Once a year, the master luthiers in the Fender Custom Shop are allowed to go absolutely crazy, resulting in a Limited Edition Collection of very special guitars. As each of them is available in very limited qualities, these musical pieces of art are highly sought after, making them great investments. Of course, each model comes with a certificate of authenticity, a case and plenty of case candy.
Vintage with a modern twist
The 2016 Limited 1956 Relic Stratocaster will take you back to the '50s. It features a lightweight ash body with deep cutaways and a Relic finish. The latter means that it's artificially aged, to give it the look of a guitar that's been in active duty for years. Thanks to its tinted quartersawn maple neck with a 10/'56 V profile, both its look and feel are absolutely authentic. Under the bonnet, this Strat does have a few modern additions, such as the Tone Saver treble-bleed circuit, that allows for a broad palette of timbres.
Birth of the Jazzmaster
The Fender Jazzmaster was first introduced in 1958. To honour that first model, Fender designed the Limited Edition 1958 Relic Jazzmaster. This model also features a lightweight ash body, just like it did back in the early days. Furthermore, there are countless little details that give it a beautiful and authentic appearance. There's the gold anodised pickguard, for example, as well as the Custom Shop RSD bridge and the artificially aged finish. This guitar is available in the Faded Two-Color Sunburst and Desert Sand finishes.
Mischief Maker
The Limited Edition Heavy Relic Mischief Maker combines the sound of a Stratocaster with that of a Telecaster. Thanks to the Blender control for the neck pickup, it allows for a wide range of authentic Strat and Tele tones. Furthermore, this hybrid guitar also features the Greasebucket tone circuit. In places where the finish has seen the most (artificial) wear and tear, you can see the 3-Color Sunburst finish peaking through. This feature is a nod back to the '60s, when there was a shortage of solid-colour Strat bodies, and many 3CS models where given a new paint job. In short, the Mischief Maker is an interesting model with lots of fun little details.
A loyal workhorse
The Limited Edition Heavy Relic Tele Caballo Tono Ligero offers a fresh new take on a Fender original. In Spanish, the name means 'lightweight tone horse', which really says it all. Its chambered ash body features a single sound hole, while the Heavy Relic finish makes it seem as if this workhorse has served many years of faithful duty already. What's more, it packs quite a bit of horsepower, thanks to the V Jones Classic neck pickup and the Red Hot bridge pickup. This model is available in the Dirty White Blonde and Champagne Sparkle finishes.
The secret to their success
With hidden compartments underneath the pickguard, the 2016 Limited Edition 1967 Closet Classic Smuggler's Telecaster offers a great new take on the classic '60s Tele. Not only does it make the guitar quite a bit lighter in weight, it also makes for a fun conversation piece. Thanks to the hand-wound 1967 Telecaster pickups and the lightly aged Closet Classic lacquer finish on its ash body, you can count on a phenomenal playing experience. Available in Vintage Blonde.
Keep an eye on the relevant product pages for up-to-date information on availability and pricing.
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