"Every weakness contains within itself a strength."
― Shusaku Endo
In guitar gear news, Fender recently released their new Ultra II lineup of electric guitars and basses. I hate it when this happens. GAS (guitar acquisition syndrome) is very real and challenging to defeat, and perhaps I just can't do it.
Just look at this one ...
This is the Ultra II HSS Sinister Red Stratocaster. Its Haymaker™ Humbucker can be split with the S1 switch giving it a wicked single-coil sound―I've watched the YouTube reviews. Fender states, "With new Ultra II Noiseless Hot Strat pickups for articulate, hot-rodded Fender tones and a Haymaker™ Humbucker that unleashes a raw, expressive snarl, the Ultra II HSS Strat is about as versatile as you can get."
Other cool features include:
- Ultra rolled edges
- Luminlay side dots
- Quartersawn compound neck
- Hot-Strat Ultra II Noiseless pickups
- Anodized pickguards
Argh! I want one. To be sure, I do not need another guitar and I may sell a few of mine to justify getting an Ultra II. Obsessively, I already have three Ultra I Stratocasters, but one of them I heavily modded with Seymour Duncan pickups and new hardware. I have the Cobra Blue SSS and the Arctic Pearl HSS. Perhaps one of those will end up on the chopping block.
All images from Fender MIC 2024