THE ULTIMATE POLTERGEIST
HOW JOHN 5 DECIDED TO REVOLUTIONIZE ONE OF THE OLDEST ELECTRIC GUITAR DESIGNS FOR THIS YEAR’S EYE-CATCHING FENDER JOHN 5 GHOST TELECASTER
BY AMIT SHARMA
THOUGH there have been a few signature models in the past — the first being the Squier J5 Telecaster launched in 2009 and the two Custom Shop instruments that came after — this year marks the first John 5 model to be produced in the “regular” Fender factory. The heavily customized Ghost Telecaster features a onepiece maple neck and alder body, as well as a pair of ceramic magnet DiMarzio D Activator humbuckers, a three-way toggle mounted to its upper bout and an Arcade-style kill switch. It’s been a few years in the making — but only because the guitarist wanted to road test the instrument before committing to its final specs. Given that it’s his name appearing on the neck plate found on the rear, you can’t really blame him.