:: NEWS ::
Fender Introduces Stevie Ray Vaughan “Lenny” Tribute Stratocaster Cary Oct 7th
I was just beginning to wonder whether we’d see anything new from Fender before Winter NAMM, only to discover this morning that the company had announced yet another pre-determined collector’s item––the Stevie Ray Vaughan “Lenny” Stratocaster.
Part of Fender’s illustrious Tribute Series, the SRV “Lenny” Strat is apparently being commissioned by Guitar Center––which purchased Stevie’s original “Lenny” for some $623,500 back in 2004––and is to be built by the Fender Custom Shop in an extremely limited (read: lucrative) run of just 185 instruments for the US market.
a bit of history… The guitar, originally a maple-neck ‘65 Strat with a rosewood fretboard, was purchased for SRV by his wife Lenora (“Lenny”) at a pawn shop in Texas for $300––she gave it to Stevie for his 26th birthday. According to Lenora, Stevie wrote the song Lenny that very same night, and played it for his wife the next morning (you can watch him play it live here.)
Ultimately, “Lenny” would see a neck replacement (ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons is said to have given SRV the maple-fretboard neck as a present,) and even manage to be signed by baseball legend Mickey Mantle in 1985, when Stevie was invited to play the national anthem at the Houston Astrodome.
After Stevie Ray Vaughan’s tragic death in a helicopter crash in 1990, “Lenny” became the only guitar from his estate to be offered up to the public… it was auctioned off to benefit Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Center, with the highest bid going to Guitar Center.
the tribute As with the other guitars in Fender’s Tribute Series (the Jeff Beck Esquire, Eric Clapton “Blackie,” and most recently the Andy Summers Tele,) the Stevie Ray Vaughan “Lenny” Strat is being painstakingly reproduced in all its beat up glory.
The guitar will bear every nick and scratch found on the original, not to mention the intricate custom inlay beneath the bridge, damaged headstock, “Steve Ray Vaughan ‘80” signature scrawled into the neckplate, Mickey Mantle signature on the back, and trademark reflective SRV stickers on the pickguard.
The guitar goes on sale December 12th, and will be available exclusively through Guitar Center. So far there’s been no word on pricing, but the instrument will be available for viewing at select Guitar Center stores beginning November 30th. See Fender’s official “Where To Buy” page for details.
- The Countdown’s On: 7 Days To The Release Of “Lenny”
- One Red-Hot Rig: Fender’s Stevie Ray Vaughan Stratocaster
- Sneak Preview Of Fender’s Upcoming Yngwie Malmsteen Tribute Series Stratocaster
- Gretsch Brian Setzer Tribute ‘59: Full Specs & Photos
- New From The Custom Shop: Fender Introduces Stratocaster Pro
- Holy Crud! Fender Introduces Digital Stratocaster!
- Guitar Player Reviews Gretsch’s G400JV Jimmie Vaughan Synchromatic
- See & Hear The Fender VG Stratocaster In Action
- Fender Introduces Billy Corgan Signature Stratocaster
- Fender Busts Out With Two New Stratocasters
- $24,000 For A ‘Blackie’ Replica, Cigarette Burns Included
- It’s Official: Fender Unveils Andy Summers Telecaster
Howdy! Care to Comment?
October 7th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Would anyone hazard a guess as to what the cost will be?
October 8th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
someone on the musictoyz.com forum said it would be $17,000
October 8th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Yeah, Modernguitars.com just indicated the same price, $17,000.
October 8th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
How does Fender spell “profit”?
L-E-N-N-Y
October 8th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Guitar News:…
I was reading a the Electric Guitar Review and wanted to share this news: Fender has announced it is introducing The Stevie Ray Vahun “Lenny” Stratocaster! The Electric Guitar Review had a great story about the guitar as well as a link to t…
October 9th, 2007 at 6:25 am
I don’t think this guitar should be reproduced. It’ll never have the same meaning to any person but Stevie. Whatever, it’s anyway to make a quick buck.
October 9th, 2007 at 10:05 am
I never really could understand the whole interest in these ‘Relic’ type models. I would rather purchase something new and wear it in based on the way I play rather than have someone do it for me. I like when they make models based on Artist guitars but give it to me new and let me put out my own cigarettes on the headstock, if I smoked. I agree with Steve, the people who can afford these won’t play them anyways for the most part and isn’t that what SRV was all about, just playing.
October 9th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Basically,
This guitar will little than a museum piece. It will just sit in a glass case and be sold for twice the amount it was bought for, making it a nice investment for the coniseur antique electric guitars.
I surely would not be interested in an antique; nor do I spend money on musical instruments that I don’t intend to play. Besides, I can find better things to invest my money in that would yield a more lucrative return.
Eddie
October 9th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
I would never, ever, walk into any bar or ice-house or other gig, and use a guitar that has the “SRV” initials on it. Never. Just doesn’t seem right to me. I understand an artist series that is not relic’d, but one that also has the guitarist’s initials? No way. It’s kinda like taking your buddy’s girlfriend out for a date. She’s taken, you know? That’s not your name on that girl.
But, I agree with Eddie and Gary, most of those 150+ folks who will buy the guitar just have enough cash around to buy it for a nice piece to hang on the wall. I doubt any hardworking, regular giggin’ musican who’s saving pennies for band gear will ever come close to touching it, and I don’t think they care anyway. Certainly SRV wouldn’t have bought some $17,000 guitar with Jimi Hendrix’s initials on it back in his hard working days.
IG
October 9th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Weeeeeeeak. Just shameless. No doubt they’ll release “Charley” in another 10 years.
October 10th, 2007 at 5:42 am
[…] been fairly well reported that Fender is going to be issuing a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitar named Lenny, but […]
October 17th, 2007 at 5:41 am
IG>> Like taking your buddy’s girl out on a date? The way I’d play that thing if I had the chance would definately bring to mind dirtier analogies…
but like you said, never in public. There might be children around.
October 28th, 2007 at 5:45 am
I totally agree with the comments vis-a-vis pre-distressing guitars to make them look somewhat like one played by someone famous and then charging an arm and a leg for them. How sad and honestly somewhat pathetic from world class guitar makers. Everytime I dent or chip my 30yr old Ibanez Artist it hurts. Fortunately I don’t play well enough for some marketing genius to reissue a series of perfectly good guitars and then beat the hell out of them to make them “relics” like the one I play.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:27 am
[…] Fender Introduces Stevie Ray Vaughan Lenny Tribute Stratocaster I was just beginning to wonder whether we’d see anything new from Fender before Winter NAMM, only to discover this morning that the company had announced yet another pre-determined collector’s item––the Stevie Ray Vaughan “Lenny” Stratocaster. Part of Fender’s illustrious Tribute Series, the SRV “Lenny” Strat is apparently being commissioned by Guitar Center––which purchased Stevie’s original […] […]
November 30th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Yeah guys, let us rip on Fender and Guitar Center for making money. While giving a wider audience a chance to own or even hold a piece of a guitar legend’s gear. Look at those replicas of the 1963 AC Shelby Cobra. Wonder why anyone would pay $150,000.00 for one of those crappy little replica wonders of car racing. Try not to take yourselves too seriously. I can’t play well enough to play in front of my friends, I still want a “Lenny”, I love the song with all my heart, isn’t that enough for me to qualify to have a tribute to the man, the woman, the guitar and the song?