John English's 'Broadcaster'

This amazing guitar was built in 2000 as a Fender Custom Shop prototype by John English. This instrument, which weighs just 6.40 lbs., is accurately based on an original 1950 Broadcaster. The neck, the body and the final assembly, including the wiring were solely by John English.

The incredibly light and super resonant body was made from a single piece of 'swamp ash'. The solid maple neck has a thick 'baseball-bat' profile and twenty-one medium frets with black dot position markers. Individual Kluson deluxe 'No-Name' style tuners with oval metal buttons and 'slot-head' screws. Fender "Spaghetti" logo decal in silver with black trim and "Broadcaster" beneath in black. Circular 'button' string tree as per the original 1950 guitar. On the back of headstock is a small oval gold decal "Custom built / J.T. English / Fender U.S.A.". Four-bolt neck plate with 'slot-head' screws. Single layer black plastic pickguard with five 'slot-head' screws. Two huge sounding 'Broadcaster' style pickups specially wound by John English from 43 gauge plain enamel wire with huge outputs of 8.56k and 6.87k - the bridge pickup with flush pole-pieces, as per the original. Two controls (one volume, one tone) plus three-way pickup selector switch (with slot-head screws) and black plastic "barrel-like" switch tip, all on metal plate adjoining pickguard. The potentiometers are stamped "137 0141" (CTS October 2001). Chrome knobs with flat tops and heavily knurled sides. Combined steel bridge/tailpiece with three angled adjustable smooth steel saddles and slot-head screws. The bridgeplate is stamped "0001". The neck is marked on the underside "J.T. English / 2000", the body neck pocket is signed "English / 2000" and the neck pickup cavity is stamped "J E". The bridge pickup cavity is also marked in pencil "Broadcaster". The body and hardware have been perfectly 'aged' by John English and the guitar is in the original mint (9.50) condition. Housed in the original modern Fender "Tweed" hardshell case with brown leather ends and red plush lining (9.25).