11 Must-See Finishes from the Fender Custom Shop
Take a look at these mind-blowing finishes on display at NAMM from the Fender Custom Shop.
By Mike Duffy
When the Fender Custom Shop sets up at the annual NAMM Show in Anaheim, Calif., everywhere your head turns there is another guitar or bass bound to draw your attention with awe-inspiring design innovation and eye-popping finishes.
And that's just before you hear them played.
At the 2018 NAMM Show, the Fender Custom Shop pulled out all the stops, from the incredible Prestige Collection to the Limited Edition, Time Machine, Postmodern and Vintage Custom lines in the Annual Collection.
Below, take a look at some of the must-see finishes that wowed the crowd from the Fender NAMM showcase:
(L to R)
Gold hardware adorns this beauty of a Sunburst Sparkle Stratocaster, which is also outfitted with hand-wound fat '60s pickups in the neck and bridge positions and a RWRP middle pickup.
The Road Cone Stratocaster from Master Builder Dennis Galuzka is decked out in road cone orange with reflective tape block-style fingerboard inlays, throwing "caution" to the wind.
(L to R)
This Black and Purple Paisley Stratocaster was created by Master Builder Dale Wilson and features a select alder body, a glossy urethane finish over the paisley undercoat and lacquer finish over the black top color.
A 1957 Heavy Relic Stratocaster with 2-tone sunburst under a blue sparkle finish, all on a lightweight ash body. In addition, it features a flash-coat lacquer tinted one-piece quartersawn maple neck.
Galuzka created this Border Town Telecaster that boasts an alder body covered in a Mexican blanket, hand-wound Nocaster pickups and a one-piece AAAA maple neck.
(L to R)
A 1956 Heavy Relic Thinline Stratocaster stunned the NAMM crowd with its aged Sonic Blue over pink paisley and hand-wound Fat '50s Strat pickups in the neck and bridge positions and RWRP middle pickup.
This Stratocaster boasts a NOS lacquer finish on its okoume body and AAAA koa top. In addition, it is ready to play with a roasted AAAA flame maple neck and slab Macassar ebony slab fingerboard.
A White Blonde Heavy Relic Telecaster carries a well-traveled look on its ash body, which is paired with hand-wound Twisted Tele pickup in the neck position and another hand-wound pickup in the bridge position.
(L to R)
A 1965 Heavy Relic Stratocaster in super faded aged Olympic White also has a flash coat lacquer tinted quartersawn maple neck and round lam dark rosewood fretboard.
Koa makes another appearance on this P90 Telecaster, marking an eye-catching top on its roasted okoume body.
This 50s Relic Thinline Telecaster throws it back to years past with a psychedelic blue flower look to go along with the hand-wound Broadcaster bridge pickup and hand-wound Texas Special neck pickup.
See more from the Fender Custom Shop here.
