New for 2024, the Fender Custom Shop delves deep into the early years of the Tele® to introduce a unique, transition-era model – the 1954 Telecaster®. Early 1954 marks the last production run of the infamous single-ply black phenolic pickguard on what we now know as a Nocaster® Blonde-finished body, eventually moving to a single-ply white ABS pickguard to match the all-new Stratocaster®.
Preserving the iconic appointments of the sought after early Telecaster® guitars, this 1954 model features a two-piece select ash body (with offset seam on the treble side), a one-piece rift sawn maple neck with ’54-style “U” back-shape and vintage compound 7.25” to 9.5” fingerboard radius. Equipped with a pair of Custom Shop hand-wound Loaded ’51 Nocaster® pickups, this guitar has all the clarity and twang you would expect from an early-‘50s Tele®, but with a bit of extra power on tap.
The 1954 Telecaster® is available in a number of Custom Shop treatments with varying degrees of wear, including Time Capsule, DLX Closet Classic, Relic®, Journeyman Relic®, Heavy Relic® and Super Heavy Relic®.
Other premium features include 21 medium vintage (47095) frets, fat '50s tele wiring, 3-way switch, single-ply black phenolic pickguard, '51-'54 Tele® bridge with brass barrel saddles, vintage-style tuning machines, bone nut, disc string tree, deluxe hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity.
BODY: 2-Piece Select Ash with Offset Seam
BODY FINISH: Flash Coat Lacquer
BODY SHAPE: Telecaster®
BODY MATERIAL: 2-Piece Select Ash with Offset Seam
HEADSTOCK: Telecaster®
NECK MATERIAL: 1-Piece Rift Sawn Maple
NECK FINISH: Flash Coat Lacquer
NECK SHAPE: 1954 "U"
FINGERBOARD RADIUS: 7.25" to 9.5" Vintage Compound Radius
FINGERBOARD MATERIAL: 1-Piece Rift Sawn Maple Neck
POSITION INLAYS: Black Micarta Dot - 0.25"
NUMBER OF FRETS: 21
TRUSS ROD: Vintage-Style Heel Adjust
STRING NUT: Bone
NUT WIDTH: 1.625" (41.3 mm)
NUT MATERIAL: Bone
BRIDGE: 3-Saddle American Vintage Strings-Through-Body Tele® with Brass Saddles
PICKGUARD: 1-Ply Black Phenolic
CONTROL KNOBS: Knurled Chrome
SWITCH TIP: Barrel Style, Black
HARDWARE FINISH: Nickel/Chrome
TUNING MACHINES: Vintage-Style with Fender® Logo
STRING TREES: Vintage-Style Disc
STRINGS: Nickel Plated Steel (.010-.046 Gauges)
NECK PLATE: 4-Bolt with Custom Shop "V" Logo
BRIDGE PICKUP: Custom Shop Hand-Wound Loaded '51 Nocaster®
NECK PICKUP: Custom Shop Hand-Wound Loaded '51 Nocaster®
PICKUP CONFIGURATION: SS
CONTROLS: Master Volume, Master Tone
SWITCHING: 3-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup