This is my Fender Gold Foil Telecaster Review.
Introduction
Have you ever wanted a guitar that shimmers like the golden sun and sings like a bird in the spring? Well, saddle up, because we’re taking you on a ride through the lustrous fields of the Fender Gold Foil Telecaster!
The Fender Gold Foil is a new 2023 release with upgraded elements. A distinctive feature of this Telecaster is that the guitar is equipped with a pair of Gold Foil pickups. The style of the gold foil elements is based on elements from Teisco, Guyatone, Harmony and Kay. Such pickups have been quite popular lately and element-builders are making their own versions. The Fender Gold Foil Telecaster is a credible, well-built and tuned telecaster with its own distinctive sound. Possible downsides are the uncompensated bridge saddles and some sharp adjustment screws.
Overview Fender Gold Foil Telecaster
Fender Gold Foil Telecaster Review
The Fender Gold Foil Telecaster is a guitar that combines several styles.
You can see the same with some boutique builders. However, this Fender is considerably cheaper than a guitar from the small, specialized builders.
- Price indication: $1,299.99
- Body: Mahogany
- Bolt-on neck: Maple
- Fingerboard: Ebony
- White pearloid dot fretboard inlays
- Matching headstock
- Neck profile: ’60s C
- Scale: 648 mm (25.5″)
- Fretboard radius: 305 mm (12″)
- Nut width: 42 mm (1.65″)
- Synthetic bone nut
- 21 Medium jumbo frets
- Pickup: 2 Gold Foil mini-humbuckers with chrome frames
- Volume and tone controls
- 3-Way switch
- 3-Ply parchment pickguard
- 3-Saddle custom “cut-off” vintage style Tele bridge with brass saddles
- Nickel/chrome hardware
- Factory strings: Fender USA 250R nickel-plated steel .010 – .046
- Incl. Deluxe gig bag
Check current price:
Body and Neck
The flat body of this guitar is mahogany. The slightly transparent White Blonde finish has a slight stripe pattern. The guitar has an ebony fingerboard with Gibson radius (12 inches / 305 mm). The frets are fairly large compared to vintage style specimens. The guitar further stands out for its shortened Tele-style bridge with non-composite brass saddles. This allows the bridge element to fit neatly in front of it, in its own chrome element ring. The neck pickup is positioned slightly closer to the bridge than normal and is attached to a laminated, black pickguard.
The bolt-on neck has a slim C profile. The neck has a nice, deep color and a thickness of 20.8 mm at the first fret and 23 mm at the twelfth fret. The width is 42.2 mm at the nut, a standard size for Fender. The ebony fingerboard, with slightly rounded sides is as good as black: the stripe pattern is barely visible.
Hardware
The three-position switch and wiring are part of the standard equipment on a Telecaster. However, you may have to get used to the chrome standard (rather than flipped over) control plate.
Playability
Despite all the minor adjustments, this guitar is a real Telecaster. When you hang the guitar around your neck you already get that feeling, with its standard weight of 3.61 kg. The medium jumbo frets (1.15 mm high and 2.6 mm wide) are well placed and perfectly polished. The neck feels contemporary, kind of like a telecaster for the Gibson enthusiast.
The “C” shaped neck provides a comfortable grip, ensuring your hand won’t cramp up during those long, passionate jam sessions. It’s as if the guitar is whispering sweet melodies in your ears, urging you to keep playing.
The guitar is fine tuned right out of the box. If desired, you can raise the strings that are quite close to the fingerboard with the bridge saddles. However, those screws are a bit on the sharp side: the outer two screws are on the long side. That could be solved by making the shim of glass paper under the neck a bit thicker.
Sound
The neck pickup sounds full and clear, with the sound of a clean humbucker. The bridge pickup, on the other hand, really sounds like a Telecaster. With that, the highs start to sound better as you turn back some volume and/or tone on the guitar. Combined together, the pickups give an excellent sound: the depth of the neck pickup and the sharpness of the bridge give a wide spectrum of good sounds for percussion guitar. The pickups are also noise cancelling, so you hardly suffer from hum.
You may also like this article:
Pros and Cons
Fender Gold Foil Telecaster Review
- The Gold Foil is not only an eye-catcher but also a listener. Your two mini humbuckers deliver a rich sound, especially in the middle position, so both! It ranges from bass to treble, which can be easily adjusted using the tone control. The volume is also higher than with single pickups. The neck fits well in the hand, maybe a little thicker than usual, but it fits me well. The workmanship is good, nothing sticks out or gets in the way. The paint on my white one is such that the grain can still be seen. Only the tuner buttons could be 3mm larger. It is a successful addition to the Tele family. – Jollo
- It took two weeks to finally get the wood to settle. However, despite the price target, I would define it as a big guitar. Excellent woods.
A little heavy but absolutely superior guitar compared to the standard
Also mention for the gold foils which are humbs but with very beautiful characteristics. – Mirkonu
Pros:
- Luxurious Aesthetic
- Diverse Sound Range, Noise Reduction
- Comfortable Playability
Cons:
- The sound of the bridge element is on the sharp side.
- Outer screws at the bridge saddles are on the long side.
Conclusion
Fender Gold Foil Telecaster Review
What we are seeing as a trend in the guitar market is that both the smaller builders and the big builders like Fender are increasingly making limited editions of replica classics and special artist models. This is a nice development because it means more choice for the guitar enthusiast. So if you’re looking for a different kind of Telecaster, this is a very nice option. The noise reduction is as important here as the Gold Foil pickups themselves, because it solves the hum problem that Telecaster enthusiasts have struggled with for (too) long. The sound of the bridge element is on the sharp side, but in combination with the neck humbucker that is completely solved. Moreover, this guitar is the only model with factory mini-humbuckers.
Check current price:
Alternative Telecaster Guitars
- Fender American Professional II Telecaster: For those seeking professional quality with modern features and classic tones.
- Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Telecaster: A budget-friendly option for those who desire vintage aesthetics and sound.
- Fender Player Telecaster: A versatile and accessible choice for those who want a reliable, high-quality Telecaster without breaking the bank.
