IRON MAIDEN’s Landmark 50th Anniversary Celebrated With FENDER’s Signature Guitar Collection

In celebration of IRON MAIDEN’s landmark 50th anniversary, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) has announced new releases from the Fender Custom Shop, Fender and Jackson series of instruments set to honor the iconic band’s influential and enduring legacy.

Since forming in East London in 1975, the trailblazers, often credited with having pioneered the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement with their genre-defining sound and theatrical live performances, have garnered a dedicated cult fanbase and selling more than 100 million records to date worldwide.

“Honoring IRON MAIDEN’s fifty years of pushing heavy metal forward, this collection brings together the signature instruments that helped define their unmistakable sound,” said Max Gutnik, FMIC’s chief product officer. “From Dave Murray’s high-performance Stratocaster models and Janick Gers’s energetic, vintage-leaning Strat to Steve Harris’s unmistakable Precision Bass and Adrian Smith’s versatile Jackson SC1, each instrument carries the tone, feel, and power behind MAIDEN’s multi-guitar attack. These anniversary models are more than tributes; they are stage-ready tools built to inspire today’s players and the next generation.”

Across the group’s five-decade-spanning career, guitarist Dave Murray has been a mainstay on IRON MAIDEN’s 17 studio albums; with climactic solos, galloping riffs, and the band’s renowned multi-guitar harmonies cementing Murray as one of heavy metal’s most legendary guitarists. Celebrating the artistry and talent that has remained instrumental in defining the group’s signature sound, Fender Custom Shop (FCS) masterbuilder Andy Hicks teamed up with Dave Murray to create a stunning new incarnation of his favorite Fender guitar in the Limited Edition Masterbuilt Dave Murray Stratocaster.

“Dave Murray has always been my favorite guitar hero. Not only is his style absolutely brilliant but he also proved to me long ago that Fender absolutely belongs in the world of heavy metal,” said Hicks. “It was an absolute honor to build this guitar for him and I will never get over the excitement of seeing my favorite player from my favorite band playing one of my guitars.”

To create the incredible Limited Edition Stratocaster, Hicks worked closely with Murray to devise a high-performance guitar that could keep up with the rigors of global touring. Powerful, punchy and versatile, it boasts 21 medium jumbo stainless-steel frets and an oil-finished ’60s-style Oval “C”-shaped walnut neck, offering exceptional comfort and effortless playability. Coupled with Murray’s tried and true combination of Seymour Duncan Hot Rails bridge and neck pickups and a JB Jr. middle pickup, it perfectly handles galloping rhythms and soaring leads. With premium parts upgrades, the unique and stylishly tasteful Stratocaster is flawlessly finished in NOS Olympic White.

The 2-piece select alder body is flawlessly finished in NOS Olympic White and is paired with an oil-finished ’60s-style Oval “C”-shaped walnut neck for an incredibly comfortable, high-performance Strat. With a flat-laminated, 9.5″ to 14″ compound radius rosewood fingerboard and 21 medium jumbo stainless-steel frets, this guitar plays effortlessly. Loaded with Murray’s tried and true combination of Seymour Duncan Hot Rails bridge and neck pickups and a JB Jr. middle pickup, this Strat is powerful, punchy and perfect for intricate, galloping rhythm parts and soaring leads. To keep up with the rigors of global touring, Murray and Hicks landed on a combination of premium parts upgrades ranging from the addition of an AxLabs Tone Claw Locking Spring Claw and Heavy Duty Noiseless Springs to suite of FU-Tone components (42mm Big Brass Block and Tremolo Stopper, Titanium String Lock Screws, Saddle Mounting Screws, Nut Clamp Screws, Lock Nut Blocks, Saddle Inserts and Bridge Posts). After road-testing this latest incarnation of his favorite Fender, it’s easy to see why the Limited Edition Masterbuilt Dave Murray Stratocaster is his new #1. Other premium features include Dave Murray signature neckplate, vintage-style tuners, Fender Custom Shop strap and certificate of authenticity.

As IRON MAIDEN celebrate their landmark 50th anniversary, they remain one of heavy metal’s most influential and enduring forces. Defined by galloping bass lines, multi-guitar harmonies, operatic vocals and the ever-evolving presence of their iconic figurehead “Eddie,” the band’s unmistakable sound has inspired generations of fans around the world. With 17 studio albums and more than 100 million records sold, their legacy continues to shape the evolution of metal five decades on.

Janick Gers joined IRON MAIDEN in 1990, bringing his explosive energy and dynamic playing style to the band’s distinctive multi-guitar attack. Known for his energetic stage presence — featuring dramatic spins and guitar-flinging showmanship — Gers has contributed technical precision and melodic sensibilities to IRON MAIDEN’s sound for over three decades. The 50th-anniversary IRON MAIDEN Janick Gers Stratocaster comes in a classic Black finish and includes a 7.25″ radius rosewood fingerboard with vintage tall frets and Seymour Duncan JB Jr. neck and bridge pickups. Other features include a Fender Vintage-style Synchronized Tremolo with bent steel saddles, 50th-anniversary neck plate and Gers’s signature on the back of the headstock. Offered in Rosewood Fingerboard, Black finish.

Dave Murray’s iconic Stratocaster models have part-shaped the band’s distinctive multi-guitar attack for decades. Combining the best features of Dave’s favorite Fender guitars — three Seymour Duncan pickups, compound-radius fingerboard and a Floyd Rose R2 double-locking tremolo — the 50th-anniversary IRON MAIDEN Dave Murray Stratocaster delivers legendary tone, superb feel and an iconic look that has been center stage throughout the band’s historic career. Offered in Rosewood Fingerboard, Black finish.

Steve Harris’s dynamic basslines have made him one of the most influential metal bassists alive. Harris has stayed true to his battle-hardened Fender Precision Bass over the years, and his new 50th-anniversary signature model now comes in an elegant Satin Black finish with an all-maple neck and body with complementing mirrored pickguard. Other ironclad features include a powerful Precision split P Bass pickup, Fender Vintage Precision Bridge, Fender round-wound strings and Harris’ signature on the back of the headstock. A set of Rotosound Steve Harris Signature flat-wound strings are included in the gig bag. Available in Maple Fingerboard, Satin Black finish.

Adrian Smith’s guitar legacy spans IRON MAIDEN’s most defining eras, from the band’s breakthrough albums in the 1980s through decades of global touring that have anchored their place in metal history. As the architect behind some of metal’s most memorable solos and a master of the band’s signature multi-guitar harmonies, Smith’s deep understanding of tone and performance drives every aspect of this instrument’s design. For this 50th-anniversary tribute, Adrian personally selected his favorite guitar elements from Jackson’s extensive lineup, creating an instrument that embodies the tonal versatility and performance reliability he demands both in the studio and on stage.

Adrian Smith’s iconic SC1 has shaped the band’s distinctive multi-guitar attack for decades. Combining the best features of Adrian’s favorite Jackson guitars — DP 100 DiMarzio and Fender’s Noiseless Sumerian Cobalt pickups, 12-16″ compound-radius fingerboard and a top mounted Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo — the 50th-anniversary IRON MAIDEN Adrian Smith Jackson SC1 delivers legendary tone, superb feel and an iconic look that has been center stage (or stage right!) throughout the band’s historic career.

Since 1987, the Fender Custom Shop and its esteemed builders have astounded players and collectors worldwide with marvels of creativity, ingenuity and artistry. From its humble Southern California beginnings, the Fender Custom Shop has grown to become the world’s preeminent maker of highly collectible, custom instruments operating in Corona, California. Known as the “Dream Factory,” the Fender Custom Shop is also home to an honored group known as the Master Builders — some of the most-skilled luthiers in the world — who craft Fender’s legendary instruments and push the boundaries of possibility. The distinguished Master Builders make dream guitars a reality for players — from Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, H.E.R. and Jimmy Page to collectors, working professionals and guitar enthusiasts. As the epicenter of innovation at Fender and the pinnacle of the brand, ideas and production techniques devised in the Fender Custom Shop for both Masterbuilt and Teambuilt guitars go on to inspire and influence Fender’s other production line models.

Since 1946, Fender has revolutionized music and culture as one of the world’s leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and distributors. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) — whose portfolio of owned and licensed brands includes Fender, Squier, Gretsch guitars, Jackson, EVH, Charvel, Bigsby and PreSonus — follows a player-centric approach to crafting the highest-quality instruments and digital experiences across genres. Since 2015, Fender’s digital arm has introduced a new ecosystem of products and interactive experiences to accompany players at every stage of their musical journey. This includes innovative apps and learning platforms designed to complement Fender guitars, amplifiers, effects pedals, accessories and pro-audio gear, and inspire players through an immersive musical experience. FMIC is dedicated to unlocking the power of musical expression for all players, from beginners to history-making legends. In 2021, Fender celebrated 75 years of giving artists “wings to fly,” carrying on the vision of its founder, Leo Fender, and connecting players through a shared love of music.

Jackson began in the late 1970s when heavy music experienced a virtuosic resurgence in popularity and a small Southern California repair shop became the epicenter of a new level of excellence. When extravagant young guitarists needed more from their instruments, a small staff of highly skilled craftsmen answered the call with a new breed of high-performance custom guitars. From that point on, heavy metal history would be written with Jackson’s guitars lauded as the industry’s shred machines. Known for their distinctive style and formidable substance, Jackson guitars have melded seamlessly with each and every sonic mutation across the metal genre allowing discerning guitarists everywhere to achieve an explosive sound. Over the years, Jackson has worked with some of the most influential and respected players in the world, and its roster of signature artists boasts guitarists whose impactful and game-changing contributions to heavy metal continue to inspire generations of musicians and fans. Today, Jackson is an owned brand under Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) and with a foundation of premium state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and the industry’s finest team of seasoned builders, together they are poised for a new and transformative era.