Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

Straight from the studios of Music Row in the home of country music—Nashville, TN—comes the Deluxe Nashville Tele, a tonally versatile performer with a unique (for a Tele) three pickup design. A distinctive entry into the Fender family, this Tele growls, snaps and screams with flexible tone that can match any song. With its original Fender style, customized switching and fast, smooth playing feel, this Tele is ready to command any stage from the local honky-tonk to the Grand Ol’ Opry.

Two noise-free, highly articulate Vintage Noiseless Tele pickups inhabit the neck and middle positions, flanking the Vintage Noiseless Strat pickup in the middle to create an unbeatable trio. These pickups crank out rich, articulate tone, with the balanced string response, definition and twang you’ve come to expect from a genuine Fender instrument. Flexible five-way Strat-oTone pickup switching unlocks various pickup combinations, providing the perfect sound for any performance.

Enjoy increased sustain and slightly thicker tone that complements the famous Tele twang, thanks to the modern six-saddle string-through-body bridge with block saddles. A contoured neck heel and 4-bolt asymmetrical neck plate make it easy to comfortably reach the upper registers of the neck. The flatter 12”-radius fingerboard makes it easy to play fast leads and perform deep bends without fretting out. Locking short-post tuning machines provide increased break angle at the nut for buzz-free playing and enhanced tuning stability, along with quicker string changes.

Classic aesthetic touches include nickel/chrome hardware and a three-ply B/W/B or mint green pickguard, along with knurled flat-top control knobs and a black switch tip. A truly versatile performer with flexible sound, player-oriented features and original aesthetics, the Deluxe Nashville Tele merges the best of yesterday and today into a single, affordable design. Includes gig bag.

Get more with your next Tele. Order today.

Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

Are you stuck in that age-old guitar dilemma: should I get a Telecaster or a Stratocaster? Why not have a little of both? In this Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster review, I’ll tell you why this guitar has design elements that make it sound and play like a Tele with a generous helping of Strat attitude.

If you favor “Tele Twang” but are looking to get a little more for your money, then check out the Nashville Tele, which could be Leo Fender’s ultimate vision for an electric guitar.

Read on to get the complete low-down.


  • What Is The Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster?
  • Deluxe Nashville – Cheat Sheet
  • Fender Company Profile
  • Who Is The Nashville Telecaster For?
  • Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster Specs
  • How The Nashville Telecaster Works
  • Features And Benefits Of The Nashville Telecaster
  • Where is the Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster made?
  • What I like About The Fender Deluxe Nashville Tele
  • What I Don’t Like About The Fender Nashville Deluxe Telecaster
  • Final Thoughts On The Nashville Tele
  • Tell Me What You Think

The Nashville Tele is part of the deluxe line of guitars from Fender. It combines vintage design with modern features to make it more versatile. The result is an instrument that plays and sounds like a Tele but gives you a Strat pickup in the middle position.

Fender wanted to create a guitar to honor the Nashville players that helped make the Telecaster the go-to instrument for country music and other genres.

What Makes The Nashville Telecaster Different From Other Telecasters?

Giving you a look, feel, and overall sound of a Telecaster with the ability to conjure some of the best tones of a Strat is the main thing that sets this Nashville Deluxe apart from other Telecasters.

If you like the “midrange-quack” that comes from a Strat with a 5-position switch, then this might just be the guitar you have been looking for all these years.

Please keep reading to learn more about what makes it unique!


Deluxe Nashville – Cheat Sheet

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ☆ 9.7 Out Of 10

Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

A “hybrid” guitar that gives you a lot of playability and functionality for your money.

Adds a middle-position Strat pickup for “Strat” and Tele sounds.

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If you want to go directly to the Deluxe Tele specs then click here

PROS

✅ Fast 12-Inch Fingerboard

✅ Vintage Noiseless Tele & Strat Pickups

✅ Strat Tones Combine Excellently With Tele Sounds

CONS

❌ Comes With Gig Bag Instead Of Hardshell Case

❌ Color Choice Is Limited

❌ No Optional S1 Switching System

Design

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆

9.7 Out Of 10

Overall Quality

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆

9.6 Out Of 10

Functionality

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆

9.8 Out Of 10

Price

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆

9.6 Out Of 10

Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

Fender Company Profile

Unless you just started playing the guitar today, you are undoubtedly familiar with the Fender brand. These guitars have literally helped define rock n’ roll and blues history. Their original factory was in Fullerton California.

Fender guitars are now made in many parts of the world, with the American-made and Custom Shop guitar lines still made with pride in the USA.

The Fender Broadcaster was first introduced in the autumn of 1950. It became known as a “Nocaster” after the Broadcaster label was removed from the headstock to avoid a trademark lawsuit from Gretsch over their “Broadkaster” drum set. The guitar was re-branded the Telecaster and the rest is history!


Who Is The Nashville Telecaster For?

The Nashville Tele is for the player that enjoys pushing the limits of what a Telecaster can do. This guitar is more than just a Tele with three pickups. It has many other upgrades like a faster neck with locking tuners and six bridge saddles that give it better tuning stability and intonation.

If you ever wanted to mod a Tele to take it to the next level, then Fender has already done this for you at a price you can live with.


Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster Specs

Here are the basic specifications for this guitar.

ItemSpecification
Body Alder With Polyester Gloss Finish
Colors White Blonde, 2-Color Sunburst, Daphne Blue, Fiesta Red
Neck Heel Contoured Neck Heel for easy access to all frets
Neck
Neck Shape Modern C-Shape with Pearloid Dot Inlays, Satin Finish
Neck Scale 25.5 Inch
Fingerboard Wood Maple or Pau Ferro
Fingerboard Radius 12 inch
Frets 22 Narrow-Tall Frets
Nut Synthetic Bone, Width: 1.650 Inch
Electronics
Controls Master Volume and Master Tone
Switch 5-Way Blade
Pickups Bridge Pickup: Vintage Noiseless Tele Pickup
Middle Pickup: Vintage Noiseless Strat Pickup
Neck Pickup: Vintage Noiseless Tele Pickup
Hardware
Tuners Fender Locking Tuners
Bridge Modern, with String Through Body Design
Bridge Saddles 6 Modern-Style (Block) Saddles
Transport Deluxe Gig Bag Included
Price $1,000 (street)
To check out the specs on the Player Plus Nashville Tele, see Player Plus Nashville Telecaster Review: The Best Tele Ever!

How The Nashville Telecaster Works

The Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster has three pickups instead of the usual two. All three pickups are Fender Vintage Noiseless.

The bridge and neck positions both have Telecaster pickups, while the middle position has a Stratocaster pickup.

This pickup combination essentially gives you two guitars in one. The pickups are connected to a 5-way switching system to provide you with all five combinations.

  1. Bridge Pickup
  2. Bridge & Middle Pickups
  3. Middle Pickup
  4. Middle & Neck Pickup
  5. Neck Pickup

Here is a video from Fender, where Patrick Droney demonstrates the sound and versatility of the Fender Deluxe Nashville Tele. Check it out!


Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

Features And Benefits Of The Nashville Telecaster

This Guitar Can Save You Money!

If you don’t want to put out with the cash to buy a good quality Tele and a Strat, this guitar can save you some money, which you can use to buy a nice amp or whatever else you need.

You’ll never miss a standard Tele unless you have your heart set on a vintage model or a 1-pickup Fender Esquire.

Check Out These Great Features

This guitar is available with both a maple or pau ferro fingerboard, depending on your particular preference. Both necks make the guitar play great.

Locking tuners make it easy to change strings quickly and help keep the guitar in tune, especially if you do big string bends.

The body has a contoured heel that gives you easy access to all 22 frets. It makes playing notes at or above the 19th fret very comfortable. This feature is usually found on Fender’s higher-priced guitars.

If you like a guitar with a lot of natural sustain, then you’ll appreciate the string-through-the-body bridge design, which helps a Tele sing.

The six individual bridge saddles give you a more modern look with accurate intonation.

It Comes In Great Vintage Colors

Fender has chosen some of their most popular vintage colors that give the guitar a retro vibe. However, you might find it challenging to decide which one you like best.

Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

White Blonde

The white-blonde Tele looks incredibly sharp with the matte black pickguard.

It comes paired with a maple fingerboard, which is a classic combination for a Telecaster.

Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

If you don’t already have a white guitar, then here’s your chance to own a natural beauty!

Daphne Blue

Daphne Blue is my favorite color in a Fender guitar, and it looks even better as the finish ages.

The pau ferro fingerboard looks very cool gives it a bit of a 50s “surf” feel.

If you already have a Daphne Blue Strat, this Tele would make a matching set!

Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

Fiesta Red

Fiesta Red is a real eye-catcher and looks very sporty, just add a racing stripe decal, and you’re good to go!

This color fades beautifully as it ages, which gives it an authentic vintage look.

It has a pau ferro fingerboard that blends nicely with the finish.

Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

2-Color Sunburst

If you’re looking for a modern take on old-school vintage, then get the 2-Two Color Sunburst Finish.

On closer inspection, the middle pickup will make other guitar players do a double-take.

As you can see, the maple fingerboard and black fingerboard work well together.


Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

Where is the Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster made?

The Deluxe Nashville Telecaster is proudly made in Mexico (MIM). I would not be concerned about purchasing a Mexican Strat since Fender’s build quality is generally excellent there.

I own a few MIM and Japanese-made Strats and Teles that are well-built, play great, and sound terrific. My red MIM Strat sounds so iconically early-60s that I play it every chance I get!

You certainly get a lot for your money! However, don’t expect to get Fender Custom Shop quality in a guitar at this price.


Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

What I like About The Fender Deluxe Nashville Tele

There is so much to like about the Nashville Tele that you may find it hard not to take it home after playing one.

The C-shaped neck sits comfortably in the hand and pairs well with the flat 12-inch fingerboard. The neck edges feel good, and the frets are well-dressed, without burs or sharp edges. It has a nice satin-smooth finish.

The 12-inch fingerboard radius and narrow-tall frets make string bending a breeze, although it might feel a little strange at first if you’re used to playing a Tele with a 7.25-inch neck radius and vintage-size frets.

The pau ferro fingerboard is gorgeous to behold, with a nice tight grain that helps make it a pleasure to play.

I like the sound of the middle vintage noiseless Strat pickup. It blends excellently with the neck and bridge Tele pickups. Also, the in-between neck-middle and bridge-middle pickup settings give you the “Strat” tones that make the guitar so versatile.


Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

What I Don’t Like About The Fender Nashville Deluxe Telecaster

There’s not too much to talk about in this department, but I could mention a few things.

The guitar comes with a gig bag, but it is a nice one. Unfortunately, I believe that all guitars in the $1000 range and up show come with a hardshell case. Still, Fender is giving you a lot of guitar for your money, so I can easily look past this and buy a case.

I would like to see the guitar finished in more colors, even though the available ones look great. It’s a minor point, but we all have our favorite choices.

The addition of an S1 switching system would give the guitar an additional five pickup combinations, for a total of ten. That would genuinely put this guitar in a class all by itself, and I would gladly pay extra to get it as an added option. Are you reading this, Fender?


Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

Final Thoughts On The Nashville Tele

The Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster is a “hybrid” guitar that gives you a lot of playability and functionality for your money. Adding a middle-position Strat pickup to a Tele is a brilliant idea!

If you are looking for a Tele that can bring “Strat” sounds to your playing, then the Nashville Tele can take you to your next gig with one guitar instead of two.

This guitar has a neck that can easily cater to the “country double-stop bender” and the “serious shredder.” Once you play the Nashville Tele, you’ll be hooked on its versatility and stunning good looks.

For more info, see Best Telecaster Players – These Tele Masters Will Shock You! and Tele Vs Strat Sound – Find Out Which Guitar Is Right For You.


Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

Tell Me What You Think

Please leave a comment below if you enjoyed this Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster review, have any questions about this product, or want to leave your own review. I will be happy to help you.

  • Do you already own a Fender Nashville Deluxe Telecaster? What do you think of it? How has it changed the way you play?
  • Could this guitar ever replace your Strat?
  • As a “Tele Purist”, would a guitar like this appeal to you?
  • Would you consider buying this guitar after readining this article?

About Frank

Fender deluxe series nashville telecaster electric guitar

Is the Nashville Tele good?

Final Thoughts On The Player Plus Nashville Telecaster Review. The Fender Player Plus Nashville Telecaster is an extremely versatile guitar. It has a Stratocaster middle pickup that combines beautifully with the bridge and neck Tele pickups to produce a variety of very usable sounds.

What is different about a Nashville Telecaster?

The Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster has three pickups instead of the usual two. All three pickups are Fender Vintage Noiseless. This pickup combination essentially gives you two guitars in one. The pickups are connected to a 5-way switching system to provide you with all five combinations.

What makes a Nashville Telecaster?

Nashville Teles offer a Telecaster body and feel, and Stratocaster pickup layout. By adding a middle pickup in between the Neck and Bridge pickups of a Telecaster, you can get more of that traditional Strat 'Quack' out of your Telecaster.

When did the Nashville Telecaster come out?

The Nashville B-Bender Telecaster was introduced in 1996 with major design changes in 1998 and 2000.