Fender Japan Ken Stratocaster Paisley Fantasy and Experiment #1
L’Arc-en-Ciel gets two new signature Stratocasters
3,6 / 5,0 | 
The Fender Japan Ken Stratocaster Paisley Fantasy and Experiment #1 have just been announced for the L’Arc-en-Ciel guitarist. One in striking, complex paisley patterned Strat, the other stripped-back minimalist Stratocaster.
Ken Stratocaster Paisley Fantasy
This new Ken Paisley Fantasy Stratocaster is currently very early in development and the picture provided by the Fender Japan website is actually of Ken’s original Master Built guitar. The Sarah Galenberger paisley design covers the whole guitar body, pickguard and headstock.
Fender Custom Shop Master Built Ken Stratocaster Paisley Fantasy · Source: Fender
V-Mod II
It comes with an engraved neck plate, gold hardware throughout, plus a maple neck and fretboard. This model will come with three Fender V-Mod II single-coil pickups and the Custom Shop production model will have a clear acrylic pickguard to show off the paisley pattern.
The first shipment is scheduled to be shipped in October, and after that, it is scheduled to be shipped around 2024.
MSRP – YEN 2,290,200
Experiment #1
Experiment #1 is inspired by Kintsugi Japanese pottery and has a completely stripped-back minimalist vibe. Especially, when compared to the Paisley Fantasy Strat above.
Experiment #1 · Source: Fender
Kintsugi
Kintsugi pottery is the art of repairing broken pottery by mending any damage with powdered gold and so there are gold accents throughout the guitar’s design. For example, the gold-painted elbow contour and the rear spring cavity, as well as the under-the-clear back control cavity.
Gold highlights inspired by Kintsugi pottery · Source: Fender
Direct Mount
Again, this model comes with a gold neck plate engraved with Ken’s CHLion logo. This time the Strat has a set of direct-mounted Fender V-Mod II and Fat ‘50s single-coil pickups, plus a typical five-way selector switch and three control knobs. Though there is a pickup blender for front and rear pickups.
Again, this model has gold hardware throughout and it features a six-saddle vintage synchronized tremolo and a set of locking tuners fitted to an oversized headstock.
This model is due out in October and will be exclusive to the Japanese market.
MSRP – YEN 385,000
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5 responses to “Fender Japan Ken Stratocaster Paisley Fantasy and Experiment #1”
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Jef, there is no pickguard on the paisley 🙂
That is not a photo of the production model, that is the official photo of Ken’s original guitar. The production model will have a clear pickguard according to the Fender Japan site.
Aww, that shucks, eh! It looks gorgeous as is in that picture, a pickguard being the print or translucent or whatever will just ruin it 🙁
Jef, are you aure the japanese text really states the Paisley has a clear pickguard? The Experiment #1 seems to have it but the Paisley Fantasy looks more like an Aerodyne style no pickguard, controls via backplate?
If you look very closely at the main image of this article, you will see that Ken’s guitar now sports a clear pickguard over the paisley pattern. However, my Japanese is rubbish and the specification of this model has yet to be finalised, so we won’t know for sure until they release it…