Fender Custom Shop Roadshow Returns to Sweetwater’s Fort Wayne Campus for One Night Only

FORT WAYNE, Indiana. [Tuesday, August 4, 2026] – Sweetwater’s Fort Wayne campus will host the Fender Custom Roadshow for one night only, Friday, August 28, giving guitar fans a rare chance to meet Fender Master Builders Andy Hicks and Paul Waller and Jackson/Charvel Master Builder “Big” Rob Knowles. One attendee will go home with a free Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster.

Following an in-person presentation from Fender’s master builders that explains the Masterbuilt process, participants will have a chance to mingle with the builders and get hands-on with a variety of Custom Shop guitars, along with several unique team-built guitars from Fender. This will give attendees a closer look at the guitars’ features and show them what it’s like to have an instrument meticulously handcrafted by a world-class master luthier.

There will be Fender swag giveaways throughout the evening for attendees. One lucky person will win a free Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster. Sweetwater will also have special in-store-only deals from Fender and its associated brands, such as Jackson, Charvel, EVH, and Gretsch, throughout the day.

“We are thrilled to welcome the Fender Custom Shop Roadshow back to the Sweetwater campus for the first time since 2018. This is the kind of event our customers dream about,” said Jay Piccirillo, Sweetwater’s director of guitar merchandising. “Andy, Paul, and Rob are among the most accomplished luthiers in the world, and having them here in Fort Wayne to share their craft in person is a genuinely rare opportunity we do not want anyone to miss. It’s also rare to see Fender and Jackson/Charvel Master Builders represented together at one Roadshow, giving guests a chance to explore three iconic brands under one roof in a single evening.”

These craftsmen will demonstrate how decades of skill and artistry translate into the build process for creating exquisite, one-of-a-kind instruments at this free, ticketed event. Space is limited for the August 28 event from 6PM to 9PM EDT at Sweetwater’s Fort Wayne campus, located at 5501 US Highway 30 W. Guitar enthusiasts can learn more about the planned activities and secure one of the free tickets here.

Hicks, Waller, and Knowles have spent decades refining their craft, creating some of the world’s most beloved guitars. Throughout the evening, they will walk fans through the build process for creating these exceptional works of art.

Andy Hicks began his career at the Fender Jackson Custom Shop within a week of completing studies at the Guitar Craft Academy in Hollywood and has spent more than 15 years blending his passion for playing and building into every instrument he creates. Paul Waller built his first guitar at age 14 and became a Master Builder in 2010, with credits that include custom work for U2’s Adam Clayton and Bono and the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards. “Big” Rob Knowles was playing and building guitars by age nine, joined Fender in 2004, and earned the Master Builder title by mastering the intricacies of complex, high-performance builds across multiple roles within the company.