IRON MAIDEN's landmark 50th anniversary celebrated with FENDER's signature guitar collection
03-12-2025
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.
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.
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.
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.
ANTHRAX, MEGADETH, EVERGREY and TRIVIUM have been announced as the support acts for IRON MAIDEN for the European leg of the British heavy metal legends’ “Run For Your Lives” world tour next spring and summer.
MAIDEN‘s 2026 will start with a return to Europe to predominantly play festivals and also stadiums in countries and regions not visited in 2025. The subsequent month will see the start of visits to many other parts of the world.
IRON MAIDEN‘s 2026 European tour dates (support act listed for each show):
May 23 – Athens, Greece – Oaka (ANTHRAX)
May 26 – Sofia, Bulgaria – Vasil Levski Stadium (ANTHRAX)
May 28 – Bucharest, Romania – Arena Națională (ANTHRAX)
May 30 – Bratislava, Slovakia – Národný Futbalový Štadión (ANTHRAX)
June 02 – Hannover, Germany – Heinz von Heiden Arena (MEGADETH)
June 10 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome (EVERGREY)
June 17 – Milan, Italy – San Siro Stadium (TRIVIUM)
June 22 – Paris, France – Paris La Défense Arena (EVERGREY)
June 28 – Lyon – Décines, France – Groupama Stadium (ANTHRAX)
July 07 – Lisbon, Portugal – Estádio da Luz (ANTHRAX)
Tickets for all of these shows are on sale now at IronMaiden.com.
Exactly 40 years to the day since it was first released, Parlophone Records has announced a brand new, beautifully packaged, limited collectors 2LP color vinyl edition of IRON MAIDEN‘s classic album “Live After Death”.
Featuring the original revered gatefold sleeve artwork, the album comes with two 140g vinyls (one in blue, the other in yellow) featuring the 2015 audio remastering. The package also includes a replica 24-page “World Slavery Tour” program, bringing back to life the original tour program for new generations.
Additionally the vinyl features a replica tour pass and a glossy 12-page booklet, which contains the original eight-page booklet alongside an exclusive and brand new essay titled “Rime And Punishment: Celebrating 40 Years Of Live After Death”, where IRON MAIDEN fan club editor Alexander Milas interviews Steve Harris, Nicko McBrain, Rod Smallwood and acclaimed illustrator Derek Riggs about the legendary album.
As Steve Harris explains of the time: “We were touring our arses off. It was literally just, ‘record, tour, record, tour’ — we didn’t stop. Rod was cracking the old whip, and that was the right thing to do. I mean, we were totally up for it, it’s not like we were doing stuff that we didn’t want to do. You think you’re invincible — ‘Yeah, we’ll take that on, no problem.’ That’s the way to crack it. It’s the only way for a band like us because we had no radio play whatsoever back then.”
Widely acclaimed as not just the greatest heavy metal live album of all time, but one of the most iconic live releases in any musical genre, “Live After Death” was recorded mostly during the four nights that MAIDEN played at Los Angeles’s Long Beach Arena in March 1985. The final side of the double album was recorded during the four nights the band played at Hammersmith Odeon in October 1984.
Both sets of concerts were part of the ground-breaking “World Slavery Tour”, in support of the band’s 1984 album “Powerslave”, which started in Poland and featured 187 concerts across 331 days. The tour firmly established IRON MAIDEN as one of the most exciting live bands on the planet, a reputation that they carry to this day.
Now in their 50th year, IRON MAIDEN have released 17 studio albums and sold well over 100 million records worldwide, played almost 2,500 live shows across 64 countries, been the recipients of a Grammy Award and a Brit Award among many other accolades, most recently joining THE ROLLING STONES and PINK FLOYD with their very own Royal Mail stamp set, and also honored by the Royal Mint with a collection of official coins released in 2025.
Their beer, Trooper Beer, is now in its twelfth year and has sold in excess of 40 million pints and is distributed in 68 countries, including six local variants in USA, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Sweden and Australia. 2025 marks the band’s official 50th year and is being celebrated by a two-year world tour titled “Run For Your Lives” and a range of events and products including their first-ever official hardcover visual history book, “Infinite Dreams”.
A documentary film about IRON MAIDEN by Universal Pictures Content Group will be released in early 2026, and the band will continue their two-year “Run For Your Lives” world tour through Europe and beyond. The tour includes a huge and historic performance at Knebworth Park in the U.K. on July 11, 2026.
IRON MAIDEN‘s last album “Senjutsu” came out in September 2021 on Warner records. It marked MAIDEN‘s second consecutive double album behind 2015’s “The Book Of Souls” which is the longest MAIDEN album, with a running time of 92 minutes.
The full track listing is:
01. Senjutsu (8:20) (Smith/Harris)
02. Stratego (4:59) (Gers/Harris)
03. The Writing On The Wall (6:13) (Smith/Dickinson)
04. Lost In A Lost World (9:31) (Harris)
05. Days Of Future Past (4:03) (Smith/Dickinson)
06. The Time Machine (7:09) (Gers/Harris)
07. Darkest Hour (7:20) (Smith/Dickinson)
08. Death Of The Celts (10:20) (Harris)
09. The Parchment (12:39) (Harris)
10. Hell On Earth (11:19) (Harris)
“Senjutsu” was released on the following formats and available to order/save at www.ironmaiden.com:
* Standard 2CD Digipak
* Deluxe 2CD Book Format
* Deluxe heavyweight 180G Triple Black Vinyl
* Special Edition Triple Silver And Black Marble Vinyl (Details to follow)
* Special Edition Triple Red and Black Marble Vinyl (Details to follow)
* Super Deluxe Boxset featuring CD, Blu Ray and Exclusive Memorabilia
* Digital album [streaming and download]
IRON MAIDEN hadn’t released any fresh music since 2015’s “The Book Of Souls” LP, which was recorded in late 2014 in Paris, France with Shirley.
“The Book Of Souls” was the longest MAIDEN album, clocking in at 92 minutes, with lyrics heavily based in the themes of death, reincarnation, the soul and mortality.
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