Merle Haggard, Bob Dylan, Sting, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Keith Richards are music legends. What else do they have in common? They all have played on guitars from Fender’s legendary Custom Shop. In 1987, William “Bill” Schultz, CEO of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, opened the Custom Shop to create special-order and limited edition top of the line guitars.
Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster
In fact, the Fender Custom Shop (aka“The Dream Factory”) employs Fender’s most skilled builders, craftsmen, artists and mad scientists. Since they began in 1987 with two builders, now there are more than 100.
In honor of Fender Custom Shop’s 30th anniversary, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and its guitar luthier pioneers have reunited for 2017 Fender Custom Shop Founders Design. They have introduced eight guitars, each designed by eight of the original master builders who kickstarted the iconic Custom Shop. Considered one of the most coveted collections in the shop’s history, only 30 units of each design will be built by a team of artisans in Fender’s Custom Shop in Corona, California. The guitars will be released throughout 2017.
If you should covet one of these babies but feel you have no guitar talent, you can still summon your inner Clapton. Fender came up with a solution built entirely on your terms. In 2017 the guitar mecca introduced Fender Play which offers easy-to-follow step-by-step video lessons that are broken down with simple techniques. Each lesson is short and easily doable.
The subscription-based online learning program was designed to help first-time players sharpen their playing prowess through personalized and song-specific lessons. There are hundreds of songs for acoustic and electric guitar in a multitude of genres from pop to country to folk to rock. Also, until Dec. 31, the subscription is $10 per month.
Click to this Parade.com story to see more Signature Stratocasters and other Custom Shop guitars that the stars have played. Also, learn the inside scoop of the Fender Custom Shop in the documentary featured in the story.
This Shattered Mirror Telecaster was made by the Fender Custom Shop for Keith Urban.