The 2017 Fender American Professional Telecaster Deluxe ShawBucker in 3-Color Sunburst combines classic Tele Deluxe styling with a more modern, professional-player specification built around a pair of Tim Shaw-designed humbuckers.

Rather than the conventional Telecaster single-coil layout, the Deluxe uses two humbuckers with individual volume and tone controls and a three-way toggle switch. Fender also equipped the first-generation American Professional model with its comfortable Deep “C” maple neck, narrow-tall frets and a six-saddle string-through bridge.

Serial US17032637 places this guitar in 2017 production. This Pre-Owned example is offered in Very Good condition and includes a hardcase.

The pickup covers have been removed, leaving the ShawBucker pickups uncovered. This modification is clearly reflected in the condition information below.

At A Glance

Pre-Owned Condition Report

Very Good Condition

This 2017 Fender American Professional Telecaster Deluxe ShawBucker is offered in Very Good condition.

Very Good condition reflects normal evidence of previous ownership while remaining well presented and suitable for regular playing, recording, rehearsal and live use.

The pickup covers have been removed from the ShawBucker humbuckers.

Apart from this stated change, no other faults, repairs or modifications have been supplied for this listing.

What’s Included?

✔ 2017 Fender American Professional Telecaster Deluxe ShawBucker
✔ Hardcase

✘ No Additional Accessories Included

Condition Notes

The pickup covers have been removed, so the humbuckers are presented with their coils exposed rather than their original covered appearance.

This should be considered a modification from the standard factory presentation of the model.

Fair Deal Quality Control Assessment

This Pre-Owned Fender American Professional Telecaster Deluxe has been inspected and assessed by the Fair Deal Music team before sale.

Our checks include:

• Both ShawBucker pickups tested
• Three-way toggle switch checked
• Both volume controls tested
• Both tone controls checked
• Output socket tested
• Frets inspected
• Maple fingerboard assessed
• Neck condition checked
• Tuning machines inspected
• Bridge and saddles checked
• Hardware assessed
• Tuning stability checked
• Overall playability assessed
• Hardcase checked for basic usability

Service / Setup Work

All Pre-Owned electric guitars at Fair Deal Music are set up and checked before leaving the shop.

Our assessment includes action, neck relief, fret condition, intonation, tuning stability, electronics, pickup output, bridge setup, hardware and general playability.

Please note that guitar setup can shift slightly during delivery because changes in temperature and humidity can naturally affect wooden instruments in transit.

Why Choose The Fender American Professional Telecaster Deluxe ShawBucker?

Tim Shaw-Designed Humbuckers

The American Professional Deluxe was fitted with a pair of pickups designed by Fender pickup specialist Tim Shaw. Fender specifically developed the Tele Deluxe versions around the guitar’s four-control circuit rather than simply transplanting the same ShawBuckers used in another model.

Traditional Tele Deluxe Control Layout

Two volume controls, two tone controls and a three-way toggle give each pickup its own level and tone adjustment. This makes it easy to prepare contrasting neck and bridge sounds and switch between them during a performance. Fender’s service manual confirms this four-control arrangement.

Deep “C” Maple Neck

Fender developed the Deep “C” profile as one of the defining features of the original American Professional range. It offers more substance than a thin modern neck while remaining designed for contemporary playing.

Six-Saddle String-Through Bridge

The first-generation model uses a string-through-body bridge with individual bent-steel saddles, allowing accurate adjustment while retaining the solid fixed-bridge feel expected from a Tele-style guitar.

More Powerful Alternative To A Traditional Tele

For players who enjoy Telecaster ergonomics but want thicker humbucker sounds and Gibson-style independent pickup controls, the American Professional Deluxe occupies an appealing middle ground.

Comparison Against Popular Alternatives

American Professional Tele Deluxe vs American Professional II Tele Deluxe

The later American Professional II Deluxe introduced V-Mod II Double Tap humbuckers, coil-splitting functionality and Fender’s three-saddle “cut” Tele bridge. This first-generation guitar instead represents the original ShawBucker-equipped American Professional design with its six-saddle bridge.

Telecaster Deluxe vs Traditional Telecaster

A conventional Telecaster prioritises the bright attack and twang of two single-coil pickups. The Deluxe is better suited to players wanting more body, output and individual pickup control while retaining the familiar Telecaster outline.

Telecaster Deluxe vs 1970s-Style Tele Deluxe

The original Telecaster Deluxe was launched in 1973 with Fender Wide Range humbuckers. The American Professional version deliberately updated the concept with Tim Shaw-designed pickups, a modern Deep “C” neck and contemporary bridge hardware rather than functioning as a strict vintage reissue.

Telecaster Deluxe vs Les Paul

Both provide twin humbuckers with individual volume and tone controls, but the Fender retains bolt-on construction, longer-scale Fender ergonomics and the characteristic Tele body format, giving it a noticeably different playing response.

Who Is It For?

Rock And Alternative Players

The twin-humbucker format works particularly well with overdrive and distortion while retaining enough definition for complex chords and layered rhythm work.

Tele Players Wanting More Power

If you like Fender necks and Tele ergonomics but find conventional single-coils too bright or lean for your main style, the Deluxe offers a natural alternative.

Studio Guitarists

Independent controls for each pickup make it easy to prepare contrasting neck and bridge tones without changing amplifier settings.

Indie And Modern Rock Guitarists

The Tele Deluxe format has developed a strong identity outside traditional country and blues applications, particularly where thicker rhythm tones, effects and dynamic clean-to-driven sounds are required.

Players Looking For A First-Generation American Professional

This 2017 example comes from the launch period of Fender’s original American Professional range rather than the later Professional II generation.

Suitable Genres And Uses

• Rock
• Blues rock
• Alternative
• Indie
• Pop
• Hard rock
• Punk
• Grunge
• Rhythm guitar
• Lead guitar
• Clean and edge-of-breakup sounds
• Effects-heavy rigs
• Studio recording
• Live performance

ShawBucker vs Wide Range Humbucker: What’s The Difference?

The original 1970s Telecaster Deluxe used Fender’s Wide Range humbucker, developed during Fender’s first major move into dual-coil pickups. The American Professional Telecaster Deluxe did not simply recreate that original pickup; Fender instead asked Tim Shaw to develop a new humbucker suited to the modern Professional series.

Fender also tuned the Tele Deluxe ShawBucker implementation around its two-volume, two-tone circuit. This makes the American Professional version better understood as a modern interpretation of the Deluxe formula rather than a period-correct 1970s recreation.

Looking for advice on choosing the right Fender Telecaster Deluxe, humbucker-equipped Telecaster or Pre-Owned USA Fender? Our experienced team of musicians can help by phone, online or in-store.

Story & Context: Fender American Professional Telecaster Deluxe

The Telecaster Deluxe first appeared in 1973, joining Fender’s earlier Thinline and Custom models as part of the company’s move into humbucker-equipped Telecasters. The original Deluxe combined two Wide Range humbuckers with four controls, a three-way toggle and the larger Stratocaster-style headstock.

Although the original model was discontinued in 1981, the Deluxe later developed a substantial following and returned in various Fender reissue and modernised forms.

Fender introduced the first American Professional Series in late 2016, officially launching it for 2017 as the successor to the long-running American Standard range. The new family introduced updated neck profiles and new pickups developed specifically for professional working players.

For the American Professional Telecaster Deluxe, Fender paired the established four-control Deluxe concept with two newly developed Tim Shaw-designed ShawBucker humbuckers, a Deep “C” neck and an updated string-through bridge. This US17 example therefore comes from the first full year of that important American Professional generation.

Technical Specifications

The control layout, bridge assembly, neck profile, fret type and staggered tuners are confirmed by Fender’s first-generation American Professional Telecaster Deluxe service documentation.

Power Requirements

No battery or external power supply is required for the guitar’s passive electronics.

Connect the guitar to a suitable amplifier, pedalboard, modeller or audio interface using a standard 1/4" instrument cable.

Why Buy Pre-Owned From Fair Deal Music?

Buying Pre-Owned can provide access to discontinued specifications that are no longer offered in the current Fender range.

This first-generation American Professional Deluxe is a good example: Fender replaced the original American Professional family with the American Professional II generation in 2020, which brought different pickups, switching and bridge hardware.

At Fair Deal Music, our Pre-Owned guitars are individually checked and assessed before sale, helping customers buy discontinued and modified instruments with greater confidence.

Fair Deal Music Verdict

★★★★★ 5/5

The 2017 Fender American Professional Telecaster Deluxe ShawBucker is an excellent choice for players who love Telecaster ergonomics but want a thicker, more powerful twin-humbucker platform.

The original ShawBucker electronics and four-control layout give it a very different personality from both a conventional Telecaster and the later American Professional II Deluxe. The removed pickup covers also give this individual guitar a more stripped-back appearance.

Best suited for: Rock, alternative, blues-rock and indie players wanting a versatile USA-made twin-humbucker Fender.

Customers usually upgrade from: Mexican-made Telecasters, Player-series guitars, single-coil Teles and more affordable HH electrics.

Most commonly paired with: Valve amplifiers, overdrive, fuzz, boost, delay, reverb and modern amp modellers.

Our tip: Make use of the independent volume controls. Setting the neck pickup cleaner and the bridge pickup for a harder-driven sound lets the three-way toggle act almost like an instant channel change.

Showroom feedback: The ShawBucker Deluxe works particularly well for players who like Fender feel but normally gravitate towards humbucker-equipped guitars.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

From our Birmingham showroom, our knowledgeable musician-led team helps players find the right equipment whether they're purchasing their first serious guitar, upgrading an existing setup or searching for something distinctive within the Pre-Owned market.

When you shop with Fair Deal Music, you can buy with confidence thanks to:

• Expert advice from knowledgeable musicians
• Carefully checked new and Pre-Owned musical equipment
• Decades of experience buying and selling guitars
• Large Birmingham showroom
• Secure online ordering
• UK delivery
• Friendly support before and after purchase
• Extensive experience with used and modified Pre-Owned instruments

For an individual modified guitar such as this Fender, our team can also help with questions about its playing feel, electronics and whether the ShawBucker-equipped Deluxe format is right for your rig.

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Thinking about upgrading? Your next piece of gear could cost less than you think.

We're always happy to consider part exchanges and trade-ins on a wide range of musical instruments and equipment. Whether you're looking to upgrade your guitar, amplifier, keyboard, drum kit or studio gear, your existing equipment could help reduce the cost of your next purchase.

Simply get in touch with our team for a no-obligation valuation, and we'll be happy to discuss the options available.

It's an easy way to unlock the value of gear you no longer use while making your next instrument more affordable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the American Professional Telecaster Deluxe good for higher-gain sounds?

Yes. Its twin humbuckers make it substantially better suited to heavier drive and distortion than a traditional single-coil Telecaster while retaining the familiar Fender body format.

Does removing the pickup covers change the guitar from factory specification?

Yes. The ShawBucker pickups were originally presented with covers as part of Fender’s factory design, so this guitar’s uncovered pickups represent a modification from its original presentation. Fender specifically discussed the covered ShawBucker design used for the Professional Tele Deluxe.

Does it have coil splitting?

The first-generation American Professional Telecaster Deluxe uses conventional three-way pickup selection and independent volume/tone controls. The later American Professional II model added Fender’s Double Tap switching system.

What does the Deep “C” neck feel like?

It is fuller than many thin modern Fender necks while still being designed for contemporary playing. Fender introduced the profile as one of the principal updates of the American Professional generation.

Can it be used with modern pedalboards and amp modellers?

Yes. Its passive guitar output is suitable for conventional guitar amplifiers, analogue pedals, multi-effects processors, profiling systems and digital modelling equipment.

Can I request a closer look at the pickup modification?

Yes. A Request a Video Demo is particularly useful for this guitar if you would like a closer look at the uncovered ShawBucker pickups and the overall condition of the individual instrument before purchasing.