Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
  • Guitars
  • Amps
  • Pedals
  • Drums
  • Synths
  • Software
  • Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Recording
  • Buyer’s guides
  • Live
  • DJ
  • Advice
  • Acoustic
  • Bass
  • About Us
  • More
    • Reviews
Magazines
  • Computer Music
  • Electronic Musician
  • Future Music
  • Keyboard Magazine
  • Guitarist
  • Guitar Techniques
  • Total Guitar
  • Bass Player
More
  • How to make an AI cover song
  • 30 beautiful acoustic guitar chords
  • 86000+ free music samples

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  1. News

Fender goes back to black with 3 Noir guitars and basses

By Michael Astley-Brown
( Total Guitar )
published 15 February 2017

Special Edition satin-finished Tele, Strat HSS and P-Bass on the way

None more black

None more black

There were several exciting Fender launches at NAMM - most notably, the American Professional and Exotic Wood lines - but backstage, we also spotted this sleek trio, which The Big F has now officially announced as the Special Edition Noir series.

Comprising a new Telecaster, Stratocaster HSS and P-Bass, the made-in-Mexico models all have Satin Black finishes, three-ply black/red/black scratchplates and tidy £539 price tags in common.

Head on through the gallery for a closer look at each model, and visit Fender for more info. The Noir series will be available from May.

Page 1 of 4
Page 1 of 4
Fender Special Edition Telecaster Noir
£539

Fender Special Edition Telecaster Noir

PRESS RELEASE: Professional guitarists in all musical genres have relied on the Fender Telecaster guitar since its early 1950s introduction for its powerful tone and smooth playability. Now available in a Special Edition Satin Black finish with matching headcap and unique Black pickguard with contrasting Red center layer, the Standard Telecaster combines the best of old and new.

Time-honored Fender style and performance-minded modern upgrades don’t have to break the bank, and this model delivers the best of both for any player.

Full specs

  • Body Material: Alder
  • Body Finish: Polyester
  • Neck: Maple, Modern “C”
  • Neck Finish: Satin Urethane with Matched Headcap
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5” (241 mm)
  • Frets: 21, Medium Jumbo
  • Position Inlays: White Dot
  • Nut (Material/Width): Synthetic Bone, 1.650” (42 mm)
  • Tuning Machines: Fender Standard Cast/Sealed
  • Scale Length: 25.5” (648 mm)
  • Bridge: 6-Saddle Standard Strings-Through-Body Tele with Block Saddles
  • Pickguard: 3-Ply Black/Red/Black
  • Pickups: Standard Single-Coil Tele (Bridge), Standard Single-Coil Tele (Neck)
  • Pickup Switching: 3-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
  • Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
  • Control Knobs: Knurled Flat-Top
  • Hardware Finish: Chrome
Page 2 of 4
Page 2 of 4
Fender Special Edition Stratocaster Noir HSS
£539

Fender Special Edition Stratocaster Noir HSS

PRESS RELEASE: The Special Edition Stratocaster Noir HSS guitar combines legendary Fender tone with classic styling. Now available in a Special Edition Satin Black finish with matching headcap and unique Black pickguard with striking Red center layer, this elegant and affordable classic also includes a huge-sounding humbucking bridge pickup.

Time-honored Fender style and performance-minded modern upgrades don’t have to break the bank, and this model delivers the best of both for any player.

Full specs

  • Body Material: Alder
  • Body Finish: Polyester
  • Neck: Maple, Modern “C” Neck
  • Finish: Satin Urethane with Matched Headcap
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5” (241 mm)
  • Frets: 21, Medium Jumbo
  • Position Inlays: White Dot
  • Nut (Material/Width): Synthetic Bone, 1.650” (42 mm)
  • Tuning Machines: Standard Cast/Sealed
  • Scale Length: 25.5” (648 mm)
  • Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo
  • Pickguard: 3-Ply Black/Red/Black
  • Pickups: Standard Humbucking (Bridge), Standard Single-Coil Strat (Middle), Standard Single-Coil Strat (Neck)
  • Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade, Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Front Coil of Bridge Pickup and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle/Neck Pickups, Position 5. Neck Pickup
  • Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Middle Pickup)
  • Control Knobs:Black Plastic
  • Hardware Finish: Chrome
Page 3 of 4
Page 3 of 4
Fender Special Edition Precision Bass Noir
£539

Fender Special Edition Precision Bass Noir

PRESS RELEASE: The Special Edition Precision Bass Noir is an elegant and affordable classic designed for the bassist who appreciates sleek style and muscular tone. Now available in a Special Edition Satin Black finish with matching headcap and unique Black pickguard with striking Red center layer, this bass is sure to make a statement on stage or in the studio.

Time-honored Fender style and performance-minded modern upgrades don’t have to break the bank, and this model delivers the best of both for any player.

Full specs

  • Body Material: Alder
  • Body Finish: Polyester
  • Neck: Maple, Modern “C” Neck
  • Finish: Satin Urethane with Matched Headcap
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5” (241 mm)
  • Frets: 20, Medium Jumbo
  • Position Inlays: White Dot
  • Nut (Material/Width): Synthetic Bone, 1.625” (41.3 mm)
  • Tuning Machines: Standard Open-Gear
  • Scale Length: 34” (864 mm)
  • Bridge: 4-Saddle Standard Vintage-Style with Single Groove Saddles
  • Pickguard: 3-Ply Black/Red/Black
  • Pickups: Standard Split Single-Coil Precision Bass
  • Pickup Switching: None
  • Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
  • Control Knobs: Knurled Flat-Top
  • Hardware Finish: Chrome
Page 4 of 4
Page 4 of 4
Michael Astley-Brown
Michael Astley-Brown
Social Links Navigation

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.

Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition. image
Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition.
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
More about guitars
Fender Play deal

Learn guitar for the price of a coffee - Fender Play is only $3.13 per month with this colossal 75% discount

Damon Albarn

Damon Albarn slams The Rolling Stones and their new album Hackney Diamonds: “Making exactly the same music but not that good. There must be no joy in doing something like this"

Latest
Sepultura drummer Eloy Casagrande is rumoured to be joining Slipknot

Sepultura announce split, so does this mean Eloy Casagrande is going to be the new drummer in Slipknot?

See more latest ►
Most Popular
It's game on for Roland and its all new Ice White Edition Bridge Cast

By Andy Jones8 December 2023

The story of Fairytale Of New York: “I sat down, opened the sherry, got the peanuts out and pretended it was Christmas…"

By Neil Crossley8 December 2023

Jackson expands its Japanese made MJ Series with a pair of high-end shred-ready RR24MGs in two classic pinstripe finishes

By Jonathan Horsley7 December 2023

Ableton’s Push 3 Upgrade Kit is here, and It looks like it’s incredibly easy to turn your MIDI controller version into a standalone instrument

By Ben Rogerson7 December 2023

Nevermind the other festive guitar deals, the iconic Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang has 20% off at Fender

By Daryl Robertson7 December 2023

How Meduza almost abandoned billion-streaming global hit Piece of Your Heart: “We couldn’t figure out what to do with it - we were actually close to junking it”

By Andy Price7 December 2023

Lzzy Hale and Kramer team up for one of the loudest looking electric guitars you’ll see – a Voyager finished in high-voltage Black Diamond Holographic Sparkle

By Jonathan Horsley7 December 2023

Nail David Gilmour’s Wish You Were Here tones with Crazy Tube Circuits’ Hi Power, an amp-in-a-box drive pedal based on a Hiwatt amp and Coloursound Power Boost

By Jonathan Horsley7 December 2023

"It was the machine that made electronic music accessible": The 5 vintage synths that gave us synth-pop

By Andy Jones7 December 2023

Wampler has made a new version of its wonderful Tumnus overdrive pedal – so is this Germanium version better or just different?

By Rob Laing7 December 2023

Bitwig Studio 5.1 is now available and adds "10 new characters": is this the most creative DAW ever?

By Andy Jones7 December 2023

  1. Michiru Aoyama
    1
    Japanese ambient musician Michiru Aoyama has woken at 5am to record a new album every day since 2021 – he's now earning $3,000 a month from his music on Spotify and Bandcamp
  2. 2
    “The union passed a motion to ban the use of synths, drum machines and any electronic devices”: the day the 'Loony' Musician's Union tried to kill the synthesizer (which also happened to be Bob Moog’s birthday)
  3. 3
    Has guitarist Andy Wood just made the ultimate Eddie Van Halen pedalboard?
  4. 4
    John Lennon's 10 greatest songs with the Beatles and beyond, ranked by you
  5. 5
    Ableton’s Push 3 Upgrade Kit is here, and It looks like it’s incredibly easy to turn your MIDI controller version into a standalone instrument
  1. udo
    1
    7 of the best new hardware synths in 2023
  2. 2
    “I don’t want to generalise and say that he made everything sound good, but he did”: Joe Satriani reveals his strategy for replicating Eddie Van Halen’s tone on upcoming Sammy Hagar tour
  3. 3
    Japanese ambient musician Michiru Aoyama has woken at 5am to record a new album every day since 2021 – he's now earning $3,000 a month from his music on Spotify and Bandcamp
  4. 4
    Has guitarist Andy Wood just made the ultimate Eddie Van Halen pedalboard?
  5. 5
    The story of Fairytale Of New York: “I sat down, opened the sherry, got the peanuts out and pretended it was Christmas…"

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.