Fender Custom Shop debuts the supercharged Stratocaster 1

Fender Custom Shop has unveiled the sleek, one-of-a-kind Stratocaster 1, inspired by the Saleen 1 super sports car.

The Stratocaster 1 was a collaboration between Fender Custom Shop and Saleen Automotive, and was born out of Master Builder Ron Thorn’s love for fast cars.

The Stratocaster 1’s standout feature is its single humbucking pickup that’s housed beneath a tinted plexiglass window, mirroring the aesthetics of the Saleen 1’s mid engine. The guitar also comes with a unique control system: floor-based pedals in place of conventional switches and knobs. The Stratocaster 1’s volume and tone control are housed in a separate pedalboard unit, which also comes with an additional wah modulation.

The hot-rodded guitar also features carbon fibre shell for its back and sides, paired with a hand-carved maple top, finished in a striking Saleen Candy Apple Red. An alder centre core and a quarter-sawn maple neck paired with a three-ply carbon fibre fingerboard make up the rest of the more obvious features of the Stratocaster 1.

“It was a great opportunity to stretch out on guitar building. [We got to try] all sorts of new things… [like] carbon fibre fibreglass, a foot pedal control box [and] a plexiglas pickup cover,” Thorn said. “And you think about the vehicle itself – the Saleen 1; it’s unique. Their own engine, their own body shape – I think it’s a good homage.”

Watch the full video of the Stratocaster 1 below:

More information on the guitar here.