Whereas many steel guitarists may attain for a Jackson, Charvel, or an ESP, Jim Root has constantly made the case that Fenders additionally belong within the steel dialog. A longtime Fender signature artist, the Slipknot guitarist at the moment has a signature Stratocaster, Telecaster and Jazzmaster to his title, all loaded with EMG pickups and characteristically minimal, metal-ready spec sheets.

And as he explains in a brand new video, it was exactly the actual fact Fender guitars weren’t sometimes related to steel that drew him to the model within the first place.

“The aesthetic of seeing all these legendary rock icons with a Telecaster, form of blended with… desirous to go towards the grain of being in a band that was labelled as nu steel or steel…” he says.

“However I assumed it might be cool to have one thing that’s simply not even near being related to steel in a band like that. There’s form of a juxtaposition to that, that to me is form of like a ‘Fuck you.’

“…And that’s form of the entire steel, punk rock, rock and roll angle. It’s anti, and going towards the grain. And if any person tells you to do one thing, you’re gonna do the other.

“All people thought I needs to be popping out with some pointy steel guitar that’s bought 12 factors or no matter. No, how about we simply do a basic slab iconic guitar? Guitars, in my view, are like sun shades. The classics by no means exit of fashion. They’ll all the time be there. Folks will make their model of it, however there’s just one Fender Telecaster.

In 2026, Fender is celebrating 75 years of the Telecaster, after the now-legendary mannequin was launched again in 1951. The truth is, the Telecaster began life in late 1950 because the Broadcaster, however resulting from a trademark battle with Gretsch over its Broadkaster drum equipment, the Broadcaster was renamed the Telecaster the next 12 months.

Simply final month, Fender unveiled its line of limited-edition seventy fifth Anniversary Telecasters, comprising 5 fashions throughout the model’s Participant II, American Skilled and American Extremely II ranges, and together with a Cabronita mannequin.

Sam is the Affiliate Information Editor for Guitar.com and MusicTech. Totally immersed in music tradition for almost all of his life, Sam has performed guitar for 20 years, studied music know-how and manufacturing at college, and in addition written for the likes of Guitar World, Whole Guitar, Metallic Hammer and MusicRadar.