Fender has announced new Fender John 5 Ghost Telecaster and Phantom Telecaster models, along with a high-end Custom Shop edition of the Floyd Rose-loaded Phantom for players who want the ultimate guitar build (at a cost).
Contents – Fender John 5 Ghost & Phantom
John 5
Everyone knows John 5 is a huge Telecaster fan, and he plays them practically all the time. His latest collaboration with Fender brings back the Ghost Telecaster as a more affordable model and introduces his new Phantom Telecaster with a Floyd Rose, plus a more expensive Custom Shop run.
If you like modern Telecasters, these models may appeal to you, but they are quite different from traditional models: all double-humbucker with stripped-back controls and minimal aesthetics.
John 5 Ghost Telecaster Returns!
The previous Fender John 5 Ghost Telecaster was a limited run, and at the time they were around $3k each. Now it is back and made in Indonesia, which helps keep the price down, but it’s still over a grand new, so it’s not exactly cheap.
Both this Arctic White with red binding and matching red accents model and the new Phantom Telecaster in Black share the same core specifications: a Nyatoh body, a C-shaped maple neck, and two DiMarzio D Activator humbuckers. They have matching painted headstocks and look very similar in layout, except for the bridges.
The main difference is that the Ghost has a maple fretboard with a 9.5”-radius, while the Phantom has an ebony fretboard with a 12″-radius, as it is fitted with a Floyd Rose FRTS2000 Special and requires a flatter radius to match the locking trem system. As the Ghost is fitted with a 6-saddle Tele hardtail, it can dial into a 9.5″-radius no problem.
Kill Switch
Both models feature a custom pickguard with a single volume knob and a kill switch control layout. John 5 uses the kill switch frequently, so it makes sense to include it on both signature models. They also both feature a three-way pickup toggle selector switch on the top horn of the guitar.
Custom Shop Edition
Fender has also announced a Custom Shop edition of the Phantom with an alder body and Ultra Contours, plus a 10″-14″ flat-laminated ebony fretboard and Luminlay side dots.
It will set you back $ 6,000. Which is a fair bit more than the Indonesian model.
Who are these new models for?
If you like modern Telecasters with minimal controls, then these could be for you. I just think the price point on the two Indonesian-made models is way too high. As for the Custom Shop model, well, it is very overpriced for such a basic-looking Telecaster.
I own a Mexican-built John 5 Triple model myself, and it is a nice guitar (very heavy, and I blocked the trem since I never use it), which I like a lot. Honestly, I don’t know what Fender is doing anymore with their pricing; selling Indonesian-built guitars for this price seems like a stretch to me.
If you like John 5, you will like these for looks, but I think you can get a much better deal on such basic T-Style guitars elsewhere in 2026.
Availability
The new Fender John 5 models are available at Thomann and Sweetwater.
More Information
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