Fender Magazine - Issue One (Spring & Summer 2012)

M A G A Z I N E
ISSUE ONE ||| SPRING & SUMMER 20 12 ||| FENDER.COM
Albert Hammond Jr. of

The Strokes, shot on location
in New York City
1st
CollectorS
EDITION
Select INSTRUMENTS
for
Select INDIVIDUALS
THE
GOLDEN
AGE OF
FENDER
Fender’s You Won’t Part

With Yours Either ad campaign
C R E A T E D B Y R o bert P er i n e ( 1 9 2 2 – 2 0 0 4 )
The You Won’t Part With Yours Either ad campaign featured a wholesome cast of Fender-toting players inhabiting a
sun-kissed Californian utopia. No guitars were harmed in the making of the ads, despite them being adventurous
productions involving pristine instruments being entrusted to various daredevils – including
skydivers, skiers and surfers – to capture the shots.
Even if you’re unfamiliar with this classic series of ads, you’ll have seen the work of its creator, Bob Perine, a thousand
times. He became Fender’s art director from 1957, and when he designed a new logo for the 1958-59 catalogue, Leo Fender
summoned him to the factory, pointed to the ’F’, and said, “You see Bob, it should be like the curve of a woman’s back; it has
to be just right.” Perine duly designed a more curvaceous form for the logo. Leo approved: it was trademarked in 1960,
first appeared on the Jazz Bass, and has been used until the present day.
Magazine
THE
GOLDEN
AGE OF
FENDER
6 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

Signature Amps
The campaign was a real family affair, often featuring Perine’s daughters and their friends, and Bob’s red 1957
Ford Thunderbird. Bob had learned to play guitar in the Navy during the war, and he too can be seen in the ads, playing
Strats, Teles and Jazzmasters. The role Perine’s work played in popularising Fender can’t be underestimated: following
his 2008 induction into the Fender Hall Of Fame, the company made his work available to buy in various art-print formats
from http://fender.artehouse.com. Fender Magazine ||| Fender.com 7
© Ash Newell
Welcome
to…
M A G A Z I N E
Green Day’s Mike Dirnt is a lifelong Fender fan
W
hen I was asked to write an insert
for Fender Magazine’s first issue I thought of
different ways to write an irreverent, cool piece.
But after a few minutes I thought, to hell with
it. Let’s just tell the truth for once!
Fender musical instruments have shaped my life well beyond
imagination. When I was a little kid I listened to the radio like
it was my best friend. I hung on every musical note and still
remember every catchy guitar line or riff I have ever heard. That
was my escape, and still is. But it wasn’t until years later that I
connected the bands and songs I loved to a company named Fender.
I actually knew what a Stratocaster looked like before I knew who
made it. It’s the guitar that Hendrix played… and so on. I’ve always
felt like music was the emotional outlet that you can’t get from
anything else. For me, this intangible force was life-shaping and,
dare I say, larger than life itself.
If you’re reading this and you’re under 65 years old, Fender has
been working hard throughout your lifetime to make our world
a better, more musical place. Working closely with many of the
people at Fender for years has been great. Fender is like a company
of skilled musical ‘superfans’, who all want to make the biggest and
best musical instruments of the past, present and future all at once.
The hallways at Fender headquarters are filled with musicians,
technicians and history. I’m a bit older now, but will forever be a kid
– and although I don’t believe in Santa Claus anymore, I do believe
that if he does exist, his workshop looks something like Fender’s.
Mike Dirnt
F e b r ua ry 2 0 1 2
© Ebet Roberts/Redferns
Contents
Contents
M AGAZINE
ISSUE ONE ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012
08 Intro 70 J
ohnny Marr
Green Day’s Mike Dirnt welcomes you to your Signature Jaguar
brand-new window into the world of Fender The Brit guitar legend changes the Jag
blueprint, and creates one of the most
14 News: Visitor Centre desirable Fender signature models in years
The ultimate Fender experience – see
what’s inside the swanky new visitor 72 One-offs
facility in Corona, California An exclusive look at some weird and
wonderful one-off guitar specimens
20 News summoned from the Fender design archives
Find out what guitars, amplifiers and effects
pedals Fender has in store for 2012 74 Clapton EC Series Amps
Fender’s first-ever artist-signature amplifiers
32 Competition capture Eric’s timeless tweed tones – in
WIN!!! A trip for two to Fender’s Visitor three different formats to suit all players
Centre in Corona, California
80 Pawn Shop Amps
34 Fender Select Two new amps offering retro glamour and
Fresh for 2012, a new line of refined designs authentic vintage voice
offering sumptuous-looking, tonesome takes
on classic models 82 Machete Amps
These versatile 50-watt rockers pack
42 Closer To Nirvana tremendous sonic punch
The story behind the late Nirvana icon’s love
of Jaguar and Mustang guitars, and his latest 84 Fender Blacktop Basses
signature model Mustang unveiled Rock-ready low-end power courtesy of
Fender’s new Blacktop range
50 Fender Custom Shop
The secrets of Fender’s ‘Dream Factory’, 88 E
lvis Presley
revealed by its Master Builders Fender Kingman
Hop back to 1967 with this exotic signature
62 20 Things To acoustic, new for 2012
Take On The Road
Guitarists – make sure you don’t leave home 90 Top Secret
without these music-making must-haves For Your Eyes Only: a glimpse of an exciting,
as-yet-unreleased Fender design. Once read,
this page will self-destruct…
64 5
0th Anniversary
Of The Jaguar
Fender’s Top Cat celebrates half a century of
surf, grunge and alt-rock growl
42
Fender Magazine ||| Fender.com 11
14 64
Contents
M AGAZINE
Published on behalf of Fender Musical Instruments

Corporation (FMIC) by FuturePlus, a division of
Future Publishing Ltd (company no: 2008885)
Registered Office: 30 Monmouth St, Bath,
BA1 2BW. Tel: 01225 442244
FMIC Fender Musical Instruments Corp,

311 Cessna Circle Corona, CA 92880
Fender Europe, Ashurst, Broadlands Business Park,

Langhurstwood Road, Horsham,
West Sussex, RH12 4QP
For Fender US
Richard McDonald, Justin Norvell, Jeff Owens,
Jason Padgitt, Rich Siegle, Brad Traweek
For Fender Europe

Gordon Raison, Neil Whitcher, Gareth Peoples
FuturePlus
Editorial
70 Senior Editor Jamie Hibbard
Assistant Editor Michael Stephens
Production Editor Owen Bailey
88 22
Writer Neil Crossley
Art
Senior Art Editor Richard Jenkins
Art Editor Steven Roberts
Photography George Chin, Carl Lyttle, Ash Newell,

Charles Peterson, Joby Sessions, Philip Sowels
Production
Production Coordinators
Tracy Nugent, Katty Skardon
Production and Procurement Manager
Matthew Eglinton
34 Contributors Mike Eldred, Duncan Hibbard,
Dave Hopkins
74 26
Management
Managing Director (UK) Jayne Caple
Commercial Director Clare Jonik
Account Manager James L’Esteve
Digital Director Sean Atkins
Design Director Dylan Channon
Operations Director Esther Woodman
Editorial Director Mark Donald
Creative Director Matt Williams
All information contained in this magazine is for informational

purposes only and is, to the best of our knowledge, correct at the time
of going to press. This magazine is published by Future Publishing
Ltd on behalf of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC).
Neither Future Publishing Limited nor Fender Musical Instruments
Corporation accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies
that occur in such information.
© Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Future Publishing Ltd

2012. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used
or reproduced without the written permission of Fender Musical
Instruments Corporation
Published 30 March 2012

Buzz
The
NEWS FROM the World of
{ EXPERIENCE FENDER }
The spirit of
Rock ’n’ Roll
Fender’s Visitor Centre is the ultimate place to submerse
yourself in the culture and heritage of a way of life
that’s lasted more than 60 years…
T
here’s not many experiences
in rock ’n’ roll where you can just
turn up and go, ‘right, hit me with
everything you’ve got,’ but Fender has
put just such a thing together with the Visitor
Centre. This is Fender history and heritage
up-close and personal, and is a really great dive
Below into a world that has been created over the last
It’s not just about guitars… 60-plus years. Opened in September 2011
note those classic Fender
amplifier models reclining at Fender’s Corona, California factory, this
on their flightcase sumptuous showcase is packed with ➽
Hall of Fame
The Custom Shop’s
exact replicas of famous
players’ guitars, from
Stevie Ray’s ‘Lenny’ to
Clapton’s ‘Blackie’, form
just one of the Visitor
Centre’s showpiece
attractions

Signature Amps
“This is Fender history and heritage

up-close and personal… a dive into a world
that’s been created over 60-plus years”
Buzz
The
NEWS FROM the World of
Left
Rock players through
the ages have adopted,
and adapted, Fender’s
instruments for their
darker musical purposes
Below left to right

Fender’s own inspirational
figures are celebrated; the
Centre’s so new, the Fiesta
Red paint’s still drying;
lap-steels, the Broadcaster
prototype, and Leo himself
all take a bow; and last
but not least, the greatest
Fender player of them all
➽ entertaining and educational exhibits for

every guitar lover that will hook you into
whichever moment in time you’re looking at.
The whole exhibit runs to more than 8,000
square feet and hosts hundreds of instruments
and amps, photos, historical artefacts, interactive
displays and much more to grab you. From
classic instruments to the tales of the guitar
and bass legends that play them, this is the real
inside story of the company, from 1946 to today.
There’s the chance to personalise your next Right
Reproductions of vintage
Fender in The American Design Experience, Fender ads help visitors
and to shop for apparel, accessories, collectibles appreciate the visual
impact Fender models
and other items in the retail shop, but another made when they were
really cool part is still to come… ➽ introduced

Signature Amps
What’s this?
Scan this with the
QR code reader on
your smart device
to open a cool
video that shows
exactly how a
Strat is born
Buzz
The
NEWS
What’s FROM
going the
on World
in the of of
World
Win!
a trip to
Experience the Factory
the Fender
and Custom Shop tour Visitor
From the Visitor Centre you can embark on the Centre
Factory and Custom Shop tour, which offers a See page 32
close-up look at the awesome transformation of
raw materials into guitars, basses, amplifiers and
other products – it’s where the magic happens.
Watching Fender’s expert craftspeople at work
in the Wood Mill, Metal Shop and so on is an
amazing experience, and you get to witness how
the instruments and amps take shape.
Finally, you’ll find your way into the ‘Dream
Factory’ – the world-famous Fender Custom
Shop – for an unprecedented first-hand look at the
Master Builders creating Fender’s finest guitars.
Fender Visitor Centre

and Factory Tour
Open to the public every weekday except Wednesday
Hours of Operation • For safety, guests on the

Visitor Centre: Factory Tour must wear
9 am – 4 pm closed-toe shoes
Factory Tour: • Maximum number of
10 am and 11:30 am guests per tour is 10;
The Factory Tour lasts larger groups, please
Left and main
approx. 45 – 60 minutes call ahead for a special An array of neck choices
appointment in the American Design
Guest Policies Experience room;
• The Visitor Centre is Contact Information Superstar bassists Tony
Franklin (The Firm, Kenny
open to all ages Website: www.fender. Wayne Shepherd) and
• The Factory Tour is com/visitorcenter Duff McKagan (Guns N’
open to children aged Phone: +1 951 898 4040 Roses, Velvet Revolver)
nine or over with a Email: visitorcenter@ admire the scenery
parent or guardian fender.com

Fender Visitor Centre
“From classic instruments to the tales of

the guitar and bass legends that play them,
this is the real inside story of the company,
from 1946 to today”

Buzz
The
NEWS
What’s FROM
going the
on World
in the of of
World
Fender spoke to Green Day

bass maestro Mike Dirnt for
“early and much-needed
feedback” on the new
Pro Series Super Bassman
{ DOWN AND DIRNT-Y }
21 st
Century
Bassman
Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt champions the new Pro Series Super Bassman range
F
resh from hanging Out two-channel tube head loaded with the Fender’s Automatic Bias system
on the Fender stand at NAMM best of vintage and modern tones at the monitors the performance of the tubes,
2012 (the music industry’s flick of a footswitch. It’s one of the most automatically re-biasing output and
biggest annual show) in January, powerful bass amps Fender has ever providing alerts if servicing is needed.
Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt has created, and offers tonal versatility with The head can also be muted for silent
collaborated with the company on the the warmth of the Vintage channel’s recording via the XLR output.
Pro Series Bassman amps and cabinets. passive tone stack contrasting with the The Bassman 100T has the same
The flagship is the 300-watt Super Overdrive channel’s active tone stack and preamp but runs in either 100-watt or
Bassman head: a tough, world tour-ready its more aggressive, modern response. 25-watt mode. Both heads feature classic

News & stuff
The Fender Interview

Q&A with GREEN DAY’s
MIKE DIRNT
FM: How did this latest What you’ve needed from

collaboration with Fender your bass sound must
come about? have changed over your
MD: “I used to have a long career – in what
classic amplifier, that I ways has it evolved from
considered my secret the early records to your
weapon. Over the last few latest work?
years I would pester the “Honestly, I feel my sound
guys at Fender, asking has come full-circle in
them whether they would many ways. I prefer to keep
try to make something in things simple, and let the
that vein.” quality of the tone drive the
bass. I think there was a
Fender says you gave period of time where I
them “early and much overthought my tone.”
needed feedback” on the
Bassman Pro Series. You’re a noted fan of the
What features did you Precision model, and you
talk to them about, and now have a Squier
what did you most want signature model to add to
to be included? your Fender model from
“I just wanted an amp that 2004. What can your fans
truly let the sound of your expect if they pick one up
bass come through. I’ve at a music store?
also played with pedals for “Expect to be the envy of
distortion. The pedals everybody in the store! It’s
always cut my signal and just a great, loud, sexy bass
made my sound smaller by – expect to be happy!”
compressing my volume.
They overdrove the sound If you had to choose,
in a non-organic way.” what would be your
three favourite basslines
Now you’ve played the of all time?
finished versions, what’s “Rearranged, by Pete
particularly impressed Rypins from Crimpshrine;
you about them? Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)
“Fender nailed the blended by Cliff Burton, Metallica;
gain. The distortion you get Running With The Devil
off of the amp can be by Michael Anthony from
subtle or completely Van Halen [laughs]…”
over the top! They
also created the
best direct-out
that myself or
my soundman
Blackface styling, and there’s a range of has ever heard,
it’s a perfect signal.
new cabinet configurations – 810 NEO,
It really helps
610 NEO, 410 NEO and 115 NEO. reduce stage
Green Day’s American Idiot musical will noise in my
hit the UK and Ireland in October 2012; live sound.”
in the meantime, see www.fender.com
for info on the Super Bassman, and visit
© Todd Plitt/Getty
www.fender.com/squier for more about Green Day are in the

the Squier Mike Dirnt Precision Bass. studio recording their
ninth album. Head over
to www.greenday.com
for news and updates.
Buzz
The
NEWS
What’s FROM
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World
{ Squier firep ower }
Back
Root
to the
Slipknot and Stone Sour shredder

Jim Root teams up with Squier to
produce an affordable rock machine
C
ould this be the heaviest
sounding take on Leo Fender’s original
design ever? The Squier Jim Root
Telecaster – a new addition to the
Squier Artist Series – is certainly closing in on the
accolade. Based on its popular Fender equivalent,
the Jim Root-designed Squier may share the
timeless Telecaster silhouette with its more polite
siblings, but there are some key ingredients here
making this a unique molten-rocker worthy of the
guitarist’s uncompromising, fleet-fingered style.
The mahogany body, finished in flat satin, is
a departure from the classic blueprint, as are
the taut, string-through-body bridge and single-
knob, single-switch controls. A modern ‘C’-profile
rosewood-board neck with a flatter radius makes
this a highly playable choice for players who count
speed as a priority. At the heart of its darkness is a
pair of high-output passive humbucking pickups,
nestling behind black covers and brimming with
the crushing tones that Jim’s fans revere him for.
Choose between one of two mean-looking
inverse monochrome colour schemes, and the
rock-ready picture is complete. For more info on
the Jim Root Telecaster and other new Squier
Artist Series signature models, including the new
Avril Lavigne Telecaster and Mikey Way Mustang
Bass, visit www.fender.com/squier.

News & stuff
Jim Root Telecaster

High-output humbucking
pickups and a mahogany
body ensure that Jim
Root’s new signature model
Telecaster is ready to rock
Skatepunk
special
duane peters acoustic
breaks ALL the rules
As an old-school skateboard master,

daredevil Duane Peters is known as
the Master Of Disaster. But in his
other life, as frontman of punk heroes
US Bombs, Peters is a dreamer of a
screamer. You get the best of both
worlds with the limited-edition Fender
Duane Peters Sonoran SCE ’61.
Only 500 models are being made
of this skate-tough model, decked in a
custom graphic finish featuring skulls
and red and black stripes.
SKULL-BODIED TONE
Like skate-punk Peters, the
signature acoustic disobeys
the ‘rules’. Its specs include a
tight dreadnought cutaway
body shape, solid spruce top
with scalloped ‘X’-bracing,
mahogany back and sides,
a 20-fret ‘C’-shaped maple
neck, and a Stratocaster
headstock shape. There’s
also a Fishman Isys III
pickup, with active
onboard preamp and
tuner. Play it hard, stay
on your feet, and be
quick – there are only
500, so skate over to www.
fender.com to find a dealer.
Above, below
The Duane Peters Sonoran SCE ’61 is
as shy and retiring as the US Bombs
and skateboarding legend himself
© Denny Renshaw/Corbis Outline

Buzz
The
NEWS
What’s FROM
going the
on World
in the of of
World
“The new Mustang Floor

unit encapsulates the
features of the Mustang
Under the covers amp range, and opens up
Want aN iconic album cover?
a variety of real-world
Stick your favourite Fender on it!
uses for guitarists”
1 2
3 4
5 6
Left and main

7 8 Select one of the 100
onboard presets – many
created by famous artists
1. B
ruce Springsteen 5. The Pretenders
Born To Run Get Close
Modified Telecaster / Telecaster
Esquire hybrid 6. Eric Clapton
2. My Bloody Valentine Slowhand
Loveless EC’s ‘Blackie’ Stratocaster
PHOTOGRAPHY: Joby Sessions
Jazzmaster (see page 77)

3. Jeff Beck 7. Jimi Hendrix
Guitar Shop Band Of Gypsys
Stratocaster-shaped Stratocaster
Hot Rod 8. Alkaline Trio
4. Rory Gallagher Damnesia
Against The Grain Alkaline Trio Malibu
RG’s 1961 Stratocaster acoustic
...Turn to page 26 for more on Alkaline Trio’s guitar

News & stuff
{ FENDER GEAR }
Floored genius
The new Mustang Floor, Fender’s first-ever multi-effects unit,
places a world of sound and versatility at players’ feet
C
ast aside your doubts As a straight multi-FX unit Line-level outputs make the Mustang
about digital modelling and driving any guitar amp, you have 100 Floor equally useable as a modelling
multi-effects units… your customisable preset sounds – many preamp through a front-of-house PA
preconceptions are so 2011. designed by artists – 37 effects, and 12 (and also a gig-saving back-up if your
These days, advances in technology have amp models to sculpt your own tones. amp blows a fuse).
resulted in a new generation of do-it-all An individual stompbox mode means Stereo headphone outs and aux input
multi-FX, ready to give the old-school you can bypass the amp models to nail make for a great silent practice system for
‘pedal boards into amps’ brigade a real specific effects. When playing live, nine playing along to mp3s, and the Mustang
run for their money. footswitches offer ample access to sounds Floor also excels as a direct-to-digital
Fender’s new Mustang Floor unit in the heat of battle, while the ability to USB recording system: the free Fender
encapsulates the features of the Mustang alter the parameters of effects on the FUSE software adds deeper parameter
amp range, and opens up a variety of fly using the in-built aluminium control control and extra functionality. Find out
real-world uses for guitarists. pedal enhances onstage versatility. more at www.fender.com.

Buzz
The
NEWS
What’s FROM
going the
on World
in the of of
World
Fender Interview
Q&A with Alkaline Trio’s
Matt Skiba
FM: Why did you choose motorcycle up in Malibu

the intimate semi-acoustic Canyon and now I play one
approach for your all the time, too. Malibu is
Damnesia album? my church all around,
MS: “We wanted to including the guitar.”
celebrate the songs on their
initial stages. Most of those What do you like about
songs were written on this guitar?
acoustic guitars so it made “It’s really comfy and light
sense to celebrate the and has a vibe where you
songs’ births from a more feel the songs write
recent perspective. And it themselves when you play
was really easy.” it. I have it within arms’
reach at all times when
How did the Alkaline Trio I’m home.”
Malibu acoustic guitar
come about? What are the guitar’s
“Derek [Grant, drums] strengths in terms of
thought of the initial design playability and tone?
for the cover and when “It has a really nice,
Fender saw it, they kindly percussive yet gentle tone
offered to make one to and it plays like a dream
shoot for the album art. with thinner strings, as it’s a
From there, Michael Schultz smaller acoustic.”
at Fender suggested we put
them into production…” Is it refreshing having an
acoustic section to your
How much input did you live show on this tour?
have into its design and “It is… It creates a nice
development? dynamic in the set and
“Fender pretty much got it gives us a little break and a
right off the bat. They know sense of intimacy with
how to build guitars and we everyone that shows up.”
left it to them. I have the
actual guitar from the cover If someone had said
at my place and it’s my to you 15 years ago
primary writing guitar. It’s that you’d have a
got a great vibe.” signature Fender
acoustic named after Alkaline Trio’s affordable
Why did you choose the your band, would signature-model guitar
Malibu model? you have been is a stylish update
of Fender’s classic
“Fender suggested it. I love surprised?
California acoustic
the fact that it’s a Malibu! “Yes! Big time. I’m aesthetic, new for 2012
I surf Malibu, ride my surprised now!”

News & stuff
{ Alkaline and dandy }
Heart-shaped box
Alkaline Trio’s new signature Malibu acoustic will tug at your heart
strings, but not your purse strings
Y
ou wait for ages for to their logo and their Heart & Skull rosewood fingerboard. A bound body and
Fender to release a punk-rock record label. And if it looks familiar, that’s neck, both with gloss finish, complete
signature acoustic, and then because the guitar has already featured the luxurious picture – and for a very
two come along at once. Hot on on the cover of the band’s acclaimed 2011 reasonable outlay that won’t put the
the heels of the company’s limited-edition acoustic album, Damnesia [see page 24]. band’s fans out of pocket.
Duane Peters acoustic model (read more Based on Fender’s sun-and-surf- Alkaline Trio are celebrating their 15th
on page 23), comes this strumsome evoking California Series acoustics, the anniversary with a tour of the US and
acoustic – the Alkaline Trio Malibu. AT Malibu has a resonant all-mahogany Europe. See www.alkalinetrio.com for the
The Chicago punk-rock outfit designed body, scalloped X-bracing, and a 20-fret dates, and www.fender.com for more info
the Malibu’s heart-shaped rosette, a nod maple Stratocaster neck with a ‘C’-shaped on the Alkaline Trio Malibu acoustic.

Buzz
The
NEWS
What’s FROM
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on World
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World
{ FENDER GEAR }
Fabled cable
Protect your tone and get the most out of your gear setup Cable Tips
with Fender’s Custom Shop Performance Series Cables
1. CLEAN TONE
Y
Clean your jack inputs from time
OUR SIGNAL CHAIN IS use. Styles include Tweed and Black to time, to reduce crackle
only ever as good as its Tweed, with straight or angled jacks, and
weakest link. And yet how different length options to suit. Plus there 2. SHORT AND SWEET
many times have you seen are XLR versions, too. The shorter the cable, the smaller the
PHOTOGRAPHY: Joby Sessions
distance the signal has to travel. The

expensive gear connected together with All Performance Series cables are
result? Less loss, better tone
the sonic equivalent of silly string? engineered to avoid twisting and kinking,
Worry no longer – Fender Custom and to resist developing any ‘physical 3. GET HOOKED
Shop Performance Series Cables are here. memory’ (and doing that eerie, serpentine Hook your cable through your
With extra-thick 8mm diameter PVC curling thing that makes you think your strap, and your amp’s handle. Or
jackets and 95 per cent copper coverage lead has a will of its own). Find more info risk embarrassing silence when you
shields and they’re optimised for live and a nearby dealer at www.fender.com. accidentally step on it and pull it out…

News & stuff
Top
5
Guitar
Apps
Here’s our pick of the crop of

guitar apps for your iOS device…
1 IK Multimedia
AmpliTube 2 Fender
www.ikmultimedia.com
You’ll need to buy an iRig-
style interface to physically
plug your guitar into, but
once you’re all set up, the
AmpliTube Fender app opens
up a range of uncannily
1 accurate Fender amp and FX
models for you to practise
and record with.
For: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
2 GarageBand
www.itunes.apple.com
Simple-to-use eight-track
recording, smart and virtual
instruments and much more.
2 3 TC Electronic
PolyTune
www.tcelectronic.com
Strum all your strings and
see instantly which ones
need tuning. Spooky the first
time you use it, magic from
then on.
4 GuitarToolkit 2.0
http://agilepartners.com/apps/
3 guitartoolkit
This do-it-all app, complete
with tuner, metronome, chord
library and drum machine,
could become the working
guitarist’s new best friend.
5 Tascam Portastudio
http://tascam.com
Journey back to that lovely
4 old-school world of bouncing
tracks with this fun, nostalgic
recreation of the four-track
recorders of yesteryear.
For: iPad
Fender’s Custom
Shop Performance Also check out…
Series and Performance Chord Bank Pro
Series Cables are Set List HD
engineered for live use Guitarist’s Reference
Capo
5

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The
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Fender
Living the
life
This is your
magazine as
much as it is ours
– so let us know
what you think…
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Select INSTRUMENTS for
Select INDIVIDUALS
New for 2012 is the Fender Select Series. This elegant range of Fender guitars and
basses offers choice tonewoods, handcrafted finishes, the very best necks
and fretboards, and specially voiced pickups. Here’s the lowdown
on ‘Fender’s finest’ at affordable prices…
Fender Select
The Strokes’ Albert

Hammond Jr. steals
a moment with
his ravishing new
companion, the
Fender Select
Telecaster
Magazine
‘‘F ender makes a lot of guitars,

and it can sometimes be confusing to
differentiate between a lot of the models.
We wanted to make a capstone to the
product line – high-end and beautiful. There have been
a lot of ‘boutique’ companies who, shall we say, ‘work
on our platforms’, so we wanted to restate Fender’s
60-year heritage. That’s 60 years of wood selection, of
Fender Select
Stratocaster
The Fender Select Stratocaster
looks like a classic Strat, but with its Dark
Cherry Burst gloss-lacquer finish and
natural binding on a flame-maple-topped
body, it looks pretty opulent. Its modern
‘C’-shaped neck is super-playable, and all
other components are top-grade. There is
craftsmanship, components, knowledge… This series is impressive detail in its parchment-black-
a reassertion of Fender’s longevity and position, and of parchment three-ply pickguard, as well
as a refined ‘engine’ courtesy of those new
the fact that we are looking forward as well as back. Fender Select pickups.
“There are different types of people. Some like their The new maple-topped bodies have
jeans to be distressed, some like their jeans brand-new been a tricky proposition, says Norvell:
“We’ve had to reinvent a lot to produce the
or tailored. We’ve maybe had a gap in that more artful, Select Series. The carved tops have been a
more beautiful area – an exotic-wood guitar. We’ve challenge, the compound-radius fretboards
done it before, but not on a traditional Stratocaster, on this scale of production was a challenge.
Telecaster or Precision Bass or Jazz Bass design…” And the finishing was a challenge. The
stains on these guitars are all rubbed-in by
Justin Norvell , vice pre sident Of Marketing for Fender hand. It’s not a regular paint process, but it
Electric Guitars, explains the reasoning behind Fender’s
new Select Serie s
helps the great sunken-in grain look. This
isn’t just paint on top of a wood grain.”
The stunning
flame-maple tops
adorning the Select
Series are a first for
Fender, at least on its
classic models

Fender Select
“We wanted to restate Fender’s
heritage. That’s 60 years of
wood selection, of craftsmanship,
components, knowledge…
It’s a reassertion of Fender’s
longevity and position”
Fender Select
Stratocaster HSS
The Fender Select STRATOCASTER
HSS replaces one single-coil pickup with
a humbucking pickup for more attack.
It still looks ‘boutique’ though, with its
Antique Burst gloss-lacquer finish, a
modern ‘C’-shaped birdseye maple neck,
and a player-friendly compound-radius
rosewood fretboard. Justin Norvell: “All the
Select Strat guitars’ pickups sound smooth
and glassy, creamy with distortion: they’re
modern-sounding, but with the intrinsic
characteristics of what you’d expect a
Stratocaster to sound like.”
Magazine
W ho are these Fender Select Series guitars for? Norvell

says: “The idea is, if someone walks into a dealer, and they haven’t spent weeks
researching the nuances of all the models Fender makes, but just asks: What’s
the ‘best’ one? Well the Select Series is pretty much it. They’re guaranteed to
sound good, they have the best woods, the best pickups… that’s the vibe.”
To think, when it
was first released,
the Telecaster
was mocked by
competitors for
lacking style…
Fender Select
Telecaster
The Telecaster was Fender’s
first legendary guitar model. 60 years
on, it’s been reborn, with ornate looks
and formidable sonic substance. There’s
a Violin Burst gloss-lacquer finish
and natural binding, atop a resonant
honeycomb-chambered ash body with
a solid flame-maple top. The modern
‘C’-shaped birdseye maple neck has a
comfortable contoured heel and, as with all
Fender Select Series guitars, it’s adorned
with a rear-headstock ‘Fender Select’
medallion. The weight of all these guitars
has been a key issue for the designers.
Justin Norvell explains: “All Select
Series guitars are under eight pounds.
We have a new type of chambering on the
Tele. It’s like a labyrinth or maze in the
body, which leaves the weight balanced
but everything still sounds great.”

Fender Select
Koa is an unusual
electric guitar tonewood
choice – it’s more
often used to make
acoustics – but it works
beautifully with this
carved-top design
Fender Select
Carved Maple
Top Telecaster
This is similar in build
to the Koa, but with a
carved flame maple
top. You still get a
modern ‘C’-shaped Fender
flame-maple neck, plus
a satin lacquer finish. Carved Koa
Fender staff spent two
years in R&D testing Top Telecaster
the Select Series, with
much focus on the The Fender Select Carved Koa
woods to be used.
Justin Norvell: “We Top Telecaster is perhaps the most visually
eventually lined up stunning of the new models. That’s thanks
15 to 20 instruments,
made out of different
to the Sienna Edge Burst gloss-lacquer
wood combinations, finish, on a lightweight empress body
and played them with a carved koa top. “We got to playing
‘blind’. And we
chose the with different woods,” says Justin Norvell.
best-sounding.” “We did the Tele-bration guitars in 2011: a
bamboo Telecaster, laminates, spruce tops.
And out of that came the Koa. One of the
really cool things is that the control plate
bends with the carved top. It’s flush, and
recessed. It’s a cool touch.”
These guitars may not look like worn
’50s specimens, but Norvell says they
sound the part. “The pickups are fat and
sound almost overwound, but they’re
intrinsically what you know as a Telecaster.”

“IThe line will reinvent itself
every year. What you see now
won’t be in the line in 2013.
Fender Select Because by then, we’ll have new
Jazz Bass Select models. New designs, new
The Fender Select Jazz Bass aims
for style and power, with a striking Amber
woods, new innovations”
Burst gloss-lacquer finish and flame-maple
top. And the pickups took a lot of work.
Justin Norvell says: “The Select Jazz Bass
pickups are super-fat, but they can still
growl. The neck pickup can almost take
you into P Bass territory. I think I’m most
proud of these pickups. We went through
so many versions and revisions, but we
got them sounding fantastic.”
Guitar players get all

the glory – so upstage
yours with one of
these. Plus, thanks to
its new pickup design,
the Select Series Jazz
Bass has the tonal
versatility to back up
its flaming looks
Fender Select
You’ve come a long

way, baby: Fender’s
Precision Bass was
the first successful
electric bass, and this
Select model is one of
the finest examples
The Future
Fender Select of Fender Select
Precision Bass
The Precision BASS was the first hese particular Fender Select Series
commercially successful solidbody electric
bass guitar, and Fender’s new Select T instruments won’t be around forever.
Justin Norvell explains: “I feel these are all
Precision Bass adds craft and sonic punch special and collectible. And they’re limited. I feel the
to this heritage. The combination of two- line will reinvent itself every year – what you see now
colour sunburst gloss lacquer and a flame- won’t be in the line in 2013. Because by then, we’ll
maple top is unprecedented for a Precision: have new Select models. New designs, new woods,
add newly designed pickups, compound- new innovations… you could see Select Jazzmaster
radius neck and black pearloid position guitars, bubinga wood being used, who knows?” What’s this?
inlays and you have a new, luxurious take reader on your smart
on a classic. device to go straight to
the Fender Select HD
Pickups and prices movie Selected
The Fender Select Series boasts all-new pickup
designs. Says Justin Norvell: “We started with the
most highly regarded, best-selling pickups in our
line. We zeroed in on some of the Custom Shop
pickups: the Fat ’50s, the Broadcaster pickups
for Tele guitars, the ’60s Jazz Bass pickups. We
adjusted the windings, all sorts of things. We wanted
each pickup to give the best of all worlds. The Select
Series is a ‘bridge’, if you like, to the Custom Shop
guitars… but with quite a gap in the pricing.”

Magazine
Kurt puts his Jaguar

through its paces at
the record-release
show for Nevermind,
at Seattle’s Beehive
Records in 1991
Closer to Nirvana
With his raw power, relentless mods and a trail of smashed-up guitars in his wake, Nirvana
frontman Kurt Cobain was a seriously uncompromising guitar player. Two decades after
Nevermind, Fender has honoured him with a signature Jaguar and a Mustang range.
Here’s how, in his hands, Fender’s unsung sons became the anti-hero’s go-to guitars…
PHOTOGRAPHY: Charles Peterson

Magazine
This sequence shows

Kurt in his element during
Nirvana’s headline slot at
1992’s Reading Festival
t some point on the evening looking at it and thinking, ‘God, I don’t the guitar was his tool and he loved the
of 16 January 1993, Earnie Bailey was want to clear that up…’” instrument. He also spent a great deal of
crouched on the side of a stage at the The incident encapsulates Cobain’s time and effort getting his guitars to sound
Estádio do Morumbi stadium in São irreverence to guitars. His was a minimal, exactly the way he wanted them.
Paulo, Brazil, watching one of the punk ethos and he consciously rejected the
most influential bands of all time, studied note-perfect virtuosity of many of Kurt’s Jaguar
Nirvana, at the peak of their the era’s rock guitarists. Like a select few It was August 1991, on the eve of a Nirvana
popularity and their powers. before him, Cobain’s aggressive and intense European tour, when Kurt Cobain bought
Bailey, the band’s guitar guitar style was forged more by what he his first Fender Jaguar. He played almost
tech, remembers the show couldn’t play than what he could. every Fender model throughout his life, but
as being a “bit surreal”, “Once you know the power chord, you favoured the shorter 24-inch scale-length
and in a mischievous don’t need to know anything else,” he said. necks of the Jaguar and Mustang. Being a
moment, he picked “The battle is the pleasure. I’m the first to left-handed player restricted the choice of
up a cantaloupe melon and rolled it, admit that I’m no virtuoso. I can’t play like guitars open to him, but he managed to find
bowling-ball style, towards the feet of Kurt Segovia. The flip side of that is that Segovia a ’65 sunburst model Jaguar that suited his
Cobain. Kurt smiled, reached down and could probably never have played like me.” needs. As Earnie Bailey recalls, it was the
picked the melon up. He then proceeded to Cobain’s attitude stemmed from the look of the guitar that first drew Cobain
play his guitar with it, first strumming and fact that he was, first and foremost, a to it. “I think he just liked the lines of the
then finally smashing the strings with the songwriter. As he once put it: “A good song Jaguar, and I think he just liked the whole
fruit until it had been reduced to a pulped is the most important thing, it’s the only California surf thing and the history that
mess. Bailey told Fender: “I remember way to really touch someone.” That said, went along with Fender guitars.” ➽

Cobain Jaguar & Mustang
Kurt’s heavily modded
and iconic 1965 Jaguar
is the basis for Fender’s
stunning replica Kurt
Cobain Jaguar
“Once you know the power chord,

you don’t need to know anything
else. The battle is the pleasure.
I’m the first to admit that
I’m no virtuoso”
“[Kurt’s 1965 Jaguar] had all these Tom
Verlaine-style mods going on with it.
So it was either a weird prototype,
or maybe a custom one-off”
It begins. Kurt prepares

to meet fans and sign
autographs after the
Beehive launch show
for Nevermind
Kurt in 1993 at
Roseland Ballroom,
New York, debuting
new material with
his freshly acquired
Fiesta Red Mustang
➽
Cobain bought the Jaguar after alt-rock darlings to global Geffen-signed sunburst finish has been applied with
spotting the guitar in the free rock royalty, the Jaguar began to feature nitrocellulose, and then given a Relic finish
classifieds publication LA Recycler prominently onstage. to reflect Cobain’s original.
and it became his main touring guitar Cobain bought another Jaguar in Bailey speaks fondly of Cobain’s ’65 Jag
for the Nevermind tour. The previous Autumn 1992 from a guitar store in Texas, and is clearly impressed by its qualities.
owner had heavily modified the this time choosing a ’60s model with But considering how huge Nirvana became,
instrument, adding a pair of DiMarzio DiMarzio pickups. But it was his ’65 Jaguar he is surprised that the previous owner of
humbucking pickups, a black chrome that took precedence. the guitar never made themselves known.
bridge, a three-way pickup switch “That’s the greatest mystery,” he says.
and an extra volume control. Cobain’s Signature Model “Who owned that Jaguar and why haven’t
Jaguar also had a bound neck and a In 2011, 20 years on from the they come forward and said, ‘Hey, that was
Strat-sized headstock with a ’50s release of the band’s landmark mine?’ But it’s really a fascinating guitar.”
‘spaghetti-style’ Fender logo album Nevermind, Fender launched
and block Jaguar lettering. the Kurt Cobain Jaguar, a signature Kurt’s Mustang
“It had all these interesting model of the Nirvana frontman’s The Jaguar may have been a guitar of choice
© Ebet Roberts/Redferns
Tom Verlaine-style mods going iconic ’65 Jag. for Kurt Cobain, but another model proved
on with it,” recalls Bailey. “So it This Mexican-made just as enduring – the Fender Mustang.
was either a weird prototype replica model reproduces the In his pre-Nirvana years, Cobain owned
or maybe it was a custom one- idiosyncratic modifications of a mongrelised model, a bizarre composite
off.” As Nirvana made their the original, right down to the of assorted parts. Cut to 1991, though,
stunning ascent from left-field battered finish. The three-colour as Nirvana started to break through ➽

Magazine
Kurt with his Sonic

Blue Mustang in
December 1993, during
the MTV Live And
Loud show in Seattle
➽ commercially, and Cobain had access to attained immortality when used by him in “I installed Seymour Duncan SH-4 Jeff
whichever guitar he wanted. He bought his the promo video for Smells Like Teen Spirit. Beck (JB) humbuckers in Kurt’s guitars
next Mustang at the same time as his first This Mustang makes its filmic debut and he liked them,” recalls Bailey. Cobain
Jag, in August 1991, as Nirvana prepared to 16 seconds into the video for Nirvana’s also asked his tech to modify the tailpiece
embark on a European tour. anthem, although it’s not until 1:29 that the to block the vibrato. Bailey removed two
It was an unusual choice. Conceived first full close-up appears of him playing springs for the vibrato bar, adding washers
by Fender as an entry-level instrument for it. As the band bring the dynamic back to the posts beneath the bridge plate to lock
budget-conscious novices, the Mustang down for the second verse – half-obscured it down to the plate.
was hardly the obvious choice for alt-rock by cheerleaders wielding pom-poms and These Mustang guitars featured in
heroes on the cusp of global stardom. But sporting anarchist logo T-shirts – viewers landmark Nirvana videos and live shows.
then again, Cobain had shown what he could are treated to the first, striking glimpse of A Mustang in Sonic Blue stars in the In
achieve with lower budget guitars, and for the Lake Placid Blue Mustang. Bloom video; another was used at the
© Kevin Mazur Archive 1/WireImage
an iconoclastic figure such as the Nirvana Hollywood Rock concert in Brazil. Cobain
frontman, an anti-hero guitar seemed fitting. Mustang Models received the Fiesta Red Mustang with
The instrument he bought in 1991 was a By the release of Nevermind, Cobain was tortoiseshell pickguard (later swapped for
Lake Placid Blue Mustang with matching gigging regularly with a Mustang selection. a white pearl one) just before the Roseland
headstock and three white ‘competition’ He ordered four new models from Fender shows in New York, and used it on the In
racing stripes on the body. This was fitted for the In Utero tour, three in Sonic Blue and Utero tour. This was his first Mustang to be
with two black, single-coil pickups and a one in Fiesta Red. On the request of Cobain, fitted with the JB humbucker.
white mother-of-pearl pickguard. It rapidly these were all routed by guitar tech Earnie Unlike most guitarists, Cobain didn’t
became one of his favourite guitars, and Bailey for the fitting of different pickups. cosset or clean his guitars. In his eyes, the

Left and right

Some close-up detail shots from
the Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar.
Note the realistic wear and tear on
the nitrocellulose lacquer
“Kurt liked being a little bit uncomfortable. He liked to mix things up

and switch guitars and keep things from getting run of the mill”
more distressed and beaten-up his guitars Fittingly, given the fact that Cobain was “A lot of what you see in ’91 through to
were, the better they looked. The Nirvana left-handed, right- and left-handed models the end is the same five, six or seven guitars
frontman was also constantly changing, are available. Colour options include Fiesta just being recycled over and over with
refining and replacing elements on his Red, Sonic Blue and Dark Lake Placid Blue different parts. You know – change the
guitars to create the ideal instrument, (with competition stripe). pickguard, put a different colour on there,
sonically and visually. a different neck and suddenly it appears to
The results of this relentless modification Mixing It Up be a completely different guitar. We’d keep
are evident in the Kurt Cobain Mustang, Cobain rarely stuck with the same ’em out there until they were really just
an authentically crafted replica hot off the instrument throughout a tour. As Earnie beyond repair.”
Fender production line, new for 2012. Bailey recalls, he was wary of settling on one For Bailey, who started out occasionally
Inspired by his numerous modded instrument permanently, because he was helping the band with their gear, in
guitars, this Mustang features the classic fearful of becoming complacent, and wanted between running a café with his wife,
24-inch scale length and an angled single- to retain an edge. “I think he sort of liked watching Nirvana’s transformation
coil Mustang neck pickup. A Seymour being a little bit uncomfortable. He liked to from local band to all-conquering global
Duncan JB humbucking bridge pickup is mix things up and switch guitars and keep phenomenon was startling.
mounted directly into the body, and for things from getting run of the mill.” “I remember standing on that stage in
tone shaping, there are dual on/off, phase In one interview, Kurt Cobain claimed São Paulo in South America and looking
in-out switches for each pickup. that he had around 200 guitars, but Bailey out at 90,000 people and thinking that
The body is alder, coated in polyester, believes the figure was closer to 50, adding it was only three years earlier that I saw
and the guitar features an Adjust-o-matic that most of the guitars played by Cobain them in a really small place. And I was
bridge with dynamic vibrato tailpiece. were just recycled versions. thinking, ‘Wow, this is the same group’.”

When
you’re
ready
When you’re ready for the ultimate Fender instrument,
look no further than the Fender Custom Shop.
Whatever you desire, be it faithfully
Fender or pure fantasy, they
can build it here
Main
Fender’s Custom
Shop began life in the
late-1980s as a small
workspace with a
Hegner saw and some
hand tools. Today, the
handcrafting ethos
is still upheld, but on
a much larger scale
Magazine
T he Fender Custom
Shop is not just a place
where great guitars are made
– it’s where your dream
guitar is made.
Since 1987, the Fender Custom Shop
has been its own ‘Dream Factory’, crafting
guitars that are to playing what Ferraris are
to driving. The superbly skilled craftsmen
in Fender’s Corona, California facility are
renowned worldwide for guitars that range
from the fine to the fantastic.
The Fender Custom Shop draws on the
Above, right
A flame-maple
Telecaster neck hits
the buffing wheel;
measuring polepiece
height
knowledge of Fender’s finest craftsmen

as well as the input of numerous guitar
legends: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, James Queen of tone
Burton, Robert Cray, David Gilmour and Custom Shop
Pete Townshend are just a few of the pickup specialist,
Below Master Builder and
guitarists who have instruments built here. 50-plus year Fender
A Custom Deluxe
“You can have your guitar built at Stratocaster in veteran Abigail
the same factory where Eric Clapton’s Candy Red finish, Ybarra shows off
from the 2012 her work
guitar is built, by the same people,” says Custom Collection
Mike Eldred, Custom Shop Director of
Marketing. “Nobody else does what we do.”
A guitar just like the stars’ can be yours.
Or you can also have one built to your own
unique specifications. And the ultimate
of the ultimate? Having a Fender Custom
Shop guitar hand-made by one of Fender’s
Master Builders.
The Master Builders

Fender’s Master Builders have become
famous in their own right. A visit to the
www.fendercustomshop.com website
reveals a healthy, ongoing dialogue with
their customers: there are testimonials, a
series of Master Builder tips, in-depth video
demos and the latest Custom Collection
guitars, all showcased with the enthusiasm
that has forged the team’s reputation
among guitar aficionados.
The Master Builders have household
name fans, too. John Mayer, John 5 of Rob
Zombie, Chris Allen of Neon Trees and
Keith Richards are just some of the stars
who the Custom Shop has created guitars
for. Read on for insight into the process
from Custom Shop head, Mike Eldred… ➽

Custom Shop
Above, left
Master Builder Paul
Waller in action; a
collection of exotic
Strat necks await the
next stage; a Relic
Stratocaster bridge is
hand-assembled
Magazine
Talking Shop
Cloning Hendrix’s Strat, creating guitars with keyboard necks
and prototyping new Fender gear is all in a day’s work for
the Fender Custom Shop team
I
t’s 5.30a.m. in the Fender Custom Shop. “I started in
Scottsdale, Arizona, and Fender’s neck department. I made
Mike Eldred is already a bunch of changes, changed the
on his way to work. As whole finishing process. And
Director of Marketing at they kept promoting me. I
Fender’s famous Custom became the manager of the
Shop, Eldred is inevitably a busy shop, then Director of Sales and
man. “It’s always been busy!” he Marketing, then Custom Shop
laughs. “Today, I go in, I meet early Director of Marketing.”
with all the Master Builders. Later in The Custom Shop is famously
the morning, a bunch of dealers are entrusted to build the replicas of
coming to talk about ordering guitars iconic guitars played by legends
for their stores. This afternoon? such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix
I’m looking at some Custom Shop and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It can also
prototypes and some hardware build any Fender you want – its
things we’re working on – that’s Master Builders regularly
always interesting. Tomorrow, we’re create instruments to
talking about 2013 projects.” order based on specs that
With all this, does range from the timeless
Mike Eldred ever get to the otherworldly. This
time to actually pick up a creation of custom orders
guitar and play? “Oh, of for individual customers
course! Every day.” has become the biggest
Eldred loves guitars. He part of the business.
started building his own “That’s why we say:
guitars at 18. He became When You’re Ready,”
a customer of Grover says Eldred. ➽
Jackson’s Charvel Jeff Beck’s 1954 Esquire was
company and then recreated as the Limited Edition
Left Jeff Beck Tribute Esquire in 2006;
became Jackson’s first Most of the Custom Master Builder Dennis Galuszka
full-time employee. He Shop’s Master Builders at work on an Eric Clapton Blackie
worked on the Eric Tribute Stratocaster
then went to Yamaha, Clapton Blackie
before being asked to join Tribute Stratocaster

Custom Shop
Number One fan:

Master Builder John Cruz
prototyped Stevie Ray
Vaughan’s ‘Number One’
Stratocaster by hand
Custom Shop
Aging Options
How old do you want it?
N.O.S. (New Old Stock)

A new guitar built with replicas of vintage parts
Closet Classic Aging

Imagine the look of a ’50s or ’60s classic
Fender that’s been left in its case under a bed
for a decade. Kinda ‘musty’ looking, but plays
like new
Relic Aging
Body ‘dings’, finish flaws and scrapes. This
will make your new Custom Shop guitar look
like a road-worn, beaten-up, working guitar
Heavy Relic Aging

The ultimate for those who want their
new guitar to feel flawless, and look like an
antique – but it will still play like new. Clever

Magazine
Right
The guitar’s chambers
are filled with paraffin oil,
hydrophobic dye, food
coloring, distilled water
and biocide
Strange Customs
Mike Eldred has overseen some amazing one-off
designs, including this tour de force from Custom
Shop Uber Builder, Scott Buehl, who designed and
built the outlandish instrument you see on this
spread. Eldred: “The most difficult guitar I’ve ever
experienced at the Custom Shop was a Stratocaster
with liquid and oil-filled chambers. It was a
design contest guitar, where the winner could
get whatever they wanted. The whole guitar was
made of steel and aluminium plating, and took six
to eight months. It’s nicknamed the ‘Splatocaster’
– see www.fendercustomshop.com to see a video of
us building it. It’s amazing. I still look at the video
and think, man, that was crazy.” ➽

Magazine
Above left, above

Master Builder Yuriy
Shishkov deep in
➽ Over the years, Eldred and his team concentration; an
example of Yuri’s
have become used to building the most stunning inlay work
boundary-pushing instruments. “Dennis
Galuszka did a guitar for the band Fall
Out Boy. It was a double-neck, but the
second neck was a keyboard. So the body Left, below
Jason Smith, son of
was made of wood, but this keyboard then company Hall Of Famer
had to be bolted onto the body of the ‘bass’ Dan Smith, and Master
neck. It was a fantastic achievement. But Builder with an SRV
‘Lenny’ Strat; an
we all looked back when it was done and eyecatching Bass VI
said – that’s just nuts! That may be the most in Metallic Green
extreme one we’ve done.”
The ‘Tribute’ instruments – the Shop’s Left
100 per cent-authentic replicas of various Mike Eldred created
rock stars’ historically significant guitars – this ‘clone’ of the
Jimi Hendrix
is another facet for which the Custom Shop Woodstock
has become famed. Stratocaster
“The first time we really took it to
the ‘clone’ stage, raised the bar, was
the Hendrix white Stratocaster – the
one he played at (1969’s) Woodstock
festival. I’m a big Hendrix fan so I
said: can I build this one myself? It
was really rewarding for me. I went
out to Seattle where Paul Allen
(Microsoft’s co-founder, who
bought the Woodstock Strat at
auction) has the original one,
and I looked at it closely.
“When I told them we had to
take it apart to see what it was ➽

SRV ‘Lenny’ Strat
Fender knocked it out
of the park with this
detailed recreation of
baseball legend Mickey
Mantle’s autograph on
the Stevie Ray Vaughan
‘Lenny’ Stratocaster
Magazine
Right, below
Master Builder Paul
Waller recreates
bassist Dennis
Dunaway’s ‘Billion
Dollar’ Jazz Bass.
The bass player for the
original Alice Cooper
band lent his bass
to the Fender Custom
Shop for detailed
accuracy in the build
➽ really like, they hesitated! We filmed it that the guitar neck had been refinished
all, weighed the body, weighed the neck… but the original dirt was left under the new
it’s a very detailed process. That stuff is finish. So we had to replicate that. When it
really interesting. When we were taking gets like that, it gets weird.”
the neck plate off, someone asked: ‘So what Ultimately, Eldred and the team just
is that green stuff?’ And I say, ‘Sweat. Jimi love making instruments. The main focus
Hendrix’s sweat’. Stuff like that is amazing. is all about us ordinary guitar players who
But when we did Eric Clapton’s Blackie, want extraordinary guitars. “We just love
when we did Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Lenny, guitars. There’s guys out there who get
it’s all the same.” their guitar, sit back and play and go, that’s
the one. I don’t! Sometimes my job is hard,
Above and right
X-ray Specs because every time I see a new Custom Neck templates for a
“We X-ray the guitars’ bodies. We do Shop guitar I think, oh, I want that one too. storied list of Fender
Custom Shop Tribute
everything on these Tributes. It’s like being “We’ve just been looking at new species models, rare vintages
a forensic scientist. When Master Builder of wood to make bodies, and me and the and signature artists;
Todd Krause did the Blackie prototype, it Master Builders were sitting looking at this painstaking handwork
goes into every
had dirt underneath the fingerboard finish. wood. And we all got excited. I can’t Fender Custom Shop
So what happened there? We figured out wait to make a guitar out of this stuff.” instrument

What is this?
Scan this with
the QR reader on
your smart device
to open a video
of the Custom
Shop designing
the amazing
Splatocaster, and to
explore the Custom
Shop website
Spread The Love

All of Fender’s brands benefit from the Custom Shop’s R&D
ender’s Custom Shop was a Custom Shop guitar five years
F is not only where your dream
guitar can be built, it also
ago. The Select Series has a Custom
Shop ‘vibe’ to it, certainly. You’ll see
acts as an extension of Fender’s R&D Squier guitars now with lipstick
force. Only the most talented workers pickups and matching headstock
are asked to join the Custom Shop, colours – the only way you could once
and it’s a new ideas factory as well as get that was from the Custom Shop.
a place where the past comes to life. “We focus on things like that more
Mike Eldred: “Something a lot so than ever before. There is a real
of players don’t realise about the synergy between the Custom Shop
Custom Shop is our main aim is to and Squier. We kick ideas around
push design ‘down’, if you like, all the all the time, with the idea that some
way to Squier. So, if you look at an features of Custom Shop guitars will
American Deluxe Stratocaster, that end up on Squier at some point.”

Magazine
20
9
top
The
14
4 1
ke
Things To Tad
On The Roa 15
Home has all your guitars and gear in it.

Why venture out? If you feel you must,
though, wherever you and your guitar are
going, here’s what we recommend
you take with you…
ILLUSTRATION: Dave Hopkins
20 Spare strings 17 Capo 14 Slide 11 Headband

Make sure you always have a Oh humble capo, where art A little bit of slide playing goes a More so than any other
set in your backpack, wherever thou? A trusty must-have for long way to wowing an audience. accessory or item of clothing
you and your guitar end up. instant transposition when Just put your guitar in open-G or you could possibly conceive
You aren’t going to impress the you find yourself working with open-D tuning and scrape away of, a headband will impart
ladies with a trampy looking different singers, it’s also a for instant Delta-blues cool. a dangerous, edgy, Mark
guitar, so look after it, and it’ll fantastic aid to composition Knopfler-esque guitar-hero vibe
look after you. when you’re struggling for 13 Roadie to everyone you meet out there
inspiration. And it fits in your If you can’t afford one of these, on the road. A ridiculous top hat
19 Beard pocket, too. try asking a well-meaning friend will also work.
What self-respecting tortured if he (or even better, she) will
indie-rock guitar player would 16 Plush hardcase carry your guitar case into the 10 Guitar multi-tool
be seen without one? Earn Protects your beloved axe in venue. Instant kudos. When you hit the road, be sure
bonus points for styling it on transit. Collects loose change to invest in a guitar-specific
an American Civil War-era when you’re busking. Doubles 12 Ebow multi-tool with screwdrivers, fret
soldier, and accessorising with a as a suitcase on the road. Whether you’re playing an files, Allen keys, a string winder,
checked shirt. acoustic or an electric, the and so on. Then you can relax
15Clip-on mic-stand magnetic sustain and violin-like safe in the knowledge you’re
18 Contact card drink holder dynamic range of the EBow adds packing a Swiss Army Knife-load
It’s not exactly rock ’n’ roll, but Possibly just as important as up to a timeless effect. It’s also of solutions for just about any
invest a few dollars in a set of your guitar, this accessory is not a dead-cert way to impress the problem live playing can throw
business cards, hand ’em out merely useful – it shows you do non-guitar-savvy members of at you – from a broken string to
when you play, and the gigs and this for a living. Playing live that the audience, who’ll think you are a loose jack socket. Just never
call ups to deputise will follow. is – not just drinking… a magic man with magic fingers. ever lend it out. Ever.

The Countdown
20
10
13
16
17
19
11
12
3 Laptop
9 Portable tuner 6 Foldaway stand
Clip-on tuners like Fender’s FT-004 Just buy one of these – they’re You’ll need something to record your
may be cute, but they’re far from gimmicks. inexpensive, and more importantly they ideas on, practice with, email your tracks
Visible under stage lights and near-as- guarantee that you’ll never have to witness with… on second thoughts, perhaps just stay
damn-it accurate, one of these little fellas the sickening sight of your guitar plummeting at home. It’s much easier.
could be the difference between a winning headstock-first onto the stage. Ouch.
performance and a discordant disaster.
5 honey and lemon 2 iPhone & iPad apps
With its ever-expanding wealth of
8 Fender Mustang Mini
Dissolve this in hot water and sip it
handy music-making apps, the iPhone is like
This bijou, portable, battery-powered instead of grabbing another coffee while
a portable guitar tech, tutor and bandmate
seven-watt amp may not be as toneful as you wait around to go onstage – it’s Mother
rolled into one. See page 29 for a list of our
a Fender Twin, but it packs a surprising Nature’s very own remedy for sore-voiced
favourite guitar-playing apps.
amount of grunt. Plus it’s far less hassle to singers. A must-have for those days when
carry to an open-mic or impromptu jam than your singing voice sounds huskier than
1 Gaffer
its tonesome counterpart. Macy Gray chewing a wasp.

7 Songbook

4 Grolsch tape
Stick a simple songbook with chords (in glass bottles)
Don’t recycle your beer bottles! Those
Ask any roadie:
in your guitar case for those impromptu 3am
campfire singalongs, and you’ll at least know red rubber washers you find on the cap you always need
that you were playing the right version of mechanisms of Grolsch lager bottles are gaffer tape.
Em7 when the other residents chase you off the best designed, most reliable, least-hassle
the site. We particularly recommend guitar-strap locking system yet devised.
The Beatles Complete… And each one comes with a free drink.

Magazine

Fender Jaguar
50
Anniversary Fender Jaguar
Launched in 1962, the Fender Jaguar has ridden
waves of surf popularity and grunge appeal.
And in 2012, it’s more alluring than ever…
th
L
eo Fender was a primarily a pedal-steel player and also a
perfectionist. And even then-famous swing and jazz bandleader,
though his classic 1950s and his enthusiasm for White’s idea
designs of the Telecaster changed Leo’s mind. Mr Fender promptly
and Stratocaster became went to work, and the Fender Jaguar
staples of early rock ’n’ roll, went into development.
Leo always believed he could improve on Celebrating its 50th anniversary in
them, and reach more musicians. 2012, the Jaguar was designed as the
Even with two smash-hit guitars in ultimate Fender six-string: “One of the
the Tele and Strat, Fender’s R&D division finest solidbody electric guitars that has
kept trying to hone the perfect guitar. In ever been offered to the public,” cooed
1958, Fender launched the Jazzmaster – the original brochure. “The new Jaguar
aimed at jazz players, of course – and in is unhesitatingly recommended to those
1962, the Jaguar. It was against this early desiring complete instrument versatility.”
’60s backdrop when Fender’s Forrest The body shape was similar to that
White went to Leo with the idea for the of the Jazzmaster, as was the vibrato
instrument’s forward-thinking design. tailpiece, while it also offered slimline
White thought the company should single-coil pickups and White’s vision
produce a new guitar that could give two of numerous slide switches for different
completely different tones with the flick tones. Then, as now, the Jaguar looked
of a switch. But as White later recounted: like something out of Futurama, and
“Leo didn’t play guitar, he couldn’t even was different in many ways: with 22
tune a guitar, so he didn’t think this was frets spanning a 24-inch scale length,
important.” So Leo Fender – engineer rather than Fender’s usual 25.5-inch, it
extraordinaire, but not a guitar player – was designed for easy playability. The
originally rejected White’s idea. shorter scale meant brighter tone, and
Luckily for White, and all Fender the chrome-laden body was designed
Above: fans, a musician named Alvino Rey to look sharp. Some of the sumptuous
First ever Fender Jaguar ad
shoot with Jaguar E-Type car; came into Fender’s Fullerton factory and custom colours available were Shell
an early Jaguar in the factory Forrest pitched the idea to him. Rey was Pink, Shoreline Gold, Fiesta Red, Lake ➽

Magazine
➽ Placid Blue and Inca Silver. And clad

in its custom-colour finery, the Jaguar
was the flashiest Fender on the block.
Surf’s Up
Despite its eyecatching looks and sonic
versatility, Fender arguably misjudged
the Jaguar guitar’s initial market. It
didn’t at first appeal to players looking
for a guitar even more advanced than
the Stratocaster: the Jaguar’s first fans
were players of the early ’60s surf scene,
and bands such as The Surfaris, The
Chantays, The Trashmen and The Beach
Boys all toted Jaguar guitars at various
times. The cutting sound of the Jaguar’s
high-pass filter — commonly known as
the ‘strangle’ switch — was perfect for
surf, as was the vibrato design which
could produce an appropriately wave-like
shimmer. Listen to the intro of The Beach
Boys’ now classic Surfin’ Safari and you’ll
hear the Fender Jaguar.
“One of the finest electric
But as the ’60s progressed, the surf
craze ebbed away. The Jaguar was,
guitars that has ever been
perhaps oddly, never widely favoured
by rock and blues players (although offered to the public”
Jimi Hendrix did own and play a ’63 The 1963 Fender brochure
Jaguar which was given to him by The
Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones) and its early
popularity started to wane. Left to right:
Fender gave the Jaguar cosmetic The Surfaris Wipe
makeovers throughout the ’60s – such Out album sleeve; the
1964-1965 Fender
as a bound neck, maple fingerboard with brochure; 1960’s Date
black binding and even pearloid block Records company
7” single sleeve
inlays – but its initial sales struggled to
match those of the iconic Telecaster and
the firmly established Stratocaster.
So although it was a quality
instrument, some found the Jaguar to be
just too quirky, and Fender removed it
(5)Finley (1)
from its catalogue in 1975, after 13 years

of production.
Megan
Images
Grunge Rebirth
Getty(1),
In many ways, Fender’s temporary break

(1), Rex features
in production of the Jaguar actually

Boulevard/Corbis,
helped its rebirth. As a discontinued

model, it was often only found
languishing in pawn shops and second-
Getty Images
hand guitar stores in the ’80s and early

’90s, and it was cheaply priced. Fender
© Sunset
Japan began building Jaguar guitars

again in the mid-’80s, but in the USA it

Fender Jaguar
GR A H A
MC
B L U R OXO N
ST E V E C H ERNN E O OR E
U T H U R ST O NOM
U TH
T H E A IR B O S ON IC Y
T OX IC E V E N T
remained unavailable to buy as a new and Steven Adler leading to an early

model until the late 1990s. incarnation of Guns N’ Roses.
So when a new generation of indie For Cobain, though, the LA Recycler
rockers in the ’80s and ’90s went looking was just a good source of a cheap
for a guitar, they started to gravitate but quality guitar. Kurt’s Jaguar had
towards the Jaguar, Jazzmaster and already been heavily modified when
Mustang models. New noiseniks such as Cobain bought it, being retrofitted with
Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, Dinosaur humbucking pickups and having tape
Jr.’s J Mascis and Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain covering the on/off and phase switches.
probably could not afford a lavish new It was beaten, bruised and non-standard
Stratocaster, and neither would they — and therefore perfectly in keeping with
want one — the Stratocaster was then- Cobain’s pawn-shop aesthetic.
associated with the sophisticated blues While Cobain’s heavily modded Jaguar
soloing of Eric Clapton, Robert Cray and has eventually led to his posthumous
Jeff Beck. But the new breed still wanted signature model (see pages 42-49), even
Fender quality, which made the Jaguar a few years after Nevermind you still
and Jazzmaster so appealing. couldn’t buy a new Fender Jaguar.
It was Kurt Cobain, in particular, who Fender Japan had reissued the
did much to revive the popularity of the instrument in the 1980s, but not many
Jaguar, and his 1965 sunburst Jaguar was were even exported, and it was 1999
his main guitar during the Nevermind era. before Fender USA resumed production.
Kurt had bought his Jaguar second- So grunge fans who were initially
hand from a seller in the LA Recycler inspired to seek out Jaguar guitars
newspaper around August 1991. because of Cobain and the new breed of
Although that would’ve been enough to grunge guitarists were still having to find
gain it some notoriety, that classifieds them second-hand… yet now the price of
paper has played an interesting cameo these rarities was rising.
in rock ’n’ roll beyond Cobain’s purchase Fender USA’s reissuing of the Jaguar
— Mick Mars joined Mötley Crüe after in 1999 was part of its American Vintage
placing an ad answered by drummer Series. The build was as close to a vintage
Tommy Lee, James Hetfield answered ’62 as possible, though with some minor
an ad placed by Lars Ulrich, ultimately changes. Importantly, the American
leading to the birth of Metallica, and Duff Vintage Series Jaguar guitars looked the
McKagan replied to an ad placed by Slash part, originally coming in a range of ➽

Magazine
What is this?
code reader on your
smart device to go to
the 50th Anniversary
Fender Jaguar website
➽ vivid custom colours such as Candy purchase of his clean comeback? A song.” Despite his wishes, unfortunately
Apple Red, Sherwood Green, Ice Blue vintage 1962 Fiesta Red Fender Jaguar. the track remains unreleased.
Metallic and Ocean Turquoise. “I bought that at a guitar store on Billy Corgan used an early ’70s Jag in
Sunset [Boulevard, Los Angeles], in Smashing Pumpkins, and another ’90s
Alt-rock Icon 1997,” Frusciante told Guitarist magazine. fan of the Jaguar was Placebo’s Brian
And so, as the sparkling new millennium “I didn’t have a guitar and then I got Molko, who has three. “They’re all older
dawned, the Fender Jaguar was very some money and that was my Christmas than me. That’s very important. The Jags
much back in vogue with the coolest of present to myself.” are all women, and they all have names:
the new breed of guitar players. Frusciante’s Fender Jaguar can be ‘Bitch’, ‘Goddess’ and ‘Tattoo’.”
Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John heard on the band’s hugely successful Placebo’s hit single Pure Morning is a
Frusciante mostly had a torrid ’90s. Californication and By The Way albums. prime example of Molko’s Fender Jaguar
He suffered serious drug addiction and The band even recorded a 15-minute in action, though the song’s non-standard
lost all of his guitars in a house fire. demo track called Strumming In D On J: tuning (F Bb Eb G# C C, low to high) is the
But when he was back on track and “The title literally means strumming in stuff of expert players. Graham Coxon
rejoined the Chili Peppers, he decided to the key of D on the Jaguar. I hope that has an early ’60s sunburst Fender Jaguar,
reward himself. Frusciante’s first guitar we put it out, as it’s a really good funky used extensively on Blur’s 1994 Parklife

Fender Jaguar
“I think the Jag is beautiful.

50 thAnniversary
Fender Jaguar
Fender’s 50th Anniversary Jaguar
model maintains the classic 1962
vibe, with a few tweaks. You still
I love the body shape and the get the classic 24-inch scale length
and the ‘classic’ contouring. But
chrome. It’s my perfect guitar” the 50th Anniversary Jaguar also

packs some technological updates.
The new one-degree neck-angle
Johnny Marr pocket improves pitch; the newly
repositioned tremolo plate increases
bridge break angle and sustain;
and the specially designed hot
Jaguar single-coil neck and bridge
pickups deliver fatter tone. The 50th
Anniversary Jaguar is a looker, too.
The three-ply pickguard is Mint
Green-Black-Mint Green, and you
have a choice of classic vintage
Fender finishes – Lake Placid Blue,
Candy Apple Red and striking
Burgundy Mist Metallic,
which authentically
evokes the original
Jaguar’s Burgundy Mist
finish option.
Half a century later,
the numerous versions of
the Fender Jaguar come
with enough options to
Noe satisfy any player, and
T h e C rl Ho g a n should rejuvenate
a nber r
ie s the popularity of one
of Fender’s unsung
Bob Ber ryh ill classic electric guitars.
Th e SUR FARI S
tour. Coxon’s Jaguar can be seen in the The Jaguar In 2012 a later member of Electronic, The The,
video for Blur’s Bang and his solo single The Jaguar nevertheless remains one Modest Mouse and The Cribs (as well as
Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery. of Fender’s most stylish, versatile and numerous collaborations), Johnny Marr
Coldplay’s Jonny Buckland is another attractive guitars. It’s had 50 years of knows guitar. He owns over 100, of all
current fan of the Jaguar. He mainly highs and some lows, maybe, but Forrest makes, but the Jaguar is the first model
relies on Fender Thinline Telecaster White and Leo Fender’s original ideas he’s designed and put his name to.
guitars, but Buckland wrote and played hold true. The Jaguar is a unique guitar Johnny Marr says: “I was attracted to
Coldplay’s breakthrough hits Shiver and and for some, it’s the ultimate ‘outsider’ the Jag by the way it sounded – this big,
Yellow on his sunburst reissue Jaguar. Fender electric. clear, ringing sound – it sounds like I’m
So how did we get to now? From surf For the purist, the new 50th supposed to sound. Aesthetically, I think
to grunge, from indie to alt-rock, to Anniversary Fender Jaguar (see boxout) the Jag is beautiful. I love the body shape
funk and arena-rock, and despite being packs original ’60s features and stunning and chrome – the early ’60s idea of
discontinued for a time, the Jaguar has finishes. And another new chapter space-age design. It’s my perfect guitar.”
played a major part in guitar history – has opened with the Fender Johnny It may have taken 50 years,
yet it’s been a misunderstood beast Marr Jaguar (see pages 70-71). As the but the Fender Jaguar guitar’s time
for much of its life. musical mastermind of The Smiths and has finally come.

Magazine
{ MY GUITAR }
Johnny Marr
The Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar Signature Model retains the best of the old while adding
a player’s-eye-view dash of design flair. Here, in the Brit guitar legend’s own words,
is Johnny’s thinking behind the mods he made…
PHOTOGRAPHY: Carl Lyttle
1 Building bridges
“The Jag trem, which I use a lot, is
5 The skinny
“The neck on my Jag is modelled after
without doubt the best vibrato system on any 4 an unusual 1965 example. It has a fuller, less
Fender guitar, but the floating bridge can take skinny feel than usual Jag necks and is more
a pounding with constant use. We resolved the resonant. It makes a real difference to the
problem by designing special bushings that overall tone of the guitar.”
keep the bridge posts in position and stable.
6 Body talk
5
It’s made a huge difference to the guitar.”
“I wanted to make the body more
2 Keeping it clean
“I wanted to keep things simple but
comfortable and copied the rear scoop in the
back from my 1963 Lake Placid Blue Jag.
give the player a lot of choice with a wide The chamfer on the front was copied from a
range of tones. We’ve given the player 10 mid-’50s Stratocaster, so it really sits on your
distinct clean tone settings to choose from… 2 body perfectly.”
The fourth-position humbucking effect has
7
made a big difference, and the tone switches
take it a step further.”
7 Vintage voice
“The pickups on my Jag are copied
from vintage ’62 pickups – I decided to change
3 Colour corrected
“I always loved white-on-white Fender
things from the original Jag design and had the
pickups wound so that the polarity is the same
guitars: white ’guards on Olympic White on both instead of opposed. This definitely
bodies. The burnt orange of the ‘Metallic KO’ gives the pickups a more focused sound.”
colour is taken from a faded-out ’66 Jag. It 6
started out life as a Candy Apple Red but has
faded to this fantastic copper shade that I love.”
8 Daily debate
“The Cribs are real experts. They were
8
really good sounding boards, constantly asking
4 Proud father
“For someone who’s grown up from a
1
me what we were going to do about this, that
and the other, from the case to the headstock…
little boy thinking the guitar is the greatest There was a daily discussion – these amazing
object in the world bar none, it’s a very special arguments about things like, No way did they
3
feeling to have designed your own model.” do that lighter Seafoam green in ’96!”

Signature Amps
Johnny Marr,
Manchester, 7th
October 2011: the
proud father with
his newborn
What’s this?
Scan this with the
QR code reader on
your smart device
to open a video
interview with
Johnny about his
Signature Jaguar
Hood vibrations
The guitar, also known as the
‘Bonecaster’ and ‘The Billy’,
is plated with metal from the
hood of a 1987 Ford LTD
Smokin’ tone
Arizona jewellery artist Kit
Carson created the guitar’s
unique appointments, which
include this vintage tobacco tin
Push skull
This pickup selector
matches the skull
motif of the volume
and tone controls
One-offs
Boneward bound
The distinctive ‘bone’
binding was hand-
carved by Kit Carson
Star guitar
The Fleming/Carson
Esquire was crafted by
Master Builder Chris
Fleming and is owned by
Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top
Custom Shop One-offs

Fender’s Custom Shop can create guitars beyond your wildest imaginings –
so feast your eyes on some unique designs from the Fender archives
THIS ISSUE: THE fleming/CARSON esquire

Magazine
Signature
Tone Eric Clapton was the first player to
be honoured with a signature Fender
guitar. Now he’s the first guitarist
to put his own name to a series of
Fender amps. Here’s the full story…
T
PHOTOGRAPHY: George Chin
he EC Series of signature
amplifiers is a first, for both Eric Clapton
and Fender. The legendary guitarist has
never before put his name on a series
of amps and, perhaps surprisingly, the
EC Series also represents Fender’s first
signature amps by any player.
It’s a landmark collaboration, but an
apt one too – Clapton and Fender go back
a long way. His use of Fender Stratocaster
models is well-known, also culminating
in another first with 1988’s Fender Eric
Clapton Signature Model Stratocaster. ➽

Signature Amps
Signature Amps
Fender’s new EC Series
offers three distinct
variations on classic
’50s designs favoured
by Eric over the years
Magazine
The EC Series Twinolux

updates the chime of
a ’57 Twin by adding
vintage-voiced tremolo
and a power attenuator
➽ Clapton’s use of various Fender amplifiers

has also played a major part in his stellar
recording history.
EC’s preference for Fender amps really
began to gel in the early 1970s. Just as he
started to rely on his Brownie and Blackie
Fender Stratocaster guitars, Clapton
started pairing them with classic Fender
backline. The combination produced an
early high watermark on Derek And The
Dominos’ classic 1970 album, Layla And
Other Assorted Love Songs.
The album’s late producer Tom Dowd
told Guitar World magazine: “Clapton and
Duane Allman were set up in the studio
facing each other, looking one another in the
eyes and playing live through small Fender
amps — a Princeton and a Champ.
“These guys weren’t wearing
earphones,” Dowd recalled. “They were just
playing softly through those little Fender
[amps]. If they talked while they were
recording, you would have heard it over the
amplifier. It’s funny, too, because when I did
Cream, Eric was playing through double
stacks of Marshalls and it literally hurt to
be in the room with those guys. When Eric
showed up for Layla, he had a Champ under
one arm and a Princeton under the other
and that was it. He and Duane used those
amps, switching back and forth.”
Clapton’s love affair with Fender
amplifiers arguably started here, and
continued through the 1970s to projects
in recent years. The sound of ’70s Clapton
classics such as Layla and Motherless Children,
as well as more modern cuts such as Run
Back To Your Side, have all depended on
the marriage of Fender Stratocaster and
1950s-style tweed amps.
When Cream reformed for their
landmark shows of 2005, Clapton was
seen coaxing his fabled tones from his
’57 tweed Twin reissue – his own vintage
’57 tweed amps and their 2000 reissue
versions then formed the bedrock of his live
and recording tone. ➽

Signature Amps
Left to right
Classic Clapton
albums; 1970’s Layla
and Other Assorted
Love Songs, 1989’s
Journeyman, and
1974’s 461 Ocean
Boulevard.
The lovingly recreated worn

nitrocellulose finish on Fender’s
2006 Tribute Series replicas of EC’s
Blackie Stratocaster. The original
Blackie sold at auction in 2004
for $959,500, to benefit Clapton’s
Crossroads Center in Antigua
Clapton And Fender

Six decades of sonic collaboration
ric Clapton’s love of Stratocaster Chronicles. “Then I was Blackie became his main live
E Fenders dates back to
the 1960s, when he used
in Nashville at a store called Sho-Bud,
as I recall, and they had a whole rack
and studio squeeze from 1973 to
1985, appearing at 1985’s Live Aid
Telecaster and Jazzmaster models of old ’50s Stratocaster guitars in in the process. Neck wear meant
with The Yardbirds. He played other the back, going second-hand. They Blackie was mostly retired soon
makes in the later 1960s, but by were so out of fashion you could pick after, but she became the template
1970’s Layla And Other Assorted up a perfectly genuine Strat for two for Fender’s first artist instrument,
Love Songs, Clapton had switched hundred or three hundred dollars the Eric Clapton Signature Model
to a 1956 tobacco-sunburst — even less! So I bought all of them. Stratocaster. This had Fender Gold
Stratocaster, nicknamed ‘Brownie’. I gave one to Steve Winwood, one Lace Sensor pickups and a boosted
He later amalgamated three to George Harrison, and one to Pete tone circuit offering humbucking
mid-’50s Strat guitars into his Townshend, and kept a few for myself. pickup-like tone when needed. In
favourite guitar, the famous ‘Blackie’. I liked the idea of a black body, but the 1991, it was offered with a plain
“My first Strat was Brownie, and black one I had was in bad condition, Blackie-like finish: the Custom Shop
I played it for years and years, a so I took apart the ones I kept and has evolved its various Signatures
wonderful guitar,” Eric recalled in his assembled different pieces to make over the years, all according to Eric’s
foreword to Tom Wheeler’s book, The Blackie, which is a hybrid, a mongrel.” own specifications.

Magazine
1. 2.
Left to right
The rigorous attention-
to-detail extends even
to the amps’ badges;
3. hand-wiring the range’s
output-tube bias
tremolo circuit; a view
inside the Twinolux’s
handcrafted chassis
The EC Series
Fender’s first-ever signature amp
range marries the old with the new
The amps in the new EC Series pack
plenty of history into their fetching tweed
enclosures. Handmade in the USA,
the three new tube amps not only bear
Clapton’s name, but also his own distinctive
design touches, resulting in voices as full
and authentic as the guitarist’s own.
The amps are based on classic Fender
tweed tube models of the 1950s — the
’57 Twin, ’57 Deluxe and the ’57 Champ.
Clapton has returned to these lodestones of
tone for specific sounds at various points
throughout his six-decade career.
Clapton specified that each model
should incorporate a ’50s-era output
tube-bias tremolo circuit, which produces
a more throbbing pulse than later Fender
tremolo circuits, and a switchable power
attenuator, which reduces speaker output.
Fender EC Twinolux Fender EC Tremolux Fender EC Vibro-Champ

1 The big daddy of the range is
based on a ’57 Fender Twin: the
2 The 12-watt Fender EC Tremolux is
the mid-sized combo in the series.
3 Clapton is a fan of the original
Fender Champ, having used the
classic twin-speaker guitar amp famed for Based on a ’57 Deluxe, but with twists, the classic ’50s amp for countless recordings.
its chiming, clean tone. Unlike the EC Vibro Tremolux adds separate high- and low-gain Unlike the original design, the Fender EC
Champ and EC Tremolux, the EC Twinolux’s inputs and fixed bias to increase ‘headroom’ Vibro-Champ has the EC Series’ vintage
output can be dropped further by disabling (clean volume before distortion). The EC tremolo built in, and it can be switched on
one of the amp’s pair of speakers. These are Tremolux employs a Celestion Heritage and off with an optional footswitch. The
a special 12-inch Weber By Eminence design, G12-65 speaker, for its high-gain handling: power attenuator is another new feature,
ensuring classic Twin tone with superb this can be bypassed in favour of an external and the Vibro-Champ also houses an
dynamics and sensitivity. 8-ohm cabinet. 8-inch Weber signature speaker.

Badge of quality
All EC Series amps
are handmade in
the USA. Built with
a finger-joined solid
pine enclosure, each
authentically evokes
Fender’s original
1950s’ golden era
with lacquered tweed
covering, vintage-style
brown/gold grille
cloth and a leather
strap handle. And in
the most outwardly
visible personal touch,
each amp bears an
“EC Series” badge at
front lower right, and
Clapton’s signature on
the control panel. Each
amp also includes a
deluxe fitted cover
What’s this?
reader on your smart
device to open a video
of the legendary Buddy
Guy testing the EC
Series amps…
The EC range is a
confluence of Clapton’s
expertise, classic Fender
designs, and state-of-the-
art modern build quality

The Excelsior offers
1 warm retro tone via its
guitar, microphone and
accordion inputs
Pawn again
Retro radio meets Cold War cool with two new combos
from the Pawn Shop Special range
PHOTOGRAPHY: Philip Sowels
Back in the austere days generally housed most of the

of 1950s Britain, when rock ’n’ roll parts needed for conversion into a
began to cross over the Atlantic, makeshift guitar amp. All it required
young cash-strapped guitarists was the enthusiasm, a bit of
searching for the sounds they heard know-how and, of course, a radio.
over the airwaves would frequently Rafts of inventive teenage players
convert the old tube radios they used this method, including the
encountered the music on in the first 13-year-old Jeff Beck who, back in
place into amps for their guitars. 1957, was using a radio as a guitar
It wasn’t actually too difficult amp – two years before joining his
– conveniently enough, radios first band, the Deltones.
Pawn Shop Amps
The Greta has a handy

built-in input for an mp3 2
player, so you can use it
as a stereo and play along
to your tunes through
the amp’s four-inch
Special Design speaker
“13-year-old Jeff Beck

used a radio as a guitar
amp, two years before
joining his first band…”
1 The Pawn Shop

Excelsior 2 The Pawn
Shop Greta
Six decades on, Fender has launched Fender’s other Pawn Shop star is the
two new tube amps in the Pawn Shop Greta. Place this little beaut on the family
Special range that nod affectionately breakfast table and the chances are nan will
to the ’50s radio-as-guitar amp trend: attempt to tune into the morning news – so
we’ll start with the 13-watt Excelsior. convincing is its retro radio vibe. Weighing
Sporting brown textured vinyl in at a bijou two watts, with a four-inch
covering, a stylish ‘E’ grille design and Special Design speaker, the Greta features
a rather fetching cross-swords badge bright red wooden front and back panels,
on the front panel, the Excelsior exudes with a gold-finished metal top and sides.
Cold War cool. A 12AX7 preamp tube and 12AT7 output
The amp’s simplicity belies a tube power the Greta, with volume and tone
powerful feature set. There’s authentic controls producing low-volume clean and
grunt from two 12AX7 preamp tubes crunchy overdriven sounds (an old-school
and two 6V6 output tubes powering a circuitry. Built-in tremolo adds pulse; VU meter displays ‘clean to overload’).
single 15-inch Special Design speaker there’s a bright/dark switch, and a There’s also the option to plug in an mp3
– and there’s no danger of unwanted 1/4-inch internal speaker disconnect player, so the Greta doubles as a stereo or
detuned-station hiss either. enables the amp to drive an external playalong practice tool. All that remains is
Fender has equipped the Excelsior speaker cab. From clean to raw and for you to tune in to this pair’s Pawn Shop
with novel ‘guitar’, ‘microphone’ and raucous, the Excelsior packs the tones tones – you’re sure to uncover a
‘accordion’ inputs, each with optimised to match its retro appeal. brand-new retro vibe to your playing.

Magazine
Cutting
tone
Fender’s new Machete amps offer high-gain sound sculpting,
with a dash of go-faster automobile style
PHOTOGRAPHY: Philip Sowels
W
hen it comes to Blade Runner
styling, there’s a distinct There’s serious tone-shaping potential here:
late-’60s, early-’70s vibe the Machete’s robust enclosure houses a
to the Machete, the new 12-inch Celestion speaker pumping out
50-watt dual-channel combo from Fender. 50 watts of rich and pummelling response,
Dominating the amp’s black vinyl covering with a midrange notch control (see boxout),
is a dramatic grey stripe – complete with and useful push-pull pots for bright boost
steering wheel-grip characteristics and and gain boost on the rhythm channel.
white piping – which conjures images of Further options at the end of the
souped-up roadsters, vintage NASCAR and signal chain include adjustable speaker
every road movie you’ve ever seen rolled damping for fine-tuning performance, XLR
into one. The look is completed by chrome output with switchable speaker muting
Telecaster knobs, a black silver strand grille and cabinet emulation: great options for
cloth, and all-new corners and hardware. guitarists who understand the vital role
It turns out this souped-up auto theme a speaker’s detail plays in defining tone.
is entirely fitting. The Machete is a A four-button footswitch and cover are
high-performance combo aiming for the included, ensuring the Machete is ready to
finely tuned ears of discerning guitarists hit the stage from day one.
and amp connoisseurs. It Catering to players
also boasts a dedicated who need a turbocharged
high-gain channel as well sound they can adapt to
as an extremely clear their needs and experiment
clean channel that can be with, the Machete is a
pushed into aggressive formidable addition to any
rhythm territory: while amp arsenal. And its looks
the addition of onboard will doubtless attract some
digital reverb adds intrigued glances from
shimmer and depth. the audience, too.
Turbocharged Tone
The Machete offers cutting-edge sound shaping
ny guitarist who loves amp’s sound to cut through
A to dabble in heavier
rhythm styles will love
the band’s mix while retaining
bite and snarl: the Machete’s
What’s this? The Machete’s high-gain
the Machete’s ability to shape pioneering damping and tune Scan this with the channel is an exciting
the EQ and ‘response’ of its controls do precisely that, QR code reader on departure for Fender, and the
power amp and speakers. Rock providing a range of British and your smart device amp’s various push-pull pots
and metal rhythm players rely American tonal flavours. Zap to go to the Fender and new ‘tune’ control offers
Machete website for rhythm EQ options aplenty;
on being able to fine-tune the the QR code to the right to hear a demo of the amp’s The effects loop helps players
midrange frequencies of their these features in action. special features maximise tone from pedals

Fender Machete
“The basses are the
second wave of the
Blacktop series, and
we wanted to take it
Above
The Blacktop Precision
Bass and Jazz Bass have
further… the vibe
swapped pickups with
each other, and both is – these go to 11!”
have the ability to deliver
high-output tone on tap

Blacktop Basses
F
Fender’s Blacktop Precision Bass and Jazz Bass add a fresh twist to two classics…
of modern and classic. Just like their

Blacktop guitar brethren (Stratocaster,
Telecaster, Jaguar, Jazzmaster, and
the also-new Telecaster Baritone), the
Blacktop basses are built in Mexico for
an impressive build quality at a good
price. Aficionados would rarely confuse
them with a USA-built Fender, but then
these models aren’t designed to appeal to
bassists who want a faithful recreation of
’50s and ’60s classics.
Justin Norvell, Fender’s Vice President
of Marketing, says: “The idea of this
whole series is to be an entry point for
Fender guitars and basses. They’re
simple, if you like, and aimed at younger
ender’s Precision BASS and Jazz people who play aggressive music.
Bass are undoubtedly the most famous “We have a lot of history of
electric basses ever. The P Bass, in humbucking instruments, with things
constant production since 1951, has been like the Fender Tele Deluxe that are really
a bass staple since the first days of rock popular, so we just wanted to do more
’n’ roll. The Jazz Bass, which debuted in with humbucking pickups. The basses
1960, added brighter tones, a curvier are the second wave of the Blacktop
design and more sophisticated appeal. series, and we just wanted to take it
The original designs were so impressive further. They’re modern. The vibe is –
that little has needed to change beyond these go to 11!
cosmetics for years – until now. “So, you have the P Bass that has two
The new Fender Blacktop Precision pickups, and a Jazz Bass that has two
Bass and Blacktop Jazz Bass look, to humbucking pickups. But we wanted
the casual observer, just like their to make these instruments even more
forebears. But a closer look at the pickup different. So you have the humbucking
configurations show them to be very J-pickups on the P Bass, and the double
different. Unlike original P Bass and P-pickups on the J Bass.”
J Bass, these Blacktops pack a more Counterintuitive? Norvell says not.
aggressive tone that mixes the best “It comes from what people have ➽

“[The new Blacktop Precision Bass]
is possibly the most powerful bass
Blacktop Fender has ever offered”
Telecaster
Baritone ➽ done in the past. Guys like session like a Jazz Bass, but comes loaded with
player Reggie Hamilton and Blink-182’s dual split-coil Precision pickups. Specs
Is it a guitar? Is it a bass? Mark Hoppus have been messing around are pretty much the same as the P Bass,
Kind of… It’s a Baritone with P Bass and Jazz Bass models for including three-ply black-white-black
many years. They flip pickups around, pickguard, open-gear tuners and chrome
longside the Blacktop Precision
A
customize their Fenders, and they hardware. It’s again available in Black or
Bass and Jazz Bass, Fender has sound great. So we took a little White Chrome Pearl. Norvell describes
also just launched the Blacktop
inspiration from these players.” the Blacktop Jazz as “supercharged”.
Telecaster Baritone. A baritone guitar is
The experimentation with the pickups
something of a halfway house between
a traditional six-string guitar and a bass. Basses High for the Blacktop Bass took a while, but
The Blacktop Telecaster Baritone has Neither model messes with the they’ve emerged with a different tone
a Telecaster body, but with a guitarist- fundamental outline of these than before.
friendly 27-inch scale. And tuned B-to-B two legendary designs. But there “It definitely results in a higher
(low to high), it will encourage players to are some very “now” twists. The output than you might expect. But in
invent new chords and new sounds. Blacktop Precision has a modern modern rock and metal, that’s what
“It’s an aggressive guitar,” says ‘C’-shape neck profile, alder body and bass players want. We had to balance
Norvell. “It’s great for rock but also good a gloss urethane neck. The feature out the sound and make it still sound
for country, with a single humbucking
that will cause a “second-take” is like a great Fender bass, but the
pickup and two single-coils.”
that this P Bass has J Bass pickups Blacktops certainly have that ‘+1’ sound.
In the past, baritone guitars have been
used by everyone from Aerosmith to and knobs. Separate volume “It’s a cool mix. You still feel like
Johnny Marr, Cream to The Cure, controls and one master tone you’re playing a P Bass, but then you
The Beatles to Placebo. And control your sound. Norvell says: start rolling in the second volume knob
it’s an idea that has come back “This is possibly the most and dial in the bridge J Bass pickup
into vogue once again. powerful bass Fender has and it’s great. It even gives the player
“On Foo Fighters’ Wasting ever offered.” some of the J Bass ‘cutting’ sound.
Light, Pat Smear played There are none of the “You could play both of these
baritone on nearly every track. fancy sunburst finishes that basses’ pickups flat-out, and
You get an octave space
may appeal to older players: that would be a lot of tone. But
between bass and guitar
the Blacktop P Bass comes the idea is to experiment with
sometimes, and the way to fix
that is with a baritone,” says in Black or a new colour, one pickup sound against the
Norvell. “Baritone guitars White Chrome Pearl. other. When you do that, you
are a great studio/recording The Blacktop Jazz Bass can really get a lot of
instrument, even if they’re not flips the idea. It looks just tonal variations.”
the focal point of the band.”

P Bass and J Bass Players
The roll call of Precision Bass and Jazz Bass players is second to none
Precision Bass players Jazz Bass players

Roger Waters, pictured (Pink Floyd) Guy Berryman (Coldplay)
Colin Greenwood (Radiohead) Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Adam Clayton (U2) Mark Hoppus (Blink-182)
Eric Avery (Jane’s Addiction) Geddy Lee (Rush, solo)
Mike Dirnt (Green Day) Jaco Pastorius (Weather Report, solo)
Nikolai Fraiture (The Strokes) Marcus Miller (Miles Davis, solo)
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) Reggie Hamilton
Gary Jarman (The Cribs) (Queen Latifah, Mariah Cary)
Duff McKagan Michael Rhodes
(Guns N’ Roses, (Taylor Swift, Brooks & Dunn)
Velvet Revolver) Victor Bailey (Weather Report)
Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters) James Johnston (Biffy Clyro)
Sting (Police, solo) Juán Calleros (Mana)
Pete Wentz
(Fall Out Boy, Black Cards)
Matt Freeman
(Rancid, Devils Brigade)
Tony Franklin (The Firm,
Kenny Wayne Shepherd)
Daniel Tichenor
(Cage The Elephant)
CO LIN GR EE NW OO D
R AD IO HE AD
EL
MEND
N A T EF I G H T E R S
FOO Ge ddy Le e
RU SH

Elvis Presley cradles
his exotic Fender
Kingman Wildwood
VI model acoustic,
in this promotional
shot from 1967
“They played it like

that in the shanties
and juke joints and
nobody paid it no mind
’til I goosed it up”
Elvis Presley
Elvis Kingman
Fit for The King

The futuristic Fender Kingman acoustic Elvis sported in his mid-’60s movies
is an iconic instrument, synonymous with The King in his prime. Now Fender
has reissued this legendary model, and we unearth its story…
A
sk anyone to sum tight-knit group of friends dubbed the The Kingman was a dreadnought model
up Elvis Presley’s ‘Memphis Mafia’ would hurl themselves with back and sides constructed using
talents and it’s unlikely into wholesome outdoor pursuits, such as veneer from exotically dyed beechwood,
that guitar playing horse riding. On strict studio orders, the known as the ‘Wildwood’ finish. The range
will come top of the King was earnestly trying to get in shape also featured a Wildwood veneer on the
list. But when it came for the start of filming in April 1967 on his face of the headstock that matched the body,
to steamrolling rhythm accompaniment, 25th movie, Clambake. with bound rosewood fretboards and block
his guitarist ‘Scotty’ Moore said Elvis had The Fender Kingman was used by inlays. The 1967 range of Kingman guitars
an uncanny sense of rhythm and timing. Presley in the movie, and became a boasted six optional colours, each denoted
Johnny Cash was equally complimentary, defining image. It also featured heavily in by the Roman numerals I-VI. Presley’s
classing Presley as one of the greatest the promotional photos for this and his model, which sported blue/green back and
rhythm players he had ever seen. Certainly, previous film, Double Trouble, released as he sides, was the Fender Wildwood VI.
by the time of the famed 1968 ‘comeback’ began shooting for Clambake.
television special Elvis, he was exhibiting The guitar incorporated some of the Signature Model
some nifty touches on the guitar. features established years earlier with Fifty years on from the introduction of
Presley obviously had access to electric guitars, such as a bolt-on maple the Kingman, and 35 years since Presley’s
whichever guitar caught his eye. But one neck with a headstock modelled on that of a untimely death, Fender has launched the
year before the Elvis TV special, in April Stratocaster. It also had a bolted and glued Elvis Kingman signature model. Features
1967, he was introduced to a distinctive bridge with six adjustable steel saddles include Presley’s signature on the front of
acoustic that echoed the visual ethos of the for proper intonation. These electric-style the Wildwood-style headstock; an ivoroid
era – the Fender Kingman. features were revolutionary: they ushered neck and body binding; a maple neck; and
Elvis had just bought a 163-acre ranch in the acoustic guitar firmly into the ’60s, a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with block
Mississippi called Circle G, near Graceland, imbuing it with a contemporary, position inlays and bone nut.
where he, his future wife Priscilla and his almost futuristic aesthetic. The new Kingman also features a solid
spruce top with scalloped X-bracing and
a laminated Wildwood-style back and
sides. It’s an instrument ready and able to
produce the characteristic resonant tone
synonymous with Presley’s playing.
Back in June 1956, Presley was asked
how he developed his distinctive guitar
style. His response was typically forthright,
and like the man himself, had a rhythm all
of its own:
“They played it like that in the
shanties and juke joints and nobody paid
it no mind ’til I goosed it up,” he said.
“I got it from them. Down in
Left to right: Tupelo, Mississippi, I used to hear
Sporting futuristic
old Arthur Crudup bang his box the
electric design
flourishes, the way I do now, and I said if I ever
Kingman was an got to the place I could feel all old
early frontrunner of
Fender’s fledgling Arthur felt, I’d be a music
acoustic range man like nobody ever saw.”

Magazine
TOP SECRET
A glimpse behind the scenes sees Fender’s artisans hard at work on a few surprises for 2012…
Fender’s guitar R&D

staff Conner Herman
(left) and Ryan
Zalevsky (right) deep
in discussion of an
intriguing prototype
design – a honeycomb-
chambered Telecaster
with a graphite neck
G
uitar innovation in 2012 The answer seems to be: do both, but behind the logo? That’s some balancing act.
is a many faceted business, make sure one approach always informs Recent Fender innovations like Relic
and to be successful at it means the other. The Custom Shop feature in this finishing, the Time Machine series and
staying ahead of a game whose issue (see pages 50-61) demonstrates how, Limited Edition ranges, Tele-bration and
ante is always being upped, and where the by combining a mix of decades-old and up- anniversary editions, new pickup types, and
rules could change at any time. to-the-minute technology and the collective exploring the potential of new woods and
Because the truth is, guitarists are expertise of its Master Builders, Fender’s materials have all arisen out of this creative
hard taskmasters. As a tribe, their tastes ‘Dream Factory’ can create instruments that tension between innovation and heritage.
are at once ultra-traditional, revering the are at least the equal of anything from the The guitar above is a perfect example.
designs and craft of the past, while always company’s celebrated golden era. With twin humbucking pickups, weight-
being attuned to daring designs and sonic Yet take a look at the One-offs feature reducing honeycomb chambering and
innovations which will make their sound on page 72, and the same luthiers who can high-tech graphite neck, it’s still a Telecaster
individual and their look stand out. lovingly recreate an artist’s guitar to the last in name, but is about as far from the classic
So if you’re the world’s most celebrated ding in its nitrocellulose can also turn their blueprint as its possible to get. Or is it?
guitar company, how do you satisfy this hands and imaginations to designs that Check back next issue for another
capricious yet conservative crowd, pulling really push the envelope. And it all has to peek at what Fender’s designers are
you in two different directions at once? make sonic sense and live up to the legend dreaming up for 2012 and beyond.

The Deluxe Staggered
Cast/Sealed Locking
Tuning Machines and
series emblem on a
Fender Select Series
Stratocaster
See page 36
FENDER®, STRATOCASTER®, STRAT®, TELECASTER®, TELE®, PRECISION BASS®, P BASS®, JAZZ BASS®,
J BASS®, SQUIER® and the distinctive headstock designs of FENDER guitars and basses, and other FMIC brand
and/or product names used herein, are trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.
M A G A Z I N E All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
PN: 9941000009

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M A G A Z I N E

ISSUE ONE ||| SPRING & SUMMER 20 12 ||| FENDER.COM

Albert Hammond Jr. of

Fender’s You Won’t Part

6 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

Green Day’s Mike Dirnt is a lifelong Fender fan

ISSUE ONE ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

Published on behalf of Fender Musical Instruments

FMIC Fender Musical Instruments Corp,

Fender Europe, Ashurst, Broadlands Business Park,

For Fender Europe

Photography George Chin, Carl Lyttle, Ash Newell,

All information contained in this magazine is for informational

© Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Future Publishing Ltd

Published 30 March 2012

Fender Magazine ||| Fender.com 13

14 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

“This is Fender history and heritage

Below left to right

➽ entertaining and educational exhibits for

16 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

Fender Visitor Centre

Hours of Operation • For safety, guests on the

18 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

“From classic instruments to the tales of

Fender Magazine ||| Fender.com 19

Fender spoke to Green Day

{ DOWN AND DIRNT-Y }

20 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

The Fender Interview

FM: How did this latest What you’ve needed from

www.fender.com/squier for more about Green Day are in the

{ Squier firep ower }

Slipknot and Stone Sour shredder

22 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

Jim Root Telecaster

As an old-school skateboard master,

Fender Magazine ||| Fender.com 23

“The new Mustang Floor

Left and main

Jazzmaster (see page 77)

...Turn to page 26 for more on Alkaline Trio’s guitar

24 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

Fender Magazine ||| Fender.com 25

FM: Why did you choose motorcycle up in Malibu

26 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

{ Alkaline and dandy }

Fender Magazine ||| Fender.com 27

distance the signal has to travel. The

28 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

Here’s our pick of the crop of

Fender Magazine ||| Fender.com 29

32 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

The Strokes’ Albert

‘‘F ender makes a lot of guitars,

36 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

W ho are these Fender Select Series guitars for? Norvell

38 Fender Magazine ||| SPRING & SUMMER 2012

Fender Magazine ||| Fender.com 39