The Fender Jim Root Telecaster is James Root's signature model Telecaster.[1][2] In January 2010, a Jim Root Signature Fender Telecaster was unveiled on the Fender website, similar to the one he has been seen using on stage, as of March 2009. The difference being the headstock. The prototype originally made for Jim came with the 1970s style Strat headstock. Root got it shaved down to a standard Telecaster shape. This made the 1970s Fender Telecaster logo go to the very edge of the headstock. With a mahogany body, a fast neck and active EMG 81/60 pickups, it is a guitar designed for the heavy metal/hard rock guitar player.[3]
Basic Information
Jim Root performing live with his Telecaster
Root has previously used Jackson, Charvel, PRS and Maverick guitars. He was impressed with the quality of Fender and contacted Alex Perez. They used the Fender Showmaster as an idea to build on. In July 2007, Fender released a Jim Root Signature Fender Telecaster guitar. The guitar comes in two models - one with a black finish and maple fingerboard and the other in a white finish with an ebony fingerboard. It differs from many Fender guitars. The guitar has a mahogany body, nitro-lacquer finish, dual humbuckers, a single master volume, an ebony fingerboard and a 12" neck radius. It has traits of a Gibson guitar and a Fender guitar. Root said it's a mix of classic and modern. The guitar's heel is shaved so the player can access higher frets. Root chose a nitro-lacquer finish because it tends to wear quicker than the normal polyurethane finish. The guitar comes with a SKB molded case with a blood red plush interior. Root uses EMG active pickups. This guitar is made in Mexico while his signature Stratocasters are made in America. The retail price is $1,469.99.
More recently they have released a Squier version of the Telecaster with passive solid-covered humbuckers.
Body
The Jim Root Telecaster is a slab Mahogany body (a rarity for Fender instruments) that is not fully contoured. It only has the tummy-cutaway and a shaved heel. It does not have the fore-arm contour. The guitar is rear routed but still has a pickguard. The guitar features active pickups, an EMG 81 in the bridge pickup position and an EMG 60 in the neck position.
Neck
Root modeled the neck after a Jackson/Charvel style neck. It is a maple neck with either a maple fretboard or an ebony fretboard. It has a 12" (305mm) radius and Dunlop jumbo frets. The neck is finished with Satin Urethane making it feel soft. The Nut Width is 1.650" (42mm) thick. The nut is made of synthetic bone. The scale length is 25.5"(648mm).
