Guitar giant Fender celebrates the 70th anniversary of the iconic Stratocaster with a string of limited-edition models
Back in 1954, US guitar manufacturer Fender launched one of its most popular models, the Stratocaster, or ‘strat’ as it’s affectionately known, just as Elvis was doing his first commercial recording session at Sun Studios in Memphis.
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Since then, the guitar has been played by some of the biggest names in rock, including Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Nile Rodgers and, more recently, the Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner and Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil. Seven decades on, it remains the electric guitar of choice for today’s artists. In the words of The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richard, “The Strat is like picking up a Stradivarius and saying, ok, now I’m in the big league. This is the big boy’s tool, you know. This is no Toy. This is the hardware department.”
To commemorate this milestone, Fender has issued seven limited-edition strats only available for purchase in 2024, including two-colour Sunburst offerings for the Player Stratocaster and American Professional II Stratocaster.
The 70th Anniversary Player Stratocaster, meanwhile, features a dazzling Nebula Noir finish along with a modern “C”-profile maple neck and rosewood fingerboard, and the 70th Anniversary American Professional II Stratocaster showcases a stunning flame maple top with Comet Burst finish.
The 70th Anniversary Vintera II Antigua Stratocaster features an iconic Antigua finish with a hand-painted matching pickguard, while the 70th Anniversary American Vintage II 1954 Stratocaster is equipped with vintage frets and 70th Anniversary 1954 Single-Coil Strat pickups.
With a pearly iridescent Amethyst finish, the 70th Anniversary American Ultra Stratocaster HSS is a real headturner. Want more? The Fender Custom Shop is also unveiling a limited-edition collection that celebrates the rich heritage of this remarkable instrument.
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