H.E.R. gets custom line of Fender Stratocaster guitars
Whether you listen to her music or not, H.E.R. is undeniably one of the biggest and most visible guitar players in popular music. In a genre where the guitar is not a completely necessary instrument, Gabriella Wilson is laying down riffs and licks that keep the six-string instrument at the forefront of pop, R&B, and even show tunes, thanks to a recent starring role as Belle in the recent ABC television adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.
To celebrate the impact she’s made, H.E.R. and guitar manufacturer Fender are teaming up to produce a new line of signature guitars for the artist. H.E.R. is well-known for her preference towards Fender Stratocasters, and now, she’s getting her own custom line of the instrument.
During a conversation with her father Kenny, Wilson runs down a list of guitar-focused greats who influenced her, citing everyone from Prince to Lenny Kravitz to Led Zeppelin. Jimi Hendrix was given a special shout-out as well, having been one of the first Black guitar gods who also frequently wielded a Fender Stratocaster.
“I’m seeing a lot of women playing guitar and killing it,” Wilson says. “I absolutely love to see that. I think we need more women who are producing, more women on the drums, more women on the bass, the guitar. I think we’re not shedding light on those women and I hope that I continue to inspire.”
The new signature model features a Blue Marlin finish that was “inspired by fishing trips with her dad”, a pair of Vintage Noiseless Stratocaster pickups, and a mid-’60s “C”-shaped neck. The model is H.E.R.’s second signature model with Fender, having previously helped design a chrome Fender Stratocaster model to her specifications.
Check out the preview of the new line of H.E.R. signature Stratocasters down below.
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