Fender has introduced the Limited Edition Sheryl Crow 1959 Custom Telecaster.
Only 60 of these guitars have been made, with one signed by Crow and donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in observance of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The guitar, which is available in Faded Chocolate Three Color Sunburst, features a double-bound hand-selected lightweight alder body, a mid-’60s oval "C"-shaped maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with vintage-style frets, vintage 1963 Telecaster pickups and modern Telecaster wiring. It comes with a limited-edition case, certificate of authenticity, Sheryl Crow concert memorabilia and a certificate depicting the story signed by Crow.
The Tele has special meaning to Crow, who happens to be a breast cancer survivor.
In 1994, Crow was readying to embark on her first solo tour when most of her band’s equipment — including her Custom Telecaster — was stolen. The band quickly acquired new gear, and Crow’s backup guitar became her main instrument.
Shortly thereafter, the band performed at the Backyard in Austin, Texas, and a fan who had read about the band’s stolen gear approached Crow with a slightly used 1959 Fender Custom Telecaster suggesting it was a suitable replacement for her guitar. The guitar belonged to the fan’s mother, who lost her battle with breast cancer. Crow accepted the instrument and still cherishes it.
"I have a very strong affinity for this guitar," Crow said. "This has just been a guitar I’ve loved forever. It feels good, it feels right and has had lots of loving fingers on it."
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The instrument was brought to the Fender Custom Shop in 2011 and was recreated in meticulous detail. The original 1959 Custom Tele was safely stored, and Crow has used the replica ever since.
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
