Brad Paisley is one of the few country stars of our era who is as well-known for his picking as he is for the songs he sings. He’s a serious guitarist, through and through, and that means serious guitars—and guitar collabs—are the name of the game.
Among the guitar cognoscenti, Paisley’s especially known for the Paisley-finish Telecasters he favors. Most fans might not know this—but Paisley actually studied guitar building, and that Paisley finish? It’s actually, in part, the product of the star’s own ingenuity. From Fender: “While studying guitar building, Brad discovered a lightly used roll of original ‘60s Paisley Cling-Foil, igniting his passion for restoring the look of his own 1967 Telecaster.”
Let me back up here. The original Paisley Telecasters were introduced in 1967 as Fender’s response to hippie fever, and an icon was born. The combination of a delicate finish (comprised of cling-foil paper, adhesive, and a flimsy polyester clear coat) with a short-lived aesthetic movement meant that most Paisley Teles were not long for this world. That’s how original Paisley Teles became among the rarest vintage Telecasters in the world.
That wasn’t going to stop Brad Paisley, though: “From the very beginning there has always been a pattern following me, from the moment they wrote my last name on my birth certificate. It’s unreal that my own name is one of the coolest finishes I think Fender has ever done. This is an attempt to show what this lost color could have been. It’s the best guitar I’ve ever had.”
So when Paisley discovered the roll of Cling-Foil, he knew it was time to launch a new signature model. Paisley, along with Fender’s Zac Childs and Joe Glaser, recreated the Paisley Cling-Foil originally used to create the Paisley finish, and they were off to the races.
Chase Paul, Director of Product Development at Fender Custom Shop: “From the rediscovery of the original 1960s Blue Paisley Cling-Foil to the custom hardware and pickups—every element of the Limited Edition Brad Paisley 1967 ‘Lost Paisley’ Telecaster was crafted with purpose. This isn’t just an Artist Signature model—it’s a glimpse into what could have been, had this concept made it to production. A true missing link in Fender Telecaster evolution.”
Paisley’s new Limited Edition Signature model features not only the remarkable re-created Blue Paisley Relic finish, but it’s also equipped with Seymour Duncan Custom Shop hand-wound pickups, and—get this—a Glaser G-bender system for Paisley’s signature pedal-steel licks.
Watch Paisley and Fender’s journey re-creating these incredible guitars below.
Learn more about the Brad Paisley Limited Edition 1967 Lost Paisley Tele at Fender Custom Shop.
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