What’s Larry’s Lab? Fender’s CEO Larry Thomas is a guitar guy. It’s obvious when you talk to him the passion that he has for the history of the brand. The visions he has for the future of the products are on display in Larry’s Lab, a very special room we were ushered into at NAMM 2012. The guitars in this room have been commsioned by Larry to push the envelope. They run the gamut from wild design studies to familiar Fender shapes with new manufacturing techniques under the hood. These are all one-off prototypes; we got authorization from Larry himself to show them to you here.
Here we have some awfully sexy guitars. These are the Fender Voyager Concept, in modern (black) and vintage (white) trim. These are from the mind and hands of Josh Hurst, who is a bad ass builder and designer with Charvel. The modern Voyager has Neodymium Concealed concept pickups under that killer chrome pickguard, and a an Ebony/Maple laminate neck. The vintage concept has a more traditional pickup layout, and black block inlays on the maple fingerboard. It’s hard to design a new guitar shape that doesn’t suck, and these two here not only don’t suck at all, they may be the best looking new design we have seen in years.
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Love it!
A matching headstock would be the next step toward perfection…
[...] the Music Zoo was given permission at NAMM to take a peak into “Larry’s Lab”. Larry Thomas, the [...]
Wow, something to really usher in a new generation of Fenders! Keep up the good work, guys!
[...] guitars developed by Fender’s R&D department. One model The Music Zoo saw was the Fender Voyager Concept guitar, which is one of the coolest new guitar shapes I’ve seen in a while. I’d love to see [...]
I think its great comeing up with new ideas & concepts I just Pray they will be made in America & there are reasonably affordable
Agree with the headstock comment. The vintage headstock is too ‘vanilla’ for either this body or the Samurai’s.
Reverse-Style Strat Headsock PLEASE
Sweet designs. There’s no screws on the face of the ‘modern’ Voyager pickguard. How is it held on ( for repairs ) with magnets / double stick tape?
Love love this body design. But the standard Fender big Strat headstock doesn’t work with it. Come up with a new headstock design or try some of the other past Fender headstocks.
Also, why put tele parts on it? You create a fantastic new body, then slap a 60 year old bridge on it. Teles are great instruments, I own three, but don’t bastardize a new great desgin with old tele parts.
I like the look of the modern trem bridge on the black one. You might want to consider a wraptail as well.
I would also be looking to put some modern spec pickups on this one. Something like the wide range Humbucker when it came out on the tele. Nothing two far out, but something new none the less.
Great looking body and pickguard. Now put it into production.
looks SO RETRO KOOL YOU JUST WANT TO PICK IT UP AND PLAY IT.
Keep the “F” logo – ditch the 60s headstock. It definitely needs a new design to keep it futuristic. They should watch more of the old “Jetsons” episodes for ideas. I love the body, and would love to see the innards.
Q-tuner pickups are the world’s first neodymium pickups. Why is this design concealed under the pickguard?
Looks an awful lot like a Fernandes Vertigo to me.
Definitily Jetson-esk, not quite as retro futuristic as a Becker tho, http://www.beckerguitars.com/gallery.php?model=roller. those guys nailed that look.
still awesome looking guitar! glad to see fender crafting a new innovative line of instruments.. I hope to play one someday.
I agree with the comments about the headstock. they should go with the old Starcaster headstock or even the pointed Performer headstock would look cool.
@dAs the pickplate on the modern is probably in fact glued in place and everything would be accessed through a rear panel. Now @ Larry, I like this but needs the final touches like the starcaster headstock wıth matching body colour matching headstock. If I recall the hidden pickups are something fender has been doing alot in the late ninetıes with the tornado and a few duo sonics as well. Did they fix the bugs wıth it like shıelding issues?
I like the style. Maybe give the headstock and the pickup an “offset” kind of design that flows with the shape of the body. I’d like to see it in some brighter colors too….teal or aqua would be nice, with a maple fretboard. I’m sick of always seeing things in black, sunburst, or natural.