Fender has partnered with slide guitar master and blues rock guitar guru Ariel Posen for a Custom Shop signature Stratocaster.
Late last year, Posen – who’s largely been associated with a Masterbuilt Jazzmaster and a Mule Resophonic StratoMule over the past few years – gave fans a glimpse of his newest guitar, a Custom Shop Fender that had been designed to repurpose his beloved Jazz into a Strat package.
Now, it seems that guitar has served as the inspiration for this limited-edition release, which looks to offer the same unique tonal capabilities and playability qualities of Posen’s cherished Jazzmaster in a more accessible, ergonomically familiar housing.
That means, yes, this guitar is a Jazzmaster/Stratocaster hybrid, and while it’s not quite as outlandish as the Squier Paranormal Jazz/Tele hybrid, it certainly is an entirely new beast altogether – and, dare we say it, one of the most desirable Strats we’ve seen for some time.
SSS Strats are, of course, classic, but Posen’s pickup tweak here has piqued our interest. In line with his Jazzmaster, the signature Strat features two ‘AP-90’ pickups, which are essentially tweaked Jazz pickups in fresh housings.
This, unsurprisingly, lends the Strat to some truly gnarly tones and as Posen’s demo shows, is best suitable for grumbly leads and rough rhythms.
“I love how the neck pickup on a Strat is always glossy and beautiful,” Posen says of the change. “And I love the two and four positions, and the middle, but I often found it a little limited – like, it wasn't quite enough.
“The Jazzmaster brought in this new palette that was slightly more, but specifically the neck pickup. It was like a Strat neck pickup but a bit more open sounding and, to my ears, a touch more musical.
“The hybrid of the Jazzmaster and the Strat are in this sonically. It’s like that Jazzmaster on steroids but you still have that Strat essence.”
This led to the creation of the AP-90, in collaboration with Tim Shaw, which gives this Strat a wholly unique tone. These are wired to a three-way toggle, as opposed to a Strat-standard blade switch, and master volume and tone controls.
Other Posen-specific specs include a U-shape neck profile meticulously modeled on his 1969 Strat – which was also used for his Jazzmaster – as well as a hardtail six-saddle bridge.
The finish, meanwhile, is a Journeyman Relic Faded Lake Placid Blue, which is strapped to a two-piece select roasted alder body. There’s also a quartersawn AA flame maple neck, round-laminated 9.5” radius rosewood fingerboard, Cupcake control knobs, and vintage-style tuners.
Each guitar will also come with a Moody Leather Ariel Posen guitar strap and the Rock Slide Ariel Posen signature guitar slide.
The Ariel Posen Stratocaster will be available for $6,000.
Head over to the Fender Custom Shop to find out more.
