Top session player Brent Mason discovered he now possessed a Stratocaster, a Les Paul, and a standard Telecaster all in a single guitar.
A Tale of Brent Mason and His Iconic '67 Fender Telecaster
Brent Mason, a legendary session musician, has carved out his niche in the music industry with a career spanning decades. This extraordinary man has strummed his magic on numerous records by big-name artists such as Shania Twain, George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Neil Diamond.
One guitar that has stood by Mason throughout his journey is his cherished '67 Fender Telecaster. This bad boy has been all over the place, thanks to its distinctive primer grey automotive paint job, hot-rodded to Mason's liking. Picked up in the '80s, this guitar has been a constant companion, slung over Mason's shoulder like an old friend.
Mason remembers how he acquired the Tele during a gig with Nashville local hero, Don Kelley. They stumbled upon two guitars in a small shop in East Nashville, and without the means to buy multiple instruments, he had to transform his Tele into a versatile, all-purpose guitar.
"If I had the money, I would have just gone and bought three new guitars," Mason recalls to MusicRadar. "I would have loved to have done that, but I probably never would have come up with the Tele setup if I'd done that."
The guitar wasn't just painted—it also boasted standard pickups. But with a little tinkering (and a lot of creativity), Mason turned his Tele into a guitar-trifecta, capable of recreating the tones of a Stratocaster, a Les Paul, and a regular Telecaster.
As Mason gigged at The Stagecoach, he would often yearn for other guitars like a Strat or an ES-335. But his meager funds forced him to make do with what he had. He approached Nashville luthier Joe Glaser with his dream of modifying his Tele, and together they came up with an innovative idea. By adding an extra volume pot and a pull knob to split the coil on the middle pickup, Mason could have a guitar that offered him multiple tones without needing a collection of different instruments.
Pulling off impressive B-Bender licks for Emory Gordy Jr and Patty Loveless highlighted the limitations of Mason's setup. Bending those strings for hours on end took a toll on his digits, prompting him to reach out to Joe Glaser for a B-Bender upgrade. And that wasn't the end of the modifications. As technology and technique evolved, so did Mason's Telecaster. Over the years, the wiring has been adjusted, and the push-pull function on the tone control now toggles the middle pickup on and off, just like the Fender Telecaster Stories Collection model released in 2020.
Mason's Telecaster, with its unique setup and rich history, continues to captivate musicians and fans alike. While specific information about its modifications is scarce, it's obvious that this instrument is more than just a guitar—it's a testament to Mason's perseverance, creativity, and love for music.
The unique modifications on Brent Mason's '67 Fender Telecaster, including the ability to produce tones similar to a Stratocaster, a Les Paul, and a regular Telecaster, have become a significant part of his exceptional entertainment repertoire. Despite yearning for other guitars like a Strat or an ES-335, Mason's ability to transform his Telecaster into a versatile instrument, through innovative design and ingenious tweaks, has been a defining aspect of his music career.
