Since the inception of the Fender Custom Shop in 1987, the veteran band of guitar builders in the Custom Shop today has grown to over 50 artisans, each a specialist in their own right, dedicated to their own area of expertise and working together to build Fender guitars to exact specifications—from neck shaping and fretwork to finishing and aging. Each craftsperson brings years of hard-earned skill and dedication to helping create an instrument and playing experience that can only come from the Fender Custom Shop.
1952 Telecaster HS “Chicago Special”
- Ash body
- 9.5-inch fingerboard radius
- *Rift-sawn, one-piece maple neck
- Nocaster “U”-shaped neck (.860-.920)
- One-ply black phenolic §pickguard
- Disc/round-style string tree
- All slot heads feature period-correct flathead screws
- Modern Wiring (w/ dual-stack potentiometers): 500k/250k stacked pots for Tele HS configurations
Fender Custom Shop “Chicago Special” Series
When it comes to the sound of a Fender “Chicago Special” guitar, we here at CME, would all have to say that the “Chicago sound” all starts with the pickups. So, when you see “Chicago Special” you know that you’re getting a range of tones that we, here at CME, think epitomizes the broad-ranging appeal of each instrument, wherever Fender instruments are played!
Heavy Relic®
Instruments featuring Fender Custom Shop’s heaviest relic treatment are designed to evoke decades of the most punishing play and touring—from serious dings and wearing to intensely discolored hardware and finishes to emulate the most battle-hardened workhouses Fender’s built.
“Chicago Special” Pickups
With the “Chicago Special” series of instruments, we aimed to achieve what we think of as the quintessence of Fender tones by setting our sights on our preferred pickup sets for each model.
All of the pickups in Fender “Chicago Special” models were designed by Chicago Music Exchange in collaboration with Mike Lewis, Vice President of Product Development at Fender Custom Shop, and are only available on “Chicago Special” Fender models at CME, or on Custom Shop orders from Chicago Music Exchange—i.e., these pickups cannot be obtained from any other retailers, or directly from Fender (nor are they currently available on the aftermarket).
Each pickup set is precisely calibrated for balanced output—using our preferred enamel wire gauges and alnico magnets in each pickup—then potted in shellac for an open, wide-range frequency response, which tends to preserve more high-frequencies than potting in wax or lacquer.
Fender “Chicago Special” Telecaster Pickups
- Bridge: Wide-diameter Alnico III magnets, using 43-gauge enamel wire for hot, juicy tone, with additional winds added, based on the windings of the first blackguard Teles made from 1950-51
- Neck: Wide-diameter Alnico V magnets, using 43-gauge enamel wire for high output, clarity, and punch (or Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbucker for HS configurations)
Model Number: 9237101260
Serial Number: R118496
Finish Package: Heavy Relic
Case: Fender Custom Shop Tweed
Weight: 7 lbs 8.5 oz
Body Wood: 2-Piece Ash
Body Color: Super Aged Shell Pink Sparkle
Body Finish: Lacquer Sparkle
Sort for Lightweight: Yes
Hardware Plating: Chrome
Bridge Assembly: ’51-54 Tele
Output Assembly: Vintage Tele
Control Assembly: Dual-Stack HS Tele Relic
Neck Plate: 4-Bolt
Tuner Keys: Vintage Style
String Guide: ’50-55 Vintage Disc Relic
String Gauge: .010-.046
Neck Assembly: ’52 Tele Closet Classic Relic
Neck Finish: Dark Tint Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Neck Blank: Rift Sawn Maple
Fingerboard: 1-Piece Maple
Truss Rod: 50’s
Head Style: Telecaster
Neck Head Thickness: 0.575″
Neck Scoop: 51
Dot Spacing: Wide
Face Dot: Micarta Black .250
Side Dot: Micarta Black 3/32″
Fret Wire: Medium Vintage
Number of Frets: 21
Fingerboard Radius: 9.50”
Neck Back Shape: Nocaster “U”
Neck Nut Width: 1.650″
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret: .860″
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret: .920″
Neck Butt Width: 2.200″
Nut Material: Bone
Number of Bolts: 4 Bolt
Head Cap Decal: Vintage Silver Fender Tele
Neck Notes: Heavy Relic Fingerboard
Pickguard: Aluminum
Pickup Neck: Seymour Duncan Antiquity 4C Humbucker Neck
Pickup Bridge: Handwound “Chicago Special” Bridge
Control Knobs: ’52 Tele Knurled Chrome Relic
Switching: American Vintage Tele Relic