NAMM 2007 Highlights: Fender Strats

By Simon Bradley
published

Amongst a number of innovations, Fender has issued Vintage Hot Rod versions of both the ´57 and ´62 Strat. The idea is to provide classic styling and feel with a number of modern features to suit all players. For example the ‘57 features a DiMarzio Tone Zone in the bridge to go with two SCN single coils, while the ´62 features a trio of US Vintage single-coils with a reverse-wound, reverse-polarity middle unit and our favourite Fender colour of all time: Sherwood green.

Both also offer an ultra-thin nitrocellulose finish and a flatter fingerboard radius, and neatly fill the gap between production models and models from the lauded Custom Shop.

Also benefiting from a rethink is one of Fender´s best selling signature Strats, the Yngwie Malmsteen model. New features are subtle but have been introduced to mimic Malmsteen´s own number one guitar more closely. The three-way switch and trio of DiMarzio pickups remains in place, but the new version will also offer a bullet truss rod nut and machine screw neck mounting.

More from Fender here.

Simon Bradley

Simon Bradley is a guitar and especially rock guitar expert who worked for Total Guitar magazine and has in the past contributed to world-leading music and guitar titles like MusicRadar (obviously), Guitarist, Guitar World and Louder. What he doesn't know about Brian May's playing and, especially, the Red Special, isn't worth knowing.