Fender and Jack White have teamed up for an epic collaboration featuring not one but two signature guitars that reimagine two staples from the Big F’s catalogue, and a gnarly tube amp combo that is like nothing you’ll see this year.
Sometimes – often – a signature collab takes a softly softly approach, and besides the choice of some aftermarket electric guitar pickups and perhaps a bespoke finish, an engraved neck plate and a custom guitar strap, it is business as usual. Not here.
The Jack White Fender Collection goes all in, and comprises the following: the TripleCaster, a next-gen custom Telecaster much like the custom model we have seen White playing live in recent years; the TripleSonic, which is an Acoustasonic through the Jack White looking glass; and the Pano Verb, a dual-speaker combo inspired by White’s favourite Vibrasonic and Vibroverb amps, outfitted with a bespoke speaker pairing of one 15” speaker and one 10”. Now that is a combo.
This is very much a two-hander between Fender and the Raconteurs frontman and garage-rock entrepreneur, whose own Third Man Hardware brand positions him as a sort of Willy Wonka meets Nikola Tesla figure.
There is no mistaking his hand in the design here, from the bright yellow splashes of colour on the Pano Verb to the retro-modern retooling of the Telecaster and Acoustasonic.
Where to begin? Perhaps with a word from White himself. He believes this bold trio would meet with the approval of the man whose name is on the headstock.
“We found the best of the old, with the best of the new and mixed innovation with the history of Fender to do something that we think Leo Fender would have been very proud of if he was alive today,” says White.
Justin Norvell, executive vice president of product, Fender, says the brand is “thrilled” by the collection, and we have every reason to believe him.
This is a radical work of R&D, still on-brand for Fender, but like nothing we have seen before, and certainly not in 2024. These designs seemingly exist outside of the guitar design timeline – not Golden Era, not now – and yet wholly in keeping with White’s anachronistic aesthetic.
“Jack is regarded as a true visionary in the music world, and it has been an incredible journey working with him on developing these products,” says Norvell. “The guitars and amplifier reflect his innovative spirit and distinctive sound, and we can’t wait for musicians everywhere to experience the unique blend of craftsmanship and creativity that they bring. This collection embodies the essence of what makes Jack White an icon, and we're proud to bring his vision to life for fans and musicians alike.”
The TripleCaster is a Bigsby-equipped Telecaster variant that arrives in Piano Black with white powder-coated hardware. The banjo-style armrest would be a talking point in and of itself but it’s the pickup combination that is really triggering the add-to-cart impulse.
At the neck there is a Jack White CuNiFe Wide-Range Humbucker. In the middle position there is a big overwound single-coil in the shape of the JW-90. The bridge, meanwhile, has a full-fat humbucker.
No question, it’s a rock ’n’ roll machine. If you need more? You’ve got it; there is a Hipshot Xtender DropTuner and a Killswitch. This is not your Granddaddy’s Nocaster.
Any other day and the Acoustasonic would be the story. This is only the second time Fender has spec’d one of these for an artist, coming a few weeks after the launch of the FINNEAS Acoustasonic.
This one has a two-tone finish, with a Satin Arctic White body, neck and headstock facing, and a Satin Black Top.
The pickguard – again, in white – gives the game away as to whose hybrid acoustic electric guitar this is, and the tones back it up, with White designing three pickup voicings especially for the release. The neck has been fashioned into an old-school V profile.
Last, but not least, is one of the most intriguing guitar amps we have seen in recent memory, and absolutely one that we can’t wait to play through (if not carry up the stairs to the venue – it looks heavy).
Designed and built in Corona, California, think of it as a strange cocktail of the Vibrasonic and Vibroverb, with onboard tremolo as standard, with both mono and stereo modes.
White’s Third Man Gear recently teamed up with Anasounds for the La Grotte spring reverb pedal, so you’d think he’d be good for reverb. But no, there’s a comprehensive reverb section here, with Mix and Dwell controls. Well, you can’t have too much of a good thing.
The Jack White Collection is out now. The TripleCaster is priced £3,499 / $2,999. The TripleSonic is priced £2,199 / $2,499. The Pano Verb is priced £2,869 / $2,999.
For more details, head over to Fender.
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