What is the Fender Custom Shop?
The Fender Custom Shop is Fender's dedicated workshop for handmade, limited-production, and fully custom guitars and basses. Based in Corona, California, the team includes over 50 master craftsmen — luthiers, pickup winders, and finishing specialists — who work across three distinct tiers of production:
Team Built
Premium production guitars assembled by a skilled team working to exacting specifications
Limited Edition
Small-run models tied to specific collaborations, anniversaries, or creative themes
Masterbuilt
Single instruments conceived, built, and set up from scratch by one named Masterbuilder
Every Custom Shop guitar leaves the workshop with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Team Built, Limited Edition & Masterbuilt — What's the Difference?
Team Built
Team Built guitars sit at the entry point of the Custom Shop range. They include beloved series like the Time Machine, Artisan, and Postmodern — guitars that deliver premium tonewoods, period-correct hardware, and superb playability in a more accessible format. Think of them as the Custom Shop's "standard" range: still extraordinary instruments, but produced in higher numbers than a one-off Masterbuilt piece.
Team Built guitars typically start from around $6,000 AUD, though pricing varies depending on model and finish specification.
Lead time for Team Built instruments ordered through Mannys is typically around 12 months.
Limited Edition
Fender Custom Shop releases Limited Edition collections each year that sit between Team Built and Masterbuilt. These guitars respond to a theme, a moment, or a specific era — and they're made in strict, numbered quantities. Once they're gone, they're gone. Recent examples include the 2025 Prestige Collection, the Cocktail Collection, and period-accurate reissues like the '62/'63 Stratocaster and '51 Nocaster.
Masterbuilt
A Masterbuilt guitar is the pinnacle of what Fender Custom Shop does. From your first conversation with our team through to final setup and calibration, one named Masterbuilder — someone like Andy Hicks or Kyle McMillin — takes full responsibility for every decision, every component, every cut.
The result is an instrument that's as much a work of art as it is a guitar. Masterbuilt pieces can command prices well into the tens of thousands of dollars AUD, and lead times for Australian customers reflect the exclusivity: expect several years from order to delivery.
If you're serious about commissioning a Masterbuilt, come and talk to us in-store. We'll walk you through the design process and set expectations around timing and cost.
Relic Finish Explained: From NOS to Heavy Relic
One of the things that makes a Custom Shop guitar truly distinctive is the finish. Beyond the standard nitrocellulose lacquer found on Fender's regular production line, the Custom Shop offers a range of aged and distressed treatments that replicate decades of life — or the complete lack of it.
| Finish | What it looks like | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| New Old Stock (NOS) | Brand new — period-accurate parts, paints, and lacquers as though pulled off a 1950s or 60s shelf. No ageing whatsoever. | Players who want vintage-correct spec with a pristine finish. Collectors who prefer mint condition. |
| Closet Classic | Unplayed but stored for decades — very light surface scratches, yellowed plastics, lightly tarnished hardware. | Players who want the look of a well-preserved vintage piece without obvious wear marks. |
| Journeyman Relic | Well played but well cared for — light dings and scratches, lacquer checking (fine cracks where the finish has contracted), moderate hardware oxidisation. | The sweet spot for most players. Genuine character without the extremes. Great for daily play. |
| Relic | Life-on-tour wear — meaningful scratches, dings, dents, burn marks, and lacquer worn through in high-contact areas. | Players chasing serious vintage mojo. The look of a guitar that's been everywhere and done everything. |
| Heavy Relic | Maximum wear — bare wood around the fretboard, heavily tarnished hardware, finish worn through entirely in high-use zones. | Players who want the most aggressive vintage aesthetic. A guitar built to look like a hard-working tool. |
What's In Stock Right Now?
As an authorised Fender Custom Shop stockist, Mannys carries Custom Shop instruments across our stores and online. Here are some of the pieces currently available:
Ltd Ed George Harrison Rocky Stratocaster
One of the most iconic signature recreations in the Custom Shop catalogue. Harrison's psychedelically hand-painted 1961 Stratocaster, recreated in meticulous detail with period-correct specs and a finish that captures the hand-painted original. An extraordinary collector’s piece.
Ltd Ed ‘51 Nocaster Super Heavy Relic — Super Faded Vintage Blonde
Built during the brief window between the “Broadcaster” name dispute and the arrival of the “Telecaster”, the Nocaster is a fascinating piece of Fender history. This Super Heavy Relic version looks like it genuinely rolled off a 1951 production line and spent 75 years being played hard.
Ltd Ed ‘62/‘63 Stratocaster Journeyman Relic — Aged Fiesta Red
A Journeyman Relic Stratocaster in one of the all-time great Fender colours. Period-accurate specs, lacquer checking, light wear throughout. The Custom Shop Strat that rewards daily playing.
Eric Clapton Stratocaster Journeyman Relic — 2-Color Sunburst
Clapton’s relationship with Fender Custom Shop is one of the most storied in guitar history. This Journeyman Relic captures the feel and spec of the instruments he’s played across decades — mid-boost electronics, a soft V neck profile, and a 2-Color Sunburst that ages beautifully.
Limited Ariel Posen Stratocaster — Faded Lake Placid Blue
Ariel Posen is one of the most distinctive guitar voices of his generation. His Custom Shop Stratocaster in Faded Lake Placid Blue reflects a uniquely expressive approach to tone and feel — a genuinely special guitar for players who know their stuff.
Stock changes regularly — contact your nearest Mannys store to confirm availability.
How to Order a Fender Custom Shop Guitar
Browse in-stock instruments
The fastest path to a Custom Shop guitar is to shop what we have available. Browse our current in-stock Custom Shop range
Commission a build
Ready to go custom? Download the 2025 Fender Custom Shop Design Guide to start working through your specifications — body wood, neck profile, pickup configuration, finish, hardware, and more. Then bring your completed guide into any Mannys store for a quote and lead time estimate.
Keep in mind:
- Team Built orders: approximately 12 months lead time
- Masterbuilt orders: several years — these are one-of-a-kind instruments built by a single craftsperson
Talk to our team in-store
Nothing replaces picking one up. Mannys' guitar specialists across our Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth stores can guide you through the Custom Shop range, help you understand the differences between tiers and finishes, and put your order in motion.
Fender Custom Shop FAQs
What is the Fender Custom Shop? The Fender Custom Shop is Fender's dedicated handcraft workshop, established in 1987, producing limited-run, artist signature, and fully bespoke guitars and basses. It operates out of Corona, California, and is staffed by over 50 master luthiers and craftsmen.
How much does a Fender Custom Shop guitar cost in Australia? Team Built Custom Shop guitars start from around $6,000 AUD. Limited Edition and Masterbuilt instruments vary significantly — Masterbuilt pieces can exceed $30,000 AUD depending on specification. Contact Mannys for current pricing on specific models.
What is a Masterbuilt guitar? A Masterbuilt guitar is designed, built, and set up from start to finish by a single named Masterbuilder. Every component decision — from tonewood selection to final setup — is made by that one craftsperson. Each comes with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the builder.
What is the difference between a Relic and a Journeyman Relic finish? A Journeyman Relic is moderately aged — light dings, lacquer checking, and some hardware wear, as though the guitar has been played regularly but well looked after. A Relic goes further, with heavier wear patterns, more significant lacquer loss, and a look that suggests decades of touring life. Heavy Relic is the most extreme, with bare wood, heavily tarnished hardware, and deep cosmetic distressing throughout.
How long does a Fender Custom Shop order take in Australia? Through Mannys, Team Built orders typically take around 12 months. Masterbuilt commissions can take several years, reflecting the individual nature of the build and the Masterbuilder's workload.
Is Mannys an authorised Fender Custom Shop stockist? Yes. Mannys is an authorised Fender Custom Shop stockist and one of the few Australian retailers able to stock, sell, and commission Custom Shop instruments on behalf of customers.
Can I try a Fender Custom Shop guitar before buying? Absolutely — where stock is available, you're welcome to play any Custom Shop guitar in-store at our Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth locations. We'd encourage it. There's nothing like picking one up.
Browse our full Fender Custom Shop range or Visit us in-store or shop online at mannys.com.au