Music

Fender launches beautiful Telecaster inspired by 300-year-old Stradivarius

Fender launches beautiful Telecaster inspired by 300-year-old Stradivarius
"When I started designing the Violinmaster, I had to include as many violin elements in the guitar as possible," said Fender Custom Shop Principal Master Builder, Yuriy Shishkov
"When I started designing the Violinmaster, I had to include as many violin elements in the guitar as possible," said Fender Custom Shop Principal Master Builder, Yuriy Shishkov
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"When I started designing the Violinmaster, I had to include as many violin elements in the guitar as possible," said Fender Custom Shop Principal Master Builder, Yuriy Shishkov
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"When I started designing the Violinmaster, I had to include as many violin elements in the guitar as possible," said Fender Custom Shop Principal Master Builder, Yuriy Shishkov
The flame maple body and flame maple neck feature a hand-polished violin varnish antique finish
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The flame maple body and flame maple neck feature a hand-polished violin varnish antique finish
The Violinmaster Telecaster Relic includes a new patent-pending floating bridge, with four interchangeable saddles included
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The Violinmaster Telecaster Relic includes a new patent-pending floating bridge, with four interchangeable saddles included
The spruce top was sourced from the Fiemme Valley in Italy, where Antonio Stradivari selected woods for his famous instruments
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The spruce top was sourced from the Fiemme Valley in Italy, where Antonio Stradivari selected woods for his famous instruments
There are three piezo pickups and two TV Jones ThunderBlade pickups rocking the Violinmaster Telecaster Relic
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There are three piezo pickups and two TV Jones ThunderBlade pickups rocking the Violinmaster Telecaster Relic
Yuriy Shushkov has included proportionally scaled copies of the F Holes from Joshua Bell's 1713 Stradivarius violin
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Yuriy Shushkov has included proportionally scaled copies of the F Holes from Joshua Bell's 1713 Stradivarius violin
Acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell acquired the 300-year-old Gibson-Huberman Stradivarius violin in 2001
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Acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell acquired the 300-year-old Gibson-Huberman Stradivarius violin in 2001
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For the last few years, Fender Custom Shop's Principal Master Builder Yuriy Shishkov has impressed us with stunning guitar creations like the Kodak-inspired Studioliner, the Fabergé-tastic Coronation Strat, and most recently a gorgeous turntable based on the company's Precision bass. For the limited-edition Violinmaster, he was inspired by the 1713 "Gibson-Huberman" Stradivarius owned and played by celebrated violinist Joshua Bell.

The storied Stradavari violin (twice stolen from Polish violinist Bronislaw Huberman and missing for 50 years before it was rediscovered thanks to a deathbed confession) has been the Grammy winner's weapon of choice since 2001. Bell most recently gave permission to Shishkov to examine the instrument to inform the creation of the Violinmaster Telecaster Relic.

Yuriy Shushkov has included proportionally scaled copies of the F Holes from Joshua Bell's 1713 Stradivarius violin
Yuriy Shushkov has included proportionally scaled copies of the F Holes from Joshua Bell's 1713 Stradivarius violin

"In the Violinmaster concept, I wanted to 'blend' the violin and classic Telecaster guitar together without adding something that a guitar player wouldn’t ever need," said the Master Builder. "For me, innovation is a never-ending process which is a part of my job. It helps me make something better, new, or even the impossible."

The guitar rocks a flame maple body with a carved "Stradivari" profile to the back and spruce top (sourced from northern Italy's Fiemme Valley), and boasts proportionally scaled copies of the original violin's F Holes as well as violin purfling. The body and the C-shaped Bosnian flame maple neck, topped by a 22-fret "round-lam" ebony fingerboard, have been treated to a wonderfully warm hand-polished antique finish.

The design also includes a brand new patent-pending "floating" bridge with interchangeable saddles – four coming with the guitar in a special case made from flame maple leftovers from the body's core – and an ebony/brass tailpiece.

The Violinmaster Telecaster Relic includes a new patent-pending floating bridge, with four interchangeable saddles included
The Violinmaster Telecaster Relic includes a new patent-pending floating bridge, with four interchangeable saddles included

The guitar is home to three piezo pickups and two TV Jones ThunderBlade pickups, making for a good variety of tone options on tap. And elsewhere are black Gotoh tuning machines, ebony buttons, and a graphite nut.

"I was simply blown away by the beauty of the Fender Custom Shop guitar and amazed at how Yuriy managed to capture the spirit and aesthetic of my 1713 Stradivarius violin, while creating something entirely unique," commented Bell on viewing the finished guitar.

The Violinmaster Telecaster Relic is limited to just 60 units worldwide, and though not quite as expensive as the violin that served as Shishkov's muse, this stunning creation may still make your heart skip a beat at US$30,000 apiece. Each instrument ships in a deluxe hardshell case and comes with a certificate of authenticity. The video below has more.

Building the Violinmaster with Yuriy Shishkov | Dream Factory | Fender

Product page: Violinmaster Telecaster Relic

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2 comments
2 comments
hauserplenty
May I most humbly suggest they call it the Strad-i-caster?
...Because I'm gonna...
Lamar Havard
If Master Shishkov would create a bass version, I would definitely not have the money to buy THAT one either.