Julian Lage‘s Nachocaster

[ronjazz]

Some people like blingy guitars, some like relics.

I'm not into relics but one thing I know is that a worn in Tele neck feels a certain way.

As do worn-in jeans!

[bluejaybill]

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Bickert’s battered Tele notwithstanding, I have a prejudice against “relic’d” guitars - I feel the scars should be earned with time and use, IMHO.

I took this picture of Tommy Tedesco’s Tele just a few weeks ago at the incredible Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. The claim is made that this Tele may be the most recorded guitar in history.

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I particularly like the dollar signs on it: this guitar exists to make money!

[bluejaybill]

Nacho is a great friend. I actually had the privilege of editing The Blackguard Book for him. Oh, and all profits from The Blackguard Book went to Oxfam to build wells in Africa. Nacho is a remarkable guy. Admittedly, I'm biased, but I feel his Nachocasters are pretty remarkable, too. Julian and a number of other professional players do as well!

Congratulations to you and of course Nacho, it is a fantastic book as well as resource for old Telecaster lovers.

[One_Note]

Gorgeous looking guitars. I can see spending that much if you're a touring professional with exacting needs and are passionate about blackguard Teles.

[frankhond]

Trigger warning: those who are offended by reliced guitars may want to look away now.






This is an MJT tele that was offered to me in a trade. I was sceptical. Someone had gone to town on the neck (taken from a MIM Fender) in a completely unrealistic way - it looks like it has been lying in Malmsteen’s strat pile. But that neck just melted into my hand. The relic creates a rolled edge and smooth non-sticky curvature. I replaced the crap electronics and put in Lundgren BJFE pickups. Later I had it refretted with jumbo frets. It’s a very special guitar with a neck that fits me perfectly.


It happens that I get into exchanges like
”So... that’s what they call a relic? That’s not real, earned playwear?”
“Here, try it...”
“Wow!”


I as an amateur invested way less money in this guitar. And I can bring it to jams without thinking too much about dings or getting it stolen. I totally get that someone like Lage would pay good money to make a replica of an irreplaceable instrument.

[Stefan Eff]

Artificial reliced guitars like Nachocasters aren‘t replicas. They’re something more special.

A good reliced neck for example doesn’t have just a unique esthetical appeal- it plays a lot different compared to a sticky dipped in plastic Fenderneck.

A perfect shaped neckpocket on an ultrathin nitrolacquered body, build from selected light wood opens up the tonal range of a Telecaster. Believe it or not.

You can’t compare professional relics with a new distressed jeans. Totally wrong.

[christianm77]

I generally prefer used, old guitars. I haven’t really pondered why, but this is probably a lot of the reason.

[frankhond]

Artificial reliced guitars like Nachocasters aren‘t replicas. They’re something more special.

It was my understanding that Lage had some vintage irreplaceable Tele and didn't want to take it on tour, so Nacho made a replica. But I may be wrong. And we shouldn't read too much into the word replica in this case. I would bet Nacho's guitar is better.

@Stefan those necks you show in this thread are spectacular. I'm tempted to try something like that for myself.... What kind of stock parts do you prefer? Unfinished Musicraft?

[Stefan Eff]

It was my understanding that Lage had some vintage irreplaceable Tele and didn't want to take it on tour, so Nacho made a replica. But I may be wrong. And we shouldn't read too much into the word replica in this case. I would bet Nacho's guitar is better.

@Stefan those necks you show in this thread are spectacular. I'm tempted to try something like that for myself.... What kind of stock parts do you prefer? Unfinished Musicraft?

Afaik Julians got only one refinished late 50‘s Blackguard he‘s using anywhere, but his Nachocaster was his main guitar. I‘ve seen him playing another Telly with a Charlie Christian (?) pickup in the neck position, but maybe he modded his Nacho, who knows? Meanwhile he‘s more in the Duo Jet ballpark, check his signature Collings. I wanted also a Dynasonic Duo Jet badly but then I remembered the wonderful Guild Aristocrat with her unique Franz pickups and her completely hollow construction. Just played me a blister on this beauty, I‘ve introduced her here yesterday I love this guitar!

Concerning necks: Musikraft and any other high quality product . I don‘t use Nitro, only my special oil/wax mixtures. These necks are smooth as silk, it‘s the finish and hours of sanding.

[HeyNow]

Stefan - have you checked out GVCG? Jonathan made some pretty nice relics back in the day. Was ahead of the game way back when.

I think he sourced his bodies from the same place Brian Poe did.

[ruger9]

UPDATE:

So that new P90 in Lage's Nacho tele we've been seeing? Not only is is an Ellis pickup, it's actually an Ellisonic in a P90 case... the same pickup that is on his Collings signature model...

Actually, I think this is the best Rig Rundown Julian has ever done. He's very detailed and gives alot of info on what he uses and has used in the past.

[frankhond]

I looked at the video to find out what he was using in the bridge that matches the p90 in the neck... but he says he never uses the bridge, problem solved

Also that's not really a p90 apparently but something similar in a p90 case.

[Stefan Eff]

The Ellisonic is darn easy to install!

[Marty Grass]

I'd like top put a plug in for Chuck Thornton's reimagined Tele. Mine has the Nashville wiring. He also has other options. Mine is an older one that has a through-neck. Mine also has a fatter neck. I picked mine up used and have never came close to regretting it.

They cost more but not $6K. They are consistently very high quality. There's one on Reverb used for $2K.

Someone who knows Teles well can probably pick up a MIM for a low price and make it a winner without a lot of investment.

[Vihar]

The Ellisonic is darn easy to install!

Designed for convenient height adjustment and extra low noise floor. For $375.00 it's a no brainer.

[Stefan Eff]

^ Isn't it possible to talk seriously about these pickups?

[Vihar]

^^ Do you sell them, Stefan?

[Gregc57]

Nacho is a great friend. I actually had the privilege of editing The Blackguard Book for him. Oh, and all profits from The Blackguard Book went to Oxfam to build wells in Africa. Nacho is a remarkable guy. Admittedly, I'm biased, but I feel his Nachocasters are pretty remarkable, too. Julian and a number of other professional players do as well!

That’s an awesome book. My wife bought it for me the Christmas it came out. Tele-wise, I always wanted a Tele; bought and sold several; never found the one for me……. Until I stumbled across Fender’s ‘51 Nocaster reissue. Done! I found my forever Tele. I think paid $1600 at the time, NOS, no relicing. It was a lot of $ at the time. I consider it a bargain now. I never question what folks pay for gear. It comes down to what the value is to you, for whatever reason, and I’m not so sure there are any illegitimate reasons. Enjoy.

[omphalopsychos]

You can get an original Gretsch Duo Jet from the 50s for less than the modern Collings guitar that is "inspired by it but technically isn't a copy".
You can get original DeArmond 2000s from the 50s for less than the modern Ellis pickups that are "inspired by them but technically aren't copies".

I have to give the hat tip to the Julian Lage (TM) brand for successfully commanding a higher premium than ACTUAL vintage gear through the mystique of fanboyism.

FTR, huge fan of nacho! He builds a mean plank. I especially love it for the fact that it costs less than a vintage blackguard. Although we'll see how long that lasts if they come out with a JL model that is "inspired by a tele but isn't technically a copy".

[D'Aquisto Fan]

You can get an original Gretsch Duo Jet from the 50s for less than the modern Collings guitar that is "inspired by it but technically isn't a copy".
You can get original DeArmond 2000s from the 50s for less than the modern Ellis pickups that are "inspired by them but technically aren't copies".

I have to give the hat tip to the Julian Lage (TM) brand for successfully commanding a higher premium than ACTUAL vintage gear through the mystique of fanboyism.

FTR, huge fan of nacho! He builds a mean plank. I especially love it for the fact that it costs less than a vintage blackguard. Although we'll see how long that lasts if they come out with a JL model that is "inspired by a tele but isn't technically a copy".

I don't see a JL Nachocaster model on the horizon. As Julian says in that rig rundown video, his Nachocaster is just one of the guitars in Nacho's batch. I know that's true of Julian's other Nachocasters. By the way, great looking Tele!

[Stefan Eff]

You can get an original Gretsch Duo Jet from the 50s for less than the modern Collings guitar that is "inspired by it but technically isn't a copy".
You can get original DeArmond 2000s from the 50s for less than the modern Ellis pickups that are "inspired by them but technically aren't copies".

I have to give the hat tip to the Julian Lage (TM) brand for successfully commanding a higher premium than ACTUAL vintage gear through the mystique of fanboyism.

FTR, huge fan of nacho! He builds a mean plank. I especially love it for the fact that it costs less than a vintage blackguard. Although we'll see how long that lasts if they come out with a JL model that is "inspired by a tele but isn't technically a copy".

The 470 JL is completely different constructed vs a Duo Jet.

[ragman1]

Stefan -

Not difficult to find.

Julian Lage Guitar Rig Rundown with John Bohlinger - Premier Guitar