Fender and Chicago Music Exchange revive their exclusive Pacific Peach finish for new-look Player Stratocaster and Telecaster models

Last October, Fender collaborated with Chicago Music Exchange for an exclusive Pacific Peach-finished Player Jazzmaster, and at the time it was teased the gorgeous hue would make its way on to numerous Fender models in the near future.

Now, the two companies have rekindled their collaboration for a pair of new-look electric guitars: a Fender Player Stratocaster and Player Telecaster, which have both been treated to the eye-popping CME-exclusive colorway.

According to CME Director of New Product Dan Bordonaro, in an interview with Guitar magazine, the finish itself was inspired by vintage kitchen appliances – KitchenAid’s Bird Of Paradise range, to be precise – and photos of an early ‘60s Ford Galaxie 500, which had been finished in Samoan Coral.

After a number of back-and-forths in an effort to get the Pacific Pink hue just right, the colorway made its official debut last year in what was the gear retailer’s first-ever exclusive Fender finish.

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For its latest releases, CME has revived its Pacific Peach colorway for two other Player Series six-strings: the Strat and the Tele. Check out the video above to hear both in action.

Aside from the new-look jacket, each instrument stays true to its Player Series blueprint. That means the Strat features an alder body, modern C-profile maple neck and a 9.5”-radius maple fingerboard with black dot inlays.

Other appointments on the 25.5”-scale six-string include 22 medium jumbo frets, a synthetic bone nut and a two-point synchronized tremolo with bent steel saddles, as well as a three-ply parchment pickguard and standard sealed tuners.

As for pickups, the Stratocaster sports a set of Player Series Alnico 5 single-coils, which are at the mercy of a five-way selector switch, two tone knobs and a master volume parameter.

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The Tele, meanwhile, also features an alder body and maple neck/fretboard combo, and similarly sports a 9.5” radius, 22 medium jumbo frets, black dot inlays, a synthetic bone nut and standard sealed tuners.

In the electronics department, the Pacific Peach Player Telecaster comes equipped with a pair of Player Series Alnico 5 Tele single-coils, which are wired to a three-way switch and master volume and tone controls.

“Looking back I know my goal was to make it feel like it came out of a time capsule,” Bordonaro said when the color was released. “A color no one ever knew existed. It’s a false narrative, but we like to pretend.

“And honestly, in the early ‘60s you have major automobile and appliance manufacturers using colors very similar to this. There’s no reason this couldn’t have happened at Fender, but to the best of our knowledge, it just didn’t.” 

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Both the Pacific Peach Player Stratocaster and Player Telecaster are available now for $849, making them slightly cheaper than the $929-priced Player Jazzmaster.

For more information, head over to Chicago Music Exchange.