Fender unveils a more accessible homage to Pearl Jam lead guitarist Mike McCready's prized '60s Stratocaster.
As one of the founding members of Pearl Jam, McCready’s unique style became his signature sound and helped the band to stand out from their contemporaries throughout their long and hugely influential career. Created in close collaboration with McCready, this signature Stratocaster guitar pays tribute to his unique blues-inspired style and serves as a testament to his extraordinary artistry and sonic finesse. Built in Ensenada, Mexico, this signature guitar marks the second collaboration with the award winning guitarist following his Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Mike McCready Stratocaster released in 2021.
The Mike McCready Stratocaster features a hand-crafted, heavily Road Worn lacquer finish over an alder body, recreating the battle scars Mike’s own Strat has earned over three decades of grueling, sold-out tours and legendary performances. The comfy 9.5” radius slab rosewood fingerboard on a slim “C” maple neck are shaped to match McCready’s treasured 1960 Strat, while the custom Mike McCready Stratocaster pickups are voiced to replicate Mike’s vintage single-coils for the same timeless tone, passion and energy that define his signature sound. The vintage-style synchronized tremolo, bent-steel saddles and cold-rolled steel block ensure the purest Fender tone and performance.
Features
- Custom Pickups: This custom pickup set is voiced to sound like his beloved 1960 Stratocaster. Warm and articulate, this custom pickup set nails McCready’s signature tone and sounds great for any style of music.
- Signature Finish: Alder body provides the classic Fender tonewood while the Road Worn finish adds the nuances of a well traveled vintage guitar.
- Neck Construction: The neck is carved to match his 1960 Strat and is reminiscent of the most popular neck shapes in Fender’s catalog, designed for comfort and performance.
- Vintage Tremolo: The six-point tremolo offers proper intonation, full adjustability and easy access to cool vibrato sounds.
- Fingerboard Radius: This radius is slightly flatter than a vintage-style radius but with enough arc for comfortable chording and easier note bending.
Exploring the Mike McCready Stratocaster | Artist Signature Series | Fender
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Keith Urban has spent decades traveling the world and topping global country-music charts, and on this episode of Wong Notes, the country-guitar hero tells host Cory Wong how he conquered the world—and what keeps him chasing new sounds on his 6-string via a new record, High, which releases on September 20.
Urban came up as guitarist and singer at the same time, and he details how his playing and singing have always worked as a duet in service of the song: “When I stop singing, [my guitar] wants to say something, and he says it in a different way.” Those traits served him well when he made his move into the American music industry, a story that begins in part with a fateful meeting with a 6-string banjo in a Nashville music store in 1995.
It’s a different world for working musicians now, and Urban weighs in on the state of radio, social media, and podcasts for modern guitarists, but he still believes in word-of-mouth over the algorithm when it comes to discovering exciting new players.
And in case you didn’t know, Keith Urban is a total gearhead. He shares his essential budget stomps and admits he’s a pedal hound, chasing new sounds week in and week out, but what role does new gear play in his routine? Urban puts it simply: “I’m not chasing tone, I’m pursuing inspiration.”
