How Does A Fender 1951 Telecaster Compare To A Fender Custom Shop?

If you have been watching this channel for a while you'll know what a fan I am of Telecasters, and I've Always wanted to try an old one. This is one of the first Telecasters to be made and I feel incredibly lucky to have even been let near this fantastic guitar. Thanks to friend of the channel Clive for letting us over to his house to look at his fantastic guitar collection.
In this video, Paul Drew and James Ivey compare a real 1951 Fender Telecaster with a master built Fender Custom Shop.
The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.

[@leokimvideo]

They sound near identical, but the older one looks far more interesting

[@ahof1985]

The clean single note work is far more telling than the crunchy chords. Nice to hear an original guitar through a top quality amp.

[@mattfleming2287]

Honestly, they sounded very, very close. I would love to see/hear an immediate A/B comparison. There was very little difference in tone, but the playing experience was different.

[@vinced5741]

wow the '51 is from another world. Perfect intonation as well wich is not always guaranteed with these old babies.

[@rigorhead01]

Vintage guitars are cool, but I'd rather have a Custom Shop any day. You can't tell me that Fender's luthiers from the 50's are more skilled craftsmen than today's Custom Shop luthiers/master builders.

[@charliedavidarnott1537]

I totally agree

[@johnnymossville]

listening with headphones and that 1951 sounds magical to me.

[@kenbash2951]

51 Tele had an Ash body not a pine body. Only a very few early prototypes were made with pine. By 1950 Fender had switched to ash for both the Esquire and the Broadcaster which in 1951 was renamed Telecaster. Ash lasted until 1956, when they began moving to Alder.

[@johnsmith-bk4ps]

Actually ash kept going past 56 on the Mary Kay strats at least all the way through 58

[@kenbash2951]

@@johnsmith-bk4ps Agreed but the numbers were small

[@charlesbolton8471]

@@johnsmith-bk4ps It was also used on the electric mandolin until late 58, too.

[@HashiAkitaPuppy]

The worn spots on the 51 look completely fake, relic style fake...weird.

[@revelry1969]

I don’t like a fat neck. I had a ‘56 tele. Sounded amazing but unplayable

[@steveg219]

Loved these comparisons, thank you gents ! I have owned and played vintage guitars. I hear here a consistent theme- the older ones do have something great, really like a kind of “broken in” sound and feel. However the newer guitars are not lacking in any way. In my own direct comparisons, and in yours, I hear the same thing- there is a “vibe” to the vintage instruments but newer ones also can be more consistent in output, Sound and resonance across the whole neck. I guess what I am saying is that vintage guitars are really cool and if you can have one that’s awesome, but there is absolutely nothing lacking in new instruments. In many ways they can be superior and once they earn a few decades of good use I think they will be as good or better than these old ones

[@RickyRogers-es6zl]

Give the reissue some time and it will sound the same

[@steveg219]

@@RickyRogers-es6zl agreed!

[@rigorhead01]

The Custom Shop's intonation was so spot on, it was if you were playing a piano

[@brendanpowers4684]

51 sounds better to me clean. No difference whatsoever through the fuzz pedal.

[@ytnsanw]

'A cutting board with a neck' - Brad Paisley...

[@jamiebriggs8277]

It's a beauty for sure, and an amazing piece of history. But while I can't account for the feel of playing it, there is definitely not a big difference in sound, and there are a lot of different things that can account for any differences between these two specific guitars. Love to see the guitars for sure, but I think you guys are a bit star-struck more than anything lol😄

[@drewg3087]

Finally a great Tele clean tone recorded on KZbin. Sounds incredible. Hawt Damn the 51 is just incredible. The bridge sounds perfect too.

[@GuitarIv69]

You're not exactly helping to minimize my GAS for a Custom Shop Telecaster

[@txtele]

In 1966 my dad bought a 54 Esquire and j45 and now i have them and I've heard a lot of people talk about the differences in modern vs vintage guitars and I can tell you hands-on experience these old guitars just sounds better in my opinion I don't know what it is

[@TheStudioRats]

Nice

[@glennevans5824]

Channel is nice..love these comparisons…I am lucky and older…to own a pre cbs strat…and a custom shop strat…..like these comparisons…the older one is…like a warm bath..perfect..

[@garyslash7552]

It's just as Oscar Wilde would say: Anybody can sound good on a 51 Tele. But Paul sounds good on any guitar

[@TheStudioRats]

Cheers Gaz.

[@bizbizley]

Stop buttering it up. There is simply no comparison tonally. Get a grip and tell the truth ffs

[@TheStudioRats]

🙄

[@johnbrown4568]

Fascinating...a "60 cycle Hum-Dinger" Tele that actuallly sounds good. However, please have the chap turn 30 degrees in his seat and see what happens. 😳⚡😮👎

[@Andrew-ry7iw]

Just think of this..... That driving rock sound wasn't even a thing when that Tele was built

[@cmjingjo]

First of all, both guitars sound fine, but 90% of the sound and tone is determined by the amp. Secondly, the 51 looks like it has had some relicing done. The wear looks completely unnatural and wrong.

[@ObraBass]

The old one doesn't have that disgusting nect relic treatment on the back, common for new custom shops.

[@steveregotti8542]

The idea of paying untold amounts of money for vintage gear is a myth-- it’s in someone’s head and pickups

[@cosmikrelic4815]

they are a good investment, but for everything else i agree.

[@steveregotti8542]

@@cosmikrelic4815 your right if someone wants to pay 10k for an instrument from 30 years ago-- that’s fine-- if you think it sounds better I guess it does 😃

[@bazitube390]

Yeah specially the custom shop telecater. the whole cost of the parts wont exceed 700$, yet its priced at around 7k usd.

[@steveregotti8542]

@@bazitube390 exactly

[@porcoddiogesubastardo9669]

Ignorant

[@garycoates4987]

Honestly I do love vintage, but affordability and availability is pretty restrictive, that being said vintage can be hit or miss,, a lot of the reissues (especially a master built or custom shop) is going to be a more consistently good instrument plus will be more of a conglomeration of all the best attributes of the best vintage instruments. Even just a basic American made reissue is going to be a consistently good much more playable instrument, a lot of vintage instruments even sounding amazing are going to be a bit of fight to play.

[@alanpecherer5705]

As one who has bought & sold guitars since the 70's, I agree with you. At this point in time, the very good condition vintage pieces are 99.5% in collectors hands, which does not mean they will never be sold again, but it means they'll never be sold at reasonable prices. You can find vintage pieces on the used market now and then but often they are in such poor condition or have been poorly repaired 6 times (or both) that they're just sketchy instruments. There's no question that nice vintage pieces have a great feel and are often inspirational to play. But you may have to put up with an inability to stay in tune and worn out frets, etc; By the way, I also think that CS Teles and Strats selling for $5K-$6K is also completely ridiculous. But I can't blame Fender selling them for that much if people will buy them.

[@ThatHuskyisCrazy]

The Custom Shop Tele will be cheaper to insure.

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

The old one sounds like a 59 LP😂 The new one not even close

[@johnperry9082]

I have a Custom Shop Relic Nocaster, definitely worth the money, but I could hear the difference in your 51 Tele.

[@MacPakinga-gl8bu]

They all sound the same as Boring 🎸🥱🎸👎🏼

[@fefferofhossen]

that's how the tapper should what all the builders get wrong

[@boatingforbeginners7949]

The original tele tone was outstandingly AWESOME!

[@jvbluesville3426]

My 2014 52 reissue keeps my gas at ease, very nice and not too expensive

[@tonepilot]

I have an extra kidney I’m not using. Trade?

[@mezzoca8110]

How much is the custom shop? To be honest I couldn’t hear any difference in the 72 years.

[@TheStudioRats]

Custom shops start from about £3500

[@julesdiakogiannis]

Excellent video. That 51 Tele is just WOW....

[@Sandman.68.]

I don't understand how a electric guitar made with 50's quality electric components could possibly compete with a modern one .I can understand how an acoustic guitar would improve. An electric has NOTHING to do with wood . I'm glad I'm not bothered by these relics . Only quality and sound matter . 👍👍👍

[@phoenixsound]

Confirmation bias?

[@Malburn]

The 51 sounds fantastic, enjoyable video, cheers guys!

[@charliedavidarnott1537]

I thought the Custom Shop sounded better.

[@doyleblueshall1398]

i can't tell the difference...certainly not considering the price difference.

[@ces69]

The “price difference” depends on when the original one was bought! I sold my 67 SG Standard with Maestro trem years back for only £225! Was happy at the time as had only cost me £170. Today your talking £4000-£7000!

[@bryanclarke1927]

A happy Paul guitar face

[@jackblack2321]

Custom shop all the way

[@MKong-lv3kk]

Am I right or wrong? Those Telecasters are real „Les Paul Killers“. Amazing Instrument!!!😢

[@Richard_Lush]

I can hear the difference even on my phone. 51 is beautiful. Wow, that would jade me if I played it. Wish I had a room full of custom shop 51s. Wonder if I’d find the tone?

[@jackmundo4043]

The reissue sounds better to me.

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

Everyone's hands are different. I've tried and tried to like fat necks. I can get used to them, but I can never play leads as well on them. My hands are small. It's a shame, because I love 50s teles and lps and strats but would have to special order a somewhat thinned out neck profile if I ever got one, which rules out a real vintage. But I guess that's what custom shops are for LOL Thanks for the content! Super glad I found you guys' channel. My studio has already benefited from your expertise.

[@mikeaaron2819]

There is nothing superior in a guitar from 1951 apart from the “played in” feel and maybe some rare ones have the X factor. The CS ones are usually - but not always - better in every department, apart from the played in aspect. Luthiers are just the same today as they were back then and are probably even better at those little tweaks that occur when people learn from people as the years go by, not to mention the technology available to luthiers that didn’t exist in the 1950’s.

[@GundogJake]

Having owned a cs Nocaster, I’d be very surprised if the original sounded or played better than the original. All in the head I’m afraid..Nice to have the original for investment purposes, but that’s about it imo..

[@Glicksman1]

I think that it bears saying that with very few exceptions, as we add O.D. and distortion to the sound of an electric guitar, we begin to reduce to the point of virtual complete elimination, the individual character of each guitar’s sound. This is largely because when we add those effects we are introducing the amplifier’s tonality into the mix in such a way and in such a ratio as to mask the guitar’s natural, clean sound. To the player, each guitar will retain its individuality to a great degree because each guitar feels different to play from every other one. Accordingly, this difference in feel will cause the player to play each guitar differently, and in that manner, each guitar, no matter how effected, retains at least some of its individuality. However, the sound of each as heard by a listener will become somewhat homogenized as the O.D., etc. effects increase as a greater part of the overall sound. This has never been displayed better than here, when that magnificent ’51 Tele and the also magnificent new Custom Shop, Master Built Tele, so different-sounding when played clean, became virtually indistinguishable to me when O.D. and distortion were introduced to the sound. They may have felt very different to play at all times, as they should. Nevertheless, to my ears, the sounds that they produced became very much alike when overdriven. Such a great vid, guys. What a treat to hear that old Tele and played so well Cheers.

[@BobHolland1949]

I miss my 51 Esquire. I got it in 1978. Original case with sales receipt from an old TV shop dealer.

[@guillermoazul220]

Tele's a machine and that '51 went to work for a while made it out the other side, wow. '51 bridge sounded brighter and more, is that right? I dunno but I sure do like Teles

[@joshuacole1877]

51does sound like pinky:) What pickups are in pinky anyway:)

[@dreamscuba]

I’m feeling your fizzle. I’m a Tele guy too. Now my kidneys are seriously at risk and the liver.

[@ryanbailey112]

Does a fat neck improve or enhance the tone?

[@TheStudioRats]

I believe it does yes, many wouldn’t agree.

[@ernieb3626]

Great video guys thank you much. I want one of each LOL maybe someday I can buy that custom shop. Since I would probably only be able to get one I think I’ll get the dirty shell pink

[@dezionlion]

The cs pickup type makes all the difference! 51 nocaster sounds best

[@DaveyW6985]

great playing, love your melody's at the start of this show

[@JPablo-hh9oq]

What progression is it?

[@davethusberg8954]

Both great but the '51 sounds perceptibly more resonant. Maybe a softer lighter guitar & good tone provides a better experience. The inverse neck profile is interesting.

[@t0mn8r35]

That made me lol pretty hard...the new one sounds like a tin of cat food compare to the 51...

[@videoJunke1]

My take on old instruments where some instruments standout vs their same counterparts is that manufacturing standards where nit thst great. A guy from g&l stold a nice story about when he checked how employees at fender determined if sufficient windings where on a pickup. When its about full. When checking the number of windings there where substantial differences between same model pickups, which influences the sound. Taking that single element into consideration no wonder one start sounded better then another. Nowadays pickup winding is done digitally controlled so each pickup of the same model has the same winding. Cnc machining also takes out variance.

[@gianlucab.9837]

Can't hear the master build plastic tone after the vintage one.

[@dver4624]

Vintage guitars just seem to have a sonic 'glue' that isn't present in modern recreations. That Telecaster sounds stunning, as did that Les Paul in the last video.

[@xxinfamyyyxx]

You can’t recreate absolute perfection. That 51 is an absolute work of art a hand crafted masterpiece.

[@BryanClark-gk6ie]

Different pickups on modern guitars and amp settings' No body could tell the difference. Also modern guitars are built better than the original ones. I own both' if I had to keep one' it would be........

[@Telepkr]

Anyone who reads this idiotic comment about glue deserves what they get this is a guitar you plug it in you play it it's about the player it's about the amp stop it you would never know whether I was playing a 51 or a 2024 custom shop just stop it stop lying to people stop lying to yourself it's idiotic idiotic what's next you're going to tell me how great a dumble amp is I mean please

[@Telepkr]

Anyone who reads the completely stupid idiotic comment about glue deserves what they get. It's not about that it's about the player it's about the amp it's about the guitar I can play a dollar guitar and make it sound like a 51 you'd never know and that's the real key you don't know your ears don't tell you and you would never tell if I was playing the authentic or a newer one so stop it stop lying to yourself and everyone else

[@nedim_guitar]

Beautiful jam in the beginning. I'll learn it from the video!

[@30smsuperstrat]

@4:26 not only did the custom shop not compress as much, it had more definition to the notes, and it had a wee bit more lower mids that just harkened to a Les Paul on steroids. I'll take the custom shop please.

[@leatherneck62]

I dont play but i hear in the original 51 , its much cleaner n softer 👍

[@RetroPlus]

That is the oldest guitar i've ever seen, what a beauty

[@richnoble6315]

Almost all vintage guitars sound to me as if they still have the original strings on!

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

The old one sounds like a LP

[@jesushortalsantos5363]

Distorsion sounds better in 51 but clean sound is better in the custom one. Both sounds are nice

[@Bombilakus]

Im just here to say im glad your channel is growing! Keep up the good work!!! Much love from croatia

[@dezionlion]

Ash body Pine bodies came on the snakehead

[@babsbuy]

The old is gold 🪙🎸

[@denniekruit2078]

What will the price be one the real 50s tele ?

[@Lawdawg1us1]

Great Video!!! I have read the comments 3 times and rewatched this video at least 5 times. What is the overdrive pedal(s) are you using?

[@TheStudioRats]

I seem to remember it was a ceritone Klon.

[@Shashli4ok]

Great Teles

[@svbarr]

I have a REAL Nocaster and I find it odd that the 12th fret markers are not narrow like mine. They appear to be more than a quarter inch wider than mine maybe even approaching a half an inch.

[@billhawkins4178]

Through the years they were made both ways.

[@superman-el9jd]

Guitargasim 🤪

[@kmichaelp4508]

I’ll take two

[@kimballowen-brown4771]

Excellent playing as usual great touch Paul

[@rajno0310]

51 has more clarity

[@rajno0310]

Custom shop sounds great clean. But 51 with drive is bad ass

[@dragma88]

eunuchs.

[@TheStudioRats]

How did you know.

[@ReValveiT_01]

Only in the guitar world can something that's "maser built" be of a worse quality than something that was mass produced by a low skilled workforce.

[@juurviljasupp]

Electric guitar tone comes from: 1. Player 2. Pickups 3. String type 4. THE NECK (thickness and sawn angle especially) I will fight with razors to defend this opinion.

[@ridza76]

This vjdeo is splendid..no country music play on both guitar..... i notice that when a strats or tele been tested or demo, the guitarist always play country music...that for me is sooo pethatic....this is good video

[@hollywoodactress]

Great reviews as always. I would say the fender custom shop tele against the original 52 was so close. Especially compared to the Gibson gold top comparison from last week. Under heavy gain both the tele custom and original sound so so close. However with no gain the original sounded that tiny bit clearer and not as bassy as the custom shop. Finally, I often hear and debated that both fender and Gibson got it right the first time round in the 50s. However l, could there be an element that amps had evolved over time around the Tele and Les Paul. So in a way everything evolved around each other.

[@PhreddCrintt]

Awesome.

[@Relicsun]

It’s all in your mind. When you hold and play a vintage instrument it automatically registers in your mind that this will sound great and that’s what happens. Our brain is very powerful, it controls the way we think.

[@josephfemoyer7218]

This show proved absolutely nothing.the reissue fender custom shop sounded as good as the 1951 tele,no tonal difference.spending 50k - 300k on a vintage guitar is insane to me,my opinion.I’ll keep my $$$ in real estate.thank you

[@mmatthewias280]

Because of all the global warming and carbon emissions woods are polluted in current times and that’s why guitars don’t sound as good. Let’s put an excessive tax on the ppl who buy guitars to make all the pollution go away says any form of Govt in current times.

[@cosmikrelic4815]

i'd like to see some evidence for this, i'm betting it's just an idea of yours.

[@mmatthewias280]

@@cosmikrelic4815 kidding entirely and poking fun at the global warming theorists.

[@cosmikrelic4815]

@@mmatthewias280 OH OK, i missed that, well done.

[@rashomasho]

I am not sure if you would still call the vintage one `off the charts` If it was a blind test. This seems biased to me :)