Fender Custom Shop Master Builder Dennis Galuszka and Director of Wood Technology Mike Born give you the inside scoop here on the new Artisan series Walnut-Top Stratocaster and Spalted Maple-Top Stratocaster guitars. Both instruments are built with beautifully crafted tops, with other features including a special “buckeye” finish, chrome “lipstick” pickup covers, special chrome control knobs, chrome tuners with ebony buttons, a choice of one-piece maple neck and fingerboard or rosewood fingerboard, and more.

Artisan series guitars pulls out all the stops for specially crafted high-end instruments of remarkable tone, look and feel. In a first for the Custom Shop and inspired by Master Built instruments created for the 2013 Tokyo Guitar Show, the series is built to spotlight fine woods with distinctive figures, hand-rubbed stains and gloss finishes. Team-built for a limited time only, Artisan series instruments are also outfitted with a wealth of special appointments and features that contribute to their striking sound and style.