Artisan Series Okoume Stratocaster

Well, let’s see what’s new at the Fender Custom Shop this month shall we?

For the 2015 Artisan series, the Fender Custom Shop pushes the envelope in the name of art and still remains true to its roots. Artisan series instruments are custom-built masterpieces, outfitted with special appointments and features unlike any other Custom Shop instruments. Yet with vintage design touches, the foundation and spirit is authentically Fender. Exotic okoume bodies, lustrous gold hardware, premium “roasted” bird”™s-eye maple necks and much more — every high-end feature is fashioned and finished with painstaking attention to detail. No doubt, every Artisan series instrument is a beauty to behold — a culmination of sonic perfection, passion and purity of design, with classic Fender at the core.

Okoume is an interesting choice of wood for tone. Okoume is a hardwood tree that is native to Africa. It is described as a weak wood and it is often used in marine plywood. The wood sounds similar to maple and it is a fairly light. And, from what I understand, it can be difficult to work.

The neck is a one piece Birdseye maple that has been roasted to a deep brown hue and features a “V” profile with a 9.5”³ fingerboard radius.

This video provides a nice overview of the instrument. Although gold hardware is not my thing, the instrument does look — and sound — stunning.