Richie Kotzen's signature Stratocaster was one of those instances where the Japanese market is treated to a super-cool Fender electric guitar that the rest of the world wants and wants badly.
Maybe it was the figured maple veneer over ash, the eye-popping grain complemented by gold hardware, the DiMarzio electric guitar pickups – not to mention the tip-top MIJ Build.
Well, Fender is nothing if not aware of these demands, and has duly offered Kotzen’s signature guitar to all territories.
Kotzen has a long history of signature gear with Fender. He has had Telecasters and Strats. But this – arguably – takes the cake. It does look like the sort of Japan exclusive you rarely see in other markets.
Offered in Transparent Red Burst and White Burst, the Kotzen Strat is a serious guitar, and priced accordingly at £2,299/$1,779. Those gold Gotoh tuners with pearl buttons to match the pickguards only sweeten the deal. And take a closer look at that fingerboard. Yes, those dot inlays are abalone. Oh, Kotzen, you fancy pants.
Kotzen says it was the feel of Fender guitars that first gave him the bug. He was looking for a very particular tone, and the response was what he was looking for.
“I love the shape of a Strat, because when you hold a guitar it feels like you’re connected to it,” he says. “It feels like part of your body… The most important thing is to be true to yourself so that, when you play, it sounds like you.”
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There are sure to be some Winery Dogs fans interested in this because of Kotzen’s imprimatur, or maybe some others who discovered him for his latter-day adventures with Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden.
But as with most good artist models, you need not be a fan of Kotzen’s to get on with this. Besides a discrete signature on the headstock, it is very much a blank slate for you to do as Kotzen advises and make it sound like you.
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It will suit those who like a little more timber to hold onto. The bolt-on maple neck has a Thick C profile.
Having a 12” radius maple fingerboard is a little unorthodox for a Strat, but as Kotzen says, it is all about the feel. That flatter radius allied to the Super Jumbo frets is going to give it a bit more of a hot-rodded vibe.
Elsewhere you have a vintage-style synchronized tremolo, a synthetic bone nut, and, well, a serious Stratocaster.
Find out more at Fender.
