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Artist AT53 White Relic Electric Guitar w/ Hand Made Pickups

The latest in our much-lauded range of TC-style guitars, the Artist AT53 pairs the best elements of vintage guitar design with modern features to bring you an instrument that straddles the line between innately familiar and excitingly new. With a classic-looking roasted maple neck finished with a comfortable satin feel, the high-grade locking tuners and rosewood fretboard (at a lightning-quick 14-inch radius), make for a guitar that belies its own old-world aesthetic. While the AT53 comes pre-battle worn, the nitrocellulose finish, a material used mainly on guitars crafted prior to the 1970s will wear and age just as you do. 

Having tested untold amounts of pickup options, we settled on a set of high-end, hand-made single coils wound by the Laohao workshop, a small team producing boutique batches of custom pickups to a frankly unbelievable standard. Paired with 250k pots, the AT53 sounds far brighter than its relic'd finish suggests! Every detail has been pored over with this one - a bone nut, copper foil shielding, a wheeled string tree and locking strap buttons are among a host of modern features that make this old battler anything but!


The Tech Features

Body
Body Material: Paulownia
Body Finish: White Relic
Body Paint: Nitro
Body Construction: Solid

Neck
Neck Material:
 Quarter-Sawn Roasted Maple
Neck Construction: One-Piece
Neck Joint: Bolt-On
Neck Finish: Satin
Neck Shape: 22mm C Profile
Scale Length: 650mm / 25.5"
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Fretboard Radius: 350mm
Number of Frets: 22
Fret Material: Stainless Steel
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Nut Material: Bone
Nut Width: 42mm / 1.65"
Position Inlays: Abalone Fret Dots​​​​​​​
Binding: N/A​​​​​​​
Side Dots: Glow in the Dark ​​​​​​​
Truss Rod: Dual Action 2-Way

Electronics
Bridge Pickup:
 Laohao Hand Made Alnico V Single-Coil Pickup​​​​​​​
Middle Pickup: N/A​​​​​​​
Neck Pickup: Laohao Hand Made Alnico V Single-Coil Pickup​​​​​​​
Switching: 3-Way Switch​​​​​​​
Configuration: SS​​​​​​​
Special Electronics: Copper Foil Shielded Cavity

Hardware
Bridge:
 Vintage Style Bridge With Brass Saddles​​​​​​​
Hardware Finish: Chrome​​​​​​​
Machine Heads: Premium Locking Die-Cast​​​​​​​
Pickguard: Cream

Miscellaneous/Special Features
Strings:
 Ernie Ball 10-46 Regular Slinky​​​​​​​
Weight: 2.7-3.2kg / 6-7lbs

Accessories
Included Accessories:
 Instrument Cable, Truss Rod Adjustment Key, Bridge Adjustment Key, Picks, Strap Locks​​​​​​​
Optional Hard Cases: REC300RC, REC350FTB, EC500
Optional Bags: HGBAGST, BAGST

(18091)


Reviews (3)

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Surprised in a good way

By: on 26 March 2025
I've been playing guitar for just over sixty years, mostly electric guitars. In that time I've owned many, many guitars and most of them telecaster shaped. I've owned several Squier's, and several Fender's, both Mexican and USA made. I've owned other brands and notably one of my favourites out of all of them was a TE-52 Harley Benton I imported from Germany. When I got that guitar, my last Fender Tele got sold. I'd found a guitar that really fit me pretty much perfectly, except for the weight. It is quite heavy. A solid Ash body. I modified that guitar with all the good bits and replaced there pickups. I played that guitar for years. It was, and is a great guitar. I thought it would be the last guitar I needed. Then I saw Brett Kingman demo this Artist AT53 on YouTube. I was impressed. I trust Brett's reviews. In my view he does a great job of talking about and demonstrating any guitar, amp, or pedal. The first video of his I saw regarding this guitar was a no talking demo of sounds. That caught my attention so I watched his second demo where he gave a detailed description and an excellent demo of this guitar. I was pretty much sold on it from the demo. I contacted Artist guitars NZ and ordered this guitar, knowing if it wasn't what I wanted, I could return it. Long story short, this guitar is definitely a keeper. I can't fault it in any area, and I'm very fussy. If you want light weight, this is the lightest Tele I've ever played. It's lighter than any thinline Tele I've ever owned. It's very comfortable to play. The neck is on the slim side, particularly after playing the fatter, rounder neck of the TE-52 which I did feel was very comfortable to play. The frets are level and polished. It came perfectly set up for my taste. Not too low, not too high. The intonation was spot on. Everything just works well as a good Tele should. The pickups are more vintage, lower output which is in keeping with the style of this model. The main departure from a more vintage style, is the fretboard radius. It's flatter than most Tele's I've played, and it makes for choke free bends which I do a lot of. It's very nice to play. The nut is cut well. The locking tuners do their job. It's just a great guitar to play. It has authentic Tele sounds. It does exactly what you'd want a really good Tele to do and sound like. I can't recommend this guitar enough. I am selling my HB TE-52. This guitar has replaced it. I only have one guitar to play now. I used to own 10 or 12 at one time. Now I'm happy with just one guitar and one amp, and this is the guitar that won't be going anywhere. If you love Tele's, get one. I really doubt you'd be unhappy.

Artist Guitars Response
Thanks so much for your review! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions.

Artist AT53 White Relic

By: on 4 March 2025
Most Telecasters are almost identical yet the sounds can be very different. This AT53 was astoundingly clear, bright yet sonorous if that's the right word!It had beautifully warm tones on the neck and thin brilliance on the bridge - which I don't like - but the middle combination was mind-blowing - through my Marshall 15w amp with neutral EQs and a little reverb. Its sounds encouraged me to try new voicings and to slide up and down the neck to find new areas of harmony! WOW!

Artist Guitars Response
Thanks so much for your review! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE? Number 2, WHITE :-)

By: on 25 November 2024
Where can I start? Nitro Paint, Cool Relic Finish, Locking Tuners, Hand Wound Pickups, Strap Locks, Wonderful smooth, fast Roasted Maple Neck, Light Weight Paulownia Body, Rosewood Board. It just goes on… Stainless Frets! Bone Nut! Copper Foil Shielded Cavities! ON A $NZ500 Guitar!!! SHUT UP! So, this little stunner arrived safely packaged within just a few days of my order; I was unsure what to expect, I tell ya I did not anticipate something quite so good! I have guitars 3-4 times the price that are nowhere near as good as this AT53 ! Straight outta the box just needed tuning and away we go, resonant unplugged and a joy plugged in. Comes with a very useable quality lead and the obligatory Hex keys too. I already have a couple of other Artist guitars, they are good, but this is another level. As always Artist punch way above the price point, Try a Grungemaster, they are insanely good for the money. ANYWAY The AT53 has got me hooked, so much so that I bought a white one immediately after I got the Aqua one… AND I have just ordered Black too!!! I’ll complete the set in the New Year too. Can also get them in cool non-relic finish too… Just buy one. Thanks Artist Guitars

Artist Guitars Response
Thanks so much for your review! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions.

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