Description
Lovies Guitars is excited to offer up this 2024 Fender Limited Edition Raphael Saadiq Telecaster Electric Guitar with a Dark Metallic Red Finish! It’s only appropriate that Raphael Saadiq’s signature Telecaster would feature a distinctive melding of modern and retro appointments. After all, the multi-platinum, multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter/producer was barely 18 years old when he toured internationally to hold down bass and backing vocals on Prince’s Parade Tour. Suffice it to say, Fender’s spared no effort in crafting an instrument capable of conjuring his versatile, voltaic array of styles, utilizing ash, maple, and slab rosewood for a musical triumvirate of tonewoods, complemented by custom-developed Raphael Saadiq Tele pickups that have guitarists enamored by its vintage-style voicing. Outfitted with an old-school neck, era-accurate ’50s hardware, and oozing with eye-catching aesthetics, Fender’s Limited-edition Raphael Saadiq Telecaster is a refreshing step out of time and into inspiring sonic terrain just waiting to be explored.
Raphael Saadiq’s sonic output spans numerous permutations of soul, R&B, hip-hop, and pop stylings, and Fender’s luthiers understood that a signature guitar capable of supporting Saadiq’s distinctive and diverse catalog left no room for error, placing that much more importance on crafting a malleable, yet reliable sonic foundation. Its ash body evokes bright tones with a natural resonance across the spectrum that bolsters nearly every frequency, save for a slight scoop in the midrange section to help highs pop without piercing. A maple neck complements the ash profile with warmth in each register that retains fantastic articulation. The tonal triad is completed with a slab rosewood fingerboard, imbuing your output with a crystalline veneer that serves as a welcome complement to the brightness of the ash and maple.
With its formidable foundation, Fender’s spared no expense in tailoring Raphael Saadiq’s signature Telecaster to suit his pantheon of playstyles, eschewing standard-production electronics for a custom-made sonic suite of vintage-inspired tones. Custom Raphael Saadiq Single-coil Tele pickups adorn both the neck and bridge positions, custom wound to faithfully re-create Saadiq’s hallmark retro-fueled tones. A 3-way pickup selector is paired with singular Volume and Tone control knobs — a testament to the latent power and versatility of this set’s smoldering, articulate voicing and glassy, touch-sensitive tones. Plus, its period-precise clay dot inlays introduce a subtle yet pointed piece of panache to elevate this time-bending Tele.
Playability is key to the execution of Raphael Saadiq’s diverse catalog, and his limited-edition signature Tele pulls no punches in ensuring streamlined access to its vintage-accurate array. Its 21 Vintage Tall frets span a 25.5-inch scale, while a flatter 9.5-inch fingerboard radius is paired with a 1959 “C”-shaped neck for a time-tested blend of comfort and playability that expertly bridges the past and the present for a performance experience nearly any player can engage. Pure Vintage Single Line “Fender Deluxe” tuners and a vintage-style 3-saddle Telecaster bridge with threaded steel saddles bookend your strings, joined by a bone nut for buzz-free sounds and reliable tuning to get Saadiq through his seemingly-limitless repertoire of riffs. And that’s no joke. Raphael Saadiq has written and produced tracks both for and alongside such acclaimed artists as J Dilla, D’Angelo, Kelis, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Solange Knowles, Q-Tip, Marcus Miller, Stevie Wonder, and Ginuwine, following a meteoric rise touring with Prince and serving as the founder, bassist, and lead vocalist of Tony! Toni! Toné! This guitar is in unplayed, mint shape, rated at 10/10. All original and free of any breaks, cracks or repairs. Included with this guitar is an original hard-shell case and a complimentary sample of Fret-Not, our preferred fretboard cleaner, check it out at fretnot.net! Thank you for considering this exceptional instrument from Lovies Guitars.
Features:
Limited-edition signature guitar for multi-hyphenate singer/songwriter Raphael Saadiq, blending vintage panache with modern appointments for a time-bending Tele to suit soulful sonics
Ash body boasts a natural resonance throughout the spectrum that is naturally augmented via single-coil pickups for superlative sustain and excellent note separation
Maple neck imparts brightness and warmth throughout your sound for clear voicing that won’t ever feel stale
Slab rosewood fingerboard imbues your tone with a crystalline, glass-like veneer to tame incisive highs and support robust lows without compromising articulation
Custom Raphael Saadiq Single-coil Tele signature pickups are custom wound for retro-fueled tones that support a smoldering, touch-sensitive warmth with ample room for expression
Period-precise 1959 “C”-shaped neck profile offers a weighty in-hand feel with comfortable access to ensure players of nearly any style will be inspired
21 Vintage Tall frets and clay dot inlays blend form and function for a classically-derived audiovisual array
Modern 9.5-inch fingerboard radius and 25.5-inch scale support flexible playstyles to match Saadiq’s multi-genre catalog
Vintage 3-saddle Tele bridge and Pure Vintage Single Line “Fender Deluxe” tuners are complemented by a bone nut to guarantee buzz-free expressivity with eye-catching aesthetics
WEIGHS in at: 8.05 lbs
1st Fret: .800”
12th Fret: .975”
Radius: 9.5”
Nut Width: 1 11/16”
Serial: RS230218
SKU: 7250
We offer a 14-day money-back return policy. Buy with confidence.
All guitars are guaranteed to arrive in the condition as described, and a full refund will be issued if not. Additionally, all our guitars are fully insured, and we will assist with any claims that may arise.
Lovies Guitars holds a CITES Master File, and we can provide certificates when and where they are required. We are also declaration-friendly, ensuring a smooth experience for international shipments.
