Fender Tele Blackguard Thinline Relic

Fender Tele Blackguard Thinline Relic: technical review

The Fender Tele Blackguard Thinline Relic is a U.S.-made Custom Shop electric guitar with a semi-hollow ash body and an F-shaped sound hole. Fender lists it as a Thinline model with a T-style body, finished in Aged Nocaster Blonde. The specifications also identify the color as Blonde. Its limited run is given as 2021, while availability is listed from March 2022. Those dates describe separate listing details and should not be read as evidence of a current production run.

This review is based only on the supplied specifications. No customer reviews are available, and the listing provides no independent measurements, play impressions, or test results. The price is stated as 5,699, but no currency is specified in the data, so a currency should not be assumed.

Body, neck, and playing dimensions

The body is made from ash and has an F-shaped sound hole, the defining visible feature of this Thinline configuration. No separate top wood is specified. The neck and fingerboard are both listed as AA flamed maple. Fender gives the neck profile as 1950 Blackguard, with a stated thickness of.940 to.970 inches. This is a substantial profile specification, although the listing does not explain where along the neck those measurements were taken.

The fingerboard radius is listed as 184 to 241 mm, equivalent to a compound radius of approximately 7.25 to 9.5 inches. The scale length is 648 mm, or about 25.5 inches. The guitar has 21 medium vintage frets, identified by the listing as size 47095. These details establish the main dimensions, but they cannot confirm fret leveling, setup quality, neck relief, or string action on an individual instrument.

Pickups and controls

The pickup configuration is SS, meaning two single-coil pickups. The specific set is described as handwound '50/'51 Blackguard single coils. Controls include a three-way pickup selector, a volume control, and a tone control. The wiring is identified as '51 modified Nocaster wiring. That description points to a particular historical-style circuit, but the supplied data does not give component values or a wiring diagram, so its exact electrical behavior cannot be verified here.

The listing does not provide output readings, resistance measurements, or frequency-response data for the pickups. It is therefore possible to identify their type and stated design, but not to make a grounded claim about their output level or tonal balance. The same limitation applies to the semi-hollow body: the construction is specified, while its acoustic response and effect on amplified sound are not quantified.

Bridge, tuners, and finish details

Hardware is chrome. The bridge is a vintage-style Tele bridge fitted with brass saddles, and the tuners are vintage-style Kluson units. The guitar has no tremolo system. A single-ply black phenolic pickguard is listed, which gives a concrete material and color specification rather than a generic pickguard description.

The Relic name and Aged Nocaster Blonde finish indicate an aged-style presentation, but the source does not describe the amount or location of finish wear. It also does not specify the finish material. Those details should not be inferred from the model name alone.

Included items and specification limits

The package includes a case, a strap, and a certificate. The general listing fields confirm a case and say that no separate bag is included. The sales unit is one piece. The item number is 525354. Fender lists the model as a Custom Shop product made in the United States.

• Body: Ash with an F-shaped sound hole, finished in Aged Nocaster Blonde.
• Neck and fingerboard: AA flamed maple, 1950 Blackguard profile, compound-radius fingerboard.
• Electronics: Two handwound '50/'51 Blackguard single-coil pickups, three-way selector, volume, tone, and modified Nocaster wiring.
• Hardware: Vintage-style Tele bridge with brass saddles, vintage-style Kluson tuners, chrome finish, no tremolo.
• Package: Case, strap, and certificate; no separate bag listed.

Overall, the specifications describe a detailed Custom Shop Thinline with traditional single-coil electronics, a maple neck and fingerboard, and an ash body with an F-shaped sound hole. The listed dimensions and hardware make the configuration clear. However, there are no customer reviews or inspection findings to establish how a particular example plays, sounds, or has been set up. Buyers should confirm the current price and the instrument's individual condition with the seller before purchase.