It is a custom guitar by ‘48th Street Custom Guitars” modeling a ‘52 Telecaster body and pickgaurd. You can tell by the headstock it’s not a Fender (unless they cut the headstock off and replaced it. ) /s . I happen to know it’s a 48th Street guitar .
figured it was custom, they have the money to get what they want. The 50’s and 60’s off the shelf models were quite good as well.
Yep. Back in the 80s, they were the American-made custom shop for ESP Guitars (a Japanese company more well-known for 80s headbanger Super Strats).
Though the music business has been pretty good to Mellencamp and I have no doubt he has a nice collection of vintage gear.