I grew up listening to my father humming "Okie from Muskogee" while he worked on his car. According to Merle Haggard, the song was about people like my dad. Hard working middle Americans.

Merle wrote incredible lyrics and played phenomenal guitar as well. The cool thing is he did it on a Telecaster.


I decided to make my own version of the Fender Custom Shop Tuff Dog Tele, Merle Haggard’s Artist Series signature guitar.

My rendition is not even close to the signature model that Fender produced in the Custom Shop but more of a nod or homage.

I mean other than a few common things like the body type, f hole, and pickguard – I am not even close. Just trying to set expectations.

Matter of fact, I will probably piss off folks that have purchased and collect this venerable Custom Shop guitar. There is even a collector’s club. I know for a fact that my guitar will not gain me entrance.

I did what I could afford and with what was available to me. That is something Merl Haggard would like and understand.

I started with a semi hollow body 2 piece North American Alder body with a Swamp Ash top. The center block is made of maple. The finish is three tone sunburst and not two-tone sunburst like the signature model. I prefer the grain and beauty of the figured Swamp Ash over the figured maple top. The body is really light weight and is finished in a gloss nitro finish.

The neck is an all parts licensed neck with 7.25 inch radius (not 9.5) but does have the same scale, number of frets, and basic c shape. I cannot bring myself to install a maple neck on a 60s style Telecaster Custom like body. I just cannot do it. So, I went with a rosewood fretboard instead. It just looks right and with the resonance of the semi hollow body it really adds to the acoustic tonal capabilities of the guitar. Also, the custom shop guitar is a set neck guitar. Mine is a standard working class bolt on neck.

I could not afford the Custom Shop Texas Special Single-Coil Tele pickups at the moment so keeping with the theme I installed a set of Fender Tex-Mex pickups. They sound f’ing awesome in this guitar.

A few last things.

I mostly dislike gold hardware on a guitar. I have made my opinions clear on this in prior videos. I have to admit though that the custom shop guitar is a thing of beauty including the gold hardware. Just not on my guitar.


I went with a vintage three saddle bridge and not the six saddle like the custom shop guitar.

By this point you have to be asking yourself – what the hell? Seriously - what about your guitar is anything like the custom shop model?

The answer? The spirit of the custom shop guitar.

I created a working man’s version of a $7000 guitar. Unless I was worth millions of dollars – I would never spend $7000 on a single guitar. I think it is f’ing hilarious and ironic that the guitar that represents the man who wrote about the common man is represented by a guitar that goes for $7000 and up.

To me, my guitar is just as pretty and playable for a fraction of the costs.

My 6 lbs and 4 ounces Tuff Dog Wannabe tele cost me $612 to put together. Leaving me $6388 to spend on other guit