Golden Era Glory from the Fender Custom Shop
Have you always wanted a golden-era Fender Telecaster but it's forever felt out of reach? This Fender Custom Shop Limited-edition ’61 Telecaster Relic can turn that dream into a reality! This passionate recreation of a 1961 Telecaster boasts period-accurate hardware and specs including a resonant 2-piece alder body, a premium quarter-sawn maple neck with a comfortable ‘60s Oval “C” profile, and a rosewood fingerboard hand-chosen for its color and quality. Two Custom Shop pickups deliver exceptional high-output tone with plenty of versatile options between a classic Black Guard bridge pickup and a more nuanced Twisted Tele pickup in the neck. Plus, Fender’s proprietary Relic aging process gives the guitar a played-in feel that’s stunning comfortable yet fully functional. This Relic is the sure-fire way to own a ‘60s-style instrument without the hassles of broken hardware, warped necks, or finnicky electronics!
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Vintage versatility
The Limited-edition '61 Telecaster Relic stacks tone in your favor via a pair of powerful pickups: a Custom Shop Black Guard Tele in the bridge and a Twisted Tele in the neck. The Black Guard bridge pickup, first featured on early '50s Fender Broadcasters, delivers searing hot output with midrange growl that outperforms most vintage single-coils. The Twisted Tele in the neck delivers wide, airy tone calibrated with formvar-coated wire to accommodate extra pickup windings that add a touch of rounded characteristics akin to a Strat for results that howl with Telecaster twang when digging in but mellow into Strat-like sparkle when finessed.
Greasebucket tone circuit
What if you could roll your tone knob back without losing tonal definition? The Greasebucket tone circuit in this Limited-edition '61 Telecaster Relic does just that by letting you roll off highs without your tone sinking into the mud. Sweetwater’s Telecaster fans love the Greasebucket because it lets them nail quacky, mellow tones without sacrificing definition or width.
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 Limited-edition '61 Telecaster 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.
The Fender Custom Shop: where dreams are made
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 '61 Telecaster 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.
Fender Limited-edition '61 Telecaster Relic Electric Guitar Features:
- Resonant 2-piece alder body delivers classic Fender tone with plenty of bite and sustain
- Sturdy quarter sawn maple neck with 9.5-inch radius and a comfortable ‘60s Oval “C” profile
- Premium rosewood fingerboard (hand-sorted for darkness) with 21 frets
- Vintage-style tuners and traditional 3-barrel Telecaster bridge with Relic nickel finish
- Proprietary Fender Relic finish with genuine nitrocellulose lacquer provides a played-in feel and more breathable wood
- High-output Black Guard bridge pickup with distinct midrange growl
- Hand-wound Twisted Tele neck pickup offers incredible dynamic response
- Standard 3-way pickup selector with volume and tone controls
- Built-in Greasebucket circuit preserves note definition, even with tone knob rolled off
- Fender Custom Shop neck plate with stamped serial number for authenticity
