A Late-1960s Californian Classic By Way of the Michigan Woods
Inspired by the sought-after semi-hollow Fenders of the late 1960s, this Fender Custom Shop ’68 Telecaster Thinline builds upon the foundation laid down by its vintage forebearers, complete with world-class tonewoods and modernized playability. This refined spin on the time-tested Thinline begins with a 1-piece vintage Michigan mahogany body that radiates with rustic charm and a warm, rounded-over twang. Twin Custom Shop Hand-wound Twisted Tele single-coil pickups then imbue this Tele with an undeniably Strat-inspired sparkle, featuring a hotter output and a fuller tone than any original ’68. As for performance, a rift-sawn maple neck in Fender’s vintage-spec 1960 Oval C profile fills out your palm with a full, firm grip. Meanwhile, the round-lam rift-sawn maple fingerboard’s combination of a modern 9.5-inch radius and narrow-tall frets ensures a fast, bend-friendly feel from the first fret to the 21st. You also receive an era-appropriate Bigsby B5 tailpiece with a Jazzmaster-style bridge, allowing for expressive waves of vibrant vibrato. Lastly, the Fender Custom Shop ’68 Telecaster Thinline’s nitro lacquer finish captures the look, feel, and vibe of a 6-string that has been gigged hard for decades, thanks to its Journeyman Relic aging package.
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’60s Oval C profile neck
There’s a reason why the C profile neck has served as the standard Fender neck shape for decades — it’s simply a great middle-ground neck style that all types of players have come to love. That being said, the C has quite a few minor variations, and if you’re like many of us here at Sweetwater who equally enjoy a slightly chunkier neck, you’ll love the Fender Custom Shop ’68 Telecaster Thinline's Oval C profile. This profile offers all the comfort of a standard C, but with a greater heft to better fill out your hand. Plus, this vintage-style neck is outfitted with a variety of modern appointments: 21 narrow tall frets in a modern 9.5-inch radius make anything from open chords to high-register bends a breeze.
Your home for punchy single-coil tones
One thing that'll be clear from the first time you plug in is that this Thinline's pickups pack more punch than a standard Tele. That's because this ’68 Telecaster Thinline electric guitar comes loaded with a pair of Custom Shop Twisted Tele pickups. These unique pickups borrow the taller Alnico V magnets from Fender's Jazz Bass pickups, providing the added bobbin space for thicker gauge wire for a hotter, brighter, and punchier sound that's almost Strat-like.
The Dream Factory
Since its founding in 1987, the Fender Custom Shop has been home to the finest luthiers in the world. Whether you're investing in a guitar such as this ’68 Telecaster Thinline or having them build-to-order the Fender of your dreams, the Custom Shop earns its nickname — The Dream Factory — with every masterpiece its luthiers 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.
Fender Custom Shop ’68 Telecaster Thinline Features:
- A modernized homage to the semi-hollow Teles of the late 1960s, built to impeccable Fender Custom Shop standards
- 1-piece vintage Michigan mahogany body rings with a warm, rich timbre
- Rift-sawn maple neck in a 1960 Oval C profile fills out your palm with a chunky grip
- Round-lam rift-sawn maple fingerboard features a 9.5-in. radius and 21 narrow-tall frets to better suit the needs of modern players
- Fender Custom Shop Hand-wound Twisted Telecaster pickups merge the twang of the Tele with the chime and sparkle of a Strat
- Era-accurate Schaller “F”-branded tuning machines ensure lock-tight tuning stability
- Bigsby B5 tailpiece paired with Jazzmaster-style bridge unlocks expressive and vibrant pitch-bending possibilities
- Nitro lacquer finish treated to the Fender Custom Shop’s well-aged Journeyman Relic package
