Bruno Mars Teams Up With Fender For Custom Stratocaster
Bruno Mars has collaborated with Fender to release a new signature guitar, inspired by Jimi Hendrix and Prince. The ‘Bruno Mars Stratocaster’ will be a limited-edition model. A statement from Fender says that “Mars envisioned an instrument with class that could still appeal to the most technically driven shredders.”
Mars said in a statement: “I don’t think of myself as a guitar player. I’m more of a frustrated songwriter. Every song is like a puzzle you have to solve, and a good guitar can bring something out of you that can help take you to the finish line. That’s what I wanted from this guitar.”
He continued: “It was also important to have a workhorse that I could depend on for performing live and writing in the studio, whether it be rhythm or lead.”
Fender added that “the guitar is an accurate recreation of Mars’ beloved 1969 Stratocaster neck shape” and that “the Signature Stratocaster features sleek, vintage elements, designed to be both played and admired… The Limited Edition Bruno Mars Stratocaster is crafted from resonant ash with sculpted American Ultra body contours for superior comfort and unparalleled access to the upper registers of the fingerboard. The Mars Mocha Heirloom™ nitrocellulose lacquer finish creates a gracefully aged aesthetic while allowing for maximum resonance and pure tone.”
The guitar manufacturer goes on to claim that the new model is, “A guitar as bold and electrifying as the man himself, the Limited Edition Bruno Mars Stratocaster® is a must-have for players seeking classic Strat® sparkle with a silky twist.”
The Stratocaster also features some “subtle leopard print accents” as nods to Jimi Hendrix and Prince – two of Mars’ guitar-playing heroes. It also comes “loaded with a set of custom-voiced pick-ups that will allow players to emulate Mars’ buoyant tone and singing leads,”according to Fender.