The CLF Research Espada was introduced at the 2019 Winter NAMM and is based on a Leo Fender design dating back to 1969. The pickups look like the guitar version of the split-coil MFD bass pickup as seen on the 2nd style SB-1 and SB-2 instead of a variant of the Z-coil pickup which has similar offset parts. It was inspired by an Alnico version appearing on a 1967/1968 test mule Leo had during his CLF Research days. After the pickups on the different Doheny models, they are the 3rd in a sequence of new Magnetic Field Design (MFD) pickups which were developed during the years 2017/2018. These pickups also appear on one gorgeous guitar: the Custom Shop 40th Anniversary Espada released in 2020.