Let me introduce two guitars that have become cornerstones of my sound and playing: a 2005 Highway One Texas Telecaster and a hand-built Strat-style guitar with parts from the early 2000s. Each one carries a distinct personality, but both share a common goal—great tone with a touch of soul.
Fender Highway One Texas Telecaster (2005 Sunburst)
This Tele’s been rebuilt from the inside out. I rewired it with a Blues 60’s Tele kit that includes:
- Bourns 250K audio taper pots
- Oak Grigsby 3-way switch
- Switchcraft jack
- Vintage PIO .033uf K40Y capacitor
- Gavitt cloth pushback wire
- A custom volume/tone frequency filter that smooths harsh highs and retains clarity even at lower volumes
Pickups:
- True Custom Shop® ’64 Reissue Neck Pickup
- Fender Custom Shop Nocaster ‘51 Bridge Pickup
Specs:
- Ash body
- Thick C-shaped maple neck
- 12″ fingerboard radius
Tone: The Tele’s got that undeniable top-end bite, but it’s controllable. The circuit tames the harsh “ice pick” frequencies and adds surprising headroom. I rarely play it wide open and rolling off the volume slightly makes it bloom. The bridge pickup is raw and snappy, with classic Tele twang, while the neck stays smooth and expressive. It’s everything I want from a Tele, with a bit more polish and control.
Fender Stratocaster (Silverburst)
This Stratocaster came together better than I expected. It’s loaded with:
- Seymour Duncan 52-1 pickups (early 2000s)
- Vintage green PIO 0.33uf capacitor
- Switchcraft output jack
- Gotoh tuners
- 2002 Highway One tremolo
Specs:
- Alder body
- Thicker C-shaped maple neck with ebony fretboard
- 13″ fingerboard radius
Tone: The neck pickup is warm, rich, and dynamic. Super responsive and great for clean tones. The bridge surprised me the most. Unlike typical stock Strat bridge pickups, this one isn’t thin or piercing. It’s full, balanced, and cuts without sounding brittle. Add in the PIO cap, and the tone feels buttery smooth, especially when rolling the tone knob. This one covers everything from mellow blues to biting funk leads.
Together, these two guitars offer a wide spectrum of feel and tone. The Tele is aggressive and vintage-inspired, with wiring upgrades that bring out the best in every note. The Strat is more refined and versatile, with a smooth, full-range voice that just feels good to play.
Both were built with intention.