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The Latest Breaking News from Fender Japan

“The big thing was the neck shape that Clapton wanted. We made about a dozen neck samples for him to play”: From Slowhand’s Strat to “tongue-in-cheek” relics, this is the hidden history of the Fender Custom Shop

Fender’s Custom Shop had a precarious start in the mid-1980s, but the story of its formative years is full of big ideas, some bizarre instruments, and a queue of famous guitarists

Guitar World

“The Japan team is free to create guitars with a fresh perspective”: Fender Japan remains a mystery to the western world. I went behind the scenes and found out why its guitars are so radically different – and what’s stopping them reaching the US

Fender Japan makes some of the iconic guitar firm’s most exciting products, but we know very little about how it operates… until now

Guitar World

“One of metal’s most coveted and exclusive amps was finally brought to the masses… for a few hours, at least”: This is all the new guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – and how about that dreamy Stratocaster/Jazzmaster hybrid?

An Ariel Posen signature Strat, Jimmy Page’s latest Sundragon amp and a reissue of Metallica's hallowed IIC++ all dropped during a busy week for guitar gear

Guitar World

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“Captures the spirit of 1960s flower power”: Fender Japan taps into the Summer of Love and revives an unconventional classic with new Blue Flower Series

Three Fender models are dressed in the floral design, which emerged in the 1960s alongside the revered Paisley finish

Guitar World

Fender Japan celebrates the ’60s with the return of its Traditional Collection – which features a rare Competition Jazzmaster

The collection’s Class of 2025 offers the firm’s premium craftsmanship and a raft of nostalgic colorways

Guitar World

“Some of the most ambitious custom shop guitars I’ve ever seen”: These are the gear releases that have caught my eye this week – and the essential launches you might have missed

New drops from JHS Pedals, Fender, Victory, and more that need to be on your radar this week

Guitar World

“Tokai’s LS series are probably the best-built Les Paul-style guitars that have ever come through my shop”: How the Japanese guitar market came of age with ’80s Fender and Gibson clones – some that would rival the originals

You can’t tell the story of the Japanese guitar industry without the story of the clones – Keith Anderson of Japanese specialist Gas Station Guitars explains the history of the high-quality knock-offs that made its reputation

Guitar World

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Fender Japan assembles all-star group of elite Masterbuilders for its most ambitious builds yet – the Deck O’ Cards Stratocasters

The four high-end builds, inspired by each suit from a deck of cards, represent the pinnacle of Fender Japan's guitar artistry

Guitar World

“Captures the essence of cherry blossoms”: Fender Japan stakes a claim for 2025’s most breathtaking electric guitar with the Sakura Telecaster

Get us to Fender Flagship Tokyo immediately

Guitar World

A Starmaster is born: Fender Japan sticks a Starcaster headstock on a Jazzmaster for a limited run offset – and there is an Antigua finish option too just in case this didn't look radical enough

Coolest hybrid ever or oddball offset experimentation gone wild?

MusicRadar

Fender Japan unveils the Starmaster – a Jazzmaster/Starcaster hybrid that could be the most divisive Fender offset of them all

The Starmaster is even available in Antigua – one of the most loved/hated finishes in Fender history

Guitar World

“It has 24 frets, which is rare even for a Stratocaster”: Fender Japan and J-Pop guitar hero Rei have launched one of the most inventive Strats in recent years – and it’s got 24 frets and the neck of an unsung 1970s model

The bold reimagining is a curious mash-up of classic and contemporary specs, resulting in a Strat like no other

Guitar World

“A simple and beautiful guitar that is like a warm piece of furniture”: Fender Japan leans into the gear furniture trend with the Fragment Telecaster – a fresh take on the traditional rosewood Tele template

Featuring a rare rosewood and alder body and traditional 1960s specs, the Hiroshi Fujiwara-designed beauty represents one of 2024’s most unique Telecasters

Guitar World

Fender Hello Kitty Stratocaster marks 50 years of Sanrio’s finest cartoon cat

Hello Kitty reaches her half-century in 2025 and Fender Japan is out to celebrate with guitars and new merchandise, including a revival of its cult Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster

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Guitar World

“A heavy, luxurious appearance”: Fender Japan doubles down on its newfound affinity for sandblasting by putting an irresistible spin on its blackout Hybrid II models

Fender's experimental branch introduced some sandblasted Hybrid II instruments earlier this year – but they've been trumped by these stealthy designs, which all flaunt that unusual finishing technique

Guitar World

“Blazes a trail into new sonic territory”: Fender Japan gives the Cabronita Telecaster a radical mini-humbucker revamp by loading the Gretsch/Fender hybrid with new high-end pickups

The experimental branch of the Big F has given the quirky Tele a tonal overhaul by swapping the hi-fo Fidelitrons for DiMarzio pickups

Guitar World

“There have been many requests for it to be re-released”: Fender Japan answers players’ calls and revives its cult 12-string Stratocasters and Telecasters for the first time in over a decade

Fender first put out a 12-string electric in the 1960s, and it's been over 10 years since we last saw the firm produce expanded Strat and Tele models

Guitar World

Fender Japan continues its adventures in flamed-top guitars with new never-before-seen Hybrid Series II finishes

The firm continues to push the aesthetic boundaries of some of its most iconic guitar templates with Twilight and Sunset Orange Metallic colorways

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MusicRadar

Fender Japan brings master ukiyo-e artist Hokusai's work to the Esquire

There's going to be a great wave of excitement for these

Guitar World

“A special guitar that features art by world-renowned artists”: Fender Japan’s latest Art Canvas creations bring an iconic Japanese art landscape print series from the 1800s to the Esquire

The three models celebrate the first anniversary of Fender's flagship Tokyo store, and each boasts a piece from legendary Japanese artist Hokusai's famed Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series

Guitar World

“A unique look and function”: Fender Japan has revived the cult classic Cyclone – and it might be the most desirable Fender offset of the year

The Mustang-esque model has been brought back to life with a few choice upgrades

Guitar World

“The Ford Motor Company had created a color called ‘Daisy Pink’ especially for his aunt. She was famous in her own right and had the paint sent to Fender”: Meet 9 of Fender’s most elusive offset guitars

From Fender Japan exclusives to mid-’60s unicorns, and a 1958 Sparkle Sunburst Jazzmaster that’s a holy grail in anyone’s book…

Guitar World

“People have always gravitated to guitars by Fender Japan because you get so much more choice… The build quality is the best Fender makes outside the Custom Shop”: How the Japanese Fender offset conquered the world

Fender Japan showed the world how radically offsets could be modified. We visited specialist Japanese guitar retailer Gas Station Guitars to chart the evolution of the MIJ offset

Guitar World

“A solid and luxurious look”: Fender Japan’s new Sandblast range is the firm’s tamest release in ages – but, thanks to a quirky finishing technique, also one of its most desirable

Limited-edition Stratocaster, Telecaster and Jazz Bass models have been unveiled, each of which are treated to a nifty sandblast finish

Guitar World

“A series that is worthy of being called a ‘hybrid’”: Fender Japan’s latest Hybrid II models bring modernistic quilted tops and never-before-seen finishes to the Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster and Jazz Bass

If you’ve ever wanted one of electric guitar’s classic outlines with a fresh quilted maple look, well, Fender Japan has answered your prayers...

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