Ready to Headline? Grab a Thinline!
The Fender Custom Shop Limited-edition '50s Thinline Telecaster Heavy Relic semi-hollow electric guitar pairs the resonance of a Telecaster Thinline's semi-hollow body (first produced in the 1960s) with period-accurate Nocaster pickups derived from Leo Fender’s earliest pickup designs. The result is a versatile tone that can bite like a Telecaster solidbody or croon with soulful semi-hollow warmth — it all depends on the style that speaks to you in the moment! Fender Custom Shop went to great lengths to ensure that this guitar is a comfortable player fit for long gigs and studio sessions. A solid maple neck with a natural fingerboard and a '57 soft "V" profile support comfortable, accurate fretting so that players can relish more unforgettable riffs without stress or strain. Plus, a proprietary Relic nitrocellulose finish gives this guitar pre-loved looks and exceptional tone that mirrors every great guitar’s natural aging process. The Fender Custom Shop Limited-edition '50s Thinline Telecaster Heavy Relic is distinct yet incredibly versatile — just like a Telecaster should be. Grab yours from Sweetwater today!
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A memorable Tele medley
On occasion, Fender Custom Shop luthiers find time to sample the best parts of vintage guitars, and these parts get turned into a remix that’s something new yet decidedly vintage. Mid-century players would camp out overnight for a chance to own this Limited-edition ’50s Thinline Telecaster Heavy Relic. A semi-hollow body crafted from select ash has balanced Fender Telecaster tone enhanced with sweetness and sustain from a resonant Thinline sound chamber. This body resonates like a massive old-school ’50s semi-hollow but is enhanced with maneuverable Telecaster dimensions. The sturdy one-piece ’57 soft “V” neck profile and maple fingerboard give you plenty of anchor space for your thumb, which puts barre, jazz, and inversion chords with interesting bass notes in easy reach. For added authenticity, this Custom Shop creation also features a ‘51–’54 era Tele bridge with brass barrel saddles as well as vintage-style tuning machines and a bone nut.
Vintage Nocaster pickups
The Limited-edition ’51 Nocaster Heavy Relic sports a pair of iconic Fender pickups: ’51 Nocaster single-coils. Each pickup meticulously recreates Leo Fender’s earliest magnetic pickups, while the limited-edition Thinline body offers room to enhance tone with washes of semi-hollowbody warmth and sustain. Choose between bridge pickup twang, shimmering middle position clarity, or a smooth, mellow-sounding neck pickup. The Nocasters’ tight low end and crystal-clear midrange impart a lively response that invigorates rhythm, leads, and all the in-betweens. The bridge pickup features classic uncovered pole pieces while the neck pickup’s chrome cover delivers slightly less output with a more rounded, mellow tone.
Fender Custom Shop craftsmanship
Since its founding in 1987, the Fender Custom Shop has been home to some of the finest luthiers in the world. Whether you’re picking up a unique limited edition like this Fender Custom Shop Limited-edition '50s Thinline Telecaster Heavy Relic or having them build-to-order the Fender of your dreams, the Custom Shop earns its nickname — The Dream Factory — with every masterpiece they create. Custom Shop instruments are made from only the highest-grade, hand-selected materials, including impeccable tonewoods, high-end electronics, and premium hardware. And to protect your investment for many decades of playing enjoyment, your Fender Custom Shop instrument comes in a deluxe hardshell case, complete with a certificate of authenticity.
The Relic process
Relic’d guitar finishes are super common these days, but it was the Fender Custom Shop that first took the industry by storm with its groundbreaking synthetic aging process for guitars. Fender does Relic finishes better than all the rest, and the original Relic finish is still a smash hit. This Fender Custom Shop Limited-edition '50s Thinline Telecaster Heavy Relic has an authentic nitrocellulose lacquer finish — thinner than today’s polyurethane finishes — which allows the wood to breathe and the tone to bloom. You get a look and feel that feels like it has seen its fair share of front-line action with a played-in feel and perfect fretwork. And like every fine instrument in Sweetwater’s Guitar Gallery, it’s been through our 55-point Inspection for guaranteed splendid playability right out of the box.
Fender Custom Shop Limited-edition ’50s Telecaster Thinline Heavy Relic Features:
- Select ash semi-hollow body vibrates with airy warmth and a vibrant midrange
- 1-piece quartersawn maple neck with’ 57-style soft “V” profile and narrow-tall frets
- 2 hand-wound Nocaster single-coil pickups supply well-seasoned vintage tone with ’50s bite
- Single-ply pickguard matched with rare parchment body binding
- ’ 51–’54 Tele bridge with brass barrel saddles enhance sustain and string response
- Vintage-style tuning machines and bone nut put string and tonewood character upfront
- Fender Custom Shop neck plate with stamped serial number for authenticity
- Heavy Relic lacquer finish lets tonewoods breathe and captures the comfort of a well-worn instrument
