Fender Custom Shop 1968 Telecaster Journeyman Relic Electric Guitar - Purple Metallic with Hardshell Case

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By the late 1960s, the Telecaster had already proven that a simple electric guitar could become a remarkably expressive musical tool, and this Fender Custom Shop 1968 Telecaster Journeyman Relic builds on that enduring formula with an unusually distinctive personality. Its alder body and familiar two-pickup layout preserve the directness at the heart of the Telecaster, while the Purple Metallic lacquer finish moves well beyond the more conventional colors associated with the model. Fender's Journeyman Relic treatment adds light aging rather than heavy wear, giving the guitar the appearance and tactile character of a vintage instrument that has been played and cared for over the decades.

The neck gives this particular Custom Shop build another layer of individuality. AAA roasted flame maple supplies dramatic figuring beneath a medium-tint nitrocellulose lacquer finish, while an AAA rosewood fingerboard and mother-of-pearl dots maintain the visual language of a late-'60s Tele. Its '60s-style Oval C profile begins relatively trim near the nut and gains considerable substance toward the body, creating a neck that should feel quick in lower positions without remaining uniformly slender. A vintage 7.25" radius preserves the curved playing surface associated with Fenders of the period, while Vintage Upgrade fretwire offers a thoughtful departure from strict vintage specification for a more accommodating playing experience.

Hardware choices reinforce the 1968 theme without turning the guitar into a completely rigid period reproduction. A relic-aged '67-style Telecaster bridge uses the classic three-saddle arrangement, while Schaller-style F-key tuners and a later-'60s string-tree configuration reflect Fender's changing hardware language as the decade progressed. The black/white/black nitro-finished pickguard, aged chrome and nickel components, knurled metal controls, and lightly worn Purple Metallic finish come together as the sort of details that make a Custom Shop build feel like an imagined instrument from a particular moment rather than simply a modern guitar dressed in vintage styling.

Its traditional SS electronics keep the musical experience centered on the two voices that made the Telecaster such a durable studio and stage instrument. The Custom Shop '63-style neck pickup provides the warmer, rounder side of the guitar, while the bridge position supplies the brighter attack and definition associated with the Tele design; a three-way blade, master volume, and master tone keep everything immediate and intuitive. That range gives the guitar a natural home in country, roots, blues, rock, indie, funk, and recording work where articulation matters. With its late-'60s inspiration, premium figured woods, unusual Purple Metallic finish, and restrained Journeyman aging, this Custom Shop Telecaster tells a familiar Fender story from a decidedly less familiar angle. Available now at Haggerty’s Music, this Custom Shop tele ships with a sturdy hardshell case for convenient transport and premium protection.

Features / Specs

Highlights

• Series: Fender Custom Shop
• Orientation: Right-Handed
• Color: Purple Metallic

Body

• Body Material: Alder
• Body Finish: Lacquer, Journeyman Relic with Light Aging
• Body Shape: Telecaster
• Body Style: Solidbody

Neck

• Headstock Type: '60s Telecaster, 6-In-Line
• Neck Material: AAA Roasted Flame Maple
• Neck Shape: '60s-Style Oval C
• Neck Finish: Medium-Tint Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Neck Depth: 0.803" at 1st Fret, 0.930" at 12th Fret
• Neck Construction: Bolt-On
• Fingerboard Radius: 7.25"
• Fingerboard Material: AAA Rosewood
• Position Inlays: Mother-of-Pearl Dots
• Side Dots: White
• Number of Frets: 21
• Truss Rod Style: Late-'60s-Style
• Truss Rod Nut: Heel Access
• Nut Material: Bone
• Nut Width: 1.65"
• Fret Size: Vintage Upgrade 45085
• Scale Length: 25.5"

Hardware

• Bridge: '67 Telecaster Relic Bridge with 3 Saddles
• Bridge Cover/Tail Piece: None
• Bridge Mounting: 7-Screw Bridge Plate
• Pickguard: '60-'64 Telecaster-Style Black/White/Black Nitro Pickguard, Relic Aged
• Pickup Covers: Aged Chrome/Nickel (Neck); Black (Bridge)
• Control Knobs: Knurled Metal Flat-Top
• Switch Tip: Black Top Hat-Style
• Hardware Finish: Aged Chrome / Nickel
• Tuning Machines: Schaller-Style Relic F-Key Tuners
• String Trees: American Vintage '65-and-Later Style with Nylon Spacer, Relic Aged
• Strings: .010 / .013 / .017 / .026 / .036 / .046
• Tremolo Arm: None
• Neck Plate: 4-Bolt, Serialized
• Strap Buttons: Standard, Relic Aged
• Output Jack: Side-Mounted 1/4" Telecaster-Style Output Jack

Electronics

• Pickup Configuration: SS
• Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Shop '63 Telecaster Neck Pickup, Relic
• Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Telecaster Single-Coil
• Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
• Switching: 3-Way Blade - Bridge / Bridge + Neck / Neck
• Auxiliary Switching: None

Miscellaneous

• Accessories: Specifications Sheet, Leather Strap, Adjustment Tools, Fender Literature
• Case/Gig Bag: Hardshell Case
• Serial Number: R150888
• Manufacture Date: 2026