Comments about Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar:

I am a big fan of Jeff Beck and his work and I play similar sounds like him and I love the tone and sustain from his signature strat. I used a friends and the second I saw it I wanted to get it. I started playing using the neck pickup and the sound was so clear and pure, I recommend this guitar to any Jeff Beck fans or anyone who loves to play solos!

Comments about Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar:

I got this guitar in October I don't know why I got I just thought I should have a little Beck sound in my shed; so I went to pick it up and after about 45 minutes with the tech; it got the perfect smooth as silk setup with Ernies 9's, perfect I mean perfect floating bridge and amazing tone. I went home and debated the idea of gigging with it that same night (you really shouldn't gig with a new instrument until you've gotten acquainted with it) so I took it to the gig and was blown away; I can do 4-5 note blues bending effortlessly, staying in pitch perfectly even when abbusing the tremolo; slowly but surely through 5 more gigs and about 5 string changes this has become without me wanting to, my number 1 instrument; I play it at gigs; at home and every time I pick another instrument I just want to get back to Whitey; my only complaint is that the tremolo tip should also be aged; mine isn't; other than that this guitar has surpassed my expectation and blows away guitars that cost two or three times what this cost; at least mine DOES; I know this has not been the case for everyone; but my experience has been very blissfull; I now own a perfect tone / blues / rock machine.

Comments about Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar:

First the set up wasn't good out of the box. This is no big deal I can usually set up a guitar in an hour or so. However to get the intonation right I had to take the springs out to get the sliders back enough. Now the low E and A strings are tight against the back plate. Which means the bridge itself was placed too far forward :( Then I adjusted the spring tension so when I pull the whammy bar I get a whole step down on the low E string. When I did that the bridge is tilted forward, which is OK but then I wanted to lower the strings to compensate for the height. I brought the bridge all the way down but that wasn't enough. So I pulled the neck off and sanded down the body side to give it a little bit more angle. Ok now that's good too. Then I played the guitar for a while and it was pretty good. But a few weeks later it wouldn't stay in tune anymore. Hmmm . . . So I took the strings apart and inspected the tuners and the roller nut. They were OK. Then I took the bridge apart, there it is. The base plate where it pivots on the 2 posts, the chrome was coming off. What a terrible idea to chrome plate such an important part. It really should have been stainless steel or better yet titanium. Not only that but the way they machined it was so rough. I took my dremel tool and under magnifying glass ground down the chrome then reshaped the metal underneath. For it to work properly it has to be very smooth and should fit inside the posts just right. Then I put it back together. Now the tremolo works smoothly and it stays in tune. For how long? I don't know. This guitar is put together fast and some of the parts are cheap. Considering the price tag this is unacceptable. Also I wish Fender would make a thicker whammy bar so it doesn't flex so much. It'd also be nice to have an option on whether to have a plastic tip or not.

Comments about Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar:

Only complaint is the tremolo bar should be a pop in and more durable. I finally switched out the bridge for a Gotoh 510 stainless and no more problems. For those who mentioned tuning problems put on heavier strings and add an extra spring to the bridge. I play 4 to 5 hours a day hard and constant tremolo work and no tuning problems at all.

Comments about Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar:

I played this guitar recently and I was blown away. The neck is fast and feels amazing, the pickups have an amazing smooth sound with a bit of bite, it stays in tune VERY well, it's beautiful, and it is the nicest guitar I have ever played, Strat or otherwise. The single coils are quiet but still have that single coil sound. They are the best single coil pups made today. The neck feels amazing, better than ANY guitar I've ever played, and I've played JEMS, Carvins, gibson, PRS, Jackson, and no other guitar feels as instantly comfortable or sounds as perfect as this axe. I could not find a single issue with this guitar. Even through a cheap Fender Frontman, I could hear what a beautiful sound this instrument can make. I can't imagine what it would sond like through a quality tube amp. Basically, if you have the money, buy this guitar. It sounds amazing, looks amazing, plays amazingly, and is made by an amazing company whose higher-end axes are worth every penny.

Comments about Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar:

I have been playing guitar now for 35 years and this is the nicest guitar I have ever played. It is well worth the extensive price if you ask me, it is the smoothest guitar and it is just begging to be played. If you like Jeff Beck then you are going to love this guitar, plus it is signed by the man himself, how cool is that???

Comments about Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar:

I've owned the Jeff Beck Custom Shop Strat now a few months and have gigged extensively with it. I can attest to many of the other accolades here in this review section. But I have to admit to having a long and very hard time getting the axe to return to pitch after even the slightest trem use. Now this runs in the face of some other reviews here but nevertheless it's true. I tried what I thought was really everything possible to correct the problem before stumbling on an odd solution which has been working for me, and that is keeping the the two pivot points on the bridge at the two posts lubricated! You can use anything from oil to petroleum jelly but you've got to do it regularly. Why some of these JB strats seem to have bridge tuning issues while others don't is a mystery. Other than this issue the guitar is VERY sweet indeed. Maybe someday Fender will get their trem together once and for all!

Comments about Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar:

I purchased my JB Custom Shop Strat about a year ago ago and have gigged with it extensively. This guitar rips! It produces a "thicker" more blended sound than any other Strat I have ever owned. I play it through a Dr. Z, Route 66 head with 2-12" alnico blue celestions and the tonal variation it produces is just phenomenal. The noiseless pups are a club musicians dream - no annoying hum or buzz. The locking tuning heads make for fast string changing and a road warrior that stays in tune from set to set (even with moderate to heavy whammy bar exposure). And by the way, the whammy bar is extremely responsive. The neck's contoured heel was not a factor when I bought this guitar but I have to admit that it does make it easier to reach those high screamers. And by the way, this guitar does scream!I play everything from blues to classic rock to Texas Country and the JB Strat does it all in it's own beautifully distinctive way. I've been playing for 36 years and will not part with this guitar.

Comments about Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar:

the one I received was perfectly set up - I have had it 6 months now and still have not needed to take it to my local guitar guru - plays like butter, tone is immaculate - I use a Keeley "Compressor "and MI Audio "Crunch Box" through a Carr "Mercury" combo and the tone is massive, articulate and controlled.

Comments about Fender Custom Shop Custom Artist Series Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar:

I'd always thought about getting one of the older JB strats (the one with the lace sensors and really thick neck). But I was put of by the neck being too thick. This new version has a perfect neck, it feels immediately comfortable. I have to confess I didn't like the hot noiseless pickups, I felt they were too harsh so I changed them for Kinman blues with a kinman 85 in the bridge. It is now perfect. (I believe Jeff has different pickups in his also). The setup of this guitar was flawless out of the box. Acoustically it had a lively zing to it. Lovely guitar. It is expensive but I think it's a classic.