Fender And Lexus Partner To Release The Fender® Lexus LC Stratocaster® Guitar

Includes an Omnidirectional Structural Blue Finish And Pickguard Made from Twill Carbon Fibre Designed to Perfectly Match Lexus’s Rear Spoiler, A First For Fender

TORONTO, Ontario – October 8, 2021  - Fender Musical Instruments Corporation’s (FMIC) Fender Custom Shop (FCS) today announced the launch of a limited edition Fender® Lexus LC Stratocaster®, the newest custom-built piece from Principal Master Builder, Ron Thorn. Chosen for their passion for bold design, intuitive technology, and Takumi craftsmanship, Fender’s, Fender’s alliance with Lexus brings to life the Fender® Lexus LC Stratocaster®. Fender Custom Shop™ will be releasing 100 team-built Fender® Lexus LC Stratocaster® guitars globally.

“Collaborating with Lexus to conceptualize, design and build the Fender® Lexus LC Stratocaster® has been an incredible ride,” said Mike Lewis, Vice-President of Product Development, Fender Custom Shop™. “The process our team took to design this Strat® has certainly been a labour of love, as well as a source of inspiration and excitement around the shop. Our team is constantly building innovative products and this launch is another great representation of craftsmanship and creativity at Fender.”

The Stratocaster® guitar includes an omnidirectional Structural Blue finish, a spectral range that produces light metallic blue to deep midnight blue that was originally inspired by the Morpho butterfly. The paint on the Stratocaster® guitar is the same paint that was used on the Lexus LC 500 coupe and convertible Inspiration Series, of which only 10 vehicles were produced for Canada. Structural blue paint brings to life the rich curvature of the LC 500 body, and now the guitar body. The paint does not contain any blue material - it looks blue only because of the interference of light. Layers of colourless materials come together to generate the ultimate colour, hence the name “structural”.

The neck is fashioned from beautiful 3A flame maple and finished in high-gloss urethane, imparting a hint of Fender® woodworking tradition in contrast with the instrument’s other advanced visual elements. The fingerboard is made of deep-blue polished Richlite, a composite material known for its tonal properties, structural stability, and resistance to wear and moisture, and used by the Fender Custom Shop™ for the first time. The fingerboard has a flatter 12” radius and 22 medium-jumbo stainless steel frets. On darkened stages, the white Luminlay fingerboard inlays glow in vivid blue.

Additionally, the fasteners on the pickguard are black button head machine screws that create a clean automotive appearance, while the pickups are Fender’s latest version of our Noiseless Single Coils, another first for the Fender Custom Shop™. To top it off, the headstock face is finished in Structural Blue with a chrome Fender® logo while the custom case is wrapped in carbon fibre textured vinyl, with black leather ends and the Lexus logo embroidered inside the lid.

“Fender is a legendary brand that has made an indelible mark in the world of music.  As such, Lexus is honoured to team with them in the development of this unique guitar that highlights our brand’s unique design cues and Structural Blue paint technology,” said Brian Bolain, General Manager of Lexus International. “With such a partnership, our hope is to raise the awareness of the elevated level of craft shared by the Fender Custom Shop and Lexus as both strive to create a more personal experience for their customers.”        

Every day, the Fender Custom Shop’s esteemed Master Builders are challenged to build guitars and basses with no boundaries. To match Lexus’s sound systems configuration, Principal Master Builder Ron Thorn included custom machined brushed aluminum knobs to match the Mark Levinson stereo knobs, while reducing the quantity from three typically found on a Stratocaster® guitar to two — Master Volume and Master Tone. The fretboard is a polished deep blue Richlite, a material new to the Fender Custom Shop™ and selected exclusively for this build given the similar components it has with Lexus® vehicles. “As a deep car enthusiast, this was a fun project to build off. We went bold with the technical specs to make this model a living Lexus® guitar. I can’t wait to see how everyone rocks out to it,” added Principal Master Builder Ron Thorn.

“We are thrilled that the Lexus-developed Structural Blue paint technology is being applied to a Fender® Stratocaster®”, said Christopher Yang, Vice President of Portfolio Business Management. “To help bring such ideas to market, we will continue to explore opportunities, such as the partnership with Fender, to share our technology and intellectual property with partners across multiple industries.”

For technical specs, additional information on new Fender products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.fendercustomshop.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @Fender and @FenderCustomShop.

Limited-Edition Fender® Lexus LC Stratocaster® guitar ($6,000 USD)

The all-new master designed Fender® Lexus LC Stratocaster® guitar is the newest custom-built piece designed by Fender Custom Shop™ Principal Master Builder Ron Thorn. The guitar features an omnidirectional Structural Blue finish — a spectral range that produces a light-metallic to deep midnight-blue colour inspired by the Morpho butterfly, whose uncommonly large iridescent-blue wings create the illusion that the beautiful insect disappears and reappears in mid- flight. Until now, the only other use of Structural Blue has been on the Lexus.

LC 500 Inspiration Series coupe and convertible. The fasteners on the guitar’s pickguard are black-button machine head screws that create a clean automotive appearance, and the latest version of Fender’s Noiseless pickups are used here by the Custom Shop® for the first time. The fingerboard is a polished deep blue made from Richlite, a material new to the Fender Custom Shop™ and selected exclusively for this build given its similarity to components in Lexus vehicles. To match the Lexus sound system configuration, Thorn included custom machined-brushed aluminum knobs to match the auto’s Mark Levinson knobs while reducing the typical number of Stratocaster® guitar control knobs from three to two — Master Volume and Master Tone.

ABOUT FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION:

Since 1946, Fender has revolutionized music and culture as one of the world’s leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and distributors. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) whose portfolio of owned and licensed brands includes Fender®, Squier®, Gretsch® guitars, Jackson®, EVH®, Charvel® and Bigsby® follows a player-centric approach to crafting the highest quality instruments and digital experiences across genres. Since 2015, Fender’s digital arm has introduced a new eco-system of products and interactive experiences to accompany players at every stage of their musical journey. This includes innovative apps and learning platforms designed to complement Fender guitars, amplifiers, effects pedals, accessories and pro audio gear and inspire players through an immersive musical experience. FMIC is dedicated to unlocking the power of musical expression for all players, from beginners to history making legends. In 2021, Fender celebrates 75 years of giving artists "wings to fly," carrying on the vision of its founder, Leo Fender, and connecting players through a shared love of music.

ABOUT FENDER CUSTOM SHOP:

Since 1987, the Fender Custom Shop™ and its esteemed builders have astounded players and collectors worldwide with marvels of creativity, ingenuity and artistry. From its humble Southern California beginnings, the Fender Custom Shop™ has grown to become the world’s preeminent maker of highly collectible, custom instruments operating in Corona, Calif. Known as the “Dream Factory,” the Fender Custom Shop™ is also home to an honoured group known as the Master Builders – some of the most-skilled luthiers in the world – who craft Fender’s legendary instruments and push the boundaries of possibility. The distinguished Master Builders make dream guitars a reality for players – from Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, H.E.R. and Jimmy Page to collectors, working professionals and guitar enthusiasts. As the epicenter of innovation at Fender and the pinnacle of the brand, ideas and production techniques devised in the Fender Custom Shop for both Masterbuilt and Teambuilt guitars go on to inspire and influence Fender’s other production line models.

ABOUT LEXUS CANADA:

Lexus Canada is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Lexus luxury cars and sport utility vehicles through a sales and service network of 39 dealers across Canada. Guests have access to a wide range of luxury and performance vehicles with a total of 12 Lexus nameplates available in Canada, including the largest luxury hybrid lineup of 6 hybrid models. Inspired by bold design, intuitive technology, and peak performance, Lexus is committed to delivering the highest quality products and services and creating amazing experiences for their guests. The Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h are built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada’s (TMMC) award-winning Cambridge South plant. For more information about Lexus and Lexus products, please visit: www.lexus.ca.