Celeb Players Weigh in on the Fender VG Stratocaster

by Staff.

Guitar players Andy Summers (The Police), Scott Ian (Anthrax) and Scott Patton are impressed. According to Fender, they've put the VG Stratocaster (introduced early this year) to the test and the instrument's passed - with flying colors. “It’s kind of a must-have…with all of the sounds and things you can dial up it saves me from bringing six other guitars,” says Summers.

Thanks to technology developed by the Roland Corporation, VG players can easily dial in 37 classic Stratocaster, Telecaster, humbucking, 12-string and acoustic sounds, plus five alternate tunings, the result of digital modeling. The instrument has received over seven international awards, including NAMM’s “Best In Show,” (the industry trade show's top prize) and been prominently featured in media outlets such as Men’s Health, Playboy, Macworld and Alternative Press.

“I have to admit I was very suspicious of the VG Strat. I'm a caveman guitar player. One pickup and a volume knob will do thank you very much. The VG's electronics might as well be from Mars to me. So when the nice people at Fender deemed me worthy to check out a VG I figured I'd really put it to the test. Like the old Samsonite luggage commercial where the gorilla beats the crap out of a suitcase, that's what I did with this Strat. The Strat won. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't break it. The drop tuning feature is incredible. I have an extremely heavy right hand and when I dig in strings cry. I couldn't get the tuning to screw up. Not one glitch. It tracks perfectly. Those are some powerful wizards you've got making magic over there. All the tones are spot on. I especially like the Tele sound. To have all these possibilities in one instrument is truly amazing and it makes the VG Strat an inspiring instrument,” remarked Scott Ian.

Said Scott Patton, “The VG Strat allows me to comfortably switch between many non-Strat tones without compromising the ultimate playability of an American Stratocaster. I use it every night and its been as reliable as any guitar in my line up. Fender has managed to make an instrument that's as versatile as it is reliable without compromising any feel or aesthetic that you'd expect out of a Fender Stratocaster.”

Related Link
Fender's VG Strat Web Page

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