The Fender Custom Shop Merle Haggard Signature Telecaster is a modified Tele Thinline that provides an unparalleled playing experience. With select alder wings, a laminated figured maple top and maple center block, it resonates with full, balanced tone that sustains for days. A figured maple neck with 22 medium-jumbo frets glides under your fingers, while two Custom Shop Texas Special single-coil Tele pickups capture the distinctive snap, twang and bite that defined the Tele's role in shaping music history.

Authentic Materials and Appointments

From the gold hardware to the abalone Tuff-Dog Telecaster headstock inlay, every detail of the Merle Haggard Signature Telecaster is meticulously considered to honor a legend. A 1-ply Ivoroid pickguard and body binding provide an elegant accent, allowing the natural beauty of the tonewoods to shine through. With a bone nut, cast/sealed tuners and a 6-saddle strings-thru-body Tele bridge, this instrument is built to perform as reliably as the man who inspired it.

Custom Pickups for Iconic Tele Tone

The Merle Haggard Signature Telecaster is equipped with two Custom Shop Texas Special single-coil Tele pickups to deliver the crisp tone and punchy midrange the Tele is known for. With custom four-way switching, you can select the bridge pickup, bridge and neck pickups in parallel, neck pickup or neck and bridge pickups in series for a wider range of tones. When combined with the resonant chambered body, the result is a clear, articulate sound with rich overtones.

A Neck Shaped for Speed and Comfort

The Merle Haggard Signature Telecaster features a figured maple neck with a 2C-shaped profile that plays fast and feels familiar. With a 25.5" scale length, 1.650" nut width and gloss urethane finish, this neck provides the ideal combination of comfort and slickness for ripping country licks and western-swing runs at breakneck tempos. The deep-carved heel allows for easy access to the upper frets, enabling you to reach those signature Merle Haggard bends with ease.