CEO Andy Mooney confirms plans for diverse new models
Could a Samantha Fish Jazzmaster be on the cards?(Image credit: Future)
Fender’s line-up of signature artists includes electric guitar players from a multitude of genres and backgrounds, yet there’s one thing nearly all of them have in common: a Y chromosome. But that’s all set to change in 2020, according to CEO Andy Mooney.
“That was a big ‘aha’ for us when we did the first research,” Mooney says.
45% of the guitars we sell every year go to first-time players, and half of those first-time players were women. That was a shocker
“45% of the guitars we sell every year go to first-time players, and half of those first-time players were women. That was a shocker.
“But part of why I think we didn't realize it and didn't have visibility to it was: a) women were opting more often to buy an acoustic guitar than an electric guitar for the first guitar, and b) they were more likely to buy online than in a traditional store. And I think we'd all agree that guitar stores can be intimidating venues for any beginner player. And even more so, I think, for women because of lack of female sales associates.
“So that insight fundamentally changed what we did in artist relations. And then product development from the point of view of developing signature guitars: we’ll introduce more signature guitars for female artists next year than we've done in our entire 70-year history in a very broad range of genres and personalities. So we're pretty excited.”
Could a Susan Tedeschi Strat be on the cards for 2020? (Image credit: Mark Horton/Getty Images)
To our knowledge, producing just three signature models for female artists would exceed those built over the past seven decades, which have included the Bonnie Raitt Stratocaster, Avril Lavigne Squier Telecaster and Newporter acoustic, and the iconic Mary Kaye Stratocaster - although the latter has the accolade of being the first custom Strat ever produced, rather than a signature model.
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A quick browse of Fender’s website reveals there are no signature models for female guitarists currently in production, and we can’t wait for that to change - anything that broadens the remit of the signature guitar is fantastic news for players of all genders.
We’ve suggested who we consider the most likely candidates for signature guitars and their associated models below - we’ve been waiting a while, so it’s a long list...
Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.
