Fender Custom Shop Reveals 2022 Prestige and Annual Collections

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) and the Fender Custom Shop™ today announces the launch of the Prestige Collection built by its team of world-class Master Builders, and their Annual Collection which includes Limited Edition electric models, Post-Modern, Artisan, Vintage Custom, American Custom and Time Machine Collections. With an earned reputation for creating the world’s finest and most-innovative custom guitars for artists, players and collectors, Fender Custom Shop™ is the pinnacle of creativity and quality craftsmanship.

2022 MASTERBUILT PRESTIGE COLLECTION

Each year, the Fender Custom Shop’s esteemed Master Builders are given the opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind guitar with zero limits. This creative challenge achieved the intricate 2022 Prestige Collection models,  each of which demonstrates the imagination and unique inspiration of each builder as well as their area of expertise. Available beginning this March at authorized Fender Custom Shop™ Showcase Dealers, the Prestige Collection includes:

• Greg Fessler: Prestige Ghost Town Tele®, Relic®, Artwork By Dave Newman ($17,500.00 USD, £15,699.00 GBP, €18,299.00 EUR, $28,999.00 AUD, ¥ 2,754,400 JPY) Greg Fessler found inspiration in  Fellow Master Builder Dale Wilson, who travels the Southwest, including many Ghost Towns. Artist Dave Newman, who Fessler has worked with for years, is a Southwest native. Dave’s work is stimulated by what he sees around the Southwest, creating an organic segway to the partnership. Innovative specs include Josefina Campos Hand-Wound pickups along with Merle Haggard electronics. Beneath Newman’s artwork lies pre-distressed ash, lending the guitar an authentic finish. This model is ideal for guitar enthusiasts or collectors with respect and affinity for Southwestern art. Video here.

• Dennis Galuszka: Prestige Moto Jazzmaster®, Bronze Sunburst ($15,000.00 USD, £13,499.00 GBP, €15,699.00 EUR, $24,999.00 AUD, ¥2,293,500 JPY). Motivated by all things pearloid and with an eagerness to work with founding Fender Custom Shop™ Master Builder, Fred Stuart, the duo created the Prestige Moto Jazzmaster®, Bronze Sunburst. Highlights include a 2-piece select ash body with Moto covering by Fred Stuart and a roasted quartersawn maple neck with ’62 style Jazzmaster® back-shape. Finish includes Jay Nelson paintwork. Video here.

• Todd Krause: Prestige Jazzmaster®, Olympic White ($11,250.00 USD, £10,099.00 GBP, €11,799.00 EUR, $18,999.00 AUD, ¥ 1,796,300 JPY) Influenced by a modern version of this classic model, Todd Krause’s Prestige Jazzmaster® includes simple rear routed electronics and small pickguard and roasted neck – the most notable features giving the Prestige Jazzmaster® a very unique appearance. Suitable for a collector or enthusiast craving an instrument that defies tradition and steps outside of predictable boundaries, this is a must-have guitar. Video here.

• Kyle McMillin: Prestige Thinline Telecaster®, Tobacco Sunburst ($11,000.00 USD, £9,899.00 GBP, €11,499.00 EUR, $18,499.00 AUD, ¥1,767,700 JPY) This Telecaster® is inspired by a gorgeous abalone shell pickguard that Kyle McMillin has cherished for years. A deeper review of the shell presented McMillin the perfect combination of specs this guitar needed: a custom abalone veneered pickguard, complemented with abalone side dots and abalone Fender logo in the headstock, a satin tobacco burst finish and  Tasmanian blackwood Thinline body with black top binding. The Prestige Thinline Telecaster® is equipped with Josefina Campos Hand-Wound original blackguard (bridge) and twisted Tele® (neck) pickups,  possessing a traditional Fender® sound with a unique and elegant look.Video here. 

• Yuriy Shishkov: Prestige Quilted ’60s Stratocaster® ($9,500.00 USD, £8,599.00 GBP, €9,999.00 EUR, $15,999.00 AUD, ¥1,560,900 JPY) Inspired by an exquisite deep purple finish, Yuriy Shishkov sought to create a High Garde Quilt Maple top for his prestige collection. The Prestige Quilted ‘60s Stratocaster® includes: NOS urethane finish with gold hardware, select roasted ash body with 4A quilted maple top and Josefina Campos Hand-Wound ’60s Strat® pickups. The Prestige Quilted ’60s Stratocaster® is an ideal guitar for enthusiasts and collectors craving a one-of-a-kind Custom Shop creation.Video here. 

• Jason Smith: Prestige Electric Sea Gems Esquire® ($13,000.00 USD, £11,699.00 GBP, €13,599.00 EUR, $21,999.00 AUD, ¥2,059,200 JPY) Jason Smith, frontman for band Echovox, commissioned Minnesota based artist Laura Bennett to create his band’s album cover art, and from there the inspiration for the Electric Sea Gems was born. The Prestige Electric Sea Gems Esquire® features include: a 2-piece select alder body, quartersawn maple neck with ’60 style oval “C” back shape, and a flat-lam rosewood fingerboard with white pearloid block inlay. This single pickup Esquire® includes heavily rolled edges on the neck, giving the guitar a comfortable, vintage feel. The Electric Sea Gems Esquire® captivates art collectors and guitar enthusiasts alike. Video here. 

• Ron Thorn: Prestige Hawaiian Dream Resonator, Natural ($36,500.00 USD, £32,699.00 GBP, €38,099.00 EUR, $59,999.00 AUD, ¥5,685,900 JPY) Koa, a wood revered for its beauty, tone and symbolism is only grown in one place on earth: Hawaii. Ron Thorn built this Koa resonator in celebration of Hawaii’s “rich musical heritage and love of slide and steel guitars.” The extra thick Koa hollow body allows for additional volume and projection from the hand-spun resonator cone. The Koa set-neck’s fretboard is adorned with various Hawaiian flower position marker inlays in a selection of pearl, abalone and semi-precious stone materials. Thornhand-engraved the bronze-plated brass top in a floral motif with bird of paradise sound holes, which are also found on the body’s curly Koa back. An active preamp allows blending of the neck pickup and the piezo biscuit bridge for endless electric/acoustic resonator tones when plugged in. Video here.

• Vincent Van Trigt: 1952 Peacock Precision Bass® ($22,500.00 USD, £20,199.00 GBP, €23,499.00 EUR, $36,999.00 AUD, ¥3,613,500 JPY) After creating the Flamingo Telecaster® last year with Ian Ward, a prolific parrot breeder and aviary enthusiast, Vincent Van Trigt sought out the opportunity to work with Ward again, inspired by his illustrations of birds. Vincent Van Trigt notes, “historically peacocks are a symbol of transformation, restoration and rejuvenation, which is what music is. It’s transformative, it takes people on a journey and rejuvenates their souls.” The 1952 Peacock Precision Bass® is adorned with Ward’s artwork and inlays that match beautifully as well as Josefina Campos Hand-Wound special design pickups with custom mounting rings. The pickup ring with 2 ‘51 pickups is wired in series while the reversed headstock is a nod to Dusty Hill. The 1952 Peacock Precision Bass® is perfect for a bass player looking for a classic Fender® instrument with some modern twists and gorgeous artwork. Video here. 

• Paul Waller: Prestige Saint John’s Skeleton Telecaster®, Black Over Graffiti Yellow With Artwork By David Kassan ($21,500.00 USD, £19,299.00 GBP, €22,499.00 EUR, $35,999.00 AUD, ¥3,423,200 JPY) Paul Waller partnered with artist David Kassan, an oil/canvas painter, to create hand-painted art inspired by a skeleton of the Saint John the Divine Cathedral in New York City. The Prestige Saint John’s Skeleton Telecaster® is painted on top of a relic finish with black over graffiti yellow, a different finish than Fender’s typical gloss finish on art guitars. While the artwork appears to be a picture at first glance, it becomes individual brushstrokes of oil colors. David Hassan notes of this artwork, “this has the profound potential to wake us up and breathe more life into our lives. A painting surface holds all of the thoughts of the artist that paints on it. In this case, the Telecaster® is the ossuary for all of my decisions to create this work. It embodies/absorbed all of my success as well as my failures in painting it.” Video here. 

2022 ANNUAL COLLECTION: LIMITED EDITION MODELS

Fender Custom Shop™ Annual Collection models are brainstormed and created in the Fender Custom Shop™ to showcase the latest innovations and developments— from unique models, pickup design, wiring, finish processes and more. Each model in this collection is only sold at authorized Fender Custom Shop™ showcase dealers in person or online. Joining the Annual Collections in 2022 is the Custom Shop Limited Edition models, which include:

• Limited Edition Dual P90 Telecaster® Relic® ($5,45.00 USD, £4,749.00 GBP, €5,549.00 EUR, $8,399.00 AUD, ¥812, 900 JPY) Available finishes include Pink Paisley, Black Paisley and Blue Floral.
• Limited Edition Roasted ’61 Strat® Super Heavy Relic® ($5,600.00 USD, £4,899.00 GBP, €5,699.00 EUR, $8,999.00 AUD, ¥836,000JPY) Available finishes include Aged 3-color sunburst, Aged Natural, Aged Sherwood Green Over 3-Color Sunburst and Aged Black Over 3-Color Sunburst.
• Limited Edition Fat ’50s Strat® Relic® ($4,750.00 USD, £4,149.00 GBP, €4,849.00 EUR, $7,299.00 AUD, ¥709,500 JPY) Available finishes include India Ivory, Wide-Fade Chocolate 2-Color Sunburst and Super Faded Aged Seafoam Green.
• Limited Edition ’50s Twisted Tele® Custom Journeyman Relic® ($4,800.00 USD, £4,199.00 GBP, €4,899.00 EUR, $7,399.00 AUD, ¥719,400 JPY) Available finishes include Chocolate 3-Color Sunburst, Aged Ocean Turquoise, and Aged Tahitian Coral.
• Limited Edition Custom Jazz Bass® Heavy Relic® ($5,450.00 USD, £4,749.00 GBP, €5,549.00 EUR, $8,399.00 AUD, ¥816,200 JPY) Available finishes include Aged Natural, Aged Black and Faded Aged 3-Color Sunburst.
• Limited Edition Cunife Tele® Custom Journeyman Relic® – Amber Natural ($4,800.00 USD, £4,899.00 GBP, €5,699.00 EUR, $7,799.00 – $8,599.00 AUD, ¥836,000 JPY) Available finishes include Chocolate 3-Color Sunburst, Aged Ocean Turquoise and Aged Tahitian Coral.
• Limited Edition ’55 Bone Tone Strat® Relic® ($5,300.00 USD, £4,649.00 GBP, €5,399.00 EUR, $8,099.00 AUD, ¥790,900 JPY) Available finishes include Aged Honey Blonde, Aged Hle Gold, Wide Fade 2-Color Sunburst.
• Limited Edition Caballo Tono Ligero Relic® ($5,400.00 – $5,900.00 USD, £4,699.00 – £5,149.00 GBP, €5,499.00 – €5,999.00 EUR, $8,299.00 – $8,999.00 AUD, ¥807,400 JPY) Available finishes include Aged Black, Aged Gold Sparkle and Aged Magenta Sparkle.
• Limited Edition Red Hot Strat® Super Heavy Relic® ($5,950.00 – $6,200.00 USD, £5,249.00 – £5,449.00 GBP, €6,099.00 – €6,349.00 EUR, $9,199.00 AUD, ¥924,000 JPY) Available finishes include Faded Aged Chocolate 3-Color Sunburst, Aged Dirty White Blonde and Super Faded Aged Lake Placid Blue.
• Limited Edition HS Telecaster® Custom Relic® ($5,950.00 USD, £4,549.00 GBP, €5,299.00 EUR, $7,999.00 AUD, ¥774,400 JPY) Available finishes include Aged Charcoal Frost Metallic and 3-Color Sunburst.
• Limited Edition P Bass® Special Journeyman Relic® ($5,250.00 USD, £4,599.00 GBP, €5,349.00 EUR, $7,999.00 AUD, ¥786,500 JPY) Available finishes include 3-Color Sunburst, Aged Dakota Red and Aged Sherwood Green Metallic.
• Limited Edition Tomatillo Tele® Journeyman Relic® ($4,650.00 USD, £4,099.00 GBP, €4,749.00 EUR, $7,199.00 AUD, ¥699,600 JPY) Available finishes include Natural Blonde, Tomatillo Green and Super Faded Aged Tahitian Coral.