The Valley Arts Brent Mason Signature Custom Pro is based on Mason’s 1968 Fender Telecaster, modified over the years to meet the requirements of a top session player. Introduced in 2004, the Brent Mason model was built for only a few years, after Valley Arts had been purchased by Gibson with a small retail and construction space in Nashville. However, by 2006 that shop closed and in 2012 Mike McGuire, who had founded Valley Arts in 1975 and ultimately ran Gibson Custom, retired.
Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster Maple Neck has been built without interruption since 1951, though models dating to 1950 used the name ‘Broadcaster’. The concept is simple yet was revolutionary, immediately appealed to countless guitarists and prompted many advances in musical technology. Here we’re looking at a Fender Telecaster Maple Neck with a black Polyester finish, worn enough through use to have exposed blonde and clear sealer finish undercoats. At the time, if Fender had orders for colours not in stock, they would re-finish a body. For example, this guitar’s body may well have originally been Blonde, and over-sprayed black before assembly and shipment.
The Fender Jeff Beck Stratocaster, built since 1991, honors one of the more innovative and versatile rock guitarists. Jeff Beck has been working since the early 1960s and has appeared on countless stages and recordings.
Drawing from a standard model, the Fender Jeff Beck Stratocaster features an Alder body and Maple neck with Rosewood fingerboard. However, in the interests of stage performance and tuning stability, this model also features locking (Sperzel) tuners, an LSR Roller nut, two-point trem and hot Noiseless pickups.
The Fender American Ultra Precision Bass is the most advanced offering in their line catering to discerning players that want the most precision, high quality performance and tone. The Fender Precision bass is one of the most heard and recorded bass guitars in history and this version adds some modern features to this legendary tone machine. The alder body and maple neck combination delivers a familiar thump and fat note fundamental. New features include the new ultra-noiseless pickups in a PJ configuration. This gives you a standard precision pickup and a jazz pickup in the bridge position.
The Fender Player Telecaster HH is a meat and potatoes workhorse solid body electric guitar built to thrive at any gig! It features an alder body with a very comfortable back body contour. The maple neck has the modern C neck shape which is a good common ground for most players. The satin urethane finish on the back of the neck feels very smooth and your hand doesn’t stick as you move up and down the fretboard. The tonal core of the Fender Player Telecaster HH is the two Player Series Humbuckers.
The Fender Strat-Tele Hybrid was the first instrument from the new limited edition Parallel Universe collection, melding together the best parts of two or more guitars. This great guitar uses a slightly modified Ash Telecaster body – adding comfort conours – and adds a Strat type Maple neck, and Strat type hardware.