THE FENDER STRAT AND TELE BOTH FALL VICTIM TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Two of the worlds most iconic guitars have both fallen victim to climate change. Both the Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster are made using a special type of ash known as ‘swamp ash’, or ‘music ash’, but now the ash trees are in short supply because of climate related flooding and the arrival of an ash-gnawing beetle, according to Scientific American. 

Executive Vice President of Fender, Justin Norvell, announced last year that that the company would not longer use the wood for their electric models and that “It’s something none of us took lightly – ash is part of the DNA of what we do at Fender.”

The problem started in June 2018, with the wettest 12 months on record, which included intense flooding right along the Mississippi. Add to that the introduction of the ash eating insect, the emerald ash borer beetle, normally a native of Asia but now present in 35 U.S states. The insect has reportedly killed millions of native ash trees by tunnelling through the wood.

Jennifer Koch, a US Forest Service biologist, said: “I think it’s the most rapid-spreading insect we’ve seen attacking trees in the US.”

These two factors are causing huge shortages which has directly affected the production of Fender guitars. As ash supplies dry up, the price of the most famous guitar in the world could sky rocket! Mike Born, former director of wood technology at Fender, told Scientific American: “The average player just won’t be able to afford it.”

For some musicians, the announcement by Fender that they will no longer use ash for electric guitar models is upsetting.

Richie Kotzen, former guitarist for heavy metal bands Poison and Mr. Big, told Scientific American: “Many years ago I had decided what my favorite woods were on a guitar. I learned that I liked a swamp ash body with a maple neck, and I stuck with it. Now I’m going to have to figure out a replacement wood for ash.”

Famous Tele and Strat players over the years have included Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Hank Marvin, Rick Parfitt, Francis Rossi, Andy Scott, Bruce Springsteen, Duff McKagan, Pete Townshend and the list goes on…