Fender has celebrated the first anniversary of its flagship Tokyo store by releasing an unprecedented special edition – and it’s unlike any Strat you’ve come across before. Last July, – a huge emporium of , and , with spaces dedicated for artist models, lifestyle goods, and a “Dream Factory” Custom Shop department. The unveiling was marked with the release of three custom Acoustasonics, and now to commemorate the milestone, Fender has once again turned its attention to celebratory designs.
The headline of the collection is undoubtedly the Urushi Stratocaster, a guitar that uses a never seen before finish and utilizes an “ancient Japanese coating material”. Safe to say, it’s unlike anything currently available on Fender’s US books. Sure, at a distance it looks like a standard black-on-black Strat with gold hardware, but take a closer look: the deep, jet-black finish has a unique mottled and matte character, which has been achieved through “Tsui-koku”.
Tsui-koku, according to Fender, is a traditional Japanese practice, and is dubbed “the most highly skilled of the many lacquer techniques”. It applies “Urushi” and “Kiso Tsuisha” – a specific lacquer designed as a national tradecraft – over a base of black lacquer. Then, a mold called a ‘tampo” is placed on top, helping to create the final aesthetic, which comprises multiple meticulous layers.
It was created with lacquer hot shot Yuji Iwahara of Miku Urushi Kogei, one of the best lacque.