Fender Custom Shop Time Machine 1951 Nocaster Super Heavy Relic Super Faded Aged Nocaster Blonde

The 1951 Nocaster ranks among the most historically interesting early Fender designs. This specific Fender Custom Shop instrument recreates that short phase in which the later Telecaster concept was largely defined, while the final model name had not yet appeared on the headstock. As part of the Time Machine Collection, this one-off combines the pared-down construction of the early '50s with a deliberately aged Super Heavy Relic treatment and a specification closely aligned with the character of that era.

Historic Construction With Its Own Character

The two-piece, select ash body features an intentionally off-center glue seam. That is matched with a one-piece Rift-sawn maple neck sporting the beefy 1951 "U" profile. This combo pushes the playing feel squarely into the world of early Fender instruments while retaining playability that makes sense for modern players. The vintage compound radius from 7.25" to 9.5" preserves the classic feel in the lower positions and opens the radius toward the upper frets. The nitrocellulose finish underscores the historically oriented build and fits perfectly with the Time Machine approach of this instrument.

Hand-Wound Nocaster Pickups and '51 Modified Wiring

Two Custom Shop Hand-Wound '51 Nocaster single coils form the electric heart of this guitar. Crucial here is not only the pickup configuration but also the unusual '51 Modified Nocaster wiring. In the first switch position the bridge pickup works with a stepless blend of the neck pickup. The second position provides the neck pickup without a tone control, while the third position delivers the neck pickup with a preset, noticeably darker deep rhythm tone. This preserves a defining element of the early Nocaster concept that differs markedly from the later standard Telecaster wiring.

Details From the Early Fender Era

The hardware follows the historic concept as well. The 3-saddle '51 Nocaster bridge uses brass saddles, complemented by vintage-style tuners with the Fender logo, a single-layer black phenolic pickguard and the characteristic disc-shaped vintage-style string retainer. The bone nut and classic 25.5" scale complete a specification that goes beyond retro looks to incorporate numerous constructive details from the early Nocaster era.