Chelsea Hotelecaster
What makes our pine telecasters unique?
Since 1884, the historic Hotel Chelsea has stood as one of New York City’s most iconic buildings, located in the heart of Chelsea on 23rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. This legendary landmark has been home to generations of creative figures including Jimi Hendrix, Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, Mark Twain, Jeff Beck, Stanley Kubrick, and Leonard Cohen. During renovations that began in 2011, Civil War era pine wood was salvaged from the building, giving rise to a rare class of old growth pine telecasters. These NYC pine telecasters are crafted from reclaimed historic pine recovered directly from the Chelsea Hotel, resulting in instruments with exceptional resonance, character, and story. Luthier Dean Gordon, working from the hotel’s resident Chelsea Guitars shop, transforms this wood into a limited number of unique guitars known as Chelsea Hotelecasters.
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Specifications
-Blend of vintage and modern construction
-25.5" scale standard
-Civil War era Chelsea Hotel pine wood body
-Stainless steel frets
-Wide range of hardware and electronics options
-Premium tonewood neck options
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Inspiration
The Hotelecasters are made to embody the rich history of the Chelsea Hotel. Each guitar tells a story of the numerous iconic artists who were guests to the Chelsea Hotel. The Telecaster, one of the most historic guitar designs, best amplifies the voice of the hotel's pine.
Starting at $3850
Are Chelsea Hotelecasters one of a kind?
Yes. Every Chelsea Hotelecaster is a one-of-a-kind instrument. We work directly with each client to design a custom guitar tailored to their preferences, ensuring no two builds are ever the same.
Can I customize my pine Telecaster?
Most features of our pine Telecasters are fully customizable. From neck profile and fretboard to hardware and finish options, we encourage clients to reach out and discuss their ideas so we can craft their ideal dream guitar.
Is the Chelsea Hotel pine still available?
The reclaimed Chelsea Hotel pine is extremely limited. This historic old pine was salvaged during renovations and once it is gone, it cannot be replaced. The opportunity to commission a custom Chelsea Hotelecaster will not last indefinitely.
Why is the Chelsea Hotelecaster not available through the standard order form?
Due to the extremely limited supply of reclaimed Chelsea Hotel pine, Chelsea Hotelecasters are not offered through our standard online order form. Each build is handled through direct consultation only, allowing us to thoughtfully allocate the remaining historic material and work closely with each client to ensure the guitar is worthy of the wood it is made from. This personal process helps preserve the integrity, story, and rarity of every Chelsea Hotelecaster we create.