Fender Mourns Loss of Longtime Senior Master Builder John English

[TDPRI]

Fender Mourns Loss of Longtime Senior Master Builder John English
July 3, 2007, from Fender Website

Fender® and the Fender Custom Shop is deeply saddened by the loss of longtime Senior Master Builder John English. John died June 28 at the age of 57 (reportedly after a long battle with cancer).

John was a driving force in the early days of the Custom Shop, and helped--along with the entire Custom Shop staff--define the creative environment that continues in the shop today.

John English was raised on the rock ‘n’ roll of the ’50s and ’60s and joined Fender in 1970 working alongside such company pioneers as Freddie Tavares and Bill Carson.

One of the original builders in the Custom Shop, English was internationally renowned for his custom, concept and art guitars. John’s collaboration with the King of the Surf Guitar, Dick Dale, resulted in one of the first Fender Custom Shop Signature model guitars.

Working with exotic woods, metals, plastics, stones and bone, John built custom guitars for countless musicians and collectors ranging from Eric Clapton to President George Bush. A guitarist, drummer, and artist who lived and worked in both America and Europe, English’s creations were inspired by music, art, architecture, and nature’s myriad lines, patterns and colors.

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RIP....a true artist.