Introduction
Waylon Jennings was one of the pioneering forces behind the outlaw country movement of the 1970s. Born in 1937 in Littlefield, Texas, Jennings got his start in music playing bass for Buddy Holly’s band The Crickets. After Holly’s death in 1959, Jennings struck out on his own and began cultivating an edgy, rebellious persona that went against the polished Nashville sound.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Jennings crafted a grittier alternative to mainstream country music that resonated with younger audiences. His independently-minded attitude and creative control over his music inspired fellow artists like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and more to follow suit. This collective of unconventional country artists came to be known as the outlaw movement.
Jennings had great success throughout this era, releasing platinum albums like Lonesome, On’ry and Mean and Dreaming My Dreams while pushing boundaries with his lyrics and sound. Songs like “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)” and “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” epitomized his unique style. Jennings’ impact on country music earned him a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame shortly before his death in 2002.
The Limited Edition Masterbuilt Waylon Jennings Telecaster Relic
Designed and built by the expert craftspeople at the Fender Custom Shop, the Limited Edition Masterbuilt Waylon Jennings Telecaster Relic is a meticulously crafted tribute to the outlaw country pioneer. Only 60 of these guitars will be produced, making them highly collectible and sought-after.
The Masterbuilt series represents Fender’s top-tier custom guitars, with each instrument handmade by a single master builder. These guitars feature premium tonewoods and hand-wound custom pickups, as well as an array of personalized specs tailored to the artist.
The Waylon Jennings Telecaster Relic is built with a lightweight ash body in a 2-Color Sunburst nitrocellulose lacquer finish designed to mimic years of wear. The "relic" technique artificially recreates nicks, dings, buckle rash, and finish checking to make the guitar look naturally well-loved and aged. This is intended to capture the vibe of Waylon’s own battered ’54 Tele that he played for decades.
The maple neck has a mid-’60s "oval C" profile that Waylon favored. It has a 9.5" radius rosewood fingerboard outfitted with six 105 narrow jumbo frets. The headstock shape mirrors that of Waylon’s famous guitar.
It features two hand-wound custom pickups designed to emulate Waylon’s tone – a Twisted Tele neck pickup and special Broadcaster bridge pickup. Other components include a 3-saddle string-through-body bridge, master volume and tone controls, 3-way pickup switch, and vintage-style tuners.
Waylon Jennings’ Outlaw Country Guitar Style
Waylon Jennings will forever be remembered for his signature Telecaster guitar sound that defined the outlaw country movement. While he played various guitars throughout his career, Jennings had an undying fondness for Fender Telecasters, especially his trusty 1954 model.
This well-worn "leather" Telecaster became an iconic part of Jennings’ rebellious anti-establishment image. Its distinctive warm, twangy tone can be heard across many of his classic albums and songs. According to Jennings, he preferred the beefy midrange and crisp treble bite of the Telecaster over the bassier Gibson models favored by country stars of the era.
Jennings often spoke of the intimate connection he felt to his 1954 Tele, believing it was a key part of his creative process in the studio and on stage. The guitar has a worn, relic’d look from years of hard playing that perfectly matched Jennings’ rough, outlaw persona. Fans would immediately recognize the guitar’s distinctive butterscotch blonde finish paired with Jennings’ commanding presence behind the microphone.
Some of Jennings’ most famous guitar work can be heard on outlaw country staples like "Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys." His expert fingerpicking and strumming demonstrated the Telecaster’s versatility across multiple genres from country and folk to rock and blues. The unmistakable snap and twang of Jennings’ trusty Tele is an indelible part of his legacy.
Recreating Waylon’s Tone
Waylon Jennings’ gritty, raw Telecaster tone is instantly recognizable. While much of it came from his aggressive playing style, you can get close to his signature sound with the right guitar gear.
Amps
Waylon often played through classic Fender tube amps like the Twin Reverb and Bassman. He liked the clean headroom and touch-sensitivity these amps provided. For home playing, a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe or Blues Junior will get you in the ballpark.
Effects
A touch of reverb and tremolo were common in Waylon’s rig. He also made liberal use of compression to get his Tele to "bark" and even out his picking dynamics. An MXR Dyna Comp or Boss CS-3 Compressor pedal will give you his squashed twang.
Pickups
Waylon’s Teles were loaded with vintage single-coil pickups that added bite and presence. Look for pickups with an output between 7-9k ohms. The Custom Shop pickups on the Waylon Tribute Tele are custom-wound to capture his tone.
Strings/Picks
Heavy flatwound or roundwound strings (12s or 13s) will give you Waylon’s fat string tone. He also used heavy picks between 1-1.14mm for aggressive rhythm playing. Fender 351 picks were one of his go-tos.
Settings
Keep your amp tone controls set neutral with the mids slightly boosted. Waylon’s tone was all about the wide-open, uncompressed power of the Telecaster into a crunchy tube amp. Let your playing style and dynamics provide the variation.
Inside the Fender Custom Shop
The Limited Edition Waylon Jennings Telecaster Relic was meticulously crafted by the expert luthiers at the Fender Custom Shop in Corona, California. Known as the birthplace of the world’s finest guitars, the Custom Shop is where Fender’s most skilled Master Builders hand-build special guitars to honor iconic artists and create historically accurate replicas.
To develop the Waylon Tribute Telecaster, the Master Builders conducted extensive research on Waylon’s original guitars. They studied vintage photos to replicate the exact "relic’d" wear patterns on Waylon’s road-worn 1954 ash body Telecaster. The finish was carefully applied and distressed to capture the look and feel of his well-loved guitar after years of hard-playing concerts.
The Custom Shop team also analyzed Waylon’s vintage Telecaster pickups to recreate his signature tone. They custom-wound a set of Twisted Tele neck and bridge pickups by hand, matching the output and EQ curve of the original pickups. This ensures the Limited Edition Waylon Tele has the same gritty, bluesy tone that defined Waylon’s outlaw country style.
Every detail of the guitar, from the custom "Waylon Jennings" neck plate to the unique body contours, was meticulously examined and recreated during the design process. Each guitar is signed and serialized by the Master Builder and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Only 250 total will be produced, making the Waylon Jennings Tribute Telecaster a true collectible for fans and guitar enthusiasts.
The Relic Process
The Master Built team utilized special relic’ing techniques to give the Waylon Jennings Telecaster its worn-in, vintage vibe. This involved artificially aging and distressing the guitar’s finish and hardware to mimic decades of play and wear.
The process started with applying a custom thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish in Waylon’s preferred butterscotch blonde. To relic the body, Master Builders used a combination of methods to create dings, buckle rash, cracks, and finish checking. Light sanding and heated reactive chemicals created a naturally worn look on the guitar’s edges and contours. The finish was then carefully rubbed and oiled to seal in the cracks and checking.
The neck was also lightly sanded and finished to look played-in. The edges were rounded and softened, with play wear added to the fretboard and back of the neck. The hardware was also aged – the bridge and control plate were scratched and scuffed, while the tuners were oxidized.
Every dent, nick, scratch and imperfection was meticulously added by hand. No two relic guitars are identical, making each one unique. The relic process authentically recreates the vibe of a well-loved vintage instrument.
Notable Specs
The Masterbuilt Waylon Jennings Telecaster Relic contains several notable specifications that help capture Waylon’s signature guitar tone and aesthetic.
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Custom Hand-Wound Pickups: The guitar features a set of custom-designed single coil Telecaster pickups that were hand-wound in the Fender Custom Shop. These pickups were voiced specifically to mimic the twangy, crisp tone of Waylon’s favorite Telecaster guitars. The bridge pickup provides plenty of bite and treble for leads, while the neck pickup has a smooth, rounded tone for rhythm playing.
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Butterscotch Blonde Finish: The guitar sports a gorgeous butterscotch blonde finish, just like Waylon’s famous 1954 Telecaster. The thin polyurethane finish allows the guitar’s tonewoods to resonate freely. It has been expertly relic’d by the Master Builders to recreate decades of wear and tear.
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Maple Neck with Rosewood Fingerboard: The guitar has a quartersawn maple neck and fingerboard made of rosewood for balanced tone and smooth playability. The back of the neck sports a "skunk stripe" just like Waylon’s original guitar.
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Vintage-Style Hardware: It features vintage-style hardware including kluson-style tuners, a 3-saddle Telecaster bridge, and a 4-way pickup switch for versatile tonal options. The hardware has been aged to match the relic’d finish.
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Personal Touches: The guitar includes several personal touches like Waylon’s signature on the headstock, custom neck plate, and replica stickers that the real Waylon added to his guitar over the years. These details make each guitar unique.
The Masterbuilt Waylon Jennings Telecaster contains premium components crafted to spec in the Fender Custom Shop, capturing the vibe of his iconic instrument.
Waylon Memorabilia and Collectibles
The auction of Waylon Jennings’ personal belongings after his passing in 2002 was met with great interest from collectors and fans. His iconic guitars, stage clothing, awards, and other music gear fetched impressive prices that demonstrated the enduring appeal of the outlaw country legend.
Among the highlights was the sale of Jennings’ famous maple body Fender Telecaster guitar from the 1960s, which he nicknamed "Number One" and played extensively on tour and in the studio. It sold for over $100,000. His 1950s Martin D-28 acoustic guitar, hand-painted with a scenic landscape, went for a winning bid of $70,000. Other notable guitars auctioned included a customized Baldwin 800C acoustic and a Gibson J-200 Celebrity acoustic.
Beyond instruments, Jennings owned an impressive collection of Nudie suits, embellished leather jackets, custom cowboy boots, and other flashy stage attire that exemplified his brazen country persona. Many of these were adorned with colorful embroidery, rhinestones, and western motifs. His heavily studded leather vest was purchased for $4,000.
Awards and plaques recognizing Jennings’ success also attracted interest, including his CMA Male Vocalist of the Year trophy from 1975. Handwritten lyric sheets to classic songs like "Luckenbach, Texas" gave a glimpse into his creative process. Even the worn leather couch from his tour bus went for over $4,000.
Overall, the auction spotlighted the significant value placed on rare Waylon Jennings items by collectors. It reflected his cultural impact and cemented his legacy as an outlaw country pioneer. The prices realized for his guitars, clothing, song drafts, and other memorabilia will likely only continue to appreciate in the years ahead.
Included Extras
The Masterbuilt Waylon Jennings Telecaster comes with some special extras for collectors. Each guitar comes in a custom rectangular hard-shell case featuring Waylon’s signature and likeness, along with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Master Builder John Cruz.
The case really complements the vintage vibe of the guitar, looking like a well-worn leather case from the 50s or 60s. It adds to the collector appeal and displays the Waylon graphics prominently when displayed.
The Certificate of Authenticity is personalized for each Telecaster, denoting its serial number and custom specs. Having John Cruz’s signature verifies the Masterbuilt status and limited production run.
Some lucky buyers have also reported receiving additional Waylon memorabilia randomly included, like guitar picks or backstage passes. This is not guaranteed, but seems Fender has added some extra touches for early buyers.
The collectible case and COA make fine display pieces on their own. Combined with the guitar, they complete the full tribute package for a Waylon Jennings fan. Fender went the extra mile to make this Telecaster feel like a historic piece of outlaw country history.
Conclusion
The Limited Edition Masterbuilt Waylon Jennings Telecaster Relic is a special tribute to the outlaw country pioneer. With its meticulously crafted relic finish and vintage-accurate components, this guitar captures the rebellious spirit and gritty tone of Waylon’s iconic Telecaster sound.
Fender Custom Shop Master Builders worked closely with Waylon’s family and team to design a guitar that embodies his musical legacy. From the custom hand-wound pickups to the unique finish and personal touches, this is more than just a guitar – it’s a collectible piece of music history.
Only 300 of these Masterbuilt Telecasters were produced, making them highly sought-after by collectors and fans. If you want to get your hands on this limited edition Waylon Jennings tribute model, visit authorized Fender dealers or the Fender Custom Shop site.
Owning this guitar is the closest most of us can get to playing the infamous "Trigger" Fender that defined Waylon’s career. Its incredible tone and vintage vibe let you channel the outlaw attitude in your own music. For a one-of-a-kind guitar honoring a true original, look no further than the Masterbuilt Waylon Jennings Telecaster Relic.