Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster Deluxe Closet Classic Electric Guitar, Aged Butterscotch Blonde

Before the Telecaster, there was the Nocaster. In early 1951, Fender was forced to remove the “Broadcaster” name from the headstock of their revolutionary solidbody electric guitar, resulting in a brief run of nameless instruments—now revered by collectors as “Nocasters.” The Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster Deluxe Closet Classic revisits this transitional model with period-correct styling and modern build precision, combining hand-wound pickups, traditional tonewoods, and custom shop craftsmanship to deliver a deeply faithful playing experience.

The body is built from hand-selected, lightweight ash, prized for its balanced tone and crisp attack. Its tonal clarity and midrange character pair perfectly with the instrument’s bolt-on maple neck and one-piece maple fingerboard, staying true to the earliest Nocaster specs. A thick 1951 "U" profile provides a substantial, palm-filling grip, while the 9.5" radius and 21 medium jumbo (6150) frets offer a more contemporary playability under the fingers.

Under the hood, the '51 Nocaster Deluxe Closet Classic is loaded with a hand-wound Crushed Blackguard bridge pickup and a hand-wound '51 Nocaster neck pickup, delivering a punchy, articulate response with plenty of Tele snap and nuance. The electronics are routed through a standard three-way selector with master volume and tone controls.

The bridge is a classic Tele 51–54 style with compensated brass saddles, ensuring intonation and sustain are handled the old-fashioned way. Vintage-style tuners, a bone nut, and a single-ply black pickguard round out the period-accurate hardware.

Finished in Aged Butterscotch Blonde and lightly relic’d in Fender’s Deluxe Closet Classic styling, this guitar evokes the feel of a well-preserved instrument that’s been cherished, not abused. Delivered in a Custom Shop tweed case.