Fender Rarities Series: A new Chambered Flame Top Telecaster with neck humbucker
July Rarities Series model announced
5,0 / 5,0 | 
The latest in the monthly Fender Rarities Series is the new Chambered Flame Top Telecaster, with some elements that should make it more versatile and offer more character than a traditional Tele.
Chambered
For July, Fender has released the Flame Maple Top Chambered Telecaster. This guitar comes with a chambered, two-piece roasted alder body and a natural flame maple top, separated with a black centre stripe. It has a Modern C shaped maple neck with a 9.5”radius fingerboard with 22 tall narrow frets, so should play easily enough and feel smooth for bends.
The hardware is all styled in the mould of a vintage Tele, including a traditional ash tray bridge with three compensated steel saddles. A set of staggered height tuning machine heads adds a better break angle for the nut.
Fender Rarities Series Chambered Flame Top Telecaster front · Source: Fender
Tim Shaw Pickups
The model has pickups designed by Tim Shaw: a 50s vintage-style bridge pickup and a ShawBucker 1T humbucker pickup in the neck position. They’re wired via a single Volume and Tone control and a three-way switch.
I think this month’s Fender Rarities Series model looks a lot nicer than the previous few models. That’s my own personal opinion, of course. I’m also enjoying the prospect of playing the humbucker ion the neck position. Potentially, that makes this model a little more versatile than a regular Tele fitted with single coils, especially with that chambered body that should offer some additional character.
I’m definitely not the target audience for the Rarities Series, as I prefer a plain solid colour on my guitars, but if you like bit of bling, then you will probably love these limited edition models.
RRP – USD 2499.99 inc vintage-style hardshell case
More Information
This might also interest you
