Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready and Fender’s Custom Shop have released a limited edition replica of his signature vintage 1960 Stratocaster.
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Originally announced earlier this year, when it was revealed that McCready’s iconic ‘59 Strat was actually a ‘60 model, the news coincides with the 30th anniversary of the band’s debut album, ‘Ten’.
The replica is described as a faithful recreation that “accounts for every spec, detail and iconic scratch,” and boasts a heavy relic lacquer finish, flat-sawn flame maple neck with period-accurate ‘60 oval-C profile, and a flat-lam rosewood fretboard.
Speaking to Guitar World, McCready described the model as “probably the best-playing guitar I have.”
In our first-ever collab w/ @MikeMcCreadyPJ, Vincent Van Trigt set out to recreate his beloved ‘59 Strat down to every last scratch. W/ a Relic lacquer finish & custom Josefina hand-wound pickups, it's a faithful tribute to McCready's road-tested favorite: https://t.co/V1TwiGm2Pt pic.twitter.com/am2Zh9s3bZ
— Fender (@Fender) April 8, 2021
“The greatest thing I can say about the guitar is that after Fender sent me the prototype, I picked it up thinking it was my original,” he said in the interview. “I sat there playing for a little bit, and then finally I was like, ‘Wait a minute…’
“Once I could afford a quality guitar, I immediately went for a vintage Stratocaster. It was my dream guitar because of my love for Stevie Ray Vaughan, and as my musical aspirations were coming true I had to have it. It was the first significant guitar that I bought, never thinking I could ever own one before Pearl Jam happened.”
Vincent Van Trigt, the Master Builder behind the new model, added: “It was an honour to deconstruct and recreate Mike’s vintage 1960 Stratocaster. He plays an esteemed model, and the unique story behind its history gives even more character to the road-worn guitar we aimed to recreate.”
McCready is the latest rock musician to collaborate on a guitar release with Fender, after Chrissie Hynde launched her own range with the legendary brand in February this year.
Last week (March 31) BST Hyde Park revealed that this year’s event won’t go ahead in July due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The event will be back in 2022 and will see Pearl Jam and Duran Duran – who were set to headline this year’s event – return in 2022.
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