Fred Stuart's 'Broadcaster'

1999 Fender 1950 Broadcaster 1998 Custom Shop (Fred Stuart).

This amazing guitar was built during late 1998 and through 1999 - completed in December 1999 as a Fender Custom Shop prototype by Fred Stuart. This instrument, which weighs just 6.80 lbs., is accurately based on an original 1950 Broadcaster. The neck, the body and the final assembly, including the wiring were solely by Fred Stuart. This is the actual prototype that was shown at NAMM (Winter 2000). This is just one of six Broadcaster's built at the Fender Custom Shop. A few years ago we sold a very similar guitar (one of the six) that one built by John English.

The incredibly light and super resonant body was made from a single piece of 'swamp ash'. The highly flamed 'birdseye' 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 / Fred Stuart / 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 Fred Stuart from 43 gauge plain enamel wire with huge outputs of 7.60k and 7.00k - the bridge pickup with flush pole-pieces, as per the original. Two controls (one volume, one tone) plus four-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 9936" (CTS September 1999). Chrome knobs with very slightly domed tops and heavily knurled sides. Combined steel bridge/tailpiece with three angled adjustable brass saddles and slot-head screws. The bridgeplate is stamped "R0001". The neck is marked in pencil on the underside "NAMM / Proto". The end of the neck is marked in pencil "F.S. 12-98". The neck pocket is stamped in black with the Fender Custom Shop logo. and the the bridge pickup  cavity is marked in pencil "Broadcaster". The body and hardware have been perfectly 'aged' by Fred Stuart 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).

Fred built this guitar with a four-way pickup selector switch - position 1 is a blend; position 2 is the neck pickup only; position 3 is the both pickups and position 4 is the bridge pickup only. For anyone that wants standard wiring - Fred has included a three-way switch in the case.

Complete with all the original case candy including the original Fender Certificate of Authenticity dated "12/99" - Model "Broadcaster" - Serial # "R0001" - [signed by] "Fred Stuart".

"Twang!… That says it all for me! My earliest recollections of music are some of the old hillbilly artists from the mid-fifties. When I found out that the best sounds were being made on Telecasters, I was irrevocably converted. Being a part of the process of carrying on the tradition is no less than an honor and a privilege."

Whilst at the Fender Custom Shop, Fred Stuart was responsible for many guitars featured in the Fender Custom Shop Gallery including: The Egyptian Tele, The Moto Strat Set, The Danny Gatton Doubleneck, The Aztec-Mayan Telecaster, The Buck Owens Tele, The Resonator Tele, The Double Bender Telecaster, The Right-Hand/Left-Hand Stratocaster, The Horseshoe Tele, The Celtic Tele, The Rhinestone Strat, The La Riata Tele, The Deco-Pearl Danny Gatton Telecaster, The Checkerboard Bajo Sexto Telecaster, The Velvet Elvis Telecaster and The 50th Anniversary Fender Electric Spanish Guitar and Amp Set.