Fender Custom Shop ‘68 Telecaster Thinline, 2023

The Fender Thinline Telecaster holds a special place in the Fender lineage. When it debuted in 1968, it was a genuinely new idea; take the beloved Telecaster platform, chamber the body, add an F-hole, and create something that breathed and resonated in a way no solid-body Tele could. It was lighter, more open-sounding, and undeniably cool. This Custom Shop '68 Thinline Journeyman Relic captures all of that original spirit and then raises the bar considerably.

I cherry-picked this particular guitar from a dealer friend of mine. The 3-color sunburst over the ash body is gorgeous, with the grain showing through the Journeyman Relic finish in a way that gives it real visual depth. The aging is spot-on; it looks like a guitar that was loved and played over the years, but well cared for. Nothing overdone, just the right amount of honest wear and character.

Picking it up, the first thing that registers is how comfortable and resonant it feels. At seven and a half pounds, it sits nicely against the body, and you can feel the semi-hollow chamber doing its thing acoustically before you even plug in. The '60 Oval "C" neck profile with its .850" to .920" taper has become one of my favorite Fender neck shapes. It starts a little thinner at the nut and gradually fills out as you move up the neck, giving you a sense of support without ever feeling bulky. The rift-sawn maple and 9.5" radius with narrow, tall frets make for a fast, modern playing experience wrapped in a vintage package.

The hand-wound Twisted Tele pickups are a big part of what makes this guitar sing. They deliver a hotter, fuller output than a standard Tele set, but with a sparkle and openness that nods toward Stratocaster territory. The neck pickup, in particular, solves the age-old Tele problem: instead of going dark and muddy, it stays clear and articulate with a glassy shimmer. The bridge pickup retains all the bark and bite you want from a Tele but with more body behind it. Through the 3-way switch, you get a wide tonal palette that covers far more ground than most T-style guitars.

Then there's the Bigsby B5, which adds a whole other dimension. Beyond the obvious vibrato capability, it gives the strings a looser, more expressive feel and adds a subtle richness to the sustain. It's the kind of addition that, once you play a Thinline with one, you wonder why they don't all come this way.

Having played and owned numerous Custom Shop Teles and Masterbuilt examples over the years, I can tell you this Journeyman Relic Thinline plays and sounds in the league of a Masterbuilt for me. The build quality, the tone, the feel, the aged aesthetic; it all comes together in a way that just works. This is a seriously inspiring instrument.

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.