For the past 40 years, Squier by Fender has been creating instruments played by hundreds of thousands of guitarists from beginners to pros.

To celebrate that anniversary, the Squier/Fender design team has put together some spectacular instruments.

The Squier 40th Anniversary Gold Series Stratocaster brings together upscale looks, player-friendly features and all the classic Strat tone you could possibly want.

Vintage Curves in a New Wood
While traditional Strats have been poplar, alder or ash body guitars, the Squier 40th Anniversary Gold Series Stratocaster uses nato, a wood frequently referred to as Eastern mahogany. Nato has the warmth often associated with mahogany, but it adds a crispness that summons the spank a Strat needs for that instantly familiar tone. Nato has the benefit of being a more sustainable wood as well, making it a real win-win situation. All the 40th Anniversary Gold Series guitars feature a beautiful and durable gloss finish available in several striking colors.

Fast and Comfortable Neck
With a 25.5″-scale, C-profile maple neck and bound 9.5″-radius Indian laurel fingerboard, you’ll find the neck smooth, fast and easy to play. Add in premium pearloid block inlays and a bone nut, and the traditional 21-fret configuration looks as great as it plays, making the Gold Series Strat a celebration of the combined history of both the Stratocaster and Squier.

Alnico 5 Pickups for Classic Tone
When it comes to pickups—the heart of any electric guitar— the Squier 40th Anniversary Gold Series Stratocaster stays classic, with a trio of Fender-designed Alnico 5 single coils for spanky tone. The bridge has all the bite you need, the neck pickup can go from solid to smooth with a slight roll of the tone control, and you’ve got all the “quack” you desire from the “in-between” combinations on the five-way pickup switch. Stratocasters have always been at home in every sonic universe, and this special edition is here to prove it.

A Guitar You’ll Play for Years
The hardware of the 40th Anniversary Gold Series Stratocaster is its defining trait. Gold plated and gleaming from headstock to strap button, with a gold-anodized pickguard and engraved 40th Anniversary neck plate, it catches and holds the eye, and you’ll look as good playing it as you sound. Add this one to your collection, and you’ll understand why so many players over the decades have kept a Squier in their collection—for the sheer fun of playing one.