Fender John Osborne Telecaster: The B-Bender is Back!
Brothers Osborne's guitarist gets a signature model!
The Brothers Osborne have grown into one of the most important acts in bluegrass and Americana since 2012. In addition to singer T. J.’s distinctive voice, it is above all John’s magical guitar playing. Fender releasing the John Osborne Telecaster signature is, therefore, only logical. And it brings back the rare B-Bender!
Everything You Need to Know:
Who are the Brothers Osborne?
T.J. and John Osborne founded the Brothers Osborne (not to be confused with the Osborne Brothers) in 2021, have released three albums since then, and have been on the road, sometimes as a duo, sometimes with a backing band. In addition to T.J.’s unusually powerful voice for bluegrass and country, it was John’s soulful guitar playing that made waves.
He combines slide-guitar elements and twangy licks to create a sound that brings the genre’s tradition into the modern age. Brothers Osborne also won a Grammy in 2022 in the category “Best Country Duo/Group Performance” for their song “Younger Me.”
In 2021, T. J. became the first major label country/bluegrass artist to come out. With “Younger Me,” he wrote a song to his younger self about his path that struck a chord with many.
What is so Special About The B-Bender in The John Osborne Telecaster?
Hardly any other type of guitar is as closely associated with the sound of country and bluegrass as the Tele. John has been playing a model he modified himself since his early days, and Fender developed the John Osborne Telecaster Signature based on this. Its most distinctive feature: a B-Bender!
The B-Bender is a mechanism anchored in the body of the Tele that raises the B string by a whole note in real time by pulling on the neck. That way, you easily create slide guitar-like sounds. The mechanism is connected to the upper strap holder, so when you press down on the neck, the B string is raised.
The B-Bender was developed in the 1950s by country musicians Clarence White and Gene Parsons, who continued to offer it themselves until the late 1980s. Fender licensed it in the early nineties and launched the American Standard B-Bender Telecaster in 1996. Since the mid-2000s, the company has not produced any new series with B-Benders. The John Osborne Telecaster brings it back!
What is The Fender John Osborne Telecaster Made of?
Fender takes a classic t-model approach: alder for the body, maple for the neck (bolt-on with John Osborne custom profile), and fretboard. The neck has been hand-oiled using the “Road Worn” process to give it a vintage vibe. In terms of appearance, the John Osborne Telecaster features a stylish “Olympic White” finish with a Road Worn nitro lacquer coating, a black pickguard, and nickel hardware.
In terms of hardware, in addition to the B-Bender, this model comes with a three-saddle Tele bridge in modified vintage string-through style with compensated brass barrel string saddles in addition to vintage F-stamped tuners.
The signature also features two John Osborne signature single-coil pickups, a three-way switch, and controls for master volume and master tone. Familiar features that need no experimentation.
How Much Does The John Osborne Telecaster From Fender Cost?
The John Osborne Telecaster from Fender is now available at Thomann* for $1,999 / £1,799 / €2,069. A vintage-style hard shell case is included.
More on The New Signature Guitar From Fender
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