When it arrived, Cory Wong’s Fender Stratocaster signature guitar immediately found fans thanks to its nifty fourth position-centric wiring and stunning Sapphire Blue Transparent lacquer finish.
Well, that guitar has now been treated to two new limited-edition colorways – and if you thought you liked Wong’s electric guitar then, you’re going to absolutely love it now.
Without complicating things, the guitar has retained its original spec sheet inspired by Wong’s original Highway One Stratocaster, though has arrived with a significant cosmetic overhaul courtesy of two of the Big F’s most popular colorways.
Those colors in question are Surf Green and Daphne Blue, which – when paired with the model’s pearl pickguard – take the already-incredibly-nice-looking six-string to new aesthetic heights.
Both models can be seen in action in the video below, which sees Cory Wong jam with, erm, Cory Wong, in a bid to showcase the sights and sounds of the two limited offerings.
As we said above, the new looks have been matched with the tried-and-trusted tones of Wong’s flagship signature model, which come by way of Seymour Duncan Cory Wong Clean Machine single-coils.
Just like the Sapphire Blue iteration, the Surf Green and Daphne Blue examples have a pickup position “panic button” wired in, allowing players to revert straight back to the funk master’s favored fourth position with a push/pull tone pot.
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The core of the instrument is headed up by an alder body – scaled-down and sculpted for extra comfort and playability – as well as a maple American Ultra modern D neck, affixed to the body via a curved neck heel. A rosewood fingerboard with rolled edges, dot inlays and a 10”-14” compound radius also makes the cut.
Other notable appointments include deluxe locking tuners, a vintage-style tremolo bridge, a custom neck plate, a subtly modified headstock shape and even an accompanying hair tie – affixable to the tremolo springs – to achieve Wong’s famed rhythm tone.
“I’ve wanted to release the Cory Wong Stratocaster in other colors since the original Sapphire Blue Transparent version was released in 2021,” Wong said of his new guitars. “I'm a visual person and believe the look of a guitar can affect the approach one takes to playing it.
“Certain instruments can draw things out of a musician, and the vibe of the instrument definitely plays a role in that,” he added. “With the release of these two new colors, my goal was to provide players with a guitar that exudes a bright, fun energy.”
As far as we’re concerned, it’s going to take a monumental effort to pip these two beauties as 2023’s nicest-looking signature guitars, though that probably speaks volumes to the timelessness of Fender’s Surf Green and Daphne Blue finishes.
Regardless, Wong’s personal flourishes seem to elevate things further: the smaller body is a really nice touch, and who wouldn't want a fourth position panic button?
Because of their limited nature – though an actual number hasn't been confirmed – the Surf Green and Daphne Blue models are slightly pricier, weighing in at $2,249 apiece, in comparison to the $2,199 original.
For more information, head over to Fender.
