This Fender Stratocaster is made entirely from agave plants

Fender is no stranger to alternative materials for its most iconic electric - after all, who could forget 2015's cardboard Strat? - but for 2017, the California guitar co has partnered with tequila brand Jose Cuervo Tradicional to build a Stratocaster made entirely from the agave plant.

All traditional wood elements are replaced by agave plant, including the body, 21-fret neck and fingerboard, resulting in a body weight of around 6.5 pounds.

It's finished off by Fender hardware, a custom-engraved neck plate with Jose Cuervo inscription, and hand-wound Fat '50s pickups.

The whole guitar took over 30 hours to design and build, while five days were spent agave stalk harvesting and guitar sealing, so don't expect agave to usurp alder any time soon.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional has previously built agave car parts with Ford, and collaborated with surfer Gary Linden on a 100% agave surfboard.

What form will the humble Strat take next? Answers on a sustainably sourced postcard, please.

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Michael Astley-Brown

Mike has been Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com since 2019, and an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict for far longer. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and 15 years' experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Radiohead's Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. His writing also appears in the The Cambridge Companion to the Electric Guitar. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock as Maebe.