News
October 15, 2007
Fender Launches Joe Strummer Telecaster
Fender’s introduces the Joe Strummer Telecaster, designed with the guidance and support of the Strummer estate. It features distressed treatment, a “Revolution Rock” engraved neck plate, and a limited-edition art customization kit. Strummer (1952-2002) was co-founder, lyricist, guitarist, and lead singer of The Clash. The new Tele is modeled after the ’66 model Strummer played throughout most of his career. Fender and artist Shepard Fairey collaborated on the guitar’s Joe Strummer Telecaster customization kit, which includes stencils and stickers inspired by the custom designs Strummer decorated many of his instruments with. The kit comes in a 12” album cover featuring Fairey’s graphics and photography by Bob Gruen. This album art set is a limited-edition companion to the first 1,500 guitars.
“When I first joined Alfred in the early 1950s, it was a very small music publisher employing only five people. I knew we would have to expand rapidly if the company, and myself, were to survive. After 18 or 19 years of steady growth, Alfred was then ready to expand beyond guitar and keyboard publications. I felt we could be successful by starting a band, orchestra, and choral catalog. We did have some success, but I knew we would need someone with more expertise than I had in those areas. As I scanned the trade and educational magazines, I kept seeing the name Sandy Feldstein I knew nothing about him, but I had nothing to lose by arranging a meeting.
“I love it,” beams Laura Schisler, standing outside a music classroom at a Kirkwood, Missouri community college. “I can’t believe all you get for just $100! It’s such a great program.” For the money, what this local high school music teacher gets is a classical-style guitar, books, and accessories. Most important, she gets an intense one-week course that takes the music educator from zero experience guitar teacher competence in a mere four days.
It wouldn’t make a thrilling murder mystery, because there’s little or no disagreement as to who killed the low-end guitar market. The accomplices are easily fingered, too. “That market is dead – and not just dead for Sam Ash Music,” Sammy Ash says. “We have sold half the number low-end guitars last year as we did the previous year.”
