[1] The Custom debuted at the 1959 NAMM Convention as a more ornate alternative to the standard Telecaster, with binding, a sunburst finish, and a rosewood fretboard option.

This new version launched alongside the similar Telecaster Deluxe in 1972, and while the Custom found fans in notable players like Keith Richards and Peter Buck, neither guitar proved popular and both were discontinued in 1981.

To that end, the brand added binding to the body, while offering a sunburst finish and rosewood fretboard as options, while otherwise maintaining the original's core design.

creator and former Gibson employee Seth Lover to design what would become Fender's Wide Range humbucker, which first appeared in the brand's semi-hollowbody Thinline model in 1971.

Fender released the American Vintage reissue '72 Telecaster Custom the following year, replicating the original '72 design features such as the three-bolt neck and the classic look, with improved construction and quality.