Fender Guitars Standard HSS Stratocaster (Black, Maple Fretboard) - 2011

New Fender Guitars Standard HSS Stratocaster (Black, Maple Fretboard)
-Classic Strat Styling with Modern Features
When Leo Fender introduced the world to his newest creation, the Stratocaster®, nobody could possibly have known it would change the face of contemporary music forever. In the beginning, there was just one Strat® configuration with three single coil pickups. Today there's a Strat to match everyone's budget or their playing style. The HSS Fat Strat™ is a modern take on a classic design with the addition of a humbucking pickup in the bridge position and special switching for a nearly infinite range of tones. So whether you play country, blues, heavy metal or R&B, the Fat Strat can deliver the sound you want.

-Lightweight alder body with fully shielded body cavities
Like most contemporary Strats, the Fat Strat features a lightweight, "comfort contoured" alder body which has actually changed very little since the first Strats rolled off the production lines in 1954. However, this new version has shielded body cavities for quieter operation and reduced hum, which is particularly important with single-coil pickups - they sound great but could get a bit noisy at times.

-Vintage Style tremolo with high mass bridge block
While there's no denying the fact that Leo Fender's guitar designs were an amazing blend of art and engineering, it was the erroneously named synchronized tremolo (it's actually a vibrato) that may well have been his most inspired bit of engineering. With it you could bend notes or even entire chords up or down without throwing the guitar out of tune. Even though Fender has continued to improve upon the tremolo, many players simply prefer the look and feel of the original. In the Fat Strat®, there's also a high mass bridge block for improved sustain and overall tone.

-Two standard single coil pickups (neck and middle) with bridge Humbucker™
The Stratocaster® was the first production line guitar with three pickups, and that basic configuration is just as popular today as it was in 1954. While the Fat Strat has three pickups, only two are the original single-coil design. By adding a humbucking pickup with coil tapping in the bridge position, Fender has added some slightly more aggressive sounds to the Strat's sonic arsenal.

Maple neck and fingerboard with modern "C" shape and satin polyester finish
Leo Fender wasn't a guitar player. In fact, he got his start repairing radios. So he had no idea that guitars weren't supposed to have maple necks. In time, those blond maple necks became a Fender trademark. While the company eventually offered rosewood fingerboards, this Fat Strat has a maple neck and fingerboard, which can deliver a little extra bite. In keeping with contemporary tastes, this Strat has the modern "C" shape maple neck with a satin polyester finish.