Custom Shop Founders Design 30th Anniversary Documentary | Fender

The Fender Custom Shop Founders Design 30th Anniversary Documentary intercuts archival footage and photos alongside present day interviews with eight of the original, influential Founding Master Builders who brought the historic shop to life.
Reflecting on thirty years, their one-of-a-kind handcrafted Fender Custom Shop guitars remain as legendary today as the icons who wielded them throughout history including: Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and many more. Follow along as they reflect on the early days of the Shop; their Founders Design Project guitars created for Fender Custom Shop's 30th anniversary in 2017; and the camaraderie they still share.
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About Fender:
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is the world’s foremost manufacturer of guitars, basses, amplifiers and related equipment. With an illustrious history dating back to 1946, Fender has touched and transformed music worldwide and in nearly every genre: rock ‘n’ roll, country and western, jazz, rhythm and blues, and many others.
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Fender Custom Shop Founders Design 30th Anniversary Documentary | FENDER CUSTOM SHOP | Fender
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[@fender]

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[@eternalrhythmflow]

The Stelecaster ... absolutely brilliant!

[@RJD0314]

Scott Clarke I thought so, too. My personal favorite of the bunch.

[@dannylopez7061]

absolutely

[@bubbaluvv]

I agree...I notice my arm always tends to strum more toward the neck than my strat but the tele definitely sits better...great choice

[@Travis-guy-247]

I especially love the way he cut a Tele headstock shape into the overall Strat shaped headstock. What a great touch.

[@johnnyronci]

Happy Anniversary Fender Custom Shop! All my life I've dreamed of having and designing my own Fender Custom Shop guitar. I've sold most of my life's guitars to feed us and keep us from going homeless in hard and very difficult times. My very favorite Fender I had to sell last year for that very reason. It was a customized Jag-stang. I had modded it out beyond. It was close to my perfect guitar but had to go. I haven't been able to write any new music since. I'm still hopeful that someday my dreams will come true and I can have a Custom Shop Fender and that it will be perfection! I've always wanted a Jaguar or Jazzmaster or Jag-stang type guitar body with a 24.75" scale and a 12" radius neck. Metallic flake finish. Simple, but alot of tones and a dream to play and most of all create on. Please Fender Custom shop help me make my dreams come true. =D #FenderProSweepstakes

[@angry546]

Johnny Angel, wow, I thought I've had problems! But I agree that Fender should have something between a 24" and 25.5" scale. I even called to have that idea brought up to the big-wigs.

[@wsguntoro3985]

best job in the world

[@kevinshayne7203]

Absolutely!

[@steelgorilla123]

Would really want to surprise my brother with a custom shop strat, he's played guitar almost all of his life and would truly appreciate the upgrade from his made in mexico telecaster, especially an upgrade to the custom shop #FenderProSweepstakes

[@DavidMorley]

I walked into my local music shop in 1991 to get a sampler...picked up a dakota red custom shop stratocaster with a matching headstock. Looked amazing. Played it for 5 minutes and had to buy it. It was a LOT of money at the time but I knew it was special. I've had LOADS of guitars since then. Still the best guitar I've played. #FenderProSweepstakes

[@jordanbarrett7754]

4:58 Jesus Christ i think he gave his head a polyurethane finish.

[@Arcturian1111]

That was nitro cellulose

[@ALT3REDB3AST]

I don't own a CS guitar (and probably never will...) but i just want to thank all the men and women at the Fender CS that craft dreams into enduring works of art for all of humanity to enjoy and express themselves. THANK YOU!

[@mybluesguitar]

Inspirational to see craftsmen who are excited by and totally committed to the concept of producing world-class instruments.

[@slapitman]

Love this guys. As a guitar maker for over 30 years I'm still inspired by everything Leo created - I just wish you'd included him in this bio as he set the ball rolling, his original business was the custom shop before it became a beast that nearly killed him.

[@FGg503]

All masters of their craft. Thanks for the beautiful creations that will live on in our dreams for all times.

[@niekvanderschaaff3259]

I'd definitly have to go with a strat. Good ol classic strat. Just wonderfull: Clapton, Hendrix, Blackmore, Gilmour and many more. Just look at how much joy, innovation and inspiration that one guitar style has brought. Just amazing. Please keep up the wonderful thing you guys are doing over there

[@jocelyneroy582]

This video was awesome to see. Love the way they enjoyed themselves and designing Fender guitars to boot. Lucky bunch.Love the Strat the best.

[@despitethedistance5025]

We'd love to surprise our lead guitarist with a new custom shop strat for the new album! #FenderProSweepstakes

[@stevebakerguitar]

Many shots of my friend John English...... Sure Miss him.... I was friends with John & his dad Jay from the 70's.... through the Whittier music days... 80's custom shop builds.... I still have & play some guitars he built in my lineup.

[@churro_gonzalez]

Seeing the very first Fender Custom Shop guitar in person at Jimmy Wallace is worth seeing.

[@bakerXderek]

Those guitars are too amazing for words

[@MateuszTrojak]

When I was younger I just wanted to have a shred guitar. Right now I think I'm old enough to understand, admire and feel love for such a beautiful piece of art from Fender.

[@RorysIrishTour]

let me guess, you sucked at shredding?

[@MateuszTrojak]

***** true :)

[@jhwk1970]

Jay Black built me a Strat that I received in 1990 after a long long wait. What a truly wonderful guitar it is.

[@ArnoldTheHobbit123]

That was a ride of emotions. Wish i was born early enough to work there.

[@yosheyoshe9767]

The Fender Custom Shop Founders, Though we have never met in person there is a silver thread that run's through us all. In the beginning and most likely still to this day, you 8 plus have no comprehension, idea of how many people you have made dream. We sit quit in our rooms or play to a loud audience with our instruments but, all of us guitar players take a second and salute you for helping us keep YOUR dreams alive, THANK YOU.

[@konstantinmichaelfender940]

the guys from custom shop, you just gods, and a true master of his craft! have one model of the stratocaster and can't stop admiring them! fun game it will never end! very grateful for your work and for the fact that you exist!!! ☺😉

[@bkterry13]

Strat. #FenderProSweepstakes The stratocaster body IS the shape of the electric guitar. It's perfect.

[@blazer6248]

Those guitars are absolutely beautiful! Especially the Stelecaster. That was slick!

[@JonPlarr]

That Herringbone tele is truly special. John Page's design is fantastic as well

[@Ctouch09]

Once I saw and heard the Fender Stratocaster, my life was never the same. #FenderProSweepstakes

[@Bryantkh13]

That double F hole Esquire and the herringbone tele are two of the most gorgeous guitars I have seen

[@Sadovsky1996]

seemed like a dream place to work in :) also amazing to hear those people's stories

[@evancopolo5527]

Most definitely a custom strat! Wanted one ever since I was a kid #FenderProSweepstakes

[@cirimaxg651]

Self-satisfaction all round... It's very painful at the end of the day. Very overplayed. Thank you Léo above all!

[@mikemorrisonmusic]

I would choose a Strat body type as a base for my Signature model. It fits your body so well. An amazing work of art.

[@stinkyninja1898]

I love my vintage standard jazz bass with a silver bullet neck adjuster. wish they would of featured more bass guitars.

[@EllenTefanis]

A stratocaster! I love the versatility of them. You can be playing any song in any genre and you know your strat will sound amazing in every one of them! #gottaloveastratocaster

[@buzzcrumhunger7114]

wow. the pair of raspberry metallic offsets that pops up at 5:16 is pretty mind-blowing. look at that flame!

[@schabbnur]

I love my Fender Highway One strat so much. Wish I could work for this amazing company but I life in Germany :|

[@ATTICUSATTICUSFINCH]

Any custom shop guitar would be an honor to own. A Jazzmaster would be amazing. There's just something about them, they're so widely overlooked, but sound so unique, and play so well. Just wonderful guitars all around. #FenderProSweepstakes

[@dsenunez]

Lovely project, lovely documentary.

[@ianshongtrs]

The Strat was the last guitar I wanted. Boring, ubiquitous, common. Give me an SG, Tele, Les Paul, Gretsch whatever. Then I try out a used Squire Classic Vibe Strat and I had to admit why it has the history it has. Sold the Tele and the SG (kept the LP) and got two Fender Stratocasters. I wanted to be hip and a little different but I gotta go with my ears. Congrats Fender Custom Shop. Maybe one day one of them will be mine.

[@lemuellira]

Sonho de consumo!! Fantástico!!

[@vladsmith5537]

Fender should get a hold of Smith logging in Winston OR. I used to set chokers for them. In the fire season we would pull wind feld old growth and sell it to a small luthier. I always wished I could have played one. But it was always a great feeling knowing how that log was going to change someone's world.

[@cristianorizovieira3721]

são obras de arte realmente são artistas muito bons para construir guitarras como estas.

[@CompleteCretin]

Great video, thanks! I'm lucky enough to own a Masterbuilt Lefty 'EC Strat' which I ordered in 1994 and which Gene Baker built. I've 'spoken' with a few of those guys online over the years (Gene Baker, Mike Stevens, and John Page) and they are all top people.

[@justme8722]

8:54 that may be the most beautiful Strat I have ever seen..

[@joelanzafama2398]

as a lone builder of guitars I could only imagine how great it would been to have worked with a team like that ...#fenderprosweepstakes

[@1UTUBEUSERNAME]

OMFG that silver / black burst Tele @9:23 Awesome build. Should be a stock colour

[@JessicaIsWhack]

Back in my angsty teenager days (AKA blunder years) I remember how desperately I wanted a pink Fender stratocaster. I have since grown up & changed a whole lot but one thing remains the same: my taste in music & love of the strat! This time around I'm loving the Olive green color on the American profressional :) #FenderProSweepstakes

[@daniellin7344]

stelecaster super cool but the jazz master colors look amazing!

[@Em_Dee_Aitch]

Wow. Just wow.

[@COBRAGEDDON]

What a wonderful people

[@aydeeT]

God, this brought tears to my eyes

[@iansnyder274]

love it! I salute and thank you all!!

[@merlehaggardtopfan1439]

Very cool!! Great team and Mark Kendrick is as good as it gets.

[@danielleself7291]

Watching a video of Roy Orbison playing a telecaster has me drifting off to that drummer's beat. I step to the mic. My hands glide down to start the riff. Oh Pretty Woman, so smooth in my hand. Just as the words start to come out of my mouth, reality calls and I am called to by the drool on my shirt and my wife wondering why I am not cleaning gutters. These hands aren"t for chores-they're for that Fender. I need that telecaster! #FenderProSweepstakes

[@1969atam]

Amazing guitar builders.

[@ItzJonnyboi]

Orange sparkle Jazzmaster with the new treble bleed circuit. I would cry tears of joy. #FenderProSweepstakes

[@raytpkc]

In the end, whoever wins, it would be cool to see the process of the construction of the winning guitar.

[@6eighttime154]

The wonderful world of fenders.

[@jeremybaker195]

Enter me into the sweepstakes. Please. All these custo shop guitars are beautiful but I think the half Strat half Tele is my favorite.

[@mcedwar1]

A very cool video, I had to pause it a few times to take in the artists and photos! I would love a Custom Shop Telecaster #FenderProSweepstakes ideally maple neck or thinline. I have a 2001 American Strat that I saved up to buy for a high school folk guitar class haha.

[@opposeglobalism4188]

#FenderProSweepstakes. I am a huge Jimi Hendrix fan. He said his favorite guitar was the 1968 Stratocaster. So that's what I would want in Olympic White. That's the ultimate guitar!

[@RorysIrishTour]

his favourite strat was actually his 68 black beauty

[@opposeglobalism4188]

Thanks for sharing that. Do you know what became of that Strat?

[@RorysIrishTour]

Jimis last girlfriend Monika owned it until her death. I guess its now in Uli Jon Roth's posession.

[@opposeglobalism4188]

Interesting, thanks.

[@hunterfagan6272]

Same. I'm a lefty, so it's even better

[@matthewpaluch777]

Very beautiful, all truely works of art! But how do they sound?!

[@pauleggemeierproductions3349]

Would love to surprise my best friend who might as well be my brother with a new guitar, he works so hard to get better every single day, and an upgrade who give him so much more motivation to get even better! #FenderProSweepstakes

[@DJMarty-pu2lm]

I would love a custom shop Jazzmaster to add to my Fender family

[@sk8rox22]

Stratocaster is definitely my choice! my first guitar, the well loved most versatile guitar Leo Fender ever made.

[@lucastriplets]

Got to love that Jackson headstock lost in a distant world 0:27

[@jtp336]

I have a Kubicki EX Factor Bass that was built in the Fender Custom Shop. What's funny, is that Kubicki Bass aficionados will suggest it's inferior to a non FCS example, but the build quality is all but indistinguishable aside from the FCS logo, and I love it just the same.

[@kimholben7934]

what a fantastic story!

[@PhilosophyLucas]

Strat, definitely. It's like an extension of my body.

[@photo-graphos4853]

I love all fender type but I prefer a telecaster. It's simplicity and it's tone is always outstanding.#FenderProSweepstakes

[@Mud55555]

Has to be a Jazzmaster, its so aggressive, yet elegant. They are downright rocking machines. #FenderProSweepstakes

[@jesusindie]

9:54 Beautiful Jazzmaster!

[@tedlongden1724]

#FenderProSweepstakes The Stratocaster. The most influential and groundbreaking guitar of them all. Also, its beautiful!

[@juliejohanne1711]

The jazz master is so pretty. Love it!

[@sonicobsessions947]

When i Grew up, I want to be a part of Fender Custom shop and a Masterbuilder. i want to make history

[@JeserNoob]

I need that jazzmaster

[@lucidly]

All beautiful guitars, my dreams is a fender strat! One day:)

[@BoyAditya]

that jazzmaster is awesome

[@jREDMD]

custom shop 1963 in olympic white! Like the one i have at home!

[@thegarveys]

Strat, tele, jazz master. I'm not picky #FenderProSweepstakes

[@Notmatb]

It’s my dream to build guitars for a living or being a touring musician. Don’t care about the money I just want to show people my music and my love for guitar. Mask my words I’ll be doing it within a few years !! I

[@gomania1622]

Stratocaster. #FenderProSweepstakes The strat is a perfect design to base a custom shop guitar on.

[@ledzeppelinfan4704]

Id love fender since i was 5 im 14 now and ive been around fenders hell my first guitar is a squier tele and sounds really good and i love to be a master builder

[@SpencerST063]

Telecaster '72 thinlines is my dream instrument

[@outasite666]

Strat. #FenderProSweepstakes You guys really know your bodies.

[@Charlotte-jw4hn]

It's got to be a Strat, nothing compares! Absolute dream would be a custom strat, it makes me giddy just thinking about it! #FenderProSweepstakes

[@Magicmoose88]

this is so beautiful

[@innesmackintosh214]

I think it would have to be the Strat - timeless design, comfortable to play and it looks pretty damn hot! I think I'd have a tele bridge pickup though, gotta have that trademark Fender twang!

[@randomguyfan27]

That Stelecaster is like the perfect guitar

[@liueric9267]

We all love Fender.

[@lenscaffidi1670]

Love Gene's Stellacaster!!!

[@r.m7921]

Man, the intro looked something from a post apocalyptic movie. Well made.

[@michaelbystrom]

…I own a JC 1327, proud to be part of the family :-)

[@andrewleavitt943]

#FenderProSweepstakes I would probably choose a jaguar's body because its such a comfortable guitar to play on and I've always loved the diversity in tones you can get with all the switching arrays

[@broomzki]

I would choose a stratocaster body because you can't get more classic and versatile than that beautiful work of art called a guitar. #FenderProSweepstakes

[@StamatisStabos]

mind blooow i hope fender do a documentary abour Leo Fender

[@jeremykramer8944]

I'd chose a jaguar. They are just so beautiful and their full clean tone is one of the most brilliant in the world today! #FenderProSweepstakes

[@williamrepola4532]

I would choose a telecaster. Like everything about the model.

[@kevinsmouts7326]

Now that I have my strat, I'd definitely go for a Telecaster body. Marvelous thing. #FenderProSweepstakes

[@MJones-pn3ol]

The Herringbone Tele is awesome--love the tortoiseshell pickguard. My preferred body type? I love a Telecaster. #FenderProSweepstakes

[@guitarfoundry]

the 'custom shop' is now a large scale production line....the glory days of the custom shop were well and truly over by 2004..im not saying that they don't still make amazing guitars, they do, but the standard production run guitars are churned out in huge numbers and it shows..compare an 90's custom shop guitar to 201*..they are different animals..Now the masterbuilt guitars are where the standard ones were all those years ago..then there's the Fullerton reissues pre CS..still some of the best guitars Fender has ever made..