Fender 52 Tele BTB Relic

Fender 52 Tele BTB Relic review

The Fender 52 Tele BTB Relic is a U.S.-made Custom Shop guitar based on the 1952 Telecaster. Its listed specifications combine a two-piece ash body, a maple neck and fingerboard, two handwound single-coil pickups, and a vintage-style bridge with brass saddles. It has a Butterscotch Blonde Relic finish and comes with a case and certificate.

This review is based solely on the supplied product information. No customer reviews or firsthand play-test results are available, so claims about tone, comfort, setup, or relic appearance in person would go beyond the evidence. The listed price is 4599, with no currency specified in the provided data.

Construction and neck specifications

The body is made from selected two-piece ash, with no separate top listed. The neck and fingerboard are both maple. Fender specifies a plain-grain maple neck with a 1952-style U profile, a 9.5-inch fingerboard radius, and 21 narrow-tall frets. These dimensions provide a clear picture of the neck's construction, but they do not establish how the instrument will feel in a particular player's hands.

The 648 mm scale length is approximately 25.5 inches, a familiar long-scale measurement for this guitar format. The product data does not state the nut width, neck thickness measurements, fret material, or factory string gauge. Those details can affect fit and setup, and should be checked with the seller if they matter to your decision.

Pickups and wiring

The pickup arrangement is SS: two single-coil pickups. More specifically, Fender lists a pair of handwound Custom Shop '51 Nocaster single coils. The wiring is described as modern, but the available information does not give a circuit diagram, control layout, or individual component values. It is therefore possible to identify the pickup type and wiring category, but not to make reliable claims about output level or the exact range of available sounds.

Single-coil design is part of the instrument's stated specification, rather than evidence of a particular sound in every playing setup. Amplifier choice, playing technique, pickup height, and other equipment can influence the result. The data supplied here does not include measured output, frequency response, or a recording sample.

Bridge, hardware, and finish

The guitar has a vintage bridge with brass saddles and Fender vintage tuning machines. The hardware is nickel, and there is no tremolo system. The pickguard is specified as single-ply black. Together, these details identify the main visible and functional hardware choices without establishing adjustment range, tuning stability, or intonation performance on the actual instrument.

The finish is described as Relic in Butterscotch Blonde. Relic identifies the finish treatment in the product listing; the supplied specifications do not describe the amount or placement of wear. Buyers who want to know what the finish looks like on a particular guitar should request current photographs, since the written description alone cannot show its appearance.

What the specifications establish

• Model basis: 1952 Telecaster, with a T-Style body shape.
• Body and neck: Selected two-piece ash body, maple neck, and maple fingerboard.
• Neck details: 1952-style U profile, 9.5-inch radius, 21 narrow-tall frets, and a 648 mm scale.
• Electronics: Two handwound Custom Shop '51 Nocaster single-coil pickups and modern wiring.
• Included items: Case and certificate. No separate bag is listed.

Buying considerations

The Fender 52 Tele BTB Relic is a clearly specified Custom Shop instrument for buyers looking for a 1952-inspired T-Style design with a maple neck, ash body, and period-referencing hardware. Its stated pickup set and modern wiring should be considered together: the pickup model is identified, while the exact control behavior is not detailed in the supplied information.

Before purchasing, confirm the currency and current asking price, along with the guitar's individual condition, setup, and finish appearance. The listing says it has been available since September 2024 and gives item number 597521. It does not identify a limited run. For a premium purchase, those practical checks matter because the general specification sheet cannot confirm the setup or cosmetic details of the specific instrument being sold.

Verdict

On paper, this is a U.S.-made Fender Custom Shop 1952 Telecaster-style guitar with a coherent set of traditional construction choices and named handwound pickups. The specifications are useful for comparing materials, neck geometry, scale length, and hardware. They do not provide evidence about sound, playability, weight, or individual finish execution, and there are no customer comments available to fill those gaps. Treat it as a strong specification match if those stated features fit your needs, then verify the individual guitar before committing.