This preowned Custom Shop ’61 Telecaster, spec’d with Chicago Music Exchange, pairs classic tonewoods with custom “Chicago Special” pickups for a Tele that’s as dynamic and powerful as it is vintage-inspired.

This preowned Fender Custom Shop 1961 Telecaster, spec’d in collaboration between Chicago Music Exchange and the Fender Custom Shop, delivers everything we love about a great Custom Shop build and then some.

It’s built from classic tonewoods: an alder body paired with a rift-sawn maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. The chunky ’63 Strat C profile (.83"–1.0") fills the hand in the best way, offering that perfect blend of substance and comfort that invites you to keep playing.

The real magic, though, lies in the custom “Chicago Special” pickups. Potted in shellac for an open, wide-frequency response, they’re wound with 43-gauge enamel wire for a dynamic voice. The bridge pickup - built with wide-diameter AlNiCo 3 magnets - serves up a hot tones with plenty of bite and sustain. The neck pickup, with wide AlNiCo 5 magnets and a generous overwind, delivers punch, clarity, and sweet articulation without losing warmth. Together, they strike a balance of vintage character and modern power that makes this Tele feel both familiar and fresh.

Plugged into a Victoria Broadway, the guitar came alive - sparkly and articulate when clean, raw and expressive when pushed. Simply put, it’s a Telecaster with personality to spare.