ToneShaper Hotrod Telecaster x2213

ToneShaper Hotrod Tele – Featuring Cayenne Pickups

At Tone Shapers, we build pro-level, hot-rodded guitars that play and sound like dream machines — at prices that make sense. Each build showcases the high-end components we sell, and this one was put together to demo our new Cayenne pickups.

Buy the parts, assembly is free! Read more on the pricing tab.

The Build
Love a great Tele? Us too, and this Hotrod hits every mark. It pairs a genuine Fender maple neck with a pau ferro fretboard, to a genuine Fender alder body in classic Candy Apple Red — a timeless look with top-tier playability.

Neck

• Genuine Fender neck with 22 jumbo frets and a 12" radius — for low action and effortless bending.
• Professionally leveled, crowned, and polished frets ensure ultra-smooth playability and minimal buzz.
• The result? A neck that plays brilliantly, with best-case action and a fast, modern feel.

Body

• Alder Fender body, '60s spec  — the real deal.
• Flawless fit and finish — beautiful to look at and sounds like a million bucks.
• The Candy Apple Red finish shines beautifully, and the contours are 100% to vintage spec.

Wiring

Pickups
Our Tone Shaper Cayenne pickups capture classic Tele sparkle, chime, and clarity — built with traditional 1950s materials and methods, and priced sanely.

• Made to our specs in Korea.
• RWRP bridge pickup for hum-canceling in the middle position, whether the pickups are combined in series or parallel.
• Tone that rivals boutique brands like Fralin, Lollar, and Suhr — at half the price.

Check out the demo video — these pickups sound fantastic while leaving more of your hard-earned cash in your pocket.

Electronics
Our custom pushbutton switch gives you expanded tonal flexibility — instantly, and without clutter or confusion. With both pickups engaged, you can toggle between series and parallel wiring:

• Parallel (the classic Fender setup): bright, open, and chimey.
• Series: thicker, punchier, with a boosted midrange and higher output.

It’s the best of both worlds, right at your fingertips.

Every detail is built to perfection on a drilled stainless steel control plate, made exclusively for us by Callaham Guitars. The look is completed with our own nickel-plated steel knobs, perfectly matched to the control plate and bridge for a clean, cohesive aesthetic.

Hardware

Hardware
For the bridge, we went straight to the best — Bill Callaham.
This guitar features a Callaham vintage-style bridge, refined in all the right ways:

1. Relieved treble-side lip for better finger access and comfort.

2. Compensated stainless steel saddles for spot-on intonation and classic looks.

3. Thicker plate and front corner screws that create a tighter mechanical connection to the body — improving sustain, resonance, and energy transfer.

The build is rounded out with Fender’s F-logo neck plate, parchment pickguard, strap buttons, jack ferrule, and Fender ClassicGear tuners.
These tuners combine the vintage Kluson aesthetic with modern sealed performance — a perfect marriage of classic style and modern reliability.

Case
We’re including a Fender FE920 gray denim gig bag — lightweight, well-padded, and ready for the road. We prefer gig bags over cases for their comfort and practicality, and this one’s a great balance of quality and value.

Pricing

Specs

• Weight: 7.95 lbs
• Scale Length: 25.5"
• Fretboard Radius: 12"
• All-new components, each carrying the original manufacturer’s warranty.
• Fully set up and dialed — this guitar plays and sounds as good as anything from PRS, Anderson, or Suhr.
• Ready to gig.

Buy the parts — get the labor free!
If you’ve ever priced out a custom build, you know how costs add up fast. A Warmoth project can run $1,500–$2,000 in parts alone — before paying a tech to finish and assemble it.

Our builds are done by seasoned pros. Only 10% of shops are in the top 10%, right?
We’re in that 10%. And when you buy from us, you’re getting that level of craftsmanship — for free.

What could be better?