Fender EOB Ed O’Brien Sustainer Stratocaster • Wildwood Guitars

Ed O'Brien has spent almost three decades mixing high art with rock and roll as a member of Radiohead, and his playing has always pushed the frontiers of what an electric guitar can do. Ed seems delighted to challenge people's preconceived notions of what "guitar music" is, and his new signature Strat reflects his desire to innovate. The unorthodox electronics setup lets you make some of the coolest sounds you'll ever hear with very little tinkering. The neck pickup is a Fernandes Sustainer, and you can control its level with the mini-toggles on the lower bout. The switch on the right turns the Sustainer on and mixes it in with whatever pickup you have selected. Having the ability to kill or start the sustain instantly makes it really easy to smoothly incorporate this effect into live performances! The second toggle lets you dial in just the fundamental, just the harmonic, or a blend of the two, and the second volume knob controls that blend. This means you can access a vast array of sounds that range from subtle to in-your-face in seconds! This is the sort of guitar that can easily steal many afternoons from you, because it practically demands that you set aside more pressing matters to explore the new compositional techniques its electronics present.

Now, all this talk about crazy pickups and switching begs the question: how does it sound when you want to use it as a "regular" guitar? Well, you don't necessarily need to even use the Sustainer to have a blast with this Strat. The bridge pickup is a fat-sounding JB Jr. humbucker and the middle pickup is a bright, spanky Texas Special. This juxtaposition of different voicings means that this guitar is incredibly versatile. Oh, and it feels great in your hand, too, thanks to the gloriously chunky 10/56 "V" neck profile. And, if signature models aren't your thing, have no fear: Ed's name and signature don't appear anywhere on the guitar. Instead, he had Fender engrave a tasteful "Flower of Life" into the neck plate.

The Wildwood Team plays an awful lot of cool guitars, and we all agree: this EOB Sustainer Stratocaster is one of the most inspiring instruments we've ever seen, and we are excited to see what new musical ground our exceptional customers will break with it.

Amp: Tone King Imperial MKII
Overdrive: BB Preamp

Brand Fender
Model Aritst Series EOB Sustainer Stratocaster
Signature Signature
Body Wood Alder
Neck Wood Maple
Neck Shape 10/56 "V"
Fingerboard Maple
Inlays Black Dot
Scale Length 25 1/2"
Width at Nut 1.650"
Frets 21 Narrow Tall
Pickups Duncan JB Jr. (Bridge), Texas Special TM Single-Coil Strat (Middle), Sustainer Driver (Neck)
Controls Master Volume, Master Tone, Intensity Control, Active Sustainer® On/Off Switch, Fundamental/Harmonic/Blend Switch
Bridge 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo
Hardware Nickel/Chrome
Tuners Vintage Style
Pickguard 3 Ply Parchment
Case Gig Bag

[peace]

Usually, signature guitars are "too signature" and never "be your own" but this one (thanx to the EOB) is just a great tool/instrument for everyone without "look at me, look at me!" approach...

[DanSing-rrge]

I remember when being introduced to the sustainer was fenders only one like the eob I do have one and I love it❤

[smokeless]

Imagine Jimi Hendrix turned loose with one of these!

[solderbuddy]

This guy knows what hes doing. I really enjoyed this.

[burritosupreme]

01:00 Ain't nothing more true about that! Radiohead are amazing!

[IvorThomas]

The middle position gives you the fundamental tone + the octave. Not surprisingly, it probably needed tweaking to work right. My EOB needed some neck adjusting and assorted luthier love, at which time the sustainer pickup was found to be reverse grounded therefor sucking battery. (Nice work Fender factory boys!) BTW, there is a pot in the body cavity to adjust sustainer output too. That stuff done, this guitar friggin' kicks ass... my favorite ever. That fat 50s neck is amazing. And while Greg doesn't demo it, you can sustain whole chords and slide 'em around. Truly badass. All in all, I find this a really inspiring instrument.

[billslutzky]

I really dig your playing, I just discovered you today. You play with no timid noodling like so many of the other you tube players out there. Keep on keeping on my new bro!

[tontoninbas]

Thank you for this demonstration.
This model exist in left hand?

[sjuozhunki]

The lower tone knob controls the intensity of the sustainer.

[JFK]

Really interesting slide displayed here. Always learn something from watching you Greg. Thank you and merry-xmas to you!

[YonatanLidar]

which one should i purchase, The ed o brien strat or the 60th anniversary jazzmaster?

[stevenpape]

The 'tone' control nearest the edge is the volume for the sustainer. Try turning it up before saying a position does nothing.

[LilSirAxolotl]

This thing is like if Frank Zappa would've built a strat for Jimi Hendrix... In the right hands...

[teknomanning]

Got mine two days ago.And no it’s not foe everyone but it amazes me how many gitguys and girls slam something and never held shit or tried shit.But can make an unenlightened judgement.This is why most band members think the gitguy is a prick .Thats exactly why I stay away from forums.Besides the fact that companies don’t really care.Dont like it vote with your money elsewhere. Love mine

[chickenmuffin]

5:10 please leave some tone for the rest of us!

[bradmerilic]

I know this is old, but great shirt. I have a Batman one.

[nerdycatgamer]

can you use any of the pickups when the sustainer is engaged or does it default to the bridge or middle?

[kxmrock]

Distortion with That Bad Boy, And Its On…. Rock ON!

[chaos]

I own this guitar. And I’ll never sell it. It requires proper set up, including dialling in the trim pots to get the sustainer exactly the way you want it. I don’t know how this dude managed to make that guitar sound this bad - I can only assume he’s not a fender fan because he couldn’t not give A.F!!
This guitar is insanely versatile, and an awesome creative tool. This is NOT the review you should judge the e.o.b fender on. Check out the dude from Premier Guitar for a proper insight from a guy who doesn’t look like he sleeps under a bridge.
What a tool. Why don’t you just demo tambourines and spoons and shit old man?

[moanylover]

I got one as soon as they came out.  Beyond the Sustainer its a great lil strat man!  \m/QQ\m/