Fender unveils John 5 Ghost and Phantom Telecaster models

Fender has announced two new signature models for guitarist John 5, the Ghost Telecaster and the Phantom Telecaster, along with a Custom Shop edition of the Phantom, according to Gearnews. The outlet notes that John 5 plays Telecasters practically all the time.

The Ghost Telecaster returns after an earlier limited run that sold for around $3,000 each. The new version is made in Indonesia and comes in Arctic White with red binding and red accents, while the Phantom Telecaster comes in black. Both share a nyatoh body, a C-shaped maple neck, two DiMarzio D Activator humbuckers and a matching painted headstock.

The main difference is the bridge. The Ghost has a six-saddle Tele hardtail and a maple fretboard with a 9.5-inch radius. The Phantom carries a Floyd Rose FRTS2000 Special locking tremolo, so it gets a flatter ebony fretboard with a 12-inch radius. Both have a custom pickguard with a single volume knob and a kill switch, which John 5 uses often, plus a three-way pickup selector on the top horn.

The Custom Shop Phantom adds an alder body with Ultra Contours, a 10-to-14-inch compound-radius flat-laminated ebony fretboard and Luminlay side dots. It costs $6,000. The Indonesian-made models are listed at $1,133, £1,025 or €1,199 for the Ghost and $1,179, £1,068 or €1,249 for the Phantom, available through Thomann and Sweetwater.

Also in October, Fender unveiled the Tone Master ’59 Twin-Amp JB Edition amplifier, developed with Joe Bonamassa, and the next generation of its American Professional series.