Fender Custom Shop Marilyn Monroe Playboy 40th Anniversary Stratocaster 1994

In 1953, the first issue of Playboy magazine featured Monroe on the cover and used Tom Kelly’s 1949 calendar nude shot of the pre-movie star Marilyn as its first centerfold.

In early 1994, that now iconic nude of Marilyn Monroe graced the Fender Custom Shop Limited 40th Anniversary Commemorative Playboy Stratocaster. Only 175 were made; this is number 98.

California artist, Pamelina H., creator of the Fender Custom Shop logo, pulled out all the stops on this, her air-brush-with-paint-brush-details interpretation of Kelly’s hot shot. The image and guitar are drop-dead gorgeous.

Pamelina is the Fender Custom Shop’s go-to artist. Master Builder and Custom Shop Manager John Page told the Strat Collector New Desk that “even in the early years her work was spectacular, it just seemed to have a soul, you could feel the artist coming through…There are a lot of painters out there but very few true artists. Pamelina is one of the few.”

Her original design was rather tame; she felt it more appropriate for Fender. But, as she told the SCND, “the guitar with my original ‘no nude’ design was presented to Playboy and scrubbed. They asked if, instead, the first pin-up of Marilyn Monroe could be done…I painted the Marilyns for a year…"

“Since each one is painted by hand there’s always some very minor variation. That’s what makes each instrument special and unique.”

As if Pamelina’s artwork wasn’t enough, this instrument features acclaimed artist LeRoy Neiman’s Femlin character on the headstock and Art Paul’s classic Playboy rabbit-head logo as fingerboard inlays.

Hang it on yourself with the accompanying red leather Playboy strap or hang it on the wall, this is a serious piece of collectible art, one of the greatest of the great amongst Fender Custom Shop Art Guitars. It is featured in the art guitar showcase book, Fender Custom Shop Guitar Gallery, centerfold-style, on pages 122-123.

The guitar is ranked on Tom Watson’s “A-List“ as the #2 Fender Custom Shop Strat; Pamelina's ’93 Harley taking the top spot.

This guitar has been played.  It shows light scratches on the back and top.  Includes red leather gig bag, red leather Playboy strap, SKB hard case, certificate and additional candy.