Fender Custom Shop

Fender Custom Shop

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Also known as: FCS, Fender Custom Shop Guitars, Fender® Custom Shop

Unclaimed

The Fender Custom Shop, established in 1987 and based in Corona, California, is the boutique division of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Founded by master luthiers John Page and Michael Stevens, the Custom Shop was created to build handcrafted instruments with the precision and character associated with early Fender guitars from the original Fullerton factory era. Often called the "Drea...

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The Fender Custom Shop, established in 1987 and based in Corona, California, is the boutique division of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Founded by master luthiers John Page and Michael Stevens, the Custom Shop was created to build handcrafted instruments with the precision and character associated with early Fender guitars from the original Fullerton factory era. Often called the "Dream Factory," it quickly became the destination for professional musicians seeking instruments built to exacting personal specifications.

The Custom Shop's catalog spans several production tiers. Master Built instruments are constructed entirely by a single named Master Builder — craftspeople such as Dale Wilson, Todd Krause, Dennis Galuszka, Yuriy Shishkov, and Greg Fessler — who personally selects tonewoods and oversees every stage of construction. Team Built instruments apply a collaborative workshop approach. Across both tiers, the Custom Shop offers vintage-accurate recreations of iconic Stratocaster and Telecaster designs from the 1950s and 1960s, alongside original designs and artist-specific models. The Custom Shop pioneered the Relic aging process in the late 1990s, which authentically replicates the worn patina of a heavily played vintage guitar; additional aging grades include Journeyman Relic, Heavy Relic, Closet Classic, and NOS (New Old Stock) finishes.

Among the first artists to receive Custom Shop guitars were David Gilmour, Pete Townshend, Yngwie Malmsteen, Danny Gatton, and Robert Cray. Instruments are distributed exclusively through an authorized dealer network, and each guitar or bass comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. The division also produces limited edition collections and contributes to Fender's broader research and development efforts.

Fender Custom Shop has 440 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Solid Body Electric Guitars, Electric Basses, and Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars. Their gear is featured by 347 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Pop, and Folk, World, & Country. Notable users include John Mayer, Jim Root, and Wilbur Soot. Most Fender Custom Shop products sit firmly in the high-end, boutique range.

Artists Who Use Fender Custom Shop

John Mayer uses 9 Fender Custom Shop products

John Mayer

Guitarist · John Mayer Trio

Jim Root uses 6 Fender Custom Shop products

Jim Root

Guitarist · Slipknot

Wilbur Soot uses 5 Fender Custom Shop products

Wilbur Soot

Singer, Guitarist · Lovejoy

David Gilmour uses 4 Fender Custom Shop products

David Gilmour

Guitarist · Pink Floyd

Thomas DeLonge uses 4 Fender Custom Shop products

Thomas DeLonge

Singer, Guitarist · Blink-182

Eric Clapton uses 4 Fender Custom Shop products

Eric Clapton

Guitarist · Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

Keith Urban uses 4 Fender Custom Shop products

Keith Urban

Guitarist, Bassist · Artists of Then, Now & Forever

Jan Borysewicz uses 4 Fender Custom Shop products

Jan Borysewicz

Guitarist, Bassist · Lady Pank

Billie Joe Armstrong uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

Billie Joe Armstrong

Singer, Guitarist · Green Day

Brad Delson uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

Brad Delson

Guitarist, Keyboardist · Linkin Park

J Mascis uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

J Mascis

Singer, Guitarist · Dinosaur Jr

Jeff Beck uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

Jeff Beck

Guitarist · Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

Neal Schon uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

Neal Schon

Singer, Guitarist · Journey

Joe Perry uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

Joe Perry

Guitarist · Hollywood Vampires

John 5 uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

John 5

Guitarist · Marilyn Manson

Josh Klinghoffer uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

Josh Klinghoffer

Singer, Guitarist · Red Hot Chili Peppers

Michael Landau uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

Michael Landau

Guitarist · Joe Sample and the Soul Committee

Ángel Parra uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

Ángel Parra

Guitarist, Composer · Los Tres

Pete Wentz uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

Pete Wentz

Bassist · Fall Out Boy

Oz Noy uses 3 Fender Custom Shop products

Oz Noy

Guitarist

Community setups featuring Fender Custom Shop

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Gear Guides featuring Fender Custom Shop

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