Fender Custom Shop Announces the Terry Kath Telecaster

The Fender Custom Shop pays tribute to an acclaimed pioneer by recreating Kath’s custom Telecaster guitar—which was played throughout his live performances with Chicago and truly embodied the notion of “custom” long before the Fender Custom Shop was founded. Master Builder Dennis Galuszka has replicated the guitar in exacting, every scratch-for-scratch detail, from the Pignose stickers to the gaff-tape-sealed rear body route and every other custom element. With up to 50 units made worldwide, the Limited Edition Terry Kath Telecaster is a meticulously crafted homage to one of the true guitar greats of our time.

“Terry Kath is one of the most incredible guitar players that ever lived,” said Mike Lewis, Vice President Product Development at Fender Custom Shop. “His iconic playing style paved the way for many guitar players and has inspired other legends through the years. When his daughter, Michelle, told us they wanted to entrust the Fender Custom Shop to recreate Kath’s famed, fan favorite Telecaster guitar from Chicago, we were honored. Fan’s had been making their own versions of this guitar for years, but this time master builder Dennis Galuszka replicated every single detail - from the synchronized Strat guitar tremolo with sawed off Tele bridge plate to other custom elements of the body adorned with stickers and other personalized touches.”

“This moment has been a long time coming,” said Michelle Kath Sinclair, Terry’s daughter. “When we were making the documentary about my dad (Chicago: The Terry Kath Experience), we didn’t know where the guitar was, so the film almost became a hunt for this Telecaster guitar. We finally found it at my grandpa’s house; he labeled all of the guitar cases and this one said “Terry’s Favorite.” Finding this guitar meant everything to me, because it feels like I have a piece of him with me that’s so iconic.”

“Bringing the guitar to Fender for the first time was probably one of the most exciting days,” she added. “Going into Dennis’ workspace, I got to see his tools, how the flow works and how they go about the process of making the guitar, which is really cool. He nailed it. My hope for the replicas is that they find really good homes with people who are just as excited as we are about them being in the world. It means a lot to our family.”

The Terry Kath Telecaster | Dream Factory | Fender

For technical specs, additional information on new Fender products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.fendercustomshop.com.