Relic Humbucker Telecaster

One-Off Barnwood Guitar – Salvaged, Rewired, Reborn

This is no factory clone. It’s a one-off resurrection: a Telecaster silhouette with guts, built from salvaged roofing timber, an Ikea bookcase panel, and even a strip of painted skirting board. A true Rat Bait Guitars creation—raw, unrepeatable, and full of soul.

Specs & Features

• Body: Tele-style, hand-built from reclaimed barnwood and salvaged materials
• Neck: 22-fret maple, old-school profile, lightly nitro-finished for a broken-in vintage feel
• Electronics: Tele bridge pickup (Fender Squier) + neck humbucker, 3-way switch, tortoise shell scratchplate
• Hardware: Brand new 10mm machine heads, strap buttons
• Dimensions:
  • Scale length: 25.5"
  • Nut width: 42mm (1.656")
  • Body thickness: approx. 44mm (±0.5mm)

Build Notes

• Hand-assembled from recycled timber and new old stock parts
• Mid-range pickups that punch above their weight—expect vintage twang with grit, not sterile polish
• Natural barnwood finish: imperfect, honest, and full of character
• Traces of old paintwork and light nitrocellulose highlights for added texture
• Built for players who value soul over symmetry

In the dim recesses of a forgotten atelier, beneath the pall of dust and time, there lay a creature of wood and wire—an instrument not born, but exhumed. Its body, a Telecaster, bore the scars of a thousand spectral performances. The lacquer, once proud, now flaked like the skin of the dead. Its humbuckers, twin obsidian eyes, stared into the abyss of silence.

I had not meant to find it. The door to the gallery—nay, the mausoleum—had creaked open of its own accord. Within, relics hung like condemned souls, each whispering their histories in tones too faint for mortal ears. But this one... this one sang.

Its voice was not of this world. A low, growling timbre, as if the earth itself had been wired for sound. I touched its strings and felt the chill of the grave. Each note rang with the sorrow of forgotten ballads, each chord a lamentation for the living.

The relic was not merely aged—it was possessed. The humbuckers, wound with copper and curse, drew forth harmonics that danced like will-o’-the-wisps. The bridge, rusted and resolute, anchored the soul of the instrument to its wooden tomb. And the neck—oh, the neck!—was a path to madness, fretted with despair.

I played it, Peter. I played it until the walls wept and the gallery groaned. And when I ceased, the silence was not empty—it was listening.

Who’s Played Telecasters with Humbuckers?

The neck humbucker Tele isn’t just a mod—it’s a movement. Since the 1970s, this configuration has attracted players who crave warmth without sacrificing bite. Here are a few legends who’ve made it sing:

• Keith Richards: Famously wielded a Telecaster Custom with a neck humbucker, using it to drive the Rolling Stones’ swaggering rhythm tone.
• Jim Root (Slipknot): His signature Fender Telecaster features dual humbuckers, built for heavy riffing and brutal clarity.
• John 5: Known for his eclectic style, John 5’s signature Telecasters often include humbuckers to handle everything from country twang to metal shred.
• Andy Summers (The Police): While best known for his modified Telecaster with effects built in, Summers also explored humbucker configurations for added tonal depth.

This setup bridges the gap between classic Tele twang and the fuller, rounder tones of a humbucker—ideal for players who want expressive dynamics without switching guitars.

 

Handbuilt in North Devon | Tele-Strat Hybrid | Raw Tone & Rebellion

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