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.