Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
Gretsch G6136TG-58 Limited Edition 1958 Custom Falcon and G6134TG-58 Limited Edition 1958 Custom Penguin with Bigsby, photographed on a green leather couch,
Guitars Gretsch's exquisite, limited run Penguin and Falcon are a pair of fine-feathered guitars to crow about
The Fender Vintera III series offers period correct specs and promises golden era tones — and here five from the range are lined up in formation.
Guitars “We set out to capture the defining moments that shaped Fender’s legacy”: Fender unveils the Vintera III series
Yamaha has unveiled more concert and dreanought sizes of its cutting-edge TransAcoustic acoustic guitar range, with the TAG Cutaway models offering Bluetooth support
Guitars Yamaha expands TransAcoustic lineup with more guitars that look like regular acoustics but are anything but
Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian presents ZZ Top frontman Billy F. Gibbons with a custom Explorer that he designed and built himself.
Artists Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian has made a stunning custom Explorer – and Billy Gibbons is playing it onstage with ZZ Top
Epiphone Futura Series
Guitars Epiphone’s Futura Series reimagines Gibson classics with Chromashift finishes, ProBucker Ignite 'buckers and stainless steel frets
PRS Limited Edition Mango Wood Guitars
Guitars PRS brings a mango top to six of its popular models with a 1200 unit limited edition run
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars 2026: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
A Warm Audio Tube Squealer guitar pedal on a wooden floor with guitar cables in the background
Guitars Calling all guitarists! Guitar Center's legendary Guitar-A-Thon sale has finally dropped including up to $700 off a Gibson - here's 9 of the best deals selected by an expert
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: We've found $200 off an accessible Yamaha turntable, $100 off an iconic Korg synth and healthy discounts on guitars and much more
Close up of a Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar lying on a wooden floor
Acoustic Guitars Best acoustic guitars 2026: Super steel string acoustics for all players and budgets
Taylor Academy 10E
Acoustic Guitars Best acoustic guitar for beginners: Strum your first chords with our choice of beginner acoustic guitars
A black-and-white live shot of Kurt Cobain performing in 1991 with Nirvana
Artists Could your next amp be Kurt Cobain’s stage-played Fender Twin? Nirvana’s Bleach-era touring backline goes up for sale
Gretsch Synchromatic Flacon close up of pickguard
Electric Guitars Best Gretsch guitars 2026: Nail that Gretsch sound at any price point
A landscape shot of the iconic Guitar Center logo and shop entrance to its Sunset Boulevard store.
Guitars “We are about to do something insane”: Guitar Center is launching its own guitar brand “from the ground up”
Jackson Custom Shop Misha Mansoor Surfcaster
Guitars Misha Mansoor's Jackson Custom Shop USA Signature Baritone Surfcaster 6-string is finally revealed
More
  • Jimmy Douglass speaks
  • Ultravox's Vienna
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Elektron Tonverk Review
  1. Guitars

NAMM 2015: Fender Custom Shop's wildest guitars in pictures

News
By Matt Parker published 22 January 2015

Zombies, jewels, tree sirens and more!

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Introduction

Introduction

NAMM 2015: MusicRadar was on hand to capture this year's selection of Fender's finest Custom Shop guitars, including jaw-dropping zombie paintjobs, rare tone woods and diamond-studded stunners.

A regular highpoint at every NAMM Show, the Fender Custom Shop reception, offers selected guests a sneak peek at some of the finest builds from the Fender, Gretsch and Jackson Custom Shops before the show gets fully underway. These are very, very limited models - some of them won't even make it to the show floor.

We headed along to bring you an early report from the show floor, so browse the gallery to see what happens when the Custom Shop's Master Builders are let off the leash...

Page 1 of 20
Page 1 of 20
#181 Fender Custom Shop Quilted Redwood Top Tele Relic - Natural

#181 Fender Custom Shop Quilted Redwood Top Tele Relic - Natural

Lightweight ash body, quilted redwood top, thin urethane finish.

Page 2 of 20
Page 2 of 20
#300 Fender Custom Shop Baritone NOS Custom Brown Metallic

#300 Fender Custom Shop Baritone NOS Custom Brown Metallic

Ash body, polyurethane finish, maple neck

Page 3 of 20
Page 3 of 20
#326 Fender Custom Shop Zombie Strat Custom Art

#326 Fender Custom Shop Zombie Strat Custom Art

Ash body, quilt maple top, Zombie artwork by Joaquin Lopez, inlays by Ron Thorn.

Page 4 of 20
Page 4 of 20
#334 Fender Custom Shop Solar Eclipse Stratocaster

#334 Fender Custom Shop Solar Eclipse Stratocaster

Alder body, Solar Eclipse Burst, WLS satin finish, hand stained maple neck.

Page 5 of 20
Page 5 of 20
#308 Fender Custom Shop Tree Siren Strat Closet Classic

#308 Fender Custom Shop Tree Siren Strat Closet Classic

One piece Tomo ash body, custom Tree Siren artwork, birds eye maple neck.

Page 6 of 20
Page 6 of 20
#339 Fender Custom Shop Flicker Flame Strat

#339 Fender Custom Shop Flicker Flame Strat

Alder body, Flicker Flame graphic on body and pickguard by Troy Lee Designs.

Page 7 of 20
Page 7 of 20
#347 Fender Custom Shop Cardinal Esquire Crimson Trans

#347 Fender Custom Shop Cardinal Esquire Crimson Trans

Alder body, 4A quilt maple top, thin lacquer on body and neck, hand polished, gold hardware, silver wire, rubies, green diopsides and diamonds set in body and neck.

Page 8 of 20
Page 8 of 20
#336 Fender Custom Shop Carved Pine Top Tele Natural

#336 Fender Custom Shop Carved Pine Top Tele Natural

Chambered mahogany body, carved 100 year old weathered pine top, engraved gold hardware.

Page 9 of 20
Page 9 of 20
Fender Custom Shop Pine Cone Stratocaster

Fender Custom Shop Pine Cone Stratocaster

550 diamonds, blue hand-stained finish recreates appearance of the Fabergé Pine Cone Easter Egg.

Page 10 of 20
Page 10 of 20
#338 Fender Custom Shop Aluminum Hyroform Strat

#338 Fender Custom Shop Aluminum Hyroform Strat

Aluminium body and pickguard, handwound Fat 50s pickups, one piece Rift maple neck.

Page 11 of 20
Page 11 of 20
#014 Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Relic Tele Caballo Tono Black

#014 Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Relic Tele Caballo Tono Black

Lightweight alder body, lacquer finish, RSD bridge, TV Jones Classic Neck humbucker, Handwound Texas Special bridge pickup.

Page 12 of 20
Page 12 of 20
#501 Gretsch White Falcon NOS

#501 Gretsch White Falcon NOS

Laminated maple hollow archtop body, maple neck, ebony board, pearl humptop engraved inlay.

Page 13 of 20
Page 13 of 20
#503 Gretsch 1955 White Falcon Relic

#503 Gretsch 1955 White Falcon Relic

Laminated maple hollow archtop body, maple neck, ebony board, pearl humptop engraved inlay.

Page 14 of 20
Page 14 of 20
#500 Gretsch Bayou Round-Up

#500 Gretsch Bayou Round-Up

Laminated maple/gator hide top, mahogany/gator hide back and sides, mahogany neck, rosewood board, bayou themed engraved block inlay.

Page 15 of 20
Page 15 of 20
#505 Gretsch 1955 White Falcon Red Sparkle Binding

#505 Gretsch 1955 White Falcon Red Sparkle Binding

Laminated maple hollow archtop body, maple neck, ebony board, pearl humptop engraved inlay.

Page 16 of 20
Page 16 of 20
Gretsch Master Builder Stephen Stern

Gretsch Master Builder Stephen Stern

The Gretsch guitar maestro, pictured with one of his White Falcon Red Sparkle creations.

Page 17 of 20
Page 17 of 20
Jackson Roswell ELE

Jackson Roswell ELE

Contains an actual piece of a meteor in the central chamber, distinguishing it from all of the guitars that don't contain a piece of meteor in a central chamber.

Jackson roswell ele detail

Jackson roswell ele detail
Page 18 of 20
Page 18 of 20
#400 Jackson Kaiju

#400 Jackson Kaiju

Hand-carved and painted by Mike Learn. Custom paint by Brian Bock. Custom hand-carved alder body.

Page 19 of 20
Page 19 of 20
#404 Jackson Skinned Dinky

#404 Jackson Skinned Dinky

Skin by FX artist Tim Gore. Painted by Craig Fraser.

#404 jackson skinned dinky detail

#404 jackson skinned dinky detail
Page 20 of 20
Page 20 of 20
Matt Parker
Matt Parker

Matt is a freelance journalist who has spent the last decade interviewing musicians for the likes of Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, MusicRadar, NME.com, DJ Mag and Electronic Sound. In 2020, he launched CreativeMoney.co.uk, which aims to share the ideas that make creative lifestyles more sustainable. He plays guitar, but should not be allowed near your delay pedals.

Read more
Jackson Custom Shop Misha Mansoor Surfcaster
Guitars Misha Mansoor's Jackson Custom Shop USA Signature Baritone Surfcaster 6-string is finally revealed
 
 
All the best guitar gear from this year's NAMM Show
Guitars The best new guitar gear of NAMM 2026: More effects, more amps, more guitars and more tech than ever
 
 
The Fender Vintera III series offers period correct specs and promises golden era tones — and here five from the range are lined up in formation.
Guitars “We set out to capture the defining moments that shaped Fender’s legacy”: Fender unveils the Vintera III series
 
 
Harley Benton NAMM 2026 releases include left-handed options on its V-style electric and offset bass guitars, fresh finish options for the SC single-cuts, and new colours for its HSS S-style
Guitars Harley Benton’s 2026 mega-drop: Metallica makeovers, fresh colours and a baritone SC Custom III, all-solid acoustics for under $250 and more
 
 
Gretsch G6136TG-58 Limited Edition 1958 Custom Falcon and G6134TG-58 Limited Edition 1958 Custom Penguin with Bigsby, photographed on a green leather couch,
Guitars Gretsch's exquisite, limited run Penguin and Falcon are a pair of fine-feathered guitars to crow about
 
 
Chris Buck RS02CB Revstar Signature Electric Guitar in Honey Gold
Guitars “The truest conduit between the acoustic resonance of the guitar and its electric voice” says Chris Buck of the custom P90-style pickups in his new signature Yamaha Revstar
 
 
Latest in Guitars
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: We've found $200 off an accessible Yamaha turntable, $100 off an iconic Korg synth and healthy discounts on guitars and much more
 
 
Gibson Les Paul Studio Double Trouble presents the "double-white" humbuckers for a more affordable take on the limited run Les Paul Standard of 2025.
Guitars One of our favourite Les Pauls just got more affordable as Gibson gives the Double Trouble the Studio treatment
 
 
Yamaha has unveiled more concert and dreanought sizes of its cutting-edge TransAcoustic acoustic guitar range, with the TAG Cutaway models offering Bluetooth support
Guitars Yamaha expands TransAcoustic lineup with more guitars that look like regular acoustics but are anything but
 
 
Gretsch G6136TG-58 Limited Edition 1958 Custom Falcon and G6134TG-58 Limited Edition 1958 Custom Penguin with Bigsby, photographed on a green leather couch,
Guitars Gretsch's exquisite, limited run Penguin and Falcon are a pair of fine-feathered guitars to crow about
 
 
Epiphone Futura Series
Guitars Epiphone’s Futura Series reimagines Gibson classics with Chromashift finishes, ProBucker Ignite 'buckers and stainless steel frets
 
 
Allan Holdsworth plays his headless guitar live onstage in 2007
Artists How Allan Holdsworth blew Eddie Van Halen's mind and took guitar to a higher plane
 
 
Latest in News
Prince embraces Apollonia Kotero in a scene from the film 'Purple Rain', 1984. (Photo by Warner Brothers/Getty Images)
Artists Prince’s Purple Rain co-star recalls the moment he had the idea for one of his greatest songs
 
 
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 29: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Olivia Rodrigo performs with Robert Smith of The Cure on the Pyramid stage during day five of Glastonbury festival 2025 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 29, 2025 in Glastonbury, England. Established by Michael Eavis in 1970, Glastonbury has grown into the UK's largest music festival, drawing over 200,000 fans to enjoy performances across more than 100 stages. In 2026, the festival will take a fallow year, a planned pause to allow the Worthy Farm site time to rest and recover. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Artists Olivia Rodrigo still has The Cure’s Robert Smith on her mind on new single, Drop Dead
 
 
boc
Artists Boards of Canada are back with their first new music in 13 years
 
 
plugin
Tech You might want to open a window before using The Crow Hill Company's filthy new synth
 
 
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: We've found $200 off an accessible Yamaha turntable, $100 off an iconic Korg synth and healthy discounts on guitars and much more
 
 
David Lee Roth performs at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival - Weekend 1 - Day 1 on April 10, 2026 in Indio, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)
Artists David Lee Roth has clarified his creative role in Van Halen (again)
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...