It is no secret that the Fender Custom Shop has been creating the best instruments since 1987. In keeping with the true spirit of Leo’s original vision of the company, each instrument is built with the highest level of care and excellence. Here at Chicago Music Exchange, we have collaborated with the best minds at Fender to build the best instruments from top to bottom, tirelessly going over each spec to ensure that we offer you the best of what Fender has to offer.  

Featuring measurements and components we hand-selected from across history, our “Chicago Special” Fender Custom Shop guitars highlight important years in the development of core models like the Stratocaster, Telecaster and more. We capture the energy and essence of their respective eras with iconic fingerboard radii and period-correct plastics, matched headstocks and slab fingerboards, classic finishes and not-so-classic colorways. But that’s just the beginning of what makes our Fender Custom Shop guitars so special. We take customization a step further with rift sawn necks for added resonance and expanded control sets for tonal versatility, and every “Chicago Special” Fender Custom Shop guitar features our own custom Chicago Special pickups, designed in conjunction with Fender Custom Shop Vice President of Product Development Mike Lewis.        

"Chicago Special" Strat pickups

• Calibrated set - bridge to neck - for balanced output

• Each pickup as custom AlNiCo 5 magnet stagger for optimum output balance string-to-string

• 42 gauge enamel wire for round highs

• Potted in shellac for open wide range frequency response

NOS (New Old Stock) is built without any relic or wear at all. For vintage-inspired instruments, it feels as if you went back in time and bought it new in the golden-era. Most are finished with nitrocellulose lacquer and in those instances you should expect the finish to age similarly to their vintage counterparts. However, some modern-era Custom Shop creations in NOS are finished in polyurethane, which is far more durable and will likely remain glossy and lustrous for decades to come with proper care.

General:
Brand Name: Fender
Case Type: Hardshell Case
Hardware Color: Nickel/Chrome
Made in: Made in the USA
Product Color: Super Aged Ocean Turquoise
Relic or Aging Level: NOS (New Old Stock)
Serial Number: R147107
Series: Fender Custom Shop
Weight: 7lbs 5oz

Body:
Body Finish: Lacquer
Body Material: 2-Piece Ash (Sort for Light)
Body Shape: Stratocaster

Neck:
Fingerboard Inlay: Micarta Black .250
Fingerboard Material: 1-Piece Rift Sawn Maple
Headstock Inlay or Decal: '54-60 Stratocaster w/Original Contour Body
Neck Finish: Lacquer
Neck Joint: 4 Bolt
Neck Material: 1-Piece Rift Sawn Maple
Neck Shape: '57-Style Soft "V" .850 - .990
Neck Thickness (in): .850"@1st, .990"@12th
Neck Tint or Color: Medium Tint
Number of Frets: 21 Frets
Nut Material: Bone
Nut Width: 1.65"
Side Marker Inlay: Micarta Black 3/32"
Truss Rod: '50s

Electronics:
Bridge Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound "Chicago Special" Stratocaster
Controls and Switching: Fat '50s Stratocaster 1/2 Blender
Neck Pickup: Custom Shop Hand-Wound "Chicago Special" Stratocaster

Hardware:
Bridge: American Vintage Stratocaster
Fret Wire: Medium Vintage / 47095
Knobs: Vintage White
Pickguard: 1-Ply Parchment
Saddle Material: Metal
String Tree: American Vintage '56-58
Tuning Machines: Vintage w/Fender Logo