Fender and Paul Smith Hook Up For $3K Striped Tele

So, Fender, currently busy suing every boutique guitar builder who ever dared to glance at a single cutaway, has paused its cease-and-desist letters long enough to drop a new collaboration. This time, they’ve teamed up with British fashion icon Paul Smith for a limited-edition Telecaster that promises to connect "the spirit of rock ’n’ roll with the heritage of London’s historic Wardour Street record shops."

Right.

Paul Smith Telecaster

The centerpiece of this venture is the Fender x Paul Smith Telecaster, a guitar that pairs a classic alder body with a modern C-profile maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard. It features locking tuners, a custom neck plate, and a vintage-style three-saddle bridge.

Fender claims the neck and bridge pickups have been "specially modified" for this model, though they haven't elaborated on what makes these pickups so unique. What is obvious, however, is that this isn't just an aesthetic exercise; they've at least bothered to tinker under the hood.

The real draw, of course, is the finish: a vibrant, unmistakable Paul Smith-designed striped colorway that makes the guitar pop, if you want your Telecaster to look like an upscale barcode.

Under the Hood

If you're paying a premium for a fashion collaboration, you at least get some decent hardware:

• Body: Paul Smith Signature Stripe alder body
• Neck: Maple Modern “C” neck with rosewood fingerboard
• Pickups: Modified neck and bridge pickups developed for the collaboration
• Bridge: 3-saddle vintage-style Telecaster bridge with brass barrel saddles
• Tuners: Vintage-style locking tuners
• Extras: Custom neck plate, original hard case, and certificate of authenticity

"Fender and Paul Smith have both built their legacies around originality and giving people the tools to express themselves," Fender CEO Bud Cole stated, apparently without a hint of irony regarding Fender's recent aggressive protection of its own "originality." Cole added, "At its heart, it’s a celebration of individuality, creativity and craftsmanship – and giving people something they can make their own."

As long as "making it your own" doesn't involve building a guitar that looks remotely like a Fender, of course.

The collaboration extends beyond the guitar itself, capitalizing on the age-old synergy between fashion and music. As Fender points out, “Music and fashion have always moved together, with artists and musical movements shaping how generations dress and express themselves and shape culture.”

To that end, the collection includes a striped guitar strap, a pick tin loaded with 12 heavy-gauge picks, and a series of tie-dye T-shirts inspired by historic music festivals. One shirt, dubbed "Meet at the Tree," nods to Paul Smith’s favorite tree in his hometown of Nottingham, England. It’s meant to inject a personal touch and symbolize the "community aspect of festivals."

It’s all very nice and artisanal. If only Fender showed other guitar makers as much community spirit as they do high-end fashion designers.

I still honestly have no idea who this guitar is aimed at.

Fender

More Fender