Aquatone Blue is one of those finishes Fender pulled from the archives for the Player II series, and it's a showstopper -- a cool, retro shade that stands apart from the usual lineup. Tonally, this is all Strat: the three Alnico V single-coils cover everything from sparkling cleans to crunchy rhythm work, and those signature positions 2 and 4 give you the hollow, vocal quack that has defined countless recordings.

The maple neck and fingerboard offer a bright, snappy attack that complements the alder body's natural balance. With 22 medium jumbo frets and a comfortable Modern "C" profile, this guitar handles everything from jazz chords to pentatonic runs with ease. If you want a Strat that sounds classic but looks anything but ordinary, this is the one.