WTF Dept.: Joe Strummer Fender Telecaster
Author: AF Duncan
October 29th, 2007
Much has been written/said about the commodification of punk over the last 15-ish years, so I’m not going to go into that here. What I am going to say is that the unironic “highly distressed “road-worn” treatment” of this Fender Artist Series Joe Strummer Telecaster takes the meaning of the word “asinine” to new heights.
Attention to kids who don’t know any better: this is a one-way ticket to Poseurville. It’s like paving over a wetland and naming the street after Henry David Thoreau.
Spread the word!
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5 Responses to “WTF Dept.: Joe Strummer Fender Telecaster”
October 29th, 2007 at 7:38 am
This is a goddamn disgrace. Joe Strummer must be rolling in his grave. But, this kind of shit is inevitable in today’s culture. If Nirvana can be used to sell video games, the Ramones can be used to sell everything under the damn sun, why not make a beat-up-looking guitar and sell it for way more money than it’s worth to dummys who’ll pay for it…?
October 30th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Actually, the Joe Strummer is a real bargain at $899 when you compare it to the Fender Custom shop “tribute guitars” like the $10,500 Jeff Beck Esquire:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Custom-Shop-Limited-Edition-Jeff-Beck-Tribute-Esquire?sku=517916
and $25,000 Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/EVH-Eddie-Van-Halen-Frankenstein-Replica-Electric-Guitar?sku=513703
“Relic” Guitars are very “In.” I’m sure Strummer’s estate had to approve this, but I’m not sure if the man himself would have. It’s a comparatively proletariat price for a guitar, though.
November 19th, 2007 at 11:40 am
If this guitar, which is presumably licensed by Joe’s estate, inspires even one youngster to learn to play, then I can’t imagine how Joe would have a problem with it.
January 5th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
I bought one not even knowing who Stummer was, so i guess i’m that idiot who would pay for a beat up guitar. Honestly, i thought it was a used telecaster i picked it up started playin it and couldn’t put it down. I did feel a little dumb when i found out,…doh..stupid brain!
It is a really a nice sounding/playing guitar. to bad it was just marketing gimmick.
Well if anything i am now checking out a lot more Clash & Mescalero stuff.
January 12th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Well I took it back and exchanged it for and American Tele. I just had a sense of disappointment every time i looked at it. I thought it was a used tele and that would of been fine with me but the fact it was deliberately marketed that way makes it suck. Your just buying someone else’s look. The guitar itself is an excellent instrument if it wasn’t “factory distressed” its light and has excellent tone. I think this would be more of a collectors guitar rather than a everyday player.