❌SOLD❌ Fender American Vintage ’72 Telecaster Custom Reissue Sunburst, 2012

The Fender American Vintage 72 Telecaster recreates a version of the Telecaster built from 1972 to 1981, a major change from the Tele Custom introduced in 1959.

For 1959 with the introduction of Rosewood fingerboards, Fender introduced an ‘upmarket’ Telecaster Custom, with the new Rosewood board and a body with binding around the top and back. The rest of the guitar was standard Telecaster. However, by 1972, Fender Marketing was feeling pressured because of its close association with thin and bright single coil pickups, while Gibson was almost synonymous with fat sounding humbuckers. Seth Lover was tasked with producing a new pickup to address this, and came up with the Fender Wide Range Humbucker used on the updated 1972 Telecaster Custom and Telecaster Deluxe models. The Wide Range Humbucker is physically larger than a Gibson-style pickup, delivering a warm, full and smooth sound yet with the clarity of a Fender pickup.

Lover’s Wide Range design is almost never produced in exactly the same way as the originals, because the original design used CuNiFe magnetic rods with threads cut directly into them. CuNiFe has been in very short supply for some years. Still, this model is used by a number of third party pickup manufacturers to great results. For example, the Lollar Regal is apparently one of Jason Lollar’s favourite pickups.

With the new humbucker, the 72 Telecaster Custom also received a much larger pickguard and Gibson style wiring – a three way Switchcraft toggle on the upper bout, mounted on the pickguard, and individual volume and tone controls. The traditional Telecaster three saddle bridge was still used, with the ‘ashtray’ cover provided.

Here we’re looking at a Fender American Vintage 72 Telecaster, built in the USA at Corona, California and dating to mid-October 2012. The neck is dated to October 17 2012, and the body to October 19 2012. It is in complete and original condition with the exception of the strap pins – the originals, now in the case, were swapped for Schaller Strap-Locks. Otherwise this guitar is unaltered from new; the ‘Case Candy’ bag, unopened, contains a 6-saddle bridge plus the snap-on ‘ashtray’ cover.

Unlike the original 1972 version, the American Vintage series has a light nitrocellulose lacquer finish.  

This guitar is in excellent condition with very slight wear – there is a small scuff on the lower horn close to the end of the cutaway. The original plastic was removed from the pickguard to prevent it from interacting over time with the pickguard material, so there are light fingermarks on the guard.

The original black tolex hard shell case by G&G is included and contains the Case Candy bag, strap and cable.