Summer NAMM 2018: Fender Custom Shop Collection announced
Including new Jimmie Vaughan models for 2018
Fender Custom Shop has premiered new models at this year’s Summer NAMM, including a new Jimmie Vaughan Signature model.
Jimmie Vaughan
The blues legend Jimmy Vaughan gets the Custom Shop treatment with two new Strat models for 2018, one in Aged Olympic White and the other in a nice traditional Sunburst finish. These have two-piece alder bodies finished in nitrocellulose and rift-sawn maple necks as well as Custom Shop hand-wound JLV Strat pickups.
Official specifications here
’68 Strat Paisley Strat
The new Summer NAMM models also include two playful limited edition ’68 Paisley Stratocasters. Both feature some light relic work to make them look nicely worn in. I was always a fan of the original pink paisley guitars when I was a kid, but then I grew up and realised they were a bit naff!
These modern versions have two-piece alder bodies and rift-sawn maple necks. They come with a Custom Shop Hand-Wound Texas Special in the bridge position, a Fat ’50s in the middle position and a ’69 Single Coil in the neck.
You can read the official marketing malarky here
Artisan Male Burl Thinline Tele
A subtle burled maple top has been used to provide a new spin on the Thinline Telecaster. It looks quite understated, all told, even though it’s actually a pretty fancy instrument indeed!
This model uses an AAAA Flame Maple Burl with an AAA Roasted Birdseye Maple neck, and is loaded with Custom Shop Hand-Wound Loaded ’51 Nocaster pickups.
You can read all the official Fender Custom Shop details here
’60 Roasted Strat
Fender also has not one, not two, but three new ’60 Roasted Stratocaster models lined up for 2018. They’re in Faded Aged Fiesta Red, Aged Vintage White and Aged Black. They all have some fairly heavy relic work to look the part when you are out gigging.
These Strats get their name from the roasted alder bodies and a quartersawn roasted maple neck. All have Custom Shop Hand-Wound Ancho Poblano Single-Coil pickups.
Check out the official details here
’51 HS Tele
These two are probably my favourite out of the lot announced today! I like the Keith Richards ‘Micawber’ look of the Butterscotch one the most, although the two-tone sunburst version looks just like one of the Telecasters I already own!
They both come with two-piece ‘Offset Seam’ ash bodies and maple rift-sawn necks with V profiles. Pickup-wise, we’re getting a nice Seymour Duncan Seth Lover neck humbucker and Custom Shop Hand-Wound Crushed ’50-’51 Blackguard bridge pickup.
Check the specs here in full.