Gas Supply
Our pick of the month’s most delectable and wallet-bothering new gear
Fender Kenny Wayne Shepherd Stratocaster £1,899 Just another pretty Fender Stratocaster…
When was that ever a bad thing? Okay, we admit, on the face of it this is your classic early 60s Strat. The beautifully contoured body; a bolt on slim C profile maple neck; not to mention a rosewood fingerboard with your old-school 184mm (7.25-inch) radius.These are the kind of details you’d expect blues rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd to spec on a signature guitar. That said, this glimpse at the spec sheet is just the jumping off point for something a wee bit different…
And what, pray tell, does this Kenny Wayne Shepherd character know about Strats?
KWS has been Greyfriars Bobby-level loyal to Stratocasters for over 25 years. Along with Jonny Lang and Joe Bonamassa, Kenny Wayne was one of the original 90s ‘foetuses with Strats’, a group of kids who helped blues survive the untimely passing of Stevie Ray Vaughan. So, when it comes to Strats, like a Frenchman in a striped jumper sitting on a bike, KWS knows his onions.
What’s the full story on the guitar?
Well, while there are no telltale f-holes to give the game away, the body is made from chambered ash. We don’t have the stats yet but given that an ash body is generally quite light, the chambered version should be a real featherweight. Fender reckons the body is “resonant with articulate tone” and the ash offers “stunning grain patterns”. They would say that…
You can see the wood, then?
Indeed. It’s not just a clever name. The Transparent Sonic Blue finish is not only faded, it’s also translucent so you can eyeball the pretty tree flesh entombed beneath. Sonic Blue is a popular late 50s/early 60s custom colour. Its cool factor is increased by the fact that George Harrison and John Lennon of The Beatles both owned 1961 Sonic Blue Strats (George later painted his and called it ‘Rocky’). Faded Sonic Blue is one of the most popular finishes for Fender Custom Shop Stratocasters but Kenny Wayne has given it a subtle twist with the whole see-through thing. You’ll also notice that the headstock has also been finished in Faded Sonic Blue, too. That’s a cool 60s touch.
And what’s the deal with those block fingerboard inlays?
The ’board is also bound. These were deluxe features originally spec’d on 60s Fender Jazzmasters, the guitar that was once higher in the pecking order than the Strat.
As it happens, Fender had intentions to offer a Strat with a B&B (bound and blocked) neck in early ’66 but soon dropped the idea. Kenny Wayne saw the prototype and wanted that look for his signature model. The pearloid blocks tie in with the equally pearly scratchplate for your classic ‘love it or hate it’ aesthetic.
The vintage ’board radius is a slight concern…
A well set-up 184mm (7.25-inch) radius Strat can feel great. KWS has upgraded the performance with the installation of 21 jumbo-sized frets – that should help with your 12th fret and beyond noodling.You should also know that this guitar’s neck shape is “almost identical” to the profile on KWS’s favourite ’61 Strat according to the dude himself.
Anything else I need to know?
The hardware is vintage correct aside from Graph Tech bridge saddles. More importantly, Kenny Wayne couldn’t keep his beak out when it came to designing the pickups for his new guitar. The vibe he’s gone after here is vintageplus. In other words, all the glassy clarity you’d expect from a 60s Fender mapped with a bit more power. That’s the perfect formula for someone who plays modern blues rock, funnily enough…