Jackson, Gretsch, Charvel and EVH Announce New H2 2021 Offerings

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (July 8, 2021) — Following a record-breaking year for guitar-playing interest in 2020, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) continues to lead with player-centric and innovative tools tailored to fuel musical creativity across genres – from hard rock and high performance to Americana. As one of the largest musical instrument brands in the world, FMIC instruments are played on more stages and by more diverse artists, who subsequently contribute their feedback to make these innovations a reality.

FMIC today announced a slate of new products from its portfolio of owned and licensed brands, including Jackson®, Gretsch® guitars, EVH® and Charvel® via its second online meeting experience for global dealers. The introductions come as a means to support a growing cohort of pandemic players, songwriters, creators on social media, beginners and, of course, loyal professional musicians. New additions include products across categories – from the striking Jackson Artist Signature Series, powerful Gretsch electrics and new artist collaborations to Charvel’s U.K. artist collaborations and EVH’s powerful amps. Dealers can access these products via a private interactive portal to explore executive and product video, as well as other visuals via an easy-to-follow user interface.

“Coming off of the unprecedented surge in guitar playing in 2020, Jackson, Gretsch, Charvel and EVH continue to deliver innovative, high-quality gear tailored to meet the needs of our customers.” said Jeff Cary, SVP of Specialty Brands at Fender. “Within our portfolio of brands, we have a foundation of authenticity that speaks to a wide range of guitarists across genres. We consistently strive to create products within each brand that sparks creative energy.”

2021 NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS

Jackson began back in the late 1970s, when heavy music experienced a flamboyant and virtuosic resurgence in popularity and a small Southern California guitar repair shop became the epicenter of a new level of shred-approved excellence. Ever since then, Jackson guitars have been universally lauded as the metal guitars; the shred machines—highly original high-performance instruments of distinctive style and formidable substance. From metal’s chart-topping peaks to its darkest recesses, for discerning guitarists all over the globe, Jackson is the only way to go.

With his dazzling thrash fretwork, former Megadeth and current Act of Defiance and In Flames guitarist Chris Broderick is heralded as an exacting and modern metal master. When Broderick first came to Jackson to design his own signature model, he had clear demands in mind for his take on the venerable Soloist. Finding a more-than-willing partner up for the challenge, Broderick coined the longstanding high-performance guitar giant as the “company that could.” The results of the collaboration are sophisticated riffing machines loaded with premium features to keep up with the most demanding styles of music.

The Jackson® Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ – offered in six- and seven-string guitar options – features a 25.5″ scale length, resonant mahogany body with arched poplar burl top on Trans finishes and through-body maple neck with scarf joint and graphite reinforcement for rock-solid stability and enhanced sustain. Its 12″-radius bound laurel fingerboard with 24 jumbo frets is ideal for all playing styles, comfortable for both low riffing and soaring leads.

Contemporary guitarists require tonal versatility and punchy clarity to keep pace with the rapid twists and turns of today’s metal. Direct mount DiMarzio® Chris Broderick signature humbucking bridge and neck pickups deliver powerful clear harmonics with accentuated pick attack and tight lows for versatile tone, from heavy chording to searing solos. The volume control conceals a push/pull switch for coil-splitting, unlocking even more tonal options while the tone control’s push/pull switch enables the tone circuit. Switch between pickup combinations with a three-way toggle, while a mini-toggle kill switch allows for the stuttering effects that have become integral in modern metal.

All tremolo models feature a Floyd Rose® Special double-locking bridge system, while hardtail models come equipped with a Jackson® Single-String bridge.

Offered in either Gloss Black or Transparent Blue with a color-matched reverse Jackson AT-1 headstock and black hardware, these pedigreed 6 or 7-string metal machines are a force to be reckoned with.

Models include:

• The Jackson® Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ 6, Gloss Black ($999.99 USD, £889.00, €999.00 XX, $2,299 AUD, ¥154,000 JPY) 
•  The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ 7, Gloss Black ($1,099.99 USD, £1,069.00, €1,199.00, $2,499 AUD, ¥ 170,500 JPY) 
• The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ 6P, Transparent Blue ($1,199.99 USD, £1,159.00, €1,299.00, $2,699 AUD, ¥ 184,8000 JPY) 
• The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ 7P, Transparent Blue ($1,299.99 USD, £1,249.00, €1,399.00, $2,899 AUD, ¥ 203,500 JPY)
• The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ HT6, Gloss Black ($899.99 USD, £889.00, €1,099.00, $2,099 AUD, ¥ 140,800 JPY) 
•  The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ HT6P, Transparent Blue ($1,099.99 USD, £1,069.00, €1,199.00 $2,499AUD, ¥ 170,500 JPY)
• The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ HT7, Gloss Black ($999.99 USD, £979.00, €1,099.00, $2,299 AUD, ¥ 154,000 JPY)
• The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ HT7P, Transparent Blue ($1,199.99 USD, £1,159.00, €1,299.00, $2,699  AUD, ¥ 184,800 JPY) 

Available September 2021. For product images click here.

For technical specs, additional information on new Jackson products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.jacksonguitars.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @OfficialJacksonGuitars.

With roots in the past while maintaining an eye to the future—from the cavernous clubs of Liverpool to the main stage headliner at Coachella, Gretsch has been the voice of inspiration, personal expression and musical invention. It’s no accident that the sound of a Gretsch has been heard loud and proud on some of the most pivotal recordings ever created. The instrument of choice for musical revolutionaries due to their rich, full sound, smooth playability and boldly classic visual style, Gretsch and rock ‘n’ roll have been—and always will be—inseparable partners.

The world’s greatest hollow body guitars just got even better. Designed for the working professional, the all-new Players Edition Hollow Body instruments feature authentic Gretsch® sound and style while incorporating cutting-edge features that are designed to instill complete confidence in the instrument, from tailpiece to tuners. Modern bracing patterns, all-new FT-67 Filter’Tron™ pickups, rolled fingerboard edges and Luminlay® side markers are just a few of the appointments that make the Players Edition perfect for today’s performer.

The all-new FT-67 Filter’Tron™ humbucking pickups were designed to capture authentic vintage Gretsch® voicing but with a more well-rounded tone for modern playing styles. This powerful pair of pickups provide open and pristine top-end chime, glassy midrange, robust low end and balanced harmonics for tone that blends seamlessly with other instruments.

Players Edition guitars can be trusted on every song, every night for powerful sound, tonal flexibility and full control of that classic Gretsch® power.  Models include:

• G6136TG Players Edition Falcon™ Hollow Body with String-Thru Bigsby® and Gold Hardware ($3,599.99 USD, £3,509.00, €3,889.00, $6,199 AUD, ¥ 528,000 JPY). Boasting powerful sound and stage-ready tonal flexibility, this Falcon presents total sophistication — from the Midnight Sapphire or White gloss urethane finish to the gold Grover® Imperial™ locking tuning machines and gold jeweled G-arrow control knobs, to the gold sparkle bound neck, body and F-holes, to the striking pearloid Neo-Classic™ thumbnail inlays and gold vintage thick plexi pickguard with Gretsch and Falcon logos. This model features “ML” bracing, a comfortable 2.5″-deep maple body and set “U”-shaped maple neck with 25.5″ scale length.
• G6136TG-LH Players Edition Falcon™ Hollow Body with String-Thru Bigsby® and Gold Hardware ($3,899.99 USD, £3,629.00, €4,029.00, $6,699 AUD, ¥ 572,000 JPY). A bold visual and sonic statement, the left-handed G6136TG-LH Players Edition Falcon Hollow Body with String-Thru Bigsby® and Gold Hardware comes in a White gloss urethane finish. This model features “ML” bracing, Grover® Imperial™ locking tuning machines,comfortable 2.5″-deep maple body and set “U”-shaped maple neck with 25.5″ scale length.
• G6122TG Players Edition Country Gentleman® Hollow Body with String-Thru Bigsby® and Gold Hardware ($3,099.99 USD, £2,809.00, €3,119.00, $5,299 AUD, ¥ 462,000 JPY) A lively playing partner, this Country Gent presents sterling sophistication — from the Walnut Stain gloss urethane finish to the gold Grover® Imperial™ locking tuning machines and gold G-arrow control knobs to the striking pearloid Neo-Classic™ thumbnail inlays and gold vintage pickguard with Gretsch® logo. Parallel bracing delivers resonant hollow body sound from the comfortable 2″-deep maple body. The Electrotone-body style revisits a vintage design from the 1960s, and its shallow depth, simulated f-holes and sealed top provide additional feedback control and low-end thump.
• G6120TG Players Edition Nashville® Hollow Body with String-Thru Bigsby® and Gold Hardware ($2,599.99 USD, £2,749.00, €3,049.00, $4,599 AUD, ¥ 407,000 JPY) This Nashville is ready to bring Music City style to the stage — from the Azure Metallic or Orange Stain gloss urethane finish to the gold Gotoh® locking tuning machines and gold G-arrow control knobs to the white bound neck, body and F-holes, striking pearloid Neo-Classic™ thumbnail inlays and gold plexi pickguard with black Gretsch logo and Nashville post sign. It has a 16″-wide, 2.5″-deep maple body with ML bracing design and a set “U”-shaped maple neck with 24.6″ scale length.
• G6120TG-LH Players Edition Nashville® Hollow Body with String-Thru Bigsby® and Gold Hardware ($2,899.99 USD, £2,989.00, €3,319.00, $5,099 AUD, ¥ 462,000 JPY) This left-handed model shares the same features as its righty counterpart, and comes in an Orange Stain gloss urethane finish. 
• G6120TG-DS Players Edition Nashville® Hollow Body DS with String-Thru Bigsby® and Gold Hardware ($2,699.99 USD, £2,839.00, €3,149.00, $4,799 AUD, ¥ 412,500 JPY) The only DS model in the Edition, the G6120TG has two DynaSonic™ pickups, which produce amplified bright, shimmering highs and a defined, rich bass for distinct tone that cuts through the mix. Available in Roundup Orange, this model also features “ML” bracing, a comfortable 2.5″-deep maple body and set “U”-shaped maple neck with 24.6″ scale length.
• G6119T-ET Players Edition Tennessee Rose™ Electrotone Hollow Body with String-Thru Bigsby® ($2,699.99 USD, £2,379.00, €2,639.00, $3,999 AUD, ¥ 385,000 JPY) If players want to make their performance bloom with unmistakable Gretsch® style, this Tennessee Rose is ready to roll — from the Deep Cherry Stain urethane finish to the nickel Gotoh® locking tuning machines and nickel G-arrow control knobs to the whitebound neck, body and F-holes, striking pearloid Neo-Classic™ thumbnail inlays and silver plexi pickguard with black Grestch® logo. It also has a 16″-wide, 2″-deep maple body with parallel bracing and a set “U”-shaped maple neck with 24.6″ scale length. Its Electrotone-body style revisits a vintage design from the 1960s, and its shallow depth, simulated f-holes and sealed top provide additional feedback control and low-end thump.
• G6118T Players Edition Anniversary™ Hollow Body with String-Thru Bigsby®  ($2,299.99 USD, £2,379.00, €2,639.00, $3,999 AUD, ¥ 385,000 JPY) — A finely tuned modern music machine, this guitar features the vintage Anniversary appointments Gretsch fans desire — from its two-tone finishes (Copper Metallic/Sahara Metallic with silver pickguard or Vintage White/Walnut Stain with a tortoise pickguard) to nickel hardware including Gotoh® locking tuning machines and G-arrow control knobs to the white bound body and F-holes and striking pearloid Neo-Classic™ thumbnail inlays. It has a 16″-wide, 2.5″-deep maple body with ML bracing and a set maple “U”-shaped neck with 24.6″ scale length and pearloid side dots.

Available November 2021. For product images click here.

With a multitude of projects over the years headlined by a nearly two-decade stint with rock powerhouse Guns N’ Roses, Richard Fortus is one of the most respected guitarists in the world. Fortus’ chameleon-like ability to seamlessly add his own fretwork flair to the varied likes of pop superstars Rihanna and Enrique Iglesias, new wave luminaries The Psychedelic Furs, and ultimately, GN’R, lends credence to his wide-ranging talents and exacting tastes. Throughout his storied career, Fortus has been known to play Gretsch® guitars — Falcons in particular — which allowed him the chance to formulate his own opinions on what a signature model might resemble.

True to his dreams, the G6636/G6636T-RF Richard Fortus Signature Falcon™ Center Block models  check all the boxes. They each begin with a resonant 1.75″-deep, 17″-wide double-cutaway maple body with a lightweight chambered spruce center block running throughout, reinforcing the arched laminate top while eliminating undesired feedback for volume-friendly performance that fits modern stages.  Both models feature a three-way toggle switch, master volume and master tone controls, “U”-shaped maple neck and 12″-radius ebony fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets.

Guitarists with Fortus’ shape shifting talents demand versatility in their instruments to remain on top of their game, which is why a set of Custom Wound Filter’Tron™ pickups in the bridge and neck positions fit perfectly.

These are player-centric instruments ready to rock any genre. Models include:

• G6636T-RF Richard Fortus Signature Falcon™ Center Block with String-Thru Bigsby® ($3,599.99 USD, £3,199.00, €3,549.00, $6,199 AUD, ¥ 528,000 JPY) The G6636T-RF Richard Fortus Signature Falcon™ Center Block with String-Thru Bigsby® comes in a stunning Vintage White finish and is decked out with nickel hardware including the jeweled G-arrow knobs, pearloid Neo-Classic™ thumbnail inlays and tortoise headstock logo, binding, bezels and pickguard. Offering a 25.5″ scale length, it also features a string-thru Bigsby® B6CP  and  a TonePros® Tune-o-matic bridge with roller saddles and pinned ebony base to offer stability, lightning-fast string changes and added expressiveness.
• G6636-RF Richard Fortus Signature Falcon™ Center Block with V-Stoptail ($3,399.99 USD, £3,049.00, €3,389.00, $5,899 AUD, ¥ 484,000 JPY) The G6636-RF Richard Fortus Signature Falcon™  Center Block with V-Stoptail comes in a striking Black finish and is decked out with nickel hardware including the jeweled G-arrow knobs, pearloid Neo-Classic™ thumbnail inlays and headstock logo, and tortoise pickguard, pickup bezels and binding. It also has a 24.6″ scale length, and a TonePros® Tune-o-matic Bridge with standard saddles.

Available November 2021. For product images click here.

For technical specs, additional information on new Jackson products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.gretschguitars.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @OfficialGretsch.

Charvel® guitars are the very embodiment of high-performance tone machines, and discerning players who prize superior sound and feel have turned to the company’s finely crafted guitars as their weapons of choice for more than 40 years. Musician’s musicians worldwide have long relied on Charvel for exceptional guitar design and the company is eager to share its latest artist signature collaborations with U.K.-based  guitarists Guthrie Govan and Rick Graham.

Guthrie Govan Signature MJ San Dimas® SD24 CM, Three-Tone Sunburst ($2,599.99 USD, £2,299.00, €2,599.00, $4,899 AUD, ¥ 352,000 JPY) As a preeminent modern virtuoso, U.K. guitar master Guthrie Govan dazzles all who hear his playing and experience his artistry. Charvel worked meticulously with Govan on the development of his signature lineup to create superior guitars in distinctive Charvel form, including this all-new Made in Japan model. Harkening back to the late ’80s when Charvel® guitars were manufactured exclusively in Japan, we proudly introduce the all-new Guthrie Govan Signature MJ San Dimas® SD24 CM Exquisite in style, this MJ signature model blends Charvel’s unparalleled legacy of designing high-performance instruments with an assortment of Govan’s preferred top-end features.

This 25.5″ scale guitar features a San Dimas® basswood body with an ash top and specially contoured heel (sans neck plate) for easy access to the upper reaches of the fingerboard. The bolt-on maple neck has a “caramelized” heat and drying treatment that makes it sound and feel much older, along with graphite reinforcement, satin finish on the back of the neck and a conveniently located heel-mount truss rod adjustment wheel. Most unusual for a San Dimas® model, the 12″-16″ compound radius caramelized maple fingerboard features 24 jumbo stainless-steel frets, as well as crème dot inlays and Luminlay® side dots.

Other premium features include three specially wound Charvel® custom pickups arranged in a versatile HSH configuration with five-way switching for the expansive tonal openness and dynamic sensitivity that Govan demands, along with a two-way mini toggle switch to engage single-coil simulation in bridge and neck humbucker positions. This instrument also comes loaded with two Luminlay® numbered dome control knobs for volume and tone, recessed Charvel® locking tremolo bridge with pop-in tremolo arm and brass block, Gotoh® die-cast locking tuners and Graph Tech® TUSQ® XL nut.

The Guthrie Govan Signature MJ San Dimas® SD24 CM is available in a stately Three-Tone Sunburst finish, complete with chrome hardware, brown pickup bobbins and a licensed Fender® Stratocaster® guitar headstock.

Available October 2021.

Rick Graham Signature MJ DK24 2PT CM ($2,699.99 USD, £2,499.00, €2,799.00, $5,199 AUD, ¥ 412,500 JPY). Rick Graham built a rabid fanbase at home and abroad with his stunningly deft chops, which range from delicate chordal passages of gentle beauty to furious onslaughts of overdriven virtuosity and any musical shade in between. From the classical guitar strains of his youth at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama to his imaginative present day solo flights on YouTube to acclaimed guest spots with Polyphia, Plini, Andy James, Jason Richardson and others, Graham’s intense musical mastery has mesmerized many far and wide.

Stylishly exquisite in a Celeste finish with chrome hardware, this Made in Japan Rick Graham Signature MJ DK24 2PT CM model blends Charvel’s unparalleled legacy of designing high-performance instruments with an assortment of Graham’s preferred top-end features. It features a basswood Dinky® body with a scalloped lower back bout and sculpted shredder’s cut heel engineered for comfortable upper fret access. The bolt-on caramelized maple neck has graphite reinforcement for rock-solid stability, satin finish on the back for smooth playability and heel mount truss rod adjustment wheel for quick and easy neck relief tweaks. Its 12″-16″ compound radius caramelized maple fingerboard ups the ante for both style and stability, with 24 jumbo stainless-steel frets, 4mm crème dot inlays, Luminlay® side dots and Graph Tech® TUSQ® XL nut.

The Custom Rick Graham Bare Knuckle HSS pickup set delivers everything from delicate clean tone to potent high-gain delirium, embodying Graham’s incredibly wide-ranging musicality. The Bare Knuckle ceramic humbucking bridge pickup produces a rich midrange with excellent control of lows, with plenty of output and a fantastic split-coil tone. The Bare Knuckle middle and neck pickups deliver authentic vintage output heat with dynamic single-coil snap and headroom. Other premium features include a five-way blade switch, skirted Stratocaster®-guitar style volume and tone controls, a Gotoh® Custom 510 recessed tremolo bridge, Gotoh® die-cast locking tuners, beveled jack and Fender® Stratocaster® guitar headstock.

Available September 2021. For product images click here.

For technical specs, additional information on new Charvel products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.charvel.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @CharvelUSA.

Two of the most important and recognizable names in rock ‘n’ roll joined forces in 2005 to develop and launch the EVH® brand of guitars, amplifiers, and musical products. Guitar icon Eddie Van Halen combined his unparalleled instinct and innovation in an instrument and amp design with the expertise of the craftsmen and engineers at Fender to create some of the highest quality, best-sounding, and most durable musical instrument products available today.

Designed by renowned amp engineer, James Brown, the never before seen EVH® 5150® Iconic® Amplifiers satisfies the needs of gigging and recording guitarists craving that pure and powerful EVH tube tone, but at a more affordable price. Evolving from the revered EVH 5150III® amplifiers, the Iconic line delivers the searing sound and growling gain that Eddie Van Halen made famous throughout his groundbreaking career. Continuing the tradition of distinctive EVH style, the 5150 Iconic amplifiers launches with an 80W Head, 4×12 Cab and 40W 1×12 Combo – all wrapped in either Black or Ivory textured vinyl with silver and black 5150 and EVH logo badges.

The combo and head both feature two channels with an extra voicing on each for even more versatility. The Green channel boasts an overdrive button to run from lush clean tones to increased gain, while the Red channel’s burn button adds a fiery crunch that’s ideal for blistering leads.

Each channel houses its own gain and volume controls, allowing for level-matching the volume when switching between the clean and high gain channels. The channel two noise gate’s quick attack suppresses any hiss while ensuring all staccato riffing is articulate and crisp, not choked and choppy. The Boost control allows players to add another 10Db of foot switchable volume to their tone – perfect for solos that cut through the mix. The control panel also includes shared EQ (Low, Mid and High), global resonance and presence knobs to adjust the low and high-end tonal aspects, and a global reverb control to add the perfect amount of bounce and decay for any room.

Other features include a two-button footswitch, effects loop, dual parallel speaker output jacks, ¼ power switch to reduce wattage—allowing for cranking the amp and still preserving tone but without destroying the neighborhood solitude, and a speaker-emulated DI XLR with power amp mute for accurate all-tube EVH tone for recording direct or using through any PA system.

Models include: 

5150® Iconic® 40-watt 1×12 Combo ($799.99 USD, £799.00, €899.00, $1,599 AUD, ¥ 168,300 JPY) The 5150® Iconic® 40-watt 1×12 combo, is powered by two JJ 6L6 power tubes and voiced with two JJ ECC83S preamp tubes, providing all the firepower the modern guitarist needs. The cabinet is constructed out of MDF with special internal plywood baffling for tight and increased bass response, and houses a custom-designed EVH 12″ Celestion® speaker voiced specifically for this preamp circuit, so that the pristine cleans and searing high gain tones are tight, clear and articulate.  Available in Black or Ivory with black cloth front grille, control panel on top and silver and black 5150 and EVH logo badges.

5150® Iconic® 80W Head ($899.99 USD, £799.00, €899.00, $1,799 AUD, ¥ 190,300 JPY) The 5150® Iconic® 80W Head is powered by four JJ 6L6 power tubes and voiced with two JJ ECC83S preamp tubes. Available in Black or Ivory, this head features a black steel grille, brushed aluminum front panel and silver and black 5150 and EVH logo badges.

5150® Iconic® 4×12 Cabinet ($499.99 USD, £449.00, €499.00, $999 AUD, ¥ 106,700 JPY) Designed to be paired with the EVH® 5150® Iconic® 80-watt head, the 5150® Iconic® 4×12 straight-front speaker enclosure is the ultimate in power and performance. The cabinet is constructed out of MDF with special internal plywood baffling for tight and increased bass response, and houses four custom designed EVH 12″ Celestion speakers voiced specifically for this preamp circuit. The cab also has a ¼” parallel speaker input jack, two recessed side-mounted steel bars and removable EVH pop-out casters. Available in Black or Ivory textured vinyl with black grille cloth and silver and black 5150 and EVH logo badges.

All Iconic® amps are available in October 2021. For product, images click here.

For technical specs, additional information on new EVH products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.evhgear.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @EVHGear.