All the one-of-a-kind guitars from the Fender Custom Shop’s 2022 Prestige line-up

The time of the year has come where the Master Builders of the Fender Custom Shop show off their luthiery flair with one-of-a-kind guitars crafted with “zero limits” – here’s a closer look at all the models of this year’s Prestige line-up.

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This year’s Prestige instruments include Telecaster, Jazzmaster and Stratocaster models, along with a resonator and P-Bass.

Greg Fessler’s Prestige Ghost Town Telecaster Relic

Inspired by the ghost towns and art of the American Southwest, Master Builder Greg Fessler and longtime collaborator artist Dave Newman teamed up to craft this very unique Telecaster.

With a pre-distressed ash body serving a canvas to Newman’s artwork, this Telecaster also features hand-wound pickups alongside Merle Haggard electronics for killer tones.

Priced at $17,500 / £15,699 / €18,299

Dennis Galuszka’s Prestige Moto Jazzmaster

Dennis Galuszka partnered up with Fred Stuart, one of the founding Master Builders of the Fender Custom Shop, to create this pearloid beast.

It features a two-piece ash body covered in Moto – a plastic-derived material affectionately known in the industry as ‘mother-of-toilet seat’ – with a roasted quartersawn maple neck with ‘62 style. It also has a finish from Jay Nelson.

Priced at $15,000 / £13,499 / €15,699

Todd Krause’s Prestige Jazzmaster

A modern reimagining of a classic, Todd Krause’s Jazzmaster features rear routed electronics, a sized-down pickguard, and a roasted maple neck. It also has two wide-range humbuckers from Curtis Novak and an Olympic White finish.

$11,250 / £10,099.00 / €11,799

Kyle McMillin’s Prestige Thinline Telecaster

Master Builder Kyle McMillin’s elegant take on a Thinline Telecaster begins with a combination of a Tasmanian blackwood body and a flamed koa top with a satin finish. Meanwhile, its neck is roasted mahogany with an oil finish for a natural feel.

The centrepiece of the guitar is its custom abalone veneer pickguard, which sits in the middle of the body. It’s further adorned with abalone side dots and an abalone Fender logo in the headstock. Meanwhile electronics comprise hand-wound pickups by Josefina Campos.

Priced at $11,000 / £9,899 /€11,499

Yuriy Shishkov’s Prestige Quilted ’60s Stratocaster

Staying true to it’s name as ‘the deep purple Stratocaster’, Yuriy Shishkov’s Prestige Quilted ’60s Stratocaster features a hand-stained deep-purple body over a quilted maple top with gold hardware and hand-wound ’60s Strat pickups from Josefina Campos.

The guitar aims to stand as a tribute to all who have played the iconic axe, with a large ‘66 Stratocaster headstock as a bold statement of the classic American guitar.

Priced at $9,500 / £8,599 / €9,999

Jason Smith’s Prestige Electric Sea Gems Esquire

After falling in love with artist Laura Bennett’s abstract views and use of colour, Jason Smith’s Prestige Esquire ‘Electric Sea Gems’ was born. This guitar, an artpiece in itself, includes a 2-piece select alder body, quartersawn maple neck with ‘60s style oval-C profile, and a flat-lam rosewood fingerboard with white pearloid block inlay.

Electronics comprise a single Josefina Campos wound Texas Special bridge pickup which includes heavily-rolled edges on the neck, giving the guitar a vintage, yet comfortable feel.

Priced at $13,000 / £11,699 / €13,599

Ron Thorn’s Prestige Hawaiian Dream Resonator

Master Builder Ron Thorn’s detailed Prestige Hawaiian Dream Resonator uses natural Koa, a wood revered for its beauty, tone and symbolism that is only grown in one place on earth: Hawaii. Built in celebration of Hawaii’s “rich musical heritage and love of slide and steel guitars”, the Koa’s set-neck’s fretboard is adorned with various Hawaiian flower position marker inlays in a selection of pearl, abalone and semi-precious stone materials.

The guitar also features Thorn’s hand-engraved bronze-plated brass top in a floral motif with birds of paradise sound holes, which are also found on the body’s curly Koa back. Electrics include an active preamp which allows for blending of the neck pickup and the piezo biscuit bridge.

Priced at $36,500 / £32,699 / €38,099

Vincent Van Trigt’s 1952 Peacock Precision Bass

Designed to be played proud like a peacock, Master Builder Vincent Van Trigt has teamed up with Ian Ward after the success of last years Flamingo Telecaster, to create a 1952 Peacock Precision Bass.

The instrument is adorned with Ward’s artwork and matching inlays that sit with Josefina Campos hand-wound special design pickups with custom mounting rings. Additionally, the guitar features a nod to the late Dusty Hill with a reversed headstock.

Priced at $22,500 / £20,199 / €23,499

Paul Waller: Prestige Saint John’s Skeleton Telecaster

First appearing to be a photo, before second glances reveal brushstrokes, Master Builder Paul Waller has partnered with artist David Kassan to create hand-painted art inspired by a skeleton of the Saint John the Divine Cathedral in New York City.

The Prestige Saint John’s Skeleton Telecaster features Josefina Campos hand wound 60s telecaster pickups, and is painted on top of a relic finish with black over graffiti yellow, a different finish than Fender’s typical gloss finish on art guitars.

Priced at $21,500 / £19,299 / €22,499