FENDER CIJ Hellecasters Limited Edition Will Ray "JAZZ-A-CASTER" Telecaster "Gold Foil Leaf + Maple" (1997)

From the listing

Seller's description

Specs: • Model: Hellecasters Limited Edition Will Ray “JAZZ-A-CASTER” Telecaster • Finish: Gold Foil Leaf • Body: Basswood • Neck: Maple • Fingerboard: Maple • Pickups: 2 x Seymour Duncan Jazzmaster-Style Single-Coils • Controls: Master Volume, Stacked Tone / Bass Roll-Off • Switching: 4-Way Selector with Series and Parallel Options • Bridge: Telecaster Bridge with Hipshot Will Ray Signature B-Bender • Country: Japan • Year: 1997 Personal Thoughts: This is a really cool and very unusual piece from Fender Japan’s late-’90s Hellecasters series. Fender offered the three Hellecasters models around 1997–1998, built around Will Ray, Jerry Donahue and John Jorgenson, and that short-lived run is a big part of why they feel so collectible now. They were not just artist signature guitars in the usual sense either, as each one had its own very specific design and feature set that reflected the player it was built for. The Will Ray model is probably the wildest of the three, and the “JAZZ-A-CASTER” name suits it perfectly because it blends Telecaster styling with a more offbeat pickup and switching approach. The Gold Foil Leaf finish makes it instantly stand out, but the electronics are really what make it interesting. The 4-way switching with series and parallel options gives it a lot more range than a standard Tele, and the stacked tone / bass roll-off control is a clever touch that makes the hotter pickup combinations much more usable. It is also one of those guitars that really captures what made the Hellecasters project so fun in the first place — great players, unusual ideas, Japanese build quality, and a line that was only around for a short time before disappearing. A very collectible Fender Japan piece and a genuinely interesting guitar in its own right. Condition Report: Excellent collector’s grade condition. Presents exceptionally well overall with only light signs of age and handling. A very clean example from this rare late-’90s Hellecasters run. Part Exchange Welc