups, one volume and two tone control knobs, and a three way switching system to give you a full range of Telecaster tonal opportunities.

Playability: The Telecaster brand has long been known for its ease of use and comfort. The neck of the Lite Ash Tele is considerably thin, thin enough to be nice and fast moving up and down, and still sturdy enough to handle all the abuse you could dish out. The deep cutaway on the bottom of the body, as well, makes for very easy high fret access.

Sound: The ash build of this Telecaster not only makes it very lightweight and comfortable, but increases its sustain as well. Notes ring out beautifully with the Lite Ash Tele. Also, the Seymour Duncan designed single coil pickups deliver the natural Telecaster twang perfectly.

Overall: If you're willing to spend a little extra and upgrade from the Standard Telecaster, the Lite Ash Telecaster is definitely a great option. It has all the qualities that have made Fender famous, and still increases functionality and playability. You can find the Fender Special Edition Lite Ash Telecaster in music stores for about $630.