Since the launch of H.E.R.’s Chrome Glow-finished signature Fender Stratocaster in 2020, we’ve seen the R&B guitarist wield a series of eye-catching six-strings, most recently a one-of-a-kind '56 Strat-inspired model with an insane “stained glass” aesthetic during a live-action performance of Beauty and the Beast broadcast on ABC.
So, in the spirit of expanding her repertoire of head-turning guitars, she’s teamed up with her old pals at Fender to create a new limited-edition colorway for her signature Stratocaster.
Boasting a new Blue Marlin finish – inspired by the singer-songwriter's father, Kenny, who would take her on fishing trips growing up – the new Fender Limited H.E.R. Stratocaster also features a one-piece maple neck with a mid-’60s C profile, 21-fret fingerboard with a 9.5” radius, and Fender Vintage Noiseless Stratocaster single-coil pickups.
Elsewhere, the guitar features an alder body, vintage-style tuners, six-screw synchronized tremolo and a custom neck plate engraved with H.E.R.-designed artwork.
Accompanying the launch of the guitar, Fender has released a video in which the Grammy Award winner discusses with her father her musical origins, and how they ultimately fed the creation of the Limited H.E.R. Strat. Check it out below.
“I distinctly remember my father teaching me how to play my first blues scale on a Fender mini black-and-white Stratocaster," H.E.R. said in a press release. "Filming this interview with him, reflecting on my musical journey, and the development of my second signature Fender guitar has been a surreal ‘pinch me’ moment.
“I designed my Limited Edition Stratocaster guitar with a color, shape and sound that is 100 percent my own so that young women and players from all backgrounds feel inspired to pick up this guitar, tap into their thoughts and create amazing music.”
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The launch of the H.E.R.'s Signature Stratocaster in 2020 marked a pivotal moment in Fender history, as she became the first Black female artist in the company’s roster of signature guitarists.
The H.E.R. Limited Blue Marlin Stratocaster is available now for $1,349, limited to 300 units worldwide. For more information, head to Fender.
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Sam was Staff Writer at GuitarWorld.com from 2019 to 2023, and also created content for Total Guitar, Guitarist and Guitar Player. He has well over 15 years of guitar playing under his belt, as well as a degree in Music Technology (Mixing and Mastering). He's a metalhead through and through, but has a thorough appreciation for all genres of music. In his spare time, Sam creates point-of-view guitar lesson videos on YouTube under the name Sightline Guitar.