Youll realize this when you play our brand new Hardtop Stratocasters that we designed and built with the Fender Custom Shop.

The grain of the two-piece ash body looks fantastic under the nitrocellulose finish.

And, as youll see, we went for a less-is-more, minimalist, uncluttered aesthetic with these guitars.

In the switchs middle position, you can blend the output of each pickup using their independent volume controls.

Musical information seems to pour out effortlessly and just like any guitar built using tap-tested tonewoodthe kind that seems to ring like a bell before its even made into a guitarthe Hardtop has the kind of acoustic voice that is exceptional in every way.

Strike a chord while unplugged, and youll feel the Hardtop shake and shimmer against your body and throughout your left arm.

The guitars body is very lighta contributing factor toward its rich tonewhile the one-piece maple neck has a gentle, rounded V profile that fits perfectly in your hand.

A dark rosewood fretboard has a 9.5-inch radius and comes fitted with 6105 frets.

Many guitarists love the one-pickup look and the message it seems to convey: I just need one pickup by the bridge and a volume control to play mind-numbingly brilliant guitar, as evidenced by the brilliance of Edward Van Halen.

But theres a function that underlies the form; using one pickup rather than two or three allows for less magnetic interference between the electronic components and less string-pull that would result from additional pickups.

Which isnt to say that the two-pickup Hardtop and the tonal versatility it offers is more or less preferable than the one-pickup version.

Its a subjective choice for the musician that will use and enjoy this guitar.

While on the topic of pickups, the Bare Knuckle Mules seem perfect for the Hardtop; they use Alnico IV magnets and other components that are identical to a vintage PAF.

Response is quick in the bass and mids, while lower output offers great clarity and top-end shimmer that perfectly captures the nuances and harmonics present in the guitars acoustic voice.

When it comes down to basics, the Hardtop Strat is the perfect combination of simplicity and complexity intertwined.

The Music Zoo