Archive for the ‘stratocaster’ Category
Fender American Special Series
The latest incarnations of Fender’s famous Telecaster and Stratocaster models comprise the new American Special series-built “by the people and for people” as value-conscious “guitars for the times.” They are designed specifically to bring the full Fender experience of a terrific-sounding, smooth-playing, rock-solid-built U.S.-made Fender guitar to the workingman without emptying his bank account.
The three instruments in the new series—the American Special Telecaster, American Special Stratocaster and American Special Stratocaster HSS—are highly affordable Fender electric guitars that are within the reach of an entire spectrum of players. As such, they share many features with their cousins in the acclaimed Highway One™ and American Standard series.
url: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5WIwx4B46c
So our affinity for worn guitars seems to continue and Fender knows it. They are introducing another price point for worn guitars with the new “Road Worn” series of guitars and basses.
A quick bullet list of the main features.
- notably distressed nitrocellulose lacquer-finished bodies
- worn chrome hardware (nickel/chrome for basses)
- period-correct specifications
- models: 50s Tele, 50s Strat, 60s Strat, 50s Precision Bass and 60s Jazz Bass guitars
Here a pic of the 50s Strat
Road Worn 50s Fender Stratocaster
So where’s the Road Worn Fender Jaguars and Jazzmasters! 
What do you think about another lower cost relic or worn guitar from Fender?
It really was inevitable that Kenny Wayne Shepherd would have a signature stratocaster one day. And no surprise that it would be a 60s styled sunburst stratocaster with a 12″ radius neck, perfect for blues rock. It looks like the stratocaster will be available from Fender come this September.
Maybe one unexpected twist is a racing stripe style paint job version of the strat inspired by Shepherd’s love of hot rods. (see photo below)
Kenny Wanye Shepherd Signature Fender Stratocaster
Specifications:
- Based on Shepherd’s 1961 Stratocaster
- 3 custom voiced KWS pickups
- alder body
- maple neck with 12″ radius, rosewood fingerboard, 21 jumbo frets
- bridge with Graph Tech saddles
- 3 finishes – black (with racing stripe), 3 color sunburst, and arctic white
If you ever get a chance to see the KWS Band perform live you should check them out. It really is a great rock show and you’ll see one of the best blues guitar players out there today.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd performing live
As reported on this Fender News post, the David Gilmour Signature Stratocaster is being released September 22, 2008.
It will be a Custom Shop production available in NOS (new old stock) and Relic styles.
David Gilmour
Gilmour Signature Stratocaster
Summer NAMM 2008 has just wrapped up in Nashville, Tennessee and here are some of our favorite from the show. There were no real scoops from the show as a lot of the news trickled out leading up to the show.
Fender announcements
- Classic Player Jaguar Special and Classic Player Jaguar Special HH
- Classic Player Jazzmaster Special
- Billy Corgan Stratocaster
- Jaguar Bass
- 65 Princeton Reverb Guitar Amp
Gibson announcements
If you are a Jaguar or Jazzmaster fan this is great news for you. Affordable Mexican models probably right down at your local guitar shops soon. You no longer have any excuses as to why you can’t find a Mustang, Jaguar, or Jazzmaster any more. But don’t even ask about jag-stangs… lol
The Billy Corgan Fender Stratocaster that we started talking about back in January is now on Fender.com as part of their Artist Series. [url] We’re assuming this guitar will get the grand unveiling at the upcoming Summer NAMM that is coming up June 20-22 in Nashville.
Not a whole lot of surprises up to this point. The most interesting specs are as follows:
- colors: (805) Olympic White and (806) Flat Black (satin nitro)
- jumbo frets on Modern “C” Shape neck with large ’70s style headstock (satin poly)
- 1 Special Design Dimarzio® Billy Corgan Single-Spaced Humbucking Pickup (Neck)
- 1 Dimarzio® Chopper™ Pickup (Middle)
- 1 Special Design Dimarzio® Billy Corgan Single-Spaced Humbucking Pickup (Bridge)
- original body shape (?? not sure how it differs from standard stratocaster)
The pickup switching has some non-standard settings that benefit from the single-spaced Dimarzio humbuckers.
- Position 1. Full Humbucking Bridge Pickup
- Position 2. Inside Coil of Bridge Pickup and Full Humbucking Middle Pickup
- Position 3. Full Humbucking Middle Pickup
- Position 4. Full Humbucking Middle Pickup and Outside Coil of Neck Pickup
- Position 5. Full Humbucking Neck Pickup
Update: Interstate music is showing a list price of 1999.99 for this new strat. Which would mean a retail price around 1449.99. What are your opinions on this price point?
Update 2: Sam Ash is showing a list price of 1599.99 with a retail of 1199.99.
