fender custom shop playboy 40th anniversary stratocaster

We present an exceptional Fender Custom shop.

This is a super rare Fender Custom Shop Playboy 40th Anniversary Stratocaster Black from 1994, with only 175 instruments built to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Playboy. This guitar has a low number and it is 041 out of 175 pieces. The iconic Stratocaster is finished in black with airbrushed artwork by famed guitar airbrusher Pamelina to create the Marilyn Monroe centerfold within the first issue in 1953. The guitar also has artist LeRoy Neiman’s “Femlin” character on the headstock as well as Art Pauls classic Playboy bunny-head logo as the fretboard inlays. Of course, not any case would do for this Strat, so it includes a red leather gig bag and a Playboy strap within a hardshell case, and a certificate of authenticity signed by John Page. Overall this piece is in near mint condition and even comes complete with tags and all case candy. It also include the original SKB hardshell case for the original gig bag. The neck is a beautiful flamed maple with pearloid Playboy Bunny logo inlays, gold hardware and Vintage Deluxe tuners, a beautiful red body skirt and all of the official paperwork. The previous owner purchased  back then the original 40th anniversary Playboy Magazine, which is also included.

Specs: 
Artwork by Pamelina H.
Alder Body
Maple Neck and Fretboard
25.5” Scale Length
Bunny Head Fretboard INlays
.820″ Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
.960″ Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
Lace Sensor Stratocaster Pickups
Gold Hardware

History Behind the Guitar:

In 1953, the first issue of Playboy magazine featured Monroe on the cover and used Tom Kelly’s 1949 calendar nude shot of the pre-movie star Marilyn as its first centrefold.. In early 1994, that now iconic nude of Marilyn Monroe graced the Fender Custom Shop Limited 40th Anniversary Commemorative Playboy Stratocaster. Only 175 were made; this is number 96.

California artist, Pamelina H., creator of the Fender Custom Shop logo, pulled out all the stops on this, her air-brush-with-paint-brush-details interpretation of Kelly’s hot shot. The image and guitar are drop-dead gorgeous. Pamelina is the Fender Custom Shop’s go-to artist. Master Builder and Custom Shop Manager John Page told the Strat Collector New Desk that “even in the early years her work was spectacular, it just seemed to have a soul, you could feel the artist coming through. There are a lot of painters out there but very few true artists. Pamelina is one of the few.”

Her original design was rather tame; she felt it more appropriate for Fender. But, as she told the SCND, “the guitar with my original ‘no nude’ design was presented to Playboy and scrubbed. They asked if, instead, the first pin-up of Marilyn Monroe could be done…I painted the Marilyns for a year…”

“Since each one [of the 175] is painted by hand there’s always some very minor variation. That’s what makes each instrument special and unique.”

As if Pamelina’s artwork wasn’t enough, this instrument features acclaimed artist LeRoy Neiman’s Femlin character on the headstock and Art Paul’s classic Playboy rabbit-head logo as fingerboard inlays.

The Guitar comes with the accompanying red leather Playboy strap – this is a serious piece of collectible art, one of the greatest of the great amongst Fender Custom Shop Art Guitars. It is featured in the art guitar showcase book, Fender Custom Shop Guitar Gallery, centerfold-style, on pages 122-123.