During this year’s 70th Anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster, Guitar Center created an information armada about this iconic and legendary instrument.

From an interview with the Fender team about the big birthday (Fender Celebrates the 70th Year of the Stratocaster) to a comprehensive chronicle (The History of the Fender Stratocaster), two development timelines (1954–1965 | The Evolution of the Fender Stratocaster and 1965–1985 | The Fender Stratocaster During the CBS Era), a current Strat guide (How to Buy the Best Stratocaster) and even a seminar on acquiring vintage models (How to Buy a Vintage Fender Stratocaster).

But perhaps the wildest, most interactive and entertaining “Strat Party” we’ve launched to date is the recent 70th Anniversary event at Guitar Center Hollywood.  

We asked guitarists Freaky Rob (Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Eminem) and Ari O’Neal (SZA, Lizzo, Beyonce)—along with a band composed of drummer Tony “Rico” Nichols, bassist Simba Scott and keyboard player O'Neil Palmer—to honor the legacy of the Stratocaster by composing and performing four songs that showcased the guitar’s sonic power. Of course, the musical trek also allowed the musicians to venerate some mythic Stratocaster players.

From Left to Right: O'Neil Palmer, "Freaky" Rob Gueringer, Ari O'Neal, Tony "Rico" Nichols and Simba Scott

Here's a short peek at how the day unfolded, the gear the musicians used, how they composed the four songs (none were given a title) and more. Stay tuned for the full video, coming soon to Guitar Center's YouTube channel.

Enjoy the celebration …

Rob and Ari—Can you each touch on your musical backgrounds?

Freaky Rob: My grandfather was the first person to put me around music. He played guitar and bass, but he also had a drum set, and that's what I started on. I didn't pick up a guitar until I was 13. Music has always been my life. I used to get in trouble for beating on desks with pens at school. In middle school, I joined a jazz band that didn’t have a guitar, and the bass parts were done by a kid playing keyboard bass. I feel like that kind of helped mold myself to be able to play the way I do now, because it was all kind of by ear. And I think from that moment, I was like, “Well, hell, I'm not turning back.” I didn't learn how to play. I know my regular chords and I know all my notes now. So, I'm like, “Why not just take it and run with it?”

O'Neal: As far as actually playing, it started with my grandmother, who was a choir director. But music has always been big in my family. My parents introduced me to some crazy music. I ended up picking up a guitar because my older sister was doing it, and also because I loved the guitar in “Pick Up the Pieces” [Average White Band, 1974] so much. It sounded so good, and I wanted to do that.

What was it like when Guitar Center asked you to celebrate 70 years of the Stratocaster with a Strat-centric performance?

Freaky Rob: I was nervous. The Stratocaster is such an iconic piece of gear. It literally created a sound we had never heard before. I was honored, but also a little bit nervous because it's such a heavy honor and duty.

O'Neal: Same. I was very nervous, because it's a big ask to showcase everything a Strat can do. It’s like, “Well, do we have time for all of that?”

Pictured: Ari O'Neal, Rob Gueringer and Tony Nichols on stage at Guitar Center Hollywood

Can you remember the moment when you became aware of the Stratocaster guitar?

Freaky Rob: The Strat was the first guitar I ever got. I wasn’t a Fender, though. It was a Squier. My parents bought it for me. The Strat was kind of all I knew.

O'Neal: Mine was a Squier, too. I have these baby hands, and when I first transitioned to electric from playing acoustic guitar—which I started on—my wrist was burning. I said, “Something has to change.” My guitar teacher suggested a Squier, and I was like, “Oh, yeah. I can do this.”

So, how did you plan to cram 70 years of Stratocaster sounds into four songs?

O'Neal: We got to the studio and listened to some amazing Strat players. We knew we had to honor them for what they did through the years—whether it's Nile Rodgers or Stevie Ray Vaughan—and listening to those players really helped.

Pictured: Freaky Rob's 1969 Fender Stratocaster

Freaky Rob: We put on a bunch of retro records, and even some more modern tracks. But the main thing was always the Stratocaster, so we were going for Strat-y records. Ari came in with some awesome references, and so did the band. I feel like we put together songs that not only honored the Stratocaster, but that literally feel like Strat songs.

You're planning to change Stratocaster models for each song, but what are we going to hear those guitars through?

Freaky Rob: I’m plugged into my HeadRush Prime digital multi-effects processor. In the studio, I tend to go all analog with single pedals connected one by one. But pedals can become a headache when you’re playing live. They can come unplugged, or there may be level inconsistencies or other problems somewhere in the signal chain. So, I feel like digital processors are the way, because they make our job so much easier. In the house, you'll be hearing the HeadRush Prime direct left and right from its XLR outputs, and I’m using a Fender Twin for my own personal monitoring.

O'Neal: I'm using a Kemper. I started using it last year, because the arena shows we were doing needed a quiet stage. Before then, I had been using amps and stuff, but one of the sound team asked me, “Why don’t you try a Kemper?” I’m down for whatever, so I was like, “Bring it.” Since then, I've been going crazy with it. I love it because it's just so clean. So, I'm going direct, as well—XLRs left and right.

Which Strats did you select for the first song?

Freaky Rob: It has a Hendrix vibe, but we're also bringing in other cool elements that started to appear during the late ’60s and early ’70s. Call it “retro funk meets Hendrix.” I went with my 1969 sunburst Stratocaster—which is iconic to me, because it represents the white and black Strats you’d see Hendrix play. You'll hear me play his regular Strat tone—which is the neck pickup—but I’ll also kick in the funky tones he found by putting the 3-way switch between positions two and four.

O'Neal: I’m using a Fender Player II Stratocaster. I'm going to be playing a lot of lower stuff on this song, and sometimes that can sound a bit “bzzz-bzzz”—like a little bee. But with this Player II, it's just heavy, and I like that I don't have to play too hard or play too much. It's just there.

Pictured: Freaky Rob playing a 1969 Fender Stratocaster and Ari O'Neal playing a Fender Player II Stratocaster

What's happening in song number two?

Freaky Rob: I wanted to show how Stratocasters were used in R&B. Ari came in with this Ernie Isley vibe, and I thought we should play something that highlights the Isley Brothers’ style. But I also wanted to show how R&B has progressed, so there are some hip-hop elements, drum triggers and cool sounds near the end of the song.

What are the guitars for the Isley vibe?

Freaky Rob: I decided to use my Mod Shop HSH Strat, because even in the early R&B days, some players would use humbucking guitars. But I feel I get more bang for my buck with all of the tones available in the Stratocaster. It’s like having a bunch of cheat codes.

O'Neal: I’m playing a 70th Anniversary American Professional II Stratocaster. A lot of my favorite people who are playing R&B have like this really warm sound, and I feel this guitar gives me that kind of tone for this Ernie Isley tribute.

How about song three? What can we expect?

Freaky Rob: It’s a classic blues, and we’re dedicating it to Stevie Ray Vaughan. The Stevie sound—come on. I wanted to stay very authentic to him, and he owned pickup position four. I’m using my Fender Custom Shop ’61 Reissue in Daphne Blue. This guitar was passed down to me from my grandfather before he passed. It has some old spunk to it that’s really cool, and it can bite, too.

O'Neal: I'm back to the Player II Stratocaster. Honestly, when we were rehearsing this, I already had it in my hand. I needed that low end again. 

Pictured: Freaky Rob playing a Fender Custom Shop '61 Reissue in Daphne Blue

For the fourth song, we have a gorgeous matching set of Stratocasters.

Freaky Rob: This is a Fender Custom Shop LTD ’50s Dual Mag II Strat in Faded Candy Melon that is heavily worn. I've had this guitar for a long time, and the pickups just have a vibe all the way around. I started to get into the road-worn thing because I liked the aesthetic of an old guitar. I know this model is from 2019 or 2020, but it feels like it’s as old as hell.

O'Neal: This is one of my favorite Strats. It’s an American Elite with Noiseless pickups. Obviously, the first thing that attracted me to it was the color. I also love maple necks. I don't what it is about them, but moving around the neck is like butter. It just fits my hands perfectly. I was using this guitar on the road for a long time, and now it’s my go-to when I'm at home.

What's our vibe on song four?

Freaky Rob: Uncle Nile Rodgers. We said, “How can we show the Nile Rodgers tone and how it really affected pop music in the late ’70s and throughout the ’80s?” The biggest thing to note for this song is the playing itself, because Nile wasn't the most technical guy when it came to effects. It was more about his picking—how his left and right hands worked together. He also did something cool with his layered guitar parts—which is another aspect of Nile’s playing that Ari and I are trying to represent here.

Pictured: Freaky Rob playing a Fender Custom Shop LTD '50s Dual Mag II Strat in Faded Candy Melon and Ari O'Neal playing a Fender American Elite Stratocaster

Today, we've kind of looked back at sounds that have existed for the Stratocaster. But what do you think being a guitar player 10 years from now might look like?

Freaky Rob: A lot of gidgets and gadgets.

O'Neal: I was just about to say that. It's going to be crazy.

Freaky Rob: Yeah. I don't think the guitar itself is going to be changing for a while. It's going to be the tools they give us to use with the guitar.  

O'Neal: We'll probably have a whole bunch of digital stuff on our guitars. You know—they'll try to do crazy stuff. I like to try different things, and I see a lot of cool stuff, but I’m also a fan of Eric Clapton, and I like how it's just him, his guitar, an amp and maybe a few other things. It’s simple. So, as much as things are going to change—which is good—I prefer simplicity.

Any final thoughts about the music business in general?

Freaky Rob: To me, music is scary right now because of AI. When I look at AI-generated music from some perspectives, it's beautiful. I don't have anything against the whole AI thing, but I do feel it's going to heavily affect music very deeply in the next five to 10 years. But when I consider the other end of the spectrum, it's like, “What the hell? This is literally a robot that can’t tell me how the music was made.” I think it’s going to be imperative for players to keep the tradition of what we're doing right now alive. There's still a lot of brilliance going on in our minds. I think we sometimes get intimidated by all this stuff that’s around us, and I just try to tell people, “Be yourself.” That's how we get the best possible product from everybody.

Pictured: Freaky Rob and Ari O'Neal answering questions on stage at Guitar Center Hollywood

O'Neal: You can be at the top of the top doing amazing things, but it's not always going to be up. There will be some seasons where it may not be your time, but you just have to keep going. There are a lot of scary situations, a lot of things you won't know and a lot of things you'll be scared to do, but you just have to do it anyway, and know it's going to be okay. The best thing you can do is fail, because it gives you that fire to say something like, “Okay, I failed this time. But I'm going to work this so much that the next time you see me, I'm going to be amazing.” Just keep going.