Fender Custom Shop – Limited Edition 70th Anniversary Broadcaster® – Heavy Relic® Aged Nocaster® Blonde Electric Guitars

Fender changed the music world forever in October 1950 with the first dual-pickup electric Spanish guitar—the Broadcaster®. The instrument vaulted Fender into the mainstream of electric guitar, with gorgeous features and smart innovations including an ash body with a translucent blonde nitrocellulose finish, sturdy maple neck with rear-installed truss rod for solid stability (with a walnut “skunk stripe”), single-ply black phenolic pickguard, two loud-and-clear pickups and versatile wiring for three distinctive tone settings. Revolutionary as it was, however, the Broadcaster was short lived—produced only for a couple months until January 1951 because of an already-existing trademark on the name held by the Fred Gretsch Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Now, for 2020 alone, the Custom Shop has resurrected this famously rare guitar in honour of its 70th anniversary. The Limited Edition 70th Anniversary Broadcaster has a two-piece select ash body with off-centre seam, available in four different Custom Shop aging packages—NOS Time Capsule, Journeyman Relic®, Relic and Heavy Relic—all finished in the original “flash coat” lacquer. The one-piece rift-sawn maple neck has a 1950 Broadcaster profile, 7.25”-9.5” vintage compound-radius fingerboard and 21 medium vintage frets. Other features include hand-wound ’50-’51 Blackguard pickups with ’51 modded “Nocaster” wiring (similar to the original, with blender pot and slightly brighter rhythm setting in the neck position). The guitar comes with a “case candy” kit containing a 70th anniversary neck plate, Fat ’50s control assembly and original Broadcaster sales flyer reprint. Also includes deluxe hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity.

 

 

 

Specs

Serial Number	R108978
Weight
SKU	R108978
Type	Solid Body
Colour	Aged Nocaster Blonde
Orientation	Right Handed
Number of Strings	6
Body Shape	51 Nocaster
Body Material	2-Piece Ash Off Centre
Body Finish	Flash Coat Lacquer
Neck Material	Maple Rift Sawn
Neck Shape	1950 Blackguard “U”
Fretboard Material	N/a
Number of Frets	21
Fretboard Inlays	Micarta Black .250 Dot
Fret Size	Medium Vintage 47095
Fretboard Radius	7.25″ – 9.5″ Compound Radius (184.15mm – 241mm)
Nut Material	Bone
Nut Width	1.630″ (41.4mm)
Neck Pickups	Handwound 50-51 Blackguard Neck
Bridge Pickups	Handwound 50-51 Blackguard Bridge
Controls	1951 Modified Broadcaster
Bridge	Tele 51-54
Tuners	Vintage w/ Fender Logo
Strings	0.10-0.46
Case/ Bag	Period-correct Fender Custom Shop Hardcase