First Look: Fender Steve Lacy People Pleaser Stratocaster

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation(FMIC) today announces the launch of the Steve Lacy “People Pleaser” Stratocaster, a collaboration with California-born-and-raised Grammy-winning artist, guitarist, songwriter, and producer Steve Lacy. This Signature Stratocaster guitar is not only an homage to a player whose guitar-playing style is as technically proficient as it is emotionally evocative, but a celebration of Lacy’s indelible impact on culture at large. Named for his trailblazing reputation, crowd-pleasing sounds, and stage looks, the “People Pleaser” Stratocaster showcases Lacy’s evolution from a hungry musician into a chart-topping artist and guitarist.

Rising to fame in 2015 as part of the alternative R&B and soul band THE INTERNET, the singer/songwriter, guitarist, and producer has established himself as one of the music industry’s foremost innovators–blurring genre lines while keeping a keen focus on expressive musicianship. Since his earliest days, Lacy has collaborated with notable artists such as Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Solange, and Vampire Weekend, and has made a name for himself in the couture world when he walked the runway for high-end fashion houses including Louis Vuitton and Gucci. Lacy’s first chart-topping solo hit, “Bad Habit,” was released in 2022 as the lead single from his Grammy-winning second studio album Gemini Rights. Now, marking the next milestone of his career, Lacy’s signature Fender Stratocaster combines his stylish swagger and undeniable musicality, celebrating a career built on subverting expectations and inspiring a new generation to challenge conformity and establish a sonic palette entirely their own.

“This guitar means so much to me. It’s a full-circle moment. My first guitar was a Squier Strat. It was the box set that came with an amp, case, quarter inch-the whole 9. Now I have my very own FenderStratocaster guitar,” said Steve Lacy. “The People Pleaser Strat, in a nutshell, is my dream guitar as a kid when I first started playing and my dream guitar as the guitarist I am today. An ode to the old classic design that Fender is known for with all the new specs that make a guitar feel like home. I hope everyone gets to experience the feeling of this guitar. I’m excited to see what people make with it.“

The “People Pleaser” Stratocaster is designed with a keen focus on innovation and disruption. Lacy’s playing is rooted in robust melody and razor-sharp technicality, but his chord changes and lead playing never conform to any tropes or norms. Thanks to the People Pleaser’s broad tonal range and clear, crisp sound, guitarists everywhere can tap into that same boundless creative space that has made Lacy the eminent artist he is today. The soul of the instrument is its magical combination of Player Plus Noiseless pickups and onboard custom-voiced Fuzz circuit, which can create classic dirty tones ranging from overdrive to all-out fuzz. Raw and gritty with heavy distortion and rich harmonics, the custom-voiced Steve Lacy Chaos Fuzz circuit is both aggressive and expressive with sparking crystal-clear high ends, throaty mids, and taut deep lows. Whether you are seeking to emulate Lacy’s warm, oaky timbres and smooth chords or conjure your own personal chaos with the expressive Fuzz circuit, The Steve Lacy “People Pleaser” Stratocaster keeps your guitar at the forefront of the music-making process.

Finished in a brand-new “Chaos Burst” finish that Steve dreamed up, the unique colorway is an embodiment of the guitarist’s extraordinary tones. Modeled after Steve’s favorite vintage Fender®guitars, the “People Pleaser” Stratocaster®features hallmark Fender design elements from its alder body and synchronized-tremolo to capture the ineffable magic of a well-worn instrument, though it’s also loaded with modernized features players seek to create their own singular sound. Giving the instrument a distinctly personal feel, the custom neck plate is stamped with Steve’s original artwork and the backplate has a unique blue and green checkered pattern, which ties the vibrant model together. Finally, a custom dice inlay provides a subtle, visual motif to denote Steve’s signature touch. Ahead of its official debut, eagle-eyed fans even caught a glimpse of the signature guitar during his recent SNL and Grammys performances, as well as on stage at his latest tour.

Learn more here.