While a Telecaster is not often the first choice for most metal players, the Fender Jim Root Telecaster may change that. Its mahogany body, EMG pickups and no-nonsense aesthetic make the case that this guitar can handle some dirty jobs.

Jim Root explains his signature Tele in this video from Fender.

A New Look Inside and Out

Mahogany is not a typical wood in Fender Telecasters, but it fits with Jim Root's model -- adding a warmer and darker sound. This Tele's maple neck is made in a modern C shape for faster playing.
A guitar done up in neon probably wouldn't look right at a Slipknot concert, so it's no wonder Root's guitar is finished with all black appointments. From the Fender/Schaller Deluxe locking machine heads down through the pickups, hardtail bridge, and volume knob, everything on the guitar is coated in a flat black finish.

EMG Pickups Deliver Aggressive Sound

Perhaps Jim Root's wildest departure from traditional Telecasters is the replacement of typical single-coil pickups with EMG active humbuckers. EMGs are well favored by metal and hard rock players, so those looking for country twang may want to look elsewhere. If you want high-output tones to handle gritty distorted leads and rhythms, the Jim Root Telecaster is the axe for the job. The EMG 81 in the bridge position utilizes rail magnets for scorching lead tones, and the EMG 60 in the neck position uses ceramic magnets, boosting the mids for chunkier sounds.

Subtle Tweaks Add Playability

… read more While this Telecaster does stray from its species in many dramatic ways, it also features a few less obvious design choices. A contour along the top of the guitar's back makes for a more comfortable playing experience. Another contour at the neck heel enhances upper fret access. The single volume knob is also placed strategically in a spot that encourages you to try out some volume swells.

Features:

- Mahogany body
- Maple neck in modern C shape
- Satin polyurethane finish on neck
- 22 medium-jumbo frets
- EMG 60 humbucker neck pickup
- EMG 81 humbucker bridge pickup
- Fender/Schaller cast/sealed locking tuning machines
- All black hardware
- Single volume knob
- Hardtail bridge

Find out just how dark and heavy a Tele can sound with Fender's Jim Root Telecaster.

WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.p65Warnings.ca.gov.

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