Ana Popovic on the introduction of her custom Fender Stratocaster “Foggy” | “Factual then, we knew this guitar was going to be EPIC!”

Digital Author February 24, 2024

0 0 8 minutes read

As considered in Guitar Lady Magazine Topic 23 – Drop 2023

Throughout LA-basically based completely mostly guitarist Ana Popovic’s noteworthy hump thru the enviornment of music, one thing that has always remained fixed is her love for the Fender Stratocaster. From her early days discovering the magic of Fender guitars to her enduring partnership with the firm, Ana’s myth is a testament to the energy of music and resolution. Now, she introduces us to “Foggy,” her most favorite Fender Custom-made introduction.

Named after its distinctive Foggy Mediate Chrome fabricate, this guitar embodies Ana’s unfamiliar vogue, blending favorite innovation with the timeless essence of veteran-college blues. It’s a image of her unwavering passion for the instrument, which has defined her career and helped her overcome existence’s challenges, as she shares in her most fresh album, POWER. Ana Popovic’s hump, love her music, is a testament to the conclusion that guitars can in actuality place lives.

woman standing with one leg on sofa posing with electric guitar — Photograph by Tim McGuire

Ana Popovic: My myth on the introduction of “Foggy.”

My relationship with Fender started abet residence after I first laid my hands on Fender Lead 1. I used to be about 12 years veteran. I sold my first Strat after I used to be 18 — a ’73 Fender. Right now after that, I got my cherished reissue ’57, that will well well always be with me on all my concert occasions throughout my total career. The Fender Strat was my guitar always — the one guitar I desired to play. Right now ahead decades later, I sold my all-unique ’64 Strat and paid $20,000 from my possess merchandise money.

My staunch relationship with Fender started in 2000 after I first met Billy Siegle in California. At that time, there weren’t many females playing guitar, and pretty frankly, they had been no longer in search recordsdata from both. It was very worthy a masculine world of guitar. Billy welcomed me to the household. Over the course of 20 years, we stayed in contact whereas I used to be engaged on my career, engaged on constructing my sound and my recognizable licks as I desired to bolt away my print on the earth of rock, blues, and funk guitar — and Strats.

“We wanna have a great time with you. We wanna salute you!”

That led me to a dialog a pair of 20th-anniversary Strat that can have a great time my career. Billy said: “We wanna have a great time with you. We wanna salute you!” That was truly heartwarming. I wanted one thing assorted and fresh however staying appropriate to myself as a player. I didn’t desire a duplicate of what I already had, and by no map desired to have a study to high my avenue warrior — my all-unique ’64 strat that always gets my blood pumping. That guitar has been staunch an eternal inspiration throughout the years. So I didn’t need to duplicate what I already had, and I wanted one thing — every taking a evaluation and sounding favorite — one thing hip and chilly however at the identical time rooted sufficient in veteran-college sound as smartly.

Billy and I talked about making a guitar that can have a great time my career and accomplishments as a female guitar player coming from Jap Europe to the U.S. and touring the enviornment for 20 straight years, playing a total lot of shows every yr and provoking fresh females to protect the guitar and be vogue icons as smartly as play their axe and entrance their band and be a success enterprise females.

It bites and reflects the gentle, staunch as my music and I need to deem the gentle, positivity, and pleasure of being a musician touring the enviornment and leaving a obvious message to the enviornment!

woman holding fender electric guitar sitting on couch — Photograph by Tim O’Brien

So right here’s a timeline of my myth about Foggy:

February 21, 2019, was my first consult with to the Fender Custom-made Store, the place I met with a Fender Master Builder (FMB) regarding my fresh guitar. We went thru red colours, golds, whites — I took residence the coloration pallet and had many sleepless nights smitten by the coloration. They despatched me samples to be acutely aware of and search at.

On March 8, 2019, I got a textual voice from the FMB that made me unfamiliar:

“Hello Ana. Roasted Alder physique and Roasted 5A Flame Maple neck with a really Sad African Blackwood fretboard. Sounded unreal. True identical neckshape that you just cherished on that 63 2tsb Strat with the brass block you cherished. I will completely gaze this vogue guitar at the side of your trace on the fretboard as we discussed. Factual give it some concept. A Beaut for a Beaut.”

I answered:

“Take care of the red. But after I used to be on Skills Hendrix, I saw Joe’s (Satriani) guitar, and man, that staunch reflects in the gentle and is so chilly. He said he concept Fender has an option for a thin layer of coloration as smartly. Check it out,” after which I despatched him some photos.

On Could well furthermore 8, 2019, there was a first are trying at a chrome fabricate.

“Hello Ana. Wisely this was my first are trying at a Chrome fabricate. It appeared lawful when the particular chrome paint was applied, however has a cloudy carry out after applying topcoat over it. Surely, I deem this would well search lawful if I will decide it out. “

And that was truly the winner: the “cloudy” carry out gave it that thing I used to be buying for. Much less lustrous, extra bluesy. Extra veteran college. But the identical WOW carry out. I used to be sold.

On October 11, 2019, I visited the Custom-made Store and could well abet my fresh toddler for the first time! That was pleasure — I will no longer present it!

On October 14, 2019, we named the coloration Foggy Mediate Chrome. Fender doesn’t have that coloration — I’m the first one with it! It staunch kinda jogs my memory of that hot lavatory replicate after you fetch out of the shower. Factual then, we knew this guitar was going to be EPIC!

On February 20, 2020, the structure for the fretboard was made. So tantalizing!

On Could well furthermore 5, 2020. I used to be abet at the Custom-made Store making an are trying out pickups. We had many lined up — Duncan ’78, Duncan ’59, and a bunch of humbuckers. We had lawful times making an are trying them.

On Could well furthermore 15, 2020, I got a textual voice from FMB:

“Valid Morning Ana. Things are beginning to happen rapid now. The neck is with our inlay guy now and could well be carried out very soon. I’m inserting the physique into paint today time to fetch the course of started. It’s miles pretty a lengthy one. Extra updates as they fabricate. Rob care.”

On Could well furthermore 20, 2020, there had been rumors of the plant closing as a result of COVID. The physique is exciting.

On July 17, 2020, I got a textual voice from Chris Fleming with this fine photo. At that time, COVID was staunch, and every little thing was set on abet.

collage of design stages of a guitar — Photos by Tim McGuire

Right now after that, I used to be diagnosed with breast cancer. And my fight begins. As I am recording POWER — the file that actually gave me the energy to outlive — I’m daydreaming about my guitar, and my world seems love on a assorted planet. I important that guitar then — bigger than ever!

Then, on Could well furthermore 20, 2021, Greg Fesler is on board to fabricate the guitar. This guitar was love a saving grace for me at that time!

Greg Fessler was unprecedented and truly picked up the pieces the place we left them abet when the enviornment was traditional. He was on board to fabricate it and fetch it to me! Nonetheless, COVID had left so many issues on abet, so the wait wasn’t over.

About a years later, on August 10, 2023, Billy Siegle shipped my guitar to me. The moment I met Foggy for the first time (was filmed on my FB Insta web voice) can’t be in contrast with anything! I LOVE IT. It illuminated my world! I love every little thing about it. My followers fully like it. They desire it! Every evening, I fetch questions, “Will we instruct it?” I’d be honored, is my reply. It’s exactly what I wanted. It bites and reflects the gentle, staunch as my music and I need to deem the gentle, positivity, and pleasure of being a musician touring the enviornment and leaving a obvious message to the enviornment!

woman standing in guitar shop holding custom guitar — Photograph by Tim McGuire

“Foggy” Specs

- Seymour Duncan ’78 Mannequin Bridge pickup
- Wired love the distinctive from 1978
- Heat crunch with biting leads and harmonic overtones
- One of many only real Alnico II ( three assorted metal substances: aluminum, nickel, and cobalt)
- Singles are Custom-made Store neck and heart single coil pickups made by specs from the ’60s
- Neck form: Tidy “C”
- Jumbo frets

female blues guitar player performing onstage with fender stratocaster — Ana Popovic carried out at the Historical Everett Theater in Everett, Washington. Photograph credit Kirk Stauffer.

Key Takeaways from Ana Popovic’s Collaboration with Fender Guitars:

1. Personalized Innovation Meets Custom: Ana Popovic’s collaboration with Fender on her custom Stratocaster, named “Foggy,” showcases a blend of favorite innovation with the veteran essence of the Stratocaster’s legacy. The guitar’s unfamiliar Foggy Mediate Chrome fabricate no longer very finest reflects Ana’s vogue however furthermore bridges veteran-college blues with unusual assemble, signifying the guitar as a image of her hump and evolution in music.
2. Empowerment and Illustration: The introduction of Foggy highlights the importance of illustration and empowerment in the music industry. As a female guitar player from Jap Europe who has made important strides in a predominantly male-dominated arena, Ana’s collaboration with Fender celebrates her 20-yr career, entertaining females worldwide to pursue their passions in music, vogue, and enterprise.
3. Resilience and Inspiration: The hump of constructing Foggy was no longer without its challenges, at the side of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and Ana’s deepest fight with breast cancer. The guitar symbolizes resilience, acting as a source of inspiration and strength for Ana for the length of complex times. Its completion and the joy it brings to every Ana and her followers underscore the energy of music and the guitar as tools for overcoming adversity.

Conclusion:

Ana Popovic’s collaboration with Fender on the introduction of “Foggy” is bigger than staunch a myth a pair of custom guitar; it’s a myth that intertwines deepest growth, inventive innovation, and resilience in the face of challenges. Through Foggy, Ana no longer very finest leaves her set on the enviornment of music however furthermore sends a resounding message regarding the importance of persistence, empowerment, and the enduring influence of following one’s passion. Her myth with Fender and Foggy serves as an inspiration to aspiring musicians and females in each place, proving that with dedication and creativity, one can transcend obstacles and originate a lasting influence on the enviornment.