Fender Custom Shop 1961 Telecaster Relic - Aged Olympic White

Our Take:

Whoever thought the Telecaster would be replaced by the Jazzmaster was, thankfully, horribly mistaken - and we have this incredible '61 Telecaster Relic from the Fender Custom Shop as proof. Paying homage to the eponymous year of its production, the 1961 Telecaster Relic features almost entirely original product specs - with some minor contemporary modifications that add to the playing experience without detracting from the authenticity too much. Everything about this Tele will entice you as a guitar player, from the Thin Relic finish, to the quartersawn maple neck with a comfortable “oval-C” profile, to the hot Texas Special pickups that warm up incredibly thanks to the Greasebucket tone circuit. It's a very special guitar to celebrate a very special period of Fender's history.

Fender's Take:

The Telecaster was in high demand in the early 1960s, with new custom colors and a flat “slab” rosewood fingerboard. Once thought to be eventually phased out after the arrival of the Jazzmaster (1958) and before the Jaguar (1962), it became clear to Fender that the Telecaster was destined to stay. After countless stage and studio appearances throughout the decades, its design purity, workhorse simplicity and distinctively snappy tone remain as vital as ever today.

The Time Machine 1961 Telecaster Relic honors that year’s model, with original features and a few slight modifications to improve the overall playing experience. The two-piece select alder body has a Thin Relic lacquer finish and three-ply nitro mint green pickguard. The quartersawn maple neck has a comfortable “oval-C” profile and smooth unfinished back for streamlined feel and seamless play, topped by a 9.5”-radius flat-lam rosewood fretboard with 21 narrow tall frets. Hand-wound Texas Special pickups serve up spicy hot Tele tone, and modern Tele wiring with Greasebucket tone circuit lets players roll off highs while preserving midrange tone and without adding bass. Other features include a '61 Telecaster bridge with threaded saddles, vintage-style tuning machines, bone nut and single “wing” string tree. Includes deluxe hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity.

Standard Specifications

General Info