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Fender Custom Shop didn’t match ESP’s all-out flamboyance this year, but instead it captured attention with an understated, movingly beautiful gem — the “Tree Siren Stratocaster.” The most exquisite guitar in this year’s Fender Custom Shop collection, the “Tree Siren Stratocaster” was made by master builder Dale Wilson and features artwork by Canadian artist Mandy Tsung and inlay work by craftsman Ron Thorn.
Californian artist David Lozeau teamed up with Fender this year to create four special edition standard Stratocasters with a limited run of 500 each. The “Tree of Life” design replicates Lozeau’s original painting and is the most striking of four. Lozeau told Hardrock Haven that his interest in Mexican culture, Californian serial killer myths and tattoo art found its way into the paint jobs he did for Fender. The other three designs are “Sacred Heart,” “Dragon” and “Rose Tattoo.” All Lozeau guitars feature maple necks with a “C” profile, maple and rosewood finger-boards with 21 medium jumbo frets, three standard Stratocaster pickups and vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridges.
Special Edition David Lozeau Art Stratocaster®
However, the first thing that jumped out at you in the Fender room was the Sand-Blasted Ash Stratocaster and Telecaster. First, the transparent Sapphire Blue or Crimson Red finish is applied, and then the ash body is sand blasted, exposing the gritty texture of the wood pattern, which later is enhanced with black grain filler. The Stratocaster features a maple fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets, three American Standard single-coil Stratocaster pickups with five-way switching, “no-load” tone control for middle and bridge pickups and vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridges.
The Telecaster features a maple neck with “C” profile, maple fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets, dual American Standard single-coil Telecaster pickups with three-way switching, Greasebucket tone circuits and American Vintage string-through-body Telecaster bridges with three chrome “barrel” saddles.
The new limited-edition American Standard Double-Cut Telecaster is another eye-catcher that looks classic, yet stands out with its unusual body shape. The Custom Shop Twisted single-coil neck pickups and vintage-style Custom Shop single-coil Telecaster pickups offer the rich Telecaster tone.
The New Fender 10 for 15 Program
Over at Charvel, two n
ew Warren DeMartini signature guitars drew a crowd. The new Pro-Mod Warren DeMartini Signature Snake model and the Blood and Skull pro model were designed and built to DeMartini’s demanding specifications. Features include a custom-designed Seymour Duncan humbucker, Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder in the neck position, alder body, quarter-sawn rock maple neck with compound radius maple fingerboard, a San Dimas neck backshape, Charvel machine heads and a FRT-1000 Floyd Rose tremolo.
As far as crazy paintwork goes, Ibanez is going head-to-head with Fender this year with its Joe Satriani JS25ART signature limited-edition custom shop guitars. The artwork was produced by Satriani, himself, and every guitar is unique. Fifty models have been produced, with 25 for the United States. The NAMM price tag was $7,999 USD. The guitars feature a basswood body, a 1-piece maple neck with a rosewood fretboard, an original Edge tremolo, two DiMarzio humbucker pickups, Satch Track for the neck pickup and a Mo’Joe bridge pickup. Push/pull for, both, vol and tone pots activate a high-pass filter and a coil tap. The 24-fret neck is the thinnest JS neck ever made.
Associating not only with superstars, but with the best of up-and-coming players too, Ibanez re-cently announced French neoclassical virtuoso Stéphan Forté as its new endorsee. On Day 3, Forté demoed his custom Ibanez Guitars, 7 strings/27 frets S, featuring a custom Seymour Duncan neck pickup. Forté is a new-generation player of phenomenal technique and said he loves this instrument, which seems to be perfectly suited to his fierce musical temperament and super-fast shred chops.
While Forte switched from Lag to Ibanez in 2013, over at the Korg USA sound room teen virtuoso Dario Lorina (and the newly recruited Black Label Society guitarist) was demoing Lag guitars. It is rare to hear a player as technically accomplished with such great feel for melody as Lorina. He made acoustic and electric guitars sound full of body and presence by playing highly charged instrumental numbers from his self-titled solo album released in 2013, as well as singing “Ain’t No Sunshine” with reserved grace, while accompanying himself on the acoustic guitar.
At Carvin, Jason Becker’s new signature “Numbers” guitar was turning heads. It honors the original tribute guitar, but it includes changes introduced by Becker, such as the number inlays and the headstock as a multicolor logo. This guitar has a 24-fret, bolt-on neck, 25.5-inch scale, Seymour Duncan pickups with Becker’s signature Perpetual Burn in the bridge, a Jazz in the neck position, a Floyd Rose, Ash body, a maple neck and a maple fingerboard. The proceeds from each sold guitar go to Jason Becker Special Needs to help out Becker and his family. Unlimited quantities will be available beginning Feb 1. Purchase price is $1,599 USD. Chris Broderick visited Carvin Guitars to check out the guitar. Broderick later stated on Instagram that he had to “Pay respects to my hero Jason Becker.”
Video demo of the Jason Becker new signature Carvin guitar — “Numbers”
The Greg Howe signature model became another attention magnet at Carvin. It features a 24-fret bolt neck, chambered alder body, 20-inch radius, bird’s eye maple fretboard, propriety vintage standard bridge, brand-new signature humbucker pickup (yet to be named) in the bridge, the Carvin twin-blade in the neck and California burst flame top. The guitar has been chambered for two reasons: Howe likes lightweight guitars, and it provides the tone for which he and Carvin were looking. The five-piece maple neck makes sure the instrument stays stable during all conditions.
Video demo of Greg Howe’s signature Carvin guitar
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