A Telecaster with a Story — and a Very Distinctive Look
Every now and then a guitar walks through the door that makes the whole team stop and take a closer look. This 2003 Fender MIM Rosewood Telecaster is one of those. Produced in limited numbers at Fender's Ensenada, Mexico facility, this was a short-lived run that paid homage to the iconic George Harrison-era rosewood Telecasters — without the Custom Shop price tag. It's a Tele you won't find hanging on most walls, and it hasn't been made in this configuration since.
This Fender MIM Rosewood Telecaster is in Very Good condition. The guitar is fully functional and will go through a full tech set up prior to shipping. It has a some tarnish on the chrome hardware, ,minor play wear noted. Please review the photos carefully for full condition.
The appeal here is in the details: a rosewood veneer wraps both the front and back of the alder body, giving it that warm, woody look that's worlds apart from a standard painted Telecaster. Pair that with the tried-and-true Telecaster single-cutaway silhouette and a maple neck, and you've got a guitar that's as comfortable in front of an amp as it is hanging on a wall. A hardshell case is included with this one — a nice bonus for a used instrument of this character.
The Body: Rosewood Veneer on Alder
The body is alder, which gives this guitar a balanced, mid-forward character that's well-suited to the Telecaster design. What sets it apart visually — and acoustically — is the rosewood veneer applied to both the top and back of the body. This isn't a painted finish or a stain: it's a genuine rosewood overlay that gives the guitar an earthy, natural warmth in both looks and feel. The high-gloss finish over the veneer makes it pop.
It's a solid alder body at its core — Telecaster-standard construction — so you get the resonance and snap you'd expect from the platform, with the unique aesthetic character the rosewood veneer adds on top.
The Neck: Maple with Rosewood Fretboard
The maple neck is paired with a rosewood fretboard, which adds a touch of warmth to the playing feel and complements the look of the body nicely. The neck profile and fretboard radius are consistent with Fender's MIM Telecaster production of that era — a comfortable vintage-oriented feel that suits a wide range of playing styles.
This is not the all-rosewood neck found on the high-end Custom Shop Harrison reissues; the neck here is maple, with the rosewood applied as the fretboard. Players who favor rosewood for its smooth, slightly warmer feel under the fretting hand will find it familiar and comfortable.
A Rare Piece of MIM Fender History
This guitar was produced in 2003 in limited numbers — widely described as a short run that was never formally catalogued with a dedicated model page on Fender's site. That relative obscurity actually makes it more interesting: it's a genuine Fender, built at the same Ensenada facility, but one that didn't stick around long enough to become commonplace. If you've been looking for a Telecaster that's a little different from the usual crowd, this is it.
It ships in a hardshell case, confirmed by our staff. Our tech will set it up before it leaves the shop, so it arrives ready to play.
Product Features:
- Body: Alder with rosewood veneer on top and back
- Neck: Maple
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Body style: Telecaster single-cutaway, solid body
- Made in Mexico (Ensenada), 2003 limited production run
- High-gloss finish over rosewood veneer body
- Condition: Very Good — full tech setup included prior to shipping
- Hardshell case included (confirmed)
Brand: Fender
Model: MIM Rosewood Telecaster
SKU: U-0130113321
Condition: Used
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