This Fender Custom Shop 1961 Telecaster Journeyman Relic in Ocean Turquoise is a breath of fresh air! This beautiful electric guitar weighs 7 lbs 10 oz.
We tend to focus on the classic ’50s Telecaster and its Swamp Ash body, so it’s easy to overlook the Alder and Rosewood combination. The late 1950s and early 1960s brought some notable changes to the Telecaster, from tonewood choices to pickup materials and saddle materials. Those changes helped make these guitars particularly well suited to louder, more distorted amplifiers. Just ask Jimmy Page!
This 1961 Telecaster Journeyman Relic starts with a 2-piece Alder body. At 7 lbs 10 oz, it has the kind of substantial feel you expect from a vintage-inspired Tele without getting into truly heavy territory. Alder is less bright than Swamp Ash, with a more prominent low end and midrange. The result is a Telecaster that pairs incredibly well with overdrive. Where Ash and Maple can sometimes get ice-picky in high-volume or high-gain situations, Alder and Rosewood deliver the goods without quite as much top-end harshness.
Speaking of Rosewood, the fingerboard is made from an AAA-rated, 9mm-thick slab of Rosewood. This sought-after and revered tonewood rounds off the top end compared to Maple. If you love the character of a Telecaster but want some warmth in place of an especially strong, bright attack, Rosewood is an excellent choice.
The 21 6105 frets provide a Taller-Than-Vintage feel, while the 9.5" fingerboard radius offers a fantastic playing feel from the nut all the way to the heel.
The neck is made from Quartersawn Maple, a particularly rigid and stable cut that can help minimize the need for adjustments. This guitar features a ’60s-style Oval C neck shape measuring .790" at the 1st fret and .930" at the 12th fret. It feels pretty darn close to the necks we order on our ’63 Strats.
A 1.650" nut width, bone nut, and 25.5" scale length round out the important neck specifications. The lacquer has also been stripped from the back of the neck, giving the playing hand a smooth, worn-in feel.
For pickups, this Telecaster is equipped with a set of Handwound Texas Special Telecaster single coils. These pickups have become legendary for their added heat and punch. Simply rolling back the volume and tone reveals another side of these handwound pickups, allowing them to sweeten up beautifully. Warming up without losing clarity is a tricky thing to pull off, but these Handwound Texas Specials do it exceptionally well.
The electronics are straightforward and familiar: master volume, master tone, and a three-way pickup selector, along with the Greasebucket Tone Circuit.
Well, that about covers it! We’re very excited to finally see this model after months in the making. And a Telecaster better suited for Rock and overdrive than Country-Clean? This. Is. It!
Features
- Fender Custom Shop
- 1961 Telecaster Journeyman Relic
- Ocean Turquoise Nitrocellulose Finish
- 2-Piece Alder Body
- Weighs 7 lbs 10 oz
- Quartersawn Maple Neck
- ’60s Oval Style C Neck Shape
- .790" at 1st Fret
- .930" at the 12th Fret
- AAA 9mm Rosewood Fingerboard
- 9.5" Fingerboard Radius
- 21 6105 Frets
- 1.650" Nut Width
- Bone Nut Material
- Lacquer Stripped from Back of Neck
- Handwound Texas Special Telecaster Pickup Set
- Master Volume
- Master Tone
- 3-Way Pickup Selector
- Greasebucket Tone Circuit
- Certificate of Authenticity
- Original Hardshell Case
