I'm on a Telecaster kick. GAS is rising, and since I have more Strats than Teles, I'm thinking of evening the score.
In another thread, which I can't find right now, I was bemoaning the lack of ebony fretboards on Fender guitars. I have an ebony fretboard on my old 12-string, and it's been lovely for 48 years! So, why not an electric?
Sadly, the only Fender I can find so equipped is a horribly ugly 2016 American Elite Stratocaster, and the ebony is the "streaked" type, which just makes an ugly guitar even uglier (heresy for calling a Strat ugly?). Oh, they have a Tele that's the same ugly color with the same ugly neck. No, thanks.
Having done a lot of reading and a lot of web surfing (coronavirus lockdown, anyone?), I came across this. It's a Tele body, but made by Charvel. I recall reading that the entire Charvel family lost their homes in the Paradise Fire of 2018, and Wayne Charvel's workshop was obliterated. So, it's American made, has an ebony fretboard, and looks pretty cool, too.
Even though it's priced lower than I would have expected, I'm not quite ready to plunk down my bucks for it. As I understand it, it's designed for playing heavy metal (in fact, it's a Joe Duplantier/Gojira signature model), and that's only about 180° from what I play.
I do like the ebony neck, though.