Fender Custom Shop #8
Custom Deluxe, American Custom and Artisan Series
DESIGNED FOR THE WORKING MUSICIAN
In 2009, Fender unveiled the new Custom Deluxe Stratocaster, which was described as ‘designed for the working musician.’
With the Custom Deluxe Series, Fender took the vintage blueprint of their flagship model and added some modern improvements to create an instrument that at first glance looked like regular a Stratocaster but which featured significant upgrades including premium tonewoods, figured top and necks, Custom Shop pickups, deluxe tuning machines, 22 frets, modern fret wire, and deluxe 2-point bridges with polished solid stainless-steel block and pop-in arm.
At that time, Fender had gotten its manufacturing quality down to a fine art, so it’s no surprise that Custom Deluxe Stratocasters show flawless construction, perfect fit and finish of all components, and a general feeling that care had gone into every last detail.
Beginning in 2011, Fender released a different version of the Custom Deluxe Stratocaster each year, with varying specifications and color options. These variations included different finishes, tops, contours, tuning machines, and pickups, all designed to deliver modern, high-performance guitars.
The Custom Deluxe Strats remained in production until 2015, when they were replaced by the American Custom Series, which, though different in name, was conceptually similar.
Artisan Series
In mid-2014, the Custom Shop announced the birth of the new team-built Artisan Series, which was first introduced in the 2015 Fender catalog.
With the Artisan Series, the Fender Custom Shop spared no expense in crafting high-end instruments renowned for their remarkable tone, look, and feel. Inspired by Master Built instruments created for the 2013 Tokyo Guitar Show, this series was built to spotlight fine exotic woods with distinctive figures, hand-rubbed stains, and gloss finishes.
Available for a limited time only, Artisan series instruments were also outfitted with a wealth of special appointments and features that contribute to their style.
