Fender and Paul Smith put the Signature Stripe across a limited Made in Japan Telecaster

Fender and British fashion house Paul Smith have released a limited Made in Japan Telecaster as the centrepiece of a capsule collection marking both brands’ 80th anniversaries. The guitar is priced at $2,580 in Fender’s US store, where it is listed for preorder with shipping expected on November 5, 2026. Paul Smith’s Signature Stripe runs across the front and back of the alder body rather than appearing as a small badge or trim detail.

The gloss-finished body is matched with a four-ply red tortoiseshell pickguard and chrome hardware. Fender uses a maple Modern “C” neck, 25.5-inch scale, 9.5-inch-radius rosewood fingerboard and 22 Narrow Tall frets. The bridge is a three-saddle strings-through-body Tele unit with brass barrels, while vintage-style locking tuners provide a modern concession without changing the familiar silhouette.

Electronics are more than stock parts under a designer finish. Fender says the neck and bridge single-coils were specially modified for this collaboration, and a four-position blade adds a series setting to the standard bridge, parallel and neck combinations. Each guitar also receives an individually numbered Paul Smith neck plate, a Signature Stripe hard case and a certificate of authenticity. The wider collection adds a matching strap, pick set, clothing, jewellery and other accessories.

Fashion collaborations can easily stop at surface treatment, but this Telecaster combines the unmistakable stripe with a useful wiring option and clearly specified hardware. The limited Japanese build and numbered presentation make it collectible, while the series position broadens the working palette beyond a conventional three-way Tele.