Scero JS-CD Tele, 2025

Cornell Dupree's modified Telecaster is one of those instruments that tells you everything about the player who wielded it. No pickguard, thumbtack-filled screw holes, that mysterious DeArmond pickup nestled between the neck and bridge positions — it wasn't about looking pretty. It was about getting the job done across thousands of sessions, from Aretha to Miles Davis.

I had the great fortune to play some sessions with Cornell, and watching him work was humbling. He'd sit there with his pipe, as relaxed as a Sunday morning, laying down some of the most perfectly placed, soulful parts you've ever heard. Nothing rushed, nothing showy—just the right notes in the right place, every time. That's the Cornell magic.

Josh Smith is a remarkable guitar player. Cornell is one of his guitar heroes, too. He commissioned Louis Scutti at Scero Guitars to build his first Cornell Dupree tribute because he wanted that same working musician's versatility that made Cornell "Mr. 2500” sessions (see video on this page).

Louis builds guitars the old-fashioned way in his Colorado shop—no CNC machines, just hands and wood and decades of guitar history informing every choice. This Scero captures Cornell's essential formula: MojoTone '68 Clones in the neck and bridge positions for those classic Tele tones, with a TV Jones T-Armond pickup in the middle position. That T-Armond is the secret weapon—it's TV Jones' take on the DeArmond sound that Cornell relied on.

The switching setup is brilliant. The 3-way gives you your standard Tele positions, but the toggle adds that T-Armond to whatever you're already playing, or lets you use it solo. It's a super-versatile setup that gives you everything from classic Tele snap to the warmer, fatter session tones Cornell was known for. The ability to add that T-Armond to any position, or use it solo, makes it a true working musician's tool. You can cover jazz gigs, R&B sessions, country dates, and rock work all with one guitar, just like Cornell did.

The neck carve has a righteous feel—a medium-large profile that rivals any Fender Masterbuilt Tele neck. The tempered alder body adds that bit of mojo that only vintage time adds. The care and attention Louis puts into each guitar are evident; this is a hallmark of small-production builders.

I love Cornell Dupree’s playing. And this Scero CD model is a guitar that fulfills that love.

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.