Fender Custom Shop Wildwood 10 1951 Nocaster – Journeyman Relic

The Perfect 10

Years ago, we approached our friends at the Fender Custom Shop with a proposal: would they build us guitars that combined the mojo of a true-to-vintage reissue with modern handfeel and comfy modern ergonomics? They were enthused about the idea, and the Wildwood 10 was born. Thanks to the Custom Shop’s incredible craftsmanship and artistry, these guitars look gorgeous, sound killer, and play like butter.

Each of these Custom Shop creations features a thin fifties-style nitrocellulose finish, which allows the voice of the resonant hand-selected tonewoods to shine through. They also have hand-wound Custom Shop pickups that are sure to inspire you to reach new heights on your sonic journey. Wildwood 10s feel great in your hands, too. Their modern 10” radius is suitable for a wide variety of styles and techniques, and their 6105 narrow-tall frets allow you to expend less energy with your left hand, especially when bending strings. To top it all off, they come with a limited edition Dealer Select Wildwood 10 hardshell case and a certificate of authenticity.

No-Nonsense Nocasters

In 1951, Leo Fender changed the world of music forever by introducing the first-ever mass-produced solidbody electric guitar. Leo was going to call it the Broadcaster, but the threat of a lawsuit from Gretsch (who produced a drum set called the Broadkaster) forced him to abandon that plan. Ever the resourceful (and frugal) businessman, Leo simply snipped the word “Broadcaster” off the headstock decal and shipped his nameless guitars out. Since the guitars had no model name, musicians dubbed them “Nocasters.”

Because of their incredible rarity, original Nocasters have become some of the most desirable vintage pieces out there. So, we decided to team up with our friends at the Fender Custom Shop and issue a Wildwood 10 version that marries the vibe of the originals with modern ergonomics. The Wildwood-exclusive 10″ radius and 6105 frets are a perfect pairing with the '60 Oval C profile, and the Custom Shop hand-wound Twisted Tele pickups deliver spectacular sounds. We’re sure you’ll find a Nocaster here that will grab you by your heartstrings, so we invite you to browse away–just make sure your keyboard drool shield is in place!

Pickup Rundown

Wildwoodians, the Hand-Wound Wildwood 10 Twisted Tele pickups in this guitar are the winners of the most fearsome shootout since the OK Corral! When we were trying to figure out what type of special sauce to put in our Wildwood 10 Tele pickups, the Twisted Tele was an easy choice for a starting point. Standard Twisted Teles have high output for fiery Tele tone, a dash of Strat-y sparkle, and excellent articulation.

That sounded like a good base to work from, so we asked our friends at the Custom Shop to send us some underwound versions with AlNiCo II magnets instead of the standard AlNiCo V, and we asked that Fender’s resident pickup maestro, Josefina Campos, be the one to wind them. They sent us multiple guitars with different output levels, and the whole staff got together to put them through their paces and compare notes. After a delightful Tele-filled afternoon, we reached a rare unanimous consensus, and these pickups emerged bloodstained from the octagon as the winner.

How Do They Sound?

How did these pickups unite the notoriously opinionated Wildwood staff? Well, for starters, the lower output makes them wonderfully touch-sensitive and dynamic, allowing you to alter your tone significantly using just your hands. But, they also have plenty of power because of the nature of the Twisted Tele. They’re also unbelievably articulate, so they have that iconic woody Tele twang and capture every percussive detail of your right-hand attack. The bobbin for the bridge pickup is also shorter and the neck taller, which warms up the bridge and livens up the neck. Speaking of lively, the Wildwood 10 Twisted Teles have a Strat-like sparkliness, and they’re similarly vocal.

As a result, the bridge pickup is punchy and has excellent presence with plenty of jangle, chime, and sparkle. But, it still sounds quite round with no ice-pick frequencies or harshness. The neck pickup is sweet, warm, and vocal, yet it also remains open, lively, and dynamic.

Teles may be simple guitars, but the amazing thing about them is they always fit in no matter what you’re doing musically. In that spirit, we believe the Hand-Wound Wildwood 10 Twisted Tele will allow you to cover just about any musical territory you want to adventure through, and its dynamic, iconic voice will inspire all sorts of musical joy.