Carter Vintage Guitars Becomes an Official Fender Custom Shop Dealer

There are certain guitars that don’t just shape music—they shape culture. Fender’s instruments have been in the hands of so many of the greats, from Buddy Holly and Jimi Hendrix to Bruce Springsteen and Jeff Beck. And since the very beginning, Carter Vintage Guitars has proudly played host to some of the finest examples of truly iconic vintage guitars to ever exist. Now, we’re thrilled to extend that legacy into the next chapter and share the news that Carter Vintage Guitars is officially a Fender Custom Shop dealer.

This is more than just a new product line on the wall—it’s a milestone. When Walter and Christie Carter opened the doors to this phenomenal brand in 2012, they did so with a vision rooted in integrity, passion, and respect for the instrument. It’s a story that stretches back through decades of music history—through the fingerprints on the fretboards of pre-CBS Stratocasters, the twang and snap of Blackguard Teles, and the wild designs of offset Jazzmasters and Jaguars.

From day one, Carter Vintage Guitars has been a trusted destination for collectors and players worldwide, seeking original vintage Fender instruments. We’ve had some of the most important Stratocasters and Telecasters of the 1950s and ’60s pass through our showroom—many now immortalized in our photography archive and sold to world-class musicians and collectors across the globe. That lineage has defined who we are. And now, with the Fender Custom Shop, we’re honoring that legacy while embracing the future.

For decades, the “Dream Factory” has produced instruments that capture the soul of the original designs while meeting the demands of modern players. Each guitar is handcrafted by a small team of elite luthiers in Corona, California, many of whom have spent decades honing their craft. From meticulous relic work that echoes the feel of a well-loved ’59 Strat, to innovative tonewood combinations and custom electronics for today’s touring professionals, the build quality coming out of the Custom Shop today is nothing short of exceptional.

That’s why this partnership makes perfect sense.

The Fender Custom Shop isn’t about mass production. It’s about purpose-built instruments with a story behind every solder joint and every hand-carved neck. That ethos aligns perfectly with our approach at Carter Vintage. Whether you’re holding a $100,000 slab-board Strat or a lovingly aged new relic from a Master Builder, we believe in guitars that move people.

As an official dealer, we’ll not only be stocking an ongoing rotation of curated Fender Custom Shop models, but we’ll also be offering our customers the chance to design their own dream builds through the Custom Shop’s bespoke ordering program—guided by the Carter team. If you’ve ever dreamed of building your perfect Fender—from neck profile and pickups to finish, relic level, and beyond—we can now help make that a reality.

And perhaps most exciting of all, we’ll be launching a series of very exclusive, limited-edition runs with the Custom Shop—guitars that draw directly from the DNA of our most iconic vintage instruments. These will be one-of-a-kind builds that capture the spirit of a particular era, a certain model, or even a historic piece that once hung on our wall. From our Vault to the Fender Custom Shop, and then to your hands, this is a direct line between past and present, vintage and modern, Nashville and Corona.

This is something we’ve been working toward for a few years now. We’ve always admired the artistry coming out of the Custom Shop, and now that we can officially bring it to our customers—on our terms, with our knowledge and our passion behind it—we see this as the beginning of a new era for Carter Vintage.

At its heart, this partnership is about service. It’s about giving our customers access to the very best guitars being built today, while also preserving the heritage and magic of the vintage market we’ve always been rooted in. So whether you’re a touring musician looking for a road-ready tone machine, a lifelong Fender fan searching for the perfect custom build, or a collector who wants the feel of a ’60s Strat without the fragility—our team is ready to guide you into the world of Fender Custom Shop.

Welcome to the Carter Vintage x Fender Custom Shop experience.

Let’s build something legendary.

Ben Montague

CEO – Carter Vintage Guitars