Khruangbin’s Mark Speer and Laura Lee have partnered with Fender on a pair of Strat and Jazz Bass signatures
To mark the 10-year anniversary of their debut record, The Universe Smiles Upon You, Khruangbin have partnered with Fender to release a pair of limited-edition signature Stratocaster and Jazz Bass guitars.
Much like Khruangbin’s ever-shifting brand of unorthodox funk and psychedelic rock, the bassist and guitarist have been adapting their respective instruments over the last 10 years. Fender has captured this decade of innovation with the Laura Lee Jazz Bazz and Mark Speer Stratocaster, replicating Lee and Speer’s personalised instruments exactly.
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The Mark Speer Stratocaster boasts DiMarzio Pro Track pickups on the neck and bridge, as well as a ’70s Strat middle pickup. In terms of the neck, Strat has a custom C profile, with a 7.25” radius and 21 jumbo frets. There’s also a vintage-style tremolo, with Graph Tech saddles and string trees.
Aesthetically, Speer’s Strat is certainly classy. It has an aged natural finish, with a contoured ash body and all-white hardware. Price-wise, it comes it at £1,349.
Credit: Fender
In terms of Lee’s signature, the Laura Lee Jazz Bass is fitted with DiMarzio Ultra Jazz pickups. The bass also has its own vintage feel thanks to its concentric volume and tonal knobs. The neck has a U profile neck with a 9.5” radius, with 21 jumbo frets.
The bass adopts a vintage white finish, with chrome details and a rosewood fingerboard. The price comes in a little higher than the Strat, costing £1,399.
Credit: Fender
As the signature models are exact replicas of the pair’s instruments, both artists are quite passionate about sharing their signatures with the world. “This guitar is the easiest way for me to get the musical idea from my head, out into the world,” Speer explains. “I know this thing inside and out, the sounds it can make, and the textures I can achieve. It’s like becoming really familiar with your paintbrush.”
Lee is equally as keen to share her dream bass with the world. “A lot of the features on my bass look vintage, but they function in a modern way,” Lee says. “We’ve been trying to cultivate our music to feel classic and timeless, really. To me, the look and feel of this instrument is the same – it just sounds better the more you play it.”
Credit: Fender
Just as the band have strived to break the mould, a simultaneous signature release is an uncommon move on Fender’s part; the guitar giant has only done it once before in its entire 80 year history, with J-rockers Scandal releasing three signatures back in 2022.
“Khruangbin is a band that has made a huge mark on modern music – they blend cultures, genres, and eras into something entirely their own,” Justin Norvell, EVP of Product at Fender, says.
“Mark and Laura had built their trademark sound with some unique specs and features on their primary instruments and with these signature models, we wanted to be able to share that with the universe of musicians and fans.”
For more information, head to Fender.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
