Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) today introduced the acoustic Joe Strummer Campfire and Joe Strummer Esquire guitars, in celebration of the legendary British singer, guitarist, lyricist and co-founder of The Clash who continues to influence the way musicians worldwide shape their sound today. The signature models come more than 40 years after the release of The Clash's landmark London Calling album and hot on the heels of the all-new, remastered collection of Strummer's solo songs, ASSEMBLY. Created in part as a tribute to the diversity of Joe Strummer's music, the new launches include a Campfire acoustic-electric guitar and a very limited edition run of Master Built Esquire guitars from the Fender Custom Shop. In addition, fans can get their hands on a brand new range of Strummer-inspired playing accessories, including a replica of his favorite guitar strap.
"Joe's Fender guitars were a huge part of his life and, of course, his music," said Lucinda Tait, widow of Joe. "Now feels the right time to collaborate with Fender on these commemorative guitars, as we take a moment to reflect on everything Joe and his music achieved. Joe would be immensely proud of them, and excited to hear what they can do in the hands of music lovers around the world."
"Joe Strummer changed music forever, including for myself personally in my own musical journey" added Justin Norvell, Executive Vice President, Product at Fender. "He is inexorably linked to Fender, so we wanted to honor that with not only one, but two brand new and unique Artist Signature Series guitars. The Joe Strummer Campfire acoustic is the perfect offering for songwriters, Strummer fans and acoustic players at all levels looking for a versatile instrument with unique specs, while the Joe Strummer Esquire serves as the ultimate tribute to a player and a guitar which shaped the sounds of thousands following in his footsteps."
Punk poet, musician, composer, actor and style icon, Joe Strummer spent his life smashing musical and cultural boundaries both as the front man of The Clash and as a solo artist. Songs like 'Know Your Rights', 'London Calling', 'Rock the Casbah', 'Straight to Hell' and 'Coma Girl' engulfed the global masses and sound as urgent and vital today as when they were written. Strummer's politically charged lyrics helped bring punk to the masses. Calling out social injustices and giving a voice to the struggles of the working class, his lyrics struck a chord with legions of fans and the press alike – Rolling Stone called The Clash "the greatest rock & roll band in the world." Strummer once famously said, "People can change anything they want to, and that means everything in the world." And through his art, Strummer played his part in shaping the musical landscape of the world and with it left an unrivaled and timeless legacy.
Joe Strummer Campfire Acoustic | Artist Signature Series | Fenderyoutu.be
The Joe Strummer Campfire acoustic guitar is a tribute to the legendary music-filled campfires that Strummer held at Glastonbury Festival in England over the years – and which are now continued annually in his honor in the Strummerville area at the festival. This small-body acoustic-electric guitar is the perfect companion for gatherings of any size, and another way that Strummer will continue to bring people together through a shared love of his music. Boasting a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides, the guitar has a tilt back Fender headstock and a custom sound hole label with a Campfire logo and star inlays. Suitable for beginners or established players looking for a unique spec from their acoustic guitar, the Joe Strummer Campfire is available now.
In addition, Fender brings Strummer fans all around the globe the Joe Strummer Esquire- the ultimate tribute to a music legend. Meticulously created by Custom Shop Master Builder Jason Smith, the guitar is a faithful reincarnation of Strummer's guitar of choice during the London Calling and Combat Rock eras – his tried and trusted Fender Esquire. A perfect match for his stripped-down, no-nonsense delivery, the Esquire was the perfect tool for Strummer to hammer away on show after show. The Fender® Custom Shop and Master Builder Jason Smith have now reproduced this important piece of musical history, complete with a 'The Clash-era' look and feel - including its iconic black racing stripe, "Bourbon Street" sticker and custom relic finish. Key features include a 2-piece offset seam alder body and a Josephina hand-wound '55/'56 bridge pickup wired up to a 3-way switch and '59 Esquire® wiring. The guitar comes with a certificate of authenticity and a custom pink anvil case with a "Strummer" stencil and leopard print lining. Master Builder Jason Smith will build a limited run of just 70 units of the guitar, globally.
"Working on this build has been a true honor," said Jason Smith, Master Builder at the Fender® Custom Shop. "Strummer's Esquire is one of the most recognizable and revered guitars in the world. This model is much more than a collector's item – it is packed full of incredible features, from its Schaller mini-tuning machines and '59 Tele bridge, which can be strung through the body or top loaded through the bridge plate - this bridge which was available exclusively in 1959. I can't wait to see what these guitars can do out there in the world today."
Strummer fans can now also get their hands on a range of all-new accessories from Fender® to celebrate Strummer's unparalleled style and substance. The range includes a guitar strap which is a recreation of Strummer's own favorite, featuring faux leopard print animal fur on high-quality leather with foam padding. See full information below.
Joe Strummer Esquire
Photo courtesy of Fender
Joe Strummer Esquire ($15,000 USD, £14,149, €15,799, $22,999 AUD, ¥1,880,000 JPY) The Legendary Joe Strummer played guitar with an intensity that cut like a knife, with raw energy and passion in every swipe at the strings. His style was direct, honest, and empowering to the listener and would create legions of die-hard fans around the world. Best known for his work with The Clash, Strummer and his bandmates were a major part of the creation of punk rock and has inspired countless other bands to this day. His guitar of choice for the London Calling and Combat Rock era was his tried and true Fender Esquire. A perfect match for his stripped down, no nonsense delivery, the Esquire was the perfect tool for Strummer to hammer away on show after show. Now, the Fender® Custom Shop has recreated this piece of musical history for a very special run by Master Builder Jason Smith. Smith has reincarnated the exacting detail complete with black racing stripe, custom "Bourbon Street" sticker and custom Relic finish. The Joe Strummer Esquire will be Master Built by Jason Smith in a limited run of 70 units globally, available to order now.
Joe Strummer Campfire
Photo Courtesy of Fender
Joe Strummer Campfire ($499.99 USD, £449, €499, $899 AUD, ¥45,000 JPY) More than 40 years after the Clash's iconic album London Calling was released, Joe Strummer - the band's articulate and fiery co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead singer - remains an incredible influence to players all over the world. The Joe Strummer Campfire guitar is inspired by the legendary campfires that he held at Glastonbury Festival and are now continued annually in the Strummerville area at the festival. Everyone was invited to join the party, with Strummer encouraging a loose assembly of people to his "campfire" to bond by the rising flames until dawn. This small-body acoustic-electric guitar is the perfect companion for gatherings of any size and to continue Strummer's legacy of bringing people together through music. Boasting a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides, the Campfire reflects Strummer's legendary aesthetic with its matte black finish, nickel hardware and star inlays. Available now.
Strummer fans can now also get their hands on a range of all-new accessories from Fender to celebrate Strummer's unparalleled style and substance. The range includes a guitar strap which is a recreation of Strummer's own favorite, featuring faux leopard print animal fur on high-quality leather with foam padding. See full information below.
- Fender Joe Strummer Signature Cable ($34.99 USD / £25.99 GBP / €29.99 EUR / $55.00 AUD / ¥4,400 JPY) – Celebrate Joe Strummer's unparalleled style and substance with his signature "Know Your Rights" cable. This eclectic instrument cable is designed to be unique -- with a lucky 13' length, Drab Green PVC jacket, and his very own signature on the cable's shrink wrap. A high-performance cable is a perfect choice for the aspiring punk rocker, street poet, or roving troubadour.
- Fender Joe Strummer Signature Vintage Strap ($74.99 USD / £59.99 GBP / €69.99 EUR / $110 AUD / ¥8,800 JPY) – A faithful replica of Strummer's famously used saddle strap. Recreated to model Joe's favorite personal strap found on his legendary Telecaster, this strap features faux leopard print animal fur on high-quality leather with foam padding.
- Fender Joe Strummer Signature "Know Your Rights" Strap – ($29.99 USD / £26.99 GBP / €29.99 EUR / $55.00 AUD / ¥4,000 JPY) - The "Know Your Rights" polyester strap pays homage to one of Joe's most poignant and powerful lyrics. Mirroring the artwork from his new album ASSEMBLY, this fully adjustable strap features iconic images of the legend himself that will inspire you to pick up your guitar and play.
- Fender Joe Strummer Signature "Know Your Rights" Pick Tin ($11.99 USD / £10.99 GBP / €11.99 EUR / $19.00 AUD / ¥1,600 JPY) - A "Know Your Rights" collector's pick tin in honor of the legendary music of Strummer.
In true tradition, the Fender Artist Signature Series honors iconic musicians through product progression and storytelling, creating instruments inspired by the unique specifications of the world's greatest guitarists and bassists. Fender discusses the all-new Joe Strummer Campfire and Joe Strummer Esquire specs and all details in an episode of Fender's serialized social video series: Fender Demos. Fender Demos is an educational video series focused on providing a deep dive into Fender's newest products. The series focuses on showcasing not only the key features and benefits, but also the sonic quality of Fender's instruments, amplifiers and pedals. In addition to product demos, the series also provides valuable beginner, intermediate and advanced tone tips, set-up and maintenance guides and insights to getting the most out of your Fender gear.
For more information, visitfender.com
When entering the world of audio interfaces, Blackstar wanted to offer a solution to musicians that answered many of the much-requested improvements they wanted when using audio interfaces. Through extensive research, we consistently pinpointed three primary challenges encountered by music creators when recording guitar directly through an interface.
- Poor feel and response
- Setting guitar input levels
- Ease of use
The POLAR 2 interface answers all of these challenges and excels beyond those hurdles to provide an incredible all-in-one solution to recording guitar.
Firstly, Polar features FET instrument inputs. The FET inputs give ultra-low noise and high headroom, which gives the recording musician the best sonic foundation for guitar tone, but we didn’t just include FET inputs, we took itone step further with the addition of the “Enhance” switch. When Enhance is switched on the instrument input, it engages a unique circuit that’s been meticulously designed to mimic the input stage of real valve amplifiers—including all its non-linear behaviors and characteristics. The “Enhance” switch restores the touch, the feel, and the response of playing through a real amp.
Secondly, Polar solves the issue with setting levels. Other interfaces often digital clipping due to the dynamic nature of guitar DI signals. With “Enhance” on, POLAR’s innovative input stage will never digitally clip. No more ruined recording takes, no more hassle or confusion around setting the ‘correct’ levels. POLAR allows the musician to drive the interface like the preamp section on a real valve amp.
Recording is made easy with Polar 2. By engaging the “Enhance” feature on the microphone inputs gently lifts the top end of your signal to add just the right amount of air and clarity that sounds great on vocals, acoustic guitars, and more. The microphone preamp has been based off one of the most renowned vintage studio preamps.
POLAR 2’s ultra-low noise and high headroom accommodates for a wide range of microphone and instrument types, empowering the musician to achieve studio-quality recordings in any environment. Included with all POLAR2 units is the POLAR Control app, which allows for fine-tuning of levels, panning, routing. The FET inputs combined with the Enhance switch make it really easy to get an amazing guitar tone. You don’t have to worry about any external hardware, no fancy DI’s—all of that is built right into POLAR.
With its innovative features, impressive headroom (24V), incredibly low noise floor (115db), powerful headphone amps, bus-powered capability, and approachable design, Blackstar’s POLAR 2 is easily the go-to audio interface for anyone that wants to play and record guitar. The POLAR 2 interface was created through the processes of Human-Centred Design, to help create a user-friendly solution to get musicians back to focusing on the most important part: the music.
MAP: $199.99
For more information, please visit blackstaramps.com.
Blackstar POLAR 2 | The USB audio interface designed by guitarists for guitarists
Firebirds came stock with a solid G-logo tailpiece, although Bigsby vibratos were often added.
It also has a personal connection. A guitarist in the band I toured with in the 1980s played a Jet Firebird from this batch extensively, but later sold it. At a decades-on reunion, it was sorely missed, leading me to obtain this one to provide the same “Great Gretsch Sound,” as the company’s ads trumpeted, and style.
Gretsch’s so-called “Jet Stream” models have been one of the company’s enduring creations. Spurred by Gibson’s 1952 Les Paul, Gretsch replied with a guitar of similar size and layout, but different construction. The single-cutaway Jets appeared in late 1953. Designated as solidbodies in the catalog, they were actually semi-solid, built on a mahogany body hollowed out from above and capped with an arched plywood top. This reduced weight and gave them a different sound and feel.
“Designated as solidbodies in the catalog, they were actually semi-solid, built on a mahogany body hollowed out from above and capped with an arched plywood top.”
By 1955, Gretsch fielded a line of Jets: the black-topped Duo Jet and Western-themed Round-Up were followed by the sparkle-top Silver Jet, the red-over-black Jet Firebird and Western orange 6121 Chet Atkins solidbody. Several sold well through the ’50s, but by the turn of the decade, sales seemed to slump, as with the Les Pauls that inspired them. In 1960–’61, Gibson redesigned the Les Paul into a slim-sculpted double-cutaway. In late ’61, Gretsch restyled the Jet body into a symmetrical double-cutaway, retaining the semi-solid construction while persisting in calling them solidbodies. The new catalog announced: “Out of this world.... Find yourself soaring through musical space and time … the epitome of solidbody construction.” The revised Jet Firebird listed at $325, soon raised to $350. The actual transition occurs in a batch bearing serial numbers in the 420XX series. At the time, Gretsch numbering usually allotted 100 pre-numbered labels to a production-year model, with all Jets lumped into one batch. The label is inside the control cavity; the serial number is also hand-etched onto the back plastic cavity cover.
Jets from 1961 retain the main features of their late-1950s predecessors: twin Filter’Tron humbucking pickups, master volume on the lower cutaway, individual pickup volumes on the lower quarter with the pickup selector and tone switch (aka “mud” switch) on the upper, bass side. The Jet’s evolution happened rapidly, moving through three stages over this one batch. The first 30 to 40 420XX examples are still single-cutaways. By 42043, the double-cut body appears, showing a notable eccentricity: the pickup selection and tone switches arrayed across the upper body in a straight line above the pickups, to the rear of the prior position. Unfortunately, this meant players could easily hit them while picking, inadvertently changing tones in mid song!
Note the chips in the headstock wood—signs of an earlier alteration of the tuning pegs, now restored to vintage spec.
Photo by George Aslaender
Shortly after this Jet Firebird bearing the number 42057 was made, the switch array was moved forward to the upper horn, mounted at an angle. This change appears by 42064, suggesting only around 20 to 30 of these first-style double-cuts exist. Known examples are mostly Duo Jets, with a few Jet Firebirds and a couple of rare Sparkle Jets. These also lack the 1961–’62 standby switch fitted on the lower bout. All came stock with a solid G-logo tailpiece, although Bigsby vibratos were often added. The next Jet batch introduced the top-mounted Burns of London vibrato unit as a stock fitting and an upgrade to gold hardware. While the double-cut body gave the Jets a new, modern look, it apparently did not improve sales. The balance suffered from the upper strap button moving back several inches, but otherwise they felt and sounded pretty much like their predecessors. This model is most associated with AC/DC’s Malcom Young, who powered the band with one right from the beginning, with that particular guitar heavily altered along the way.
The company’s Filter’Tron pickups have always had their own distinctive bark.
Photo by George Aslaender
This 1961 Jet Firebird survives in more original condition. The bridge and tuners previously went missing but have been restored to original. A driver’s license number is etched on the back of the headstock, and chips on the peghead face remain from the tuner alteration. A strap button was added to the heel, giving a better balance point. The playability is excellent and the Filter’Trons offer the classic ring and crunch, accentuated by the chambered body. The neck is slim and round-backed, with a bound-ebony fretboard inlaid in the company “neoclassic” pattern, retaining the original frets. Not being a heavy-handed strummer, the eccentric switch location has never bothered me. While in the early 1960s these pseudo-solidbodies seemed to fade from popularity, for me, this early example of Gretsch “jetting” its way into the 1960s remains a solid favorite.
On her new record with her trio, Molly Miller executes a live-feeling work of structural harmony that mirrors her busy life.
Miller has a lot on her plate. In addition to gigs leading the Molly Miller Trio, she also plays guitar in Jason Mraz’s band, and teaches at her alma mater, the University of Southern California (USC), where, after a nine-year stint, she earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in music. In 2022, she became a professor of studio guitar at USC. Prior to that, she was the chair of the guitar department at the Los Angeles College of Music.
Molly Miller's Gear
Miller plays a fair bit of jazz, but considers herself simply a guitarist first: “Why do I love the guitar? Because I discovered Jimi Hendrix.”
Photo by Anna Azarov
Guitars
- 1978 Gibson ES-335
- Fender 1952 Telecaster reissue with a different neck and a bad relic job (purchased from Craigslist)
- Gibson Les Paul goldtop with P-90s
Amps
- Benson Nathan Junior
- Benson Monarch
- Fender Princeton Reverb Reissue (modified to “widen sound”)
Effects
- Chase Bliss Audio Dark World
- Chase Bliss Audio Warped Vinyl
- EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master
- EarthQuaker Devices Dunes
- EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker
- JAM Pedals Wahcko
- JAM Pedals Ripply Fall
- Strymon Flint
- Fulltone Clyde Wah
- Line 6 Helix (for touring)
Strings & Picks
- Ernie Ball .011s for ES-335 and Les Paul
- Ernie Ball .0105s for Telecaster
- Fender Celluloid Confetti 351 Heavy Picks
To get things done, Miller has had to rely on a laser-focused approach to time management. “I’ve always kind of been juggling different aspects of my career. I was in grad school, getting a doctorate, TA-ing full time—so, teaching probably 20 hours a week, and then also doing probably four or five gigs a week, and getting a degree,” explains Miller. “I had to figure out how to create habits of, ‘I really want to play a lot of guitar, and gig a lot, but I also need to finish my degree and make extra money teaching, and I also want to practice.’ There’s a certain level of organization and thinking ahead that I always feel like I have to be doing.”
“The concept of the Molly Miller Trio—and also a part of my playing—is we are playing songs, we are bringing back the instrumental, we are thinking about the arrangement.”
The Molly Miller Trio’s latest release, The Battle of Hotspur, had its origins during the pandemic. Miller and bassist Jennifer Condos started writing the songs in March 2020, sending files back and forth to each other. They finally finished writing the album’s last song, “Head Out,” in December 2021, and four months later, recorded the album in just two days. The 12-song collection is subtle and cool, meandering like a warm, sparkling country river through a backwoods county. The arrangements feel spacious and distinctly Western—Miller’s guitar lines are clean and clear and dripped with just the right level of reverb, trem, and chorus, while Jay Bellerose’s brush-led percussion trots alongside like a trusty steed.
The Battle of Hotspur has a live feel, and that aspect was 100-percent deliberate. Miller says, “That’s the exact intention of our records—we want to create a record that we can play live. Jason Wormer, the recording and mixing engineer that did our record, came to a show of ours and was like, ‘This is incredible.’ He’s recorded so many records and was like, ‘This is the first time I’ve ever recorded a record that sounds the same live.’ And that was our exact intention. Because I feel like [the goal of] the trio itself was to be full. It’s not supposed to be like, ‘Oh, let’s put saxophone and let’s put keys and other guitars on it.’ The concept of the record is a full trio like the way Booker T. & the M.G.’s were. It’s not, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if you added another instrument?’ No, we’re an instrumental trio.”
Musicality is what separates Miller from the rest of the pack. She has prodigious chops but uses them appropriately, when it makes musical sense, and her ability to honor a song’s written melody and bring it to life is one of her strong suits. “That’s a huge part of what we do,” she says. “The concept of the Molly Miller Trio—and also a part of my playing—is we are playing songs, we are bringing back the instrumental, we are thinking about the arrangement. The solo is a vehicle to further the story, to further the song, not just for me to shred. So often, you play a song, and you could be playing the solo over any song. There’s not enough time spent talking about how to play a melody convincingly, and then play a solo that’s connected to the melody.... Whether it’s a pop song, an original, or a standard, how you’re playing it is everything, and not just how you’re shredding over it.”
Miller still gets pigeonholed by expectations in the music industry, including the assumption that she’s a singer-songwriter: “I don’t sing. I’m a fucking guitar player.”
Photo by Anna Azarov
Miller’s strong sense of melody can be traced to her diverse palette of influences. Even though she’s a “jazzer” by definition, she’ll cover pop songs like the Everly Brothers’ “All I Have to Do is Dream” and the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Miller says, “I spent nine years in jazz school. I practice ‘Giant Steps’ still for fun because I think it’s good for my guitar playing. But it was a release to be like, ‘I am not just a jazz guitar player at all!’ Why do I love the guitar? Because I discovered Jimi Hendrix, right? What made me feel things in high school? Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and No Doubt. It’s like, Grant Green’s not why I play the guitar.
“I play jazz guitar, but I’m a guitar player that loves jazz. What do I put on my playlist? It’s not like I just listen to Wes Montgomery. I go from Wes Montgomery to the Beach Boys to freakin’ Big Thief to Bob Dylan to Dave Brubeck. The musicians I love are people who tell stories and have something to say—Brian Wilson, Cat Stevens.... They’re amazing songwriters.”
“Whether it’s a pop song, an original, or a standard, how you’re playing it is everything, and not just how you’re shredding over it.”
Despite a successful career, Miller continually faces sexism in the industry. “I went to a guitar hang two days ago. It was a big company, and they invited me to come and check out guitars. And I’m playing—I clearly know how to play the instrument—and this photographer there is like, ‘Oh, so are you a singer?’ And I’m just like, ‘No, I don’t sing. Fuck you,’” recalls Miller. “It’s such an internal struggle because of the interactions I have with the world. This kind of gets this thing in me where I feel like I need to prove to people, like, I am a guitar player. And at this point, I know I’m established enough. I play the guitar, and I know how to play it. I’m good, whatever. There still is this ego portion that I’m constantly fighting, and it comes from random people walking up to me and asking about me playing acoustic guitar and my singer-songwriter career or whatever. And I’m like, ‘I don’t sing. I’m a fucking guitar player.’”
YouTube It
Molly Miller gets to both tour with and open up for Jason Mraz’s band. Here’s a taste of Miller leading into Mraz’s set with some adeptly and intuitively performed riffs from a show in July 2022.
