Fender Special Edition Custom Telecaster FMT HH Build

The Fender Special Edition Custom Telecaster FMT HH or a variation has actually been by Fender every year since 2003. I have never purchased one new.

I built out a Fender Custom Telecaster FMT Build a couple years ago. I even produced a video for the channel. It was pretty and a really great guitar, but it was in the amber color. The color just never grew on me, and I sold the guitar. The quality and playability of the guitar as well as the tones coming out were phenomenal which makes me really regret selling it off.
Recently when I saw they were still available for sale but in different colors I ordered one of the body/necks in crimson red. I was hoping I could get the same playability but have the guitar in a more desirable or appealing color to my tastes.
I purchased my neck and body from Stratosphere eBay store for $499 new. I am not sponsored or affiliated with Stratosphere.

The Fender Custom Telecaster FMT was first released in 2003 and was made in Indonesia.
Then again in 2004 to 2015, this model was made in Korea and Japan.
The model was released again in 2016 to 2018 and was made in Indonesia.
The version I am building was built between 2019 and now and is currently still being made and offered for sale on the Fender website. This guitar is also made in Indonesia.
There was even a Esquire (one pickup model) made in red and blue with a racing stripe down the middle. I will most certainly get one and do a video on the channel.
What is amazing is you never hear much about this guitar. It must sell well or Fender would not keep bringing it back to market.
• Mahogany body with carved flame maple top, cream binding and Amber finish with matching headstock
• Mahogany set neck with “C”-shaped profile.
o Radius 15.75″
o Fingerboard Material (Current Model) Indian Laurel
o Number of Frets 22, Jumbo
o Scale Length 25.5″
o Nut Width 1.625″
o Nut Material Graphite
• Seymour Duncan® ’59 humbucking neck pickup
• Seymour Duncan® Pearly Gates™ humbucking bridge pickup
• Two control knobs (master volume, master tone with built-in push/pull coil tap switch)
• Three-way toggle pickup switch between the control knobs
• Standard strings-thru-body Telecaster bridge with six block saddles
• New $999 and used $463 – $670 depending upon condition.
I had a set of Seymour Duncan JB and Jazz Hot Rodded Humbuckers that I had paid $199 for.
The bridge and knobs were $25.
One area that most folks complain about generally about this model of guitar is that the tuners need to be replaced. I am installing a set of Fender chrome locking tuners that I picked up used set on Reverb for $35. New they can be purchased for $55.
I am getting a brand-new version of this guitar for $750 with upgraded tuners and the pickups I wanted.
I know it is a set neck guitar and with the two humbucker pickups and folks will say it is basically a Les Paul and not a Fender. That is okay – that does not dimmish the fact that it is a great guitar.
Instead of the dark almost black hardware on the original guitar I decided to go with chrome instead. Why? That is what I had on hand.
The knobs are chrome and made for a Fender import guitar so they will fit perfectly on my split shaft smaller pots. The tuners are the Fender Locking tuners in chrome as well.
The electronics are close to what is in the original guitars. It will have two Bourns 500k push pull pots. The cool thing is the wiring will offer the following:
1. Bridge pickup in humbucking
2. Neck pickup in humbucking
3. Both pickups in parallel
4. Neck pickup split
5. Bridge pickup split
An amazing set of options in tone capabilities out of this guitar.
The guitar weighs 7 lbs and 9 ounces. The fit and finish is without flaw. I like the belly cut and other contours. 15.75 in radius is flat and easy to play.