Audioslave, Slipknot and legendary instrumentalist artist signature models unveiled
(Image credit: Fender)
NAMM 2020: Fender has announced its artist signature electric guitar models for this year’s show: the Tom Morello Soul Power Stratocaster, Jim Root Jazzmaster V4 and Eric Johnson ‘Virginia’ Stratocaster.
As teased last week, Tom Morello has partnered with Fender to launch a production-line version of his primary guitar during his time with Chris Cornell-fronted supergroup Audioslave.
Based on Morello’s modified Designer/Aerodyne Series Strat, the Soul Power features a bound alder slab body with Deep C-shape maple neck and 9.5-14” compound radius rosewood fretboard.
Morello’s signature features appear in the Floyd Rose locking tremolo (which was an Ibanez Edge on the original), Seymour Duncan Hot Rails stacked bridge humbucker, two Fender noiseless single coils in the neck and middle, plus a kill switch.
A Soul Power body decal is, of course, included, as is a black Fender case - the model is only available in black.
Regardless of whether you enjoy Morello’s fretboard pyrotechnics, this is one nicely spec’d all-out rock guitar. It lands in March.
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Jim Root Jazzmaster V4 - $1,399
(Image credit: Fender)
Jim Root’s existing signature Jazzmaster has been serving as his primary guitar for some time, but the Slipknot guitarist has revamped the model for 2020.
As per the original, this is as stripped-back as electric guitars get, with just a single volume control, three-way pickup selector and hardtail bridge.
Other features include a slab mahogany body, maple neck with bound ebony fingerboard and 12” radius and pearloid block inlays.
It’s available from March.
Eric Johnson ‘Virginia’ Stratocaster - $2,499
(Image credit: Fender)
Recent years have seen the legendary virtuoso turn his hand to semi-hollow designs, but for 2020, Fender has recreated Eric Johnson’s 1954 ‘Virginia’ Stratocaster, which appears on landmark albums Tones and Platinum Ah Via Musicom.
This marks the first time this guitar has been recreated, and boasts a rare rift/quartersawn sassafras body, lacquer finish, custom wiring and more.
Other info is thin on the ground right now, but we do know that this model kicks off Fender’s all-new Stories Collection, which promises to celebrate “the guitars that shaped history’s most iconic music and the details that made them unique”.
The ‘Virginia’ Strat is available in 2-Color Sunburst only from February.
Head over to Fender for more info on all the new models.
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.
