Fender Special 52 Tele SH Relic ANB

Fender Special 52 Tele SH Relic ANB: technical review

The Fender Special 52 Tele SH Relic ANB is a U.S.-made Custom Shop electric guitar based on the 1952 Telecaster. Its specification centers on a selected ash body, a quartersawn maple neck, two hand-wound single-coil pickups, and '51 Nocaster wiring with a bridge-and-neck blend control. The listed finish is Aged Nocaster Blonde with a Heavy Relic treatment. A case and certificate are included.

The supplied price is 5999, with no currency specified. The model is listed as available since June 2026 and as a 2026 limited run. Those details place it in a defined production period, but the provided information does not state how many instruments will be made or how long availability will continue.

Body, finish, and hardware

The body is made from selected ash, and the color is described as Aged Nocaster Blonde. The finish designation, Heavy Relic, indicates a deliberately aged appearance. The data does not describe specific wear patterns or provide details about the finish materials, so those aspects cannot be assessed from the specifications alone. There is no separate top wood listed.

A single-ply black pickguard contrasts with the blonde finish. The vintage-style bridge has brass saddles, while the machine heads are made by Kluson. The hardware is nickel. No tremolo system is fitted, consistent with the fixed-bridge setup described in the product data. The specifications do not give saddle adjustment details or tuning-machine ratios.

Neck and playing dimensions

The neck and fingerboard are both maple. Fender specifies a quartersawn maple neck with a '57 soft V profile. This shape is a useful point of distinction for players comparing neck outlines, although the provided information does not include neck measurements at the first or twelfth fret. The guitar has 21 narrow-tall frets and a compound fingerboard radius that changes from 7.25 inches to 9.5 inches.

Its scale length is 648 mm, equivalent to the familiar 25.5-inch scale used on this style of guitar. The longer scale is an important part of the instrument's basic setup and string feel, but actual tension depends on string gauge and tuning, neither of which is supplied. Likewise, no nut width or fingerboard-edge treatment is specified.

The combination of a soft V neck, compound radius, and narrow-tall frets gives prospective buyers concrete dimensions to compare with their preferred setup. The data does not establish whether the frets arrive level, how the action is set, or whether the neck has a particular adjustment range. Those details should be confirmed with the seller if they matter to a purchase.

Pickups and controls

The pickup system consists of two hand-wound Custom Shop '50, '51 Blackguard single-coil pickups. The wiring is identified as '51 Nocaster wiring, with a blender that combines the bridge and neck pickups. This is a specific control feature of the listed configuration. The supplied specifications do not give pickup output, magnet type, pot values, capacitor values, or a complete control diagram, so no more detailed electrical comparison is possible.

The model's "SH" designation appears in the product name, but the supplied pickup information lists two single-coil pickups. Buyers should rely on the stated configuration, and ask the retailer to clarify the designation if they expect a different pickup arrangement. No hum-cancelling function is specified.

What the specifications establish

• Model: 1952 Telecaster-style, T-style body, Custom Shop model.
• Construction: Selected ash body, quartersawn maple neck, and maple fingerboard.
• Neck details: '57 soft V profile, compound 7.25-to-9.5-inch radius, and 21 narrow-tall frets.
• Electronics: Two hand-wound Custom Shop '50, '51 Blackguard single-coil pickups with '51 Nocaster wiring and a bridge-and-neck blender.
• Included items: Case and certificate. No gig bag is included.
• Production: 2026 limited run; listed as available since June 2026.

Buying considerations

This is a specification-led choice for a buyer seeking a Custom Shop instrument with a documented 1952-style foundation, aged blonde finish, and a particular pickup-blending circuit. The ash body, quartersawn maple neck, and brass-saddled vintage bridge define the main construction details, while the neck profile and compound radius provide useful comparison points when assessing fit.

No customer reviews are available for this product, so there is no basis for reporting owner impressions, reliability history, or performance in live use. The published data also leaves some practical questions unanswered, including the control layout, string gauge, setup measurements, and exact case type. Confirm those points with the seller before ordering. Item number 647803 identifies the listing, and the product data specifies one guitar per sales unit.