Welcome to the unOfficial web page for information about the rare Chris Gaines Guitar.
This is a Custom made-to-order instrument, commissioned by Garth Brooks, designed and built by the Fender Custom Shop, known the world over for the quality of their design and craftsmanship.
Only 21 of these instruments were made by Fender. There will be no more made.
 
The back-story:
 
In 1998/99, Garth was working on a movie concept about a fictional rock star named Chris Gaines. Part of the development plan was to release an album of Chris Gaines’ “greatest hits” in order to create an illusion of credibility with the movie-going public for the fictional character, so that when the movie would reach eventual release, the public would “remember” hearing some of his “previous hits.” He enlisted the cooperation of producer Don Was and a crew of song writers, musicians, and engineers to make the album over the course of around 6 months. A rather bold and brilliant concept, but the plan was evidently not pulled off and marketed in the best possible way: the album sold over 2 million units which made it somewhat of a grand flop by normal Garth standards, although most artists would have been thrilled to see that kind of success.
 
To commemorate the making of the album “In the Life of Chris Gaines,” and to have a unique “signature model” guitar for his artist to play in the movie, Garth commissioned Fender to create the Chris Gaines Guitar. He presented some of the guitars to key members of the album’s production team.
 
As of this time, the movie has still not been made.
 
Information about this unique instrument:
 
  1. • Commissioned by Garth Brooks from The Fender Custom Shop, and called The Chris Gaines model, to be presented to key members of his production team for the recording of his “In the Life of Chris Gaines” album project. He gave out 13 or 14 of them, and the rest are held by Garth.
  2. • Built to specifications of Gordon Kennedy, whom Garth instructed “Design a guitar that you as a professional will want to play.”
  3. • Guitarists who pick up this guitar love the feel of the neck, the action, the way it plays, and the way it sounds.
  4. • Fender Telecaster solid body style.
  5. • Only 21 of this unique model were made - mine is ’15 of 21.’
  6. • Two P-90 pickups.
  7. • Standard controls: 3-way selector - volume - tone
  8. • One piece Maple neck (flamed or birds-eye maple).
  9. • 22 frets
  10. • Fender machine heads
  11. • String-through-body design, over a six saddle bridge.
  12. • This was the first guitar made by Fender to have a holographic image (one of Garth’s requirements) covering the front and back of the body and the front of the headstock. The holograph is the exact design used on the Limited Edition version of the Chris Gaines disc.
  13. • Chrome pick-guard embossed with Chris Gaines’ signature which Garth “invented” by writing with his left hand (he is right-handed).
  14. • Black hard-shell case with red plush interior, by G&G.
  15. • Garth asked for 20 of these to be made and specified that the last one be a Lefty. Fender misunderstood that to mean that he wanted 21 in total, thus 21 were made - 20 right hand models and one left hand one, which is one of the guitars Garth kept (the Chris Gaines character was scripted to be left handed).
  16. • This is definitely a GFAO instrument - Go Find Another One!
 
Be sure to view the photos of this guitar.