“I was really delving into the nuance of why a guitar sounds the way it does”: One of The Edge's personal Strats is up for auction for a good cause

The Edge's signature Stratocaster – inspired by his all-time favorite guitar, his 1973 black Strat – was released in 2016 and promised to capture his signature tone. Now discontinued, one of the U2 guitarist's personal signature Strats has been donated to a charity auction.

The guitar has been played by The Edge at home and in his demo studio. It comes with the original Fender The Edge case, and will also be signed by The Edge.

In addition to the guitar, Universal Audio has contributed three UAFX Amp Emulation pedals that The Edge relies on for his signature sound to the auction, namely, the Dream '65 Reverb Amplifier, Ruby '63 Top Boost Amplifier, and the Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier, collectively valued at $1,200. 

In a 2006 interview with Guitar World, The Edge talked about the work that went into creating his signature guitar: “I wasn't slavishly trying to recreate a '70s instrument. I just knew the aspects that I loved and wanted to preserve, and then I wanted to see if I could improve them. I experimented a lot.

“I was really kind of delving into the nuance of why a guitar sounds the way it does. I tried a couple of them on the road, thinking that the ash body and rosewood neck might deliver more of a classic Strat sound, but I reverted back to the heavy alder body and the maple neck. That’s what works for me as a songsmith.”

This Edge signature Strat is currently valued at $75,000, with the opening bid set at $30,000. The winning bid will support Venice Family Clinic and fund critical healthcare services for people in need in Los Angeles. For more information about the auction, visit the Venice Family Clinic auction page.