The Guitar Player's Resource
'68 Custom Pink Paisley Telecaster: When Flower Power Met Twang. Here's one of rock history's greatest ironies - Fender originally created these psychedelic beauties to catch the Summer of Love wave, complete with groovy Pink Paisley finishes that screamed "flower power." The hippies mostly ignored them. Know who grabbed them instead? Country and rockabilly players, led by none other than James Burton, the man who made Elvis's Vegas years legendary.
You've got to love the cosmic humor in that. While flower children were plugging into fuzztones and feedback, the Nashville cats were discovering that these trippy-looking Telecasters delivered exactly the crystalline bite they needed for chicken-pickin' and steel-bending magic. Burton's choice wasn't about making a fashion statement - it was pure tone recognition.
This Custom Shop recreation nails every detail that made those originals so special. That vintage compound radius fingerboard transitions smoothly from comfortable 7.25-inch territory up to 9.5 inches, giving you period-correct feel without the hand cramps. The nitrocellulose lacquer with WLS undercoat isn't just about looks - it lets the wood breathe naturally while providing that authentic vintage resonance.
But let's talk about that Pink Paisley finish. This isn't some garish attention-grabber; it's a carefully crafted piece of cultural history. The psychedelic swirls catch stage lights beautifully while maintaining enough visual sophistication to work in any professional setting. Elvis tribute acts know this guitar's secret weapon status for capturing those Vegas-era tones.
The medium vintage frets strike that perfect balance between modern playability and authentic fifties feel, while that classic Telecaster bridge pickup delivers the articulate snap that cuts through any mix. Whether you're channeling Burton's country mastery or going full King-of-Rock-and-Roll, this Paisley Tele serves the music with both historical accuracy and undeniable stage presence.
Sometimes the best gear comes from the most unexpected cultural collisions.
General:
Number of Strings: 6
Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
Body:
Body Type: Solidbody
Body Shape: '68 Paisley Telecaster
Body Material: 2-Piece Select Alder
Body Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Color: Pink Paisley
Neck:
Neck Material: Riftsawn Maple
Neck Shape: '60s Oval C
Neck Joint: Bolt-on
Radius: 7.25"-9.5" compound
Fingerboard Material: Riftsawn Maple
Fingerboard Inlay: Micarta Black Dots
Number of Frets: 21, Medium Vintage
Scale Length: 25.5"
Nut Width: 1.650"
Nut Material: Bone
Hardware:
Bridge/Tailpiece: 3-Saddle '67 Telecaster with Threaded Steel Saddles
Tuners: Schaller
Electronics:
Neck Pickup: Custom Shop Hand Wound '67 Tele Single-coil
Bridge Pickup: Custom Shop Hand Wound '67 Tele Single-coil
Controls: 1 x master volume, 1 x master tone
Switching: 3-way blade pickup switch
