continued from Part 1 here 60s Telecasters part 1
Launched in 2017 discontinued in 2022 a non custom shop offering in 3 colour sunburst, Fiesta Red or LPB. They also made a
limited number around 400 in Surf Green. Fender say
And that’s just the name a few of the 1960s musical milestones in which the Telecaster played a huge role.
To celebrate that explosive period of creativity, Fender created American Original '60s Telecaster, which was designed
to recreate the look and feel of guitars of that era.
This is very close to a custom shop offering for a lot less money.
Body: Double Bound Alder NCL
Neck: ’60s “C” Maple
Fretboard: Round-Laminated Rosewood 21 Vintage Tall Frets 9.5" radius
Tuners: Pure Vintage Single Line “Fender Deluxe”
Bridge: 3-Saddle Vintage Style Tele with Barrel Steel Saddles
Pickups: Pure Vintage ’64 Gray-Bottom Single-Coil Tele
! volume 1 Tone 3-way switch modern wiring
Serial Number on otherwise plain neckplate
One of two 60s style Teles in the 2017 catalogue this one comes in Aged LPB, Aged Oly White, Aged black or
faded 3 colour sunburst. 30th Anniversary of the Custom Shop
Body 2 Piece select Alder NCL finish
Neck Quartersawn Maple Tinted Relic NCL finish Oval C
Rosewood slab board 21 6105 frets 9.5" radius
Heavy Wound Texas Special Tele Pickups
I Volume 1 Tone Greasebucket circuit modern wiring
3 Ply Nitro Shell Pickguard
Vintage style F logo Tuners
58/63 Tele Bridge Threaded Steel saddles
42mm Bone nut
30th Anniversary on back of headstock
Custom Shop Logo on Neckplate
The other of the two 60s style Teles in the 2017 catalogue this one comes in Aged Black, Faded Sherwood Green Metallic
Aged Burgundy Mist Metallic or Chocolate 3 Colour Sunburst
Body Double Bound 2 Piece select Alder NCL finish
Neck Quartersawn Maple Tinted Relic NCL finish 63 C
Rosewood slab board 21 6105 frets 9.5" radius
Hand Wound Twisted Tele Pickups
I Volume 1 Tone Greasebucket circuit modern wiring
3 Ply Parchment Pickguard
Vintage style F logo Tuners
58/63 Tele Bridge Threaded Steel saddles
42mm Bone nut
30th Anniversary on back of headstock
Custom Shop Logo on Neckplate
This is from the 2019 Custom Shop Catalogue and comes in Faded 3 Colour Sunburst, Faded Aged Sherwood Green Metallic
or Aged Black
2-Piece Alder Bound Body Relic NCL Finish
Tinted Rift Sawn Maple Neck with "60 Style Oval C" Back-Shape
Round Lam Maple board 21 Medium Vintage 50085 Frets Compound Radius 7.25" to 9.5"
Hand-Wound '64 Tele Pickups
3-Way Switch; Modern Wiring with Greasebucket Tone Circuit
3-Ply Parchment Pickguard
'64-'66 Bridge with Threaded Steel Saddles
Vintage Style Tuning Machines
Bone Nut 42mm
The 2020 catalogue has three different Relic 60s Telecaster for which they are using the same range of Numbers these are:
Limited Edition 1960 HS Telecaster Heavy Relic
923-5001-183 Super Faded Aged 3 colour sunburst
923-5001-184 Aged Black over 3 colour sunburst
923-5001-185 Aged Surf Green over 3 Colour sunburst
1961 Telecaster Relic
923-5001-151 Aged Olympic White
923-5001-152 Aged Aztec Gold
923-5001-153 Faded 3 colour sunburst
1964 Telecaster Custom Heavy Relic
923-5001-154 Faded Aged 3 colour sunburst
923-5001-155 Aged Black
923-5001-156 Aged Blue Ice Metallic
They are using the prefix 923-5001 for a lot of other models in that catalogue. Thanks Fender really helpful.
comparison
| Limited Edition 1960 HS Telecaster Heavy Relic | 1961 Telecaster Relic | 1964 Telecaster Custom Heavy Relic | |
| Body | 2 Piece Select Alder NCL | 2 Piece Select Alder NCL | 2 Piece Select Alder NCL |
| Neck | Tinted AA quartersawn Maple 59 large C | Tinted AA quartersawn Maple 60s Oval C | Tinted AA quartersawn Maple 60s Oval C |
| Board | Rosewood 21 Narrow Tall Frets 9.5" radius | Rosewood 21 Narrow Tall Frets 9.5" radius | Rosewood 21 Narrow Tall Frets 9.5" radius |
| Pickups | SD Seth Lover HB Neck Hand Wound Texas Special Bridge | 2 Hand Wound Texas Specials | 2 Hand Wound Twisted Teles |
| Wiring | Dual Stack HS Tele | Modern with Greasebucket | Modern with Greasebucket |
| Bridge | 58-63 Bridge RSD Compensated Brass Saddles | 1961 with threaded steel saddles | 1964 with threaded steel saddles |
| Pickguard | 4 ply brown shell | 3 ply mint green | 3 ply parchment |
| Nut | 42mm bone | 42mm bone | 42mm bone |
There are several other 2020 custom shop models about but not featured in the 2020 catalogue here's what I can find
923-1011-949 is a Limited Edition 1960 HS Telecaster Heavy Relic identical to the model above except in Aged Ocean Turquoise
There is also one in Aged Candy Apple Red no model number shown. There is a seafoam green sparkle one in 2021 923-1011-241
2021 Custom Shop Offering no clue how many made obviously has the Cunife pickup most of you will know about these but from Fender:
Developed by Seth Lover, who joined Fender in 1971, the “cunife” pickup features a two-coil humbucking design that uses
12 cunife screws connected on the bottom by a steel plate. Cunife is an alloy named for its three constituent
metals—copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe)—and in instrument pickups it produces a distinctive “hi fidelity” sound with rich
bass and clear treble, and they never lose their attack or definition when pushed. We used samples of the original magnets to
develop these pickups over a two-year period, and we’ve brought the material back exactly as it was 40 years ago
Chocolate 3-Colour Sunburst only
Body 2-Piece Select Alder Finish Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Neck Quartersawn Maple 60s Oval "C" NCL
Fingerboard AAA Rosewood Radius 9.5" (241 mm) 21 Narrow Tall Frets
Nut Bone 1.650" (42 mm)
Neck Plate 4-Bolt "Limited Edition" Engraved plus serial number
Bridge Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound Texas Special™ Single-Coil Tele
Neck Pickup: Wide-Range CuNiFe Humbucking
Controls: Volume, Tone 3 way Dual Stack HS Tele wiring
Bridge: '58-'63 Tele Bridge with Brass RSD Saddles
Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Pickguard: 3-Ply Mint Green
Control Knobs: Knurled Chrome
Reproduction of the CBS Pink Paisley 929 and Blue Flower 930. from the Custom Shop
Selected alder body NOS Lacquer Finish on WLS* undercoat
Rift sawn maple neck 60s Oval C
Round laminated maple fingerboard Compound fretboard radius: 7.25" - 9.5" 21 Medium vintage frets
Pickups 2 Custom Shop '67 Tele single coils
Modern Tele Wiring 1 Volume and 1 tone control 3-Way switch
Transparent pickguard
Vintage Tele bridge with steel tailpieces
Schaller F-style tuners
Nickel hardware
Neck Plate F stamped and serial numbers
*WLS is a company making Epoxy Wood Primers and Sealers
These models were produced for two or three years
Another by now run of the mill custom shop reissue this time in 3 colour options
923-5001-433 Natural Blonde
923-5001-434 Aged 3 Colour Sunburst
923-5001-435 Aged black
Note the increasingly common use of 923-5001.
Body 2 piece select Ash Relic lacquer finish
Neck Tinted rift sawn maple 60s style oval C
Flat laminated Rosewood board 21 Narrow Tall Frets 9.5" radius
Hand wound 58 Tele pickups
1 vol 1 tone greasebucket and modern Tele wiring
1 ply parchment guard
1960 Telle bridge threaded steel saddles
Vintage style tuners
42mm bone nut
This will be a long way from covering all the custom shop models as there will be one offs, undocumented models and all
sorts of anomalies. There are no new 60s models in the 2022 catalogues and I don't have any later documentation other than the
Fender website. On the website at the time of writing there are at least half a dozen 60s Teles full details are on the site.
This is the current (Sept 2025) offering from Fender RRP £2069 available in Surf Green, Crimson Red Transparent and the
ubiquitous 3 Colour Sunburst . Retailing at surprisingly close to that figure in many places.
Body Alder (Mahogany on Crimson Red) Finish Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Neck Maple 1963 C shape Gloss NCL finish
Board Round Laminated rosewood 7.25" radius 21 Vintage tall Frets
Pickups Pure Vintage '63 Single-Coil Tele
Controls Master Volume, Master Tone
Switching 3-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Bridge Pure Vintage 3-Saddle Tele with Threaded Steel Barrel Saddles
Includes Chrome Bridge Cover
Control Knobs Knurled Flat-Top
Hardware Finish Nickel/Chrome
Pickguard 3-Ply Parchment
ickup Covers Neck: Chrome; Bridge: Black
Tuning Machines Pure Vintage Single Line "Fender Deluxe"
Nut Bone 42mm
