"1954" Blackguard Tele

[ianLP59]

Last year I acquired a replica of a 1954 Blackguard Telecaster made by Alan Kennedy here in the UK. This was actually arranged by my friend Martin Simpson who has a "1953" Blackguard Tele by the same builder. Of course an original '54 Tele would be worth a great deal and thus, for most, pretty much unaffordable. However, I am astonished at the level of detail that Alan puts into his work; he is clearly obsessed with all things vintage Fender even, in this case, faithfully replicating the more faded washed out out finish that Fender introduced in early 1954. 1954 happens to be my birth year too, as 1953 happens to be Martin's. Oh, and yes, it plays and sounds really great having the snarl and bite of a period Telecaster...

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kVtuZG]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kVzap1]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kVuDdF]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kVq39V]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kVxvi7]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kVuDA9]

Cheers,

Ian

[Poppa]

That is a stunning tele! Congrats. I'm usually not a fan of relic's, but that is one of the most tasteful I've seen.

[Dirk Hofman]

Sweet! That's a very cool looking guitar.

[Dru Edwards]

Ian, that's a beautiful Tele. I like the distressed look. Now it's time for you to put your own dings in it .

[Rodger]

Oh my!! My birth year is also 1954... perhaps the greatest year of the 20th century. Rock and roll invented - check. Stratocaster invented - check. Rodger and Ian invented - check. Who could argue?

That is really a magnificent looking tele. You are one lucky guy! Congrats! And you have Martin Simpson as a friend. Wow!!

I will be searching for a Fender Custom Shop Heavy Relic later this year... maybe next year. whenever i find the right one at the right price. I am a fan of the relic look and yours is one of the best I've seen.

[dnf777]

Very nice! The aging of the maple fingerboard is VERY impressive! To me, that is the ultimate challenge of realistic relic-ing, and he nailed it!

[pcs264]

Is that an actual Fender neck that he used?

[rockabilly69]

nice looking relic, congrats on your new guitar.

[DukeX]

I like it!

[merlin666]

Very cool guitar. However I am no friend of artificial aging and would have preferred one that reflects the state as they left the factory in those days.

[pcs264]

Obviously Alan does remarkable work, and I'm sure this is a great guitar. I'm still curious as to whether or not it has an original or licenced Fender neck, for an important reason. Up to a point, this appears to be a fine guitar, with outstanding workmanship and attention to detail, and if it was delivered to you with a blank head stock, that would be (for me) the end of a great story. However, as soon as the Fender logo was applied, this guitar went from being a replica to being a forgery. Only Fender or their licensees can legally put that logo on an instrument. The fact that excellent repro logo decals are easy to obtain is irrelevant here. I assume that the OP and the builder both have honorable intentions, and clearly the communication between those two was open and above board. It's just a very slippery slope that can and should generally be avoided.

[ianLP59]

Originally Posted by pcs264

Obviously Alan does remarkable work, and I'm sure this is a great guitar. I'm still curious as to whether or not it has an original or licenced Fender neck, for an important reason. Up to a point, this appears to be a fine guitar, with outstanding workmanship and attention to detail, and if it was delivered to you with a blank head stock, that would be (for me) the end of a great story. However, as soon as the Fender logo was applied, this guitar went from being a replica to being a forgery. Only Fender or their licensees can legally put that logo on an instrument. The fact that excellent repro logo decals are easy to obtain is irrelevant here. I assume that the OP and the builder both have honorable intentions, and clearly the communication between those two was open and above board. It's just a very slippery slope that can and should generally be avoided.

I take your point entirely. However, at no stage has anybody, the builder included, sought to claim that it is anything other than a replica, albeit a very good one. Had Alan gone as far to stamp a plausible serial number on the bridge plate then that would have been a very different story indeed...

Incidentally, a very important part of the definition of forgery is the deliberate intent to deceive, normally for pecuniary advantage; none of that applies here.

Cheers,

Ian

[anton]

Man that is a lovely Tele. And nice friends you have there, Martin Simpson is a great player and person, it seems.

[FoxHound4690]

Holy mother of christ!!! this guy should be working for Fender custom shop. that level of detail is parallel to none for a relic guitar, I'd certainly love to play it =P

[Scott of the Sa]

does it have the 1954 controller (bass, neck, bridge) circuit or does it have the more modern neck, middle , bridge configuration.