I found out only tonight that PRS recently announced the SE NF 53, which is their lower-priced, foreign-made version of their high-end NF 53. The NF 53 (which I’ve written about before) is their take on a 50s Telecaster, which is one of Fender’s most beloved instruments.
I have owned multiple Telecasters in my time, across varying price ranges. Right now, I have one in my collection — their cheapest “Made in Mexico” variant. It’s the best Telecaster I’ve ever played. (I just spent some time playing it today and had a blast.)
A Telecaster doesn’t need to be expensive to be great. That’s what makes it such a beloved instrument. So I’m excited about this much more affordable version of the NF53.
Years ago, after PRS unveiled the Silver Sky (John Mayer’s signature guitar and their take on a Strat-style instrument), I emailed PRS and asked when we could expect their take on a Tele. Needless to say, I’ve been looking forward to both the NF 53 and the SE version for some time. (PRS told me they don’t comment on future products, but that was enough to suggest to me that their take on a Tele might be a “future product,” so it felt like a sure thing it was coming.)
First, PRS’s video demo of this instrument is excellent. Bryan Ewald is an incredible player, and I am certain he gets better every year. He makes everything sound great, and this is no exception.
Second, I love that the SE version of this instrument has the same bridge as the American-made version. That’s a great sign. Every Tele player will tell you the bridge is what makes or breaks a Telecaster. And the bridge on the NF 53 line, along with its saddles, is a genuinely innovative design and a testament to American guitar manufacturing. It solves a lot of intonation problems common to this style of guitar, so the guitar is more likely to be in tune all the way along the neck. That helps a lot with recording.
Thirdly, I am not sure I like the pickups. The NF 53 comes with noiseless “Deep Dish” pickups that look to my eyes like an unconventional size, but I really like normal Telecaster pickups, even with their vintage single coil sound. I think that’s a huge part of their charm and a massive part of their tone, which can go from round-bottomed and thick to bright, thin, and twangy with the twist of one knob. I did some googling, and I’m unsure if one could easily replace the Deep Dish pickups with something more conventional. Just something to keep an eye on, if you’re into that kind of things.
Finally, the price. First, I thought it was outrageous. $1400 CAD seemed really high to me when I checked my local retailer. But it turns out that’s only a few bucks more than Fender’s new Player II Telecaster (their Made in Mexico line). That’s just about $600 more than I paid for my Player Telecaster only a year ago. I don’t know if this is Fender bumping up their prices, or just what things cost now thanks to American tariffs. Either way, $1400 isn’t chicken scratch, but it’s in line with the competition, so fair is fair. (And unlike every Fender I’ve ever owned, I’ve never had a PRS with a wonky neck or wony frets.)