Metal
Fender and its Custom Shop have presented three John 5 signature Telecasters: the John 5 Phantom Telecaster, the John 5 Ghost Telecaster and the Fender Custom Shop John 5 “Phantom” Telecaster.
The Phantom is finished in black with a matching headstock, and carries DiMarzio D Activator humbuckers and a Floyd Rose FRTS2000 Special Series; the controls come down to a single volume knob and a killswitch. The Ghost is arctic white with a matching headstock, chrome hardware, red accents and a nyatoh body, with the same pickups and the same control layout.
The Custom Shop model has a two-piece alder body with Ultra Contours, a maple neck with a Modern “C” profile, a 10- to 14-inch compound-radius ebony fingerboard with twenty-two medium jumbo frets, a Floyd Rose Original double-locking tremolo, Luminlay side dots and locking tuners.
“I don’t know if the Telecaster picked me or I picked it. I was so drawn to that shape,” says John 5. “Ever since I was little, Fender was always just the pinnacle, the greatest, and I just wanted nothing more to have the best guitar for me and have the people enjoy it as well.”
“Bringing the Ghost back into the Fender lineup puts his signature design within reach of more players,” says Justin Norvell, Fender’s chief product officer for guitars.
The same day John 5 released a new song and video, listed on the platforms as “The Phantom”. The video was filmed by Mike Savage with drummer Joey Aguirre; the mix is by Barry Pointer. It is his first release since his latest album, “Ghost”.
Text by Sergi Colomines