
Fender have been very busy over the past week. Just a few days ago, ahead of the 2017 Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, they announced their brand new Brad Paisley Signature Telecaster.
Not one’s to rest on their laurels, they used the opportunity of Summer NAMM to announce four more signature guitars: an Ed O’Brien Strat, a Jimi Hendrix Monterey Strat, a Justin Meldal–Johnsen Mustang Bass and a ridiculously pretty George Harrison rosewood Telecaster.
Fender announce four new signature models at Summer NAMM including a George Harrison Telecaster, Jimi Hendrix Strat, Ed O’Brien Strat and a Justin Meldal–Johnsen Mustang bass.
First off the line is a collaboration with Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien to launch his new EOB Sustainer Stratocaster. The guitar features a Seymour Duncan JB Jr humbucker in the bridge, a Texas Special single coil in the middle, and a Fernandes Sustainer pickup in the neck.
As Guitar Player note, the Sustainer pickup works some technical magic to create near-infinite sustain on one or more strings. The Sustainer’s controls include an on/off switch, intensity control and three-position switch to select the mode: fundamental-only, harmonic-only or blend.
O’Brien’s signature Stratocaster also features a 6-saddle vintage-style synchronised tremolo, vintage-style tuning machines, a “10/56 V” neck profile, 21 narrow-jumbo frets, a synthetic bone nut and a special neck plate engraved with a custom “Flower of Life” emblem.
Check it out below.
Next up is the Jimi Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster, launched in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Jimi’s immortal performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
The signature Strat features vintage-style single-coil Stratocaster pickups, a “C”-shaped maple neck, with a vintage-style 7.25”-radius, 21 vintage-sized frets and a six-screw synchronised tremolo. The most striking feature is the hand-painted nail-polish artwork splay on the guitar’s body, and an exclusive etched Hendrix neck plate.
Check it out.
Next up is the gorgeous George Harrison rosewood Telecaster, based on the original Telecaster created for him by luthier Roger Rossmeisl. It features that iconic all-rosewood body, which is chambered for reduced weight and increased resonance.
Check it out below.
Last up is a roadworn Mustang bass based off that of Justin Meldal-Johnsen’s – a revered musucian who has played with with a range of huge acts, such as Nine Inch Nails, M83 and Beck. His signature instrument comes in roadworn daphne blue with a custom-spec split-coil pickup, a modern 9.5”-radius fingerboard with rolled edges and that classic Mustang bass 30″ scale.
Check it out.
Keep an eye on the Fender website for release dates and more information. We can expect these signature models to hit the market sometime towards the end of the year.