Fender’s R&D department designed and built an extremely rare Fender Lucite Esquire that’s now being auctioned to benefit NASH2O, a charitable initiative born out of the May 2010 Nashville floods.

The R&D team took a solid block of Lucite ands shaped it as a solid guitar body, then “channeled” to create hollow spaces that would hold water. Fender employees in Nashville, meanwhile, collected water from the Cumberland River and from a long-dry farm pond that was filled by the flood, sending the  mix to the builders in California. While heavier than most guitars used for stage or studio, “Luci” is a fully-functioning Fender Esquire model, with a ’50s re-issue neck and vintage-style pickup and hardware.

The Fender Lucite Esquire – Cumberland River guitar has a starting bid of $5,000. Click here to learn more about the guitar or to place your bid.

Again all proceeds will benefit NASH2O, which raises money from the damaged instruments, equipment, and other items and services to benefit musicians in the greater Nashville music community, many of whom were uninsured for flooding.