Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Recently, MusicRadar was lucky enough to be invited to an exclusive Fender Custom Shop event for UK dealers in the grand surroundings of Longleat in Wiltshire.
Among the lions, giraffes and other wildlife, Fender revealed a staggering haul of some of the sexiest Custom Shop instruments on the planet. From Heavy Relic Telecasters to Closet Classic Strats, Esquires, Nocasters and Masterbuilt works of art crafted by the likes of Yuriy Shishkov and John Cruz, there was plenty there to set pulses racing. Even lefties were catered for!
What follows is a gallery of 101 Fender Custom Shop guitars for your viewing, and swooning pleasure. Click onwards for hardcore guitar pornography of the most extreme nature, but be warned: we guarantee that you'll be reaching for your credit card...
Lake Placid Blue over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Faded Olympic White finish with black binding. Nice!
Dennis Galuszka Masterbuilt Heavy Relic '60s Custom Telecaster
Surf Green with 1965 Vintage Strat pickups
Custom Deluxe Modified Stratocaster
Blonde with Broadcaster bridge and Twisted Tele neck pickups
Left-handed Relic Nocaster
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Left-handed NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Black with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Telecaster
Surf Green with Handwound Abby Hot '50s pickups
Heavy Relic 1956 Stratocaster
This Sunset Orange Transparent model is the first of four Masterbuilt Extreme Relics
Greg Fessler Masterbuilt Extreme Relic 1961 Stratocaster
Vintage White over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Telecaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Sonic Blue over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwired Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Sonic Blue over Candy Green, '60s Custom Relic pickups. Our favourite of the day... a monster guitar!
Jason Smith Masterbuilt Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Dakota Red with gold hardware, Eldred Esquire wiring
Relic '59 Esquire
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Left-handed NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Lake Placid Blue over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Check out that seriously worn Honey Blonde finish
Greg Fessler Masterbuilt Extreme Relic 1961 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Dakota Red over Gray Primer with mid '60s-style oval C neck profile
Jason Smith Masterbuilt Closet Classic 1959 Telecaster
Heavily distressed Lake Placid Blue with '60s Custom Relic pickups. Another monster!
Heavy Relic 1962 Stratocaster
Aged Vintage Blonde with Closet Classic '52 Telecaster bridge and Handwound '51 Nocaster neck pickups. A real beauty!
John Cruz Masterbuilt Closet Classic 1956 Telecaster
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Vintage White with Handwound Abby Hot '50s pickups
Heavy Relic 1956 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Black with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Left-handed NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Sonic Blue over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwired Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Blonde with Broadcaster bridge and Twisted Tele neck pickups
Left-handed NOS Nocaster
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Left-handed NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Vintage White over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Telecaster
Vintage White with Handwound Abby Hot '50s pickups
Heavy Relic 1956 Stratocaster
Vintage White over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Black with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Telecaster
Vintage White over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Vintage White with Handwound Abby Hot '50s pickups
Heavy Relic 1956 Stratocaster
Chocolate 3-Tone Sunburst, Small C neck shape
Custom 1958 Heavy Relic Stratocaster
Black with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Relic 1963 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Black with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Left-handed Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Lake Placid Blue over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Black with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Sea Foam Green with gold hardware and Eldred Esquire wiring
Relic 1959 Esquire
Black with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Sonic Blue over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwired Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Wide Grain 2-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '50s pickups
Heavy Relic 1956 Stratocaster
Lake Placid Blue over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Vintage White over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Black with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Vintage White over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Sonic Blue over 3-Tone Sunburst with Handwired Abby Hot '60s pickups
Heavy Relic 1963 Stratocaster
Vintage White with Handwound Abby Hot '50s pickups
Heavy Relic 1956 Stratocaster
Dakota Red with Closet Classic '60s Strat pickups
Greg Fessler Masterbuilt Closet Classic 1963 Stratocaster
Wide Grain 2-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '50s pickups
Heavy Relic 1956 Stratocaster
Another Masterbuilt Extreme Relic, this time in Sapphire Blue Transparent
Greg Fessler Masterbuilt Extreme Relic 1961 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Candy Apple Red with large oval C neck profile
Greg Fessler Masterbuilt Relic 1957 Stratocaster
Wide Grain 2-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '50s pickups
Heavy Relic 1956 Stratocaster
Blonde with Broadcaster bridge and Twisted Tele neck pickups
Left-handed NOS Nocaster
Wide Grain 2-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '50s pickups
Heavy Relic 1956 Stratocaster
Thanks to its unusual Parota body, this was easily the lightest guitar we played on the day
Dennis Galuszka Masterbuilt NOS '60s Telecaster
Wide Grain 2-Tone Sunburst with Handwound Abby Hot '50s pickups
Heavy Relic 1956 Stratocaster
Dakota Red with Handwound Abby Fat '50s pickups
Closet Classic 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst on an alder body with an AA flame maple top
Dennis Galuszka Masterbuilt NOS 1956 Stratocaster
Cobalt Blue Transparent finish on an alder body with AA flame maple top
Dennis Galuszka Masterbuilt NOS 1956 Stratocaster
In 2-Tone sunburst with an AA flame maple top and Fender Fat '50s pickups
Dennis Galuszka Masterbuilt NOS 1956 Stratocaster
A vision in Vintage White. Still beautiful half a century later
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with Fat '50s pickups
Yuriy Shishkov Masterbuilt Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
NOS 1960 Stratocaster
Surf Green with '69 Custom Shop Strat pickups
Yuriy Shishkov Masterbuilt Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Another eye-catching Sunset Orange Transparent finish with some serious wear
Yuriy Shishkov Masterbuilt Extreme Relic 1961 Stratocaster
3-Tone Sunburst with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster
Aged Vintage White with custom Bare Knuckle pickups
Heavy Relic 1960 Stratocaster