Fender Hellcat Tim Amstrong Signature BPG CHCK
The Tim Armstrong Hellcat Checkerboard in detail
The strikingly finished Hellcat Checkerboard is already Tim Armstrong's fourth signature guitar and the third from Fender. In addition to the Hellcat Natural and the Hellcat 12-String, the American punk guitarist also had a Gretsch Country Club made to his specifications, modelled on his heavily worn original from 1971.
About the artist
Tim Armstrong initially played in the punk and ska band Operation Ivy and in several other bands before founding Rancid. While Armstrong started his musical career more as a guitarist, this changed with the formation of Rancid in 1991 when he took on the role of frontman for the first time. In this position he began writing the majority of the lyrics himself. His songs are characterised by a very metaphorical writing style; especially in the early Rancid texts Tim dealt with formative experiences, difficult phases of life and how to process them.
He now owns his own record label and plays with Travis Barker and Rob Aston in The Transplants. In 2006 he released the solo album A Poet’s Life on his own label. Tim Armstrong also works as a songwriter and has written songs for artists such as Pink and Gwen Stefani. Remarkably, the left-hander prefers to play right-handed guitars with the strings put on the other way round.
The Hellcat
Despite all versatility, he is very purist when composing; he prefers to play his old acoustic Fender classical guitar. Tim Armstrong's worn, old Fender acoustic from the Sixties, on which he writes all the songs for his legendary punk band, served as the model for the Hellcat. The Hellcat was named after Tim Armstrong's record label and is based on Tim's beloved classic instrument, but received modern upgrades to make it more stage-ready: a solid spruce top, a satin finish on the maple neck and high-quality electronics. The guitar sounds powerful, sweet and clear, plays very easily and suits pop, rock, folk and many other styles. Unlike Tim's personal guitar, this Hellcat is intended for right-handed players.
Tim has given his old acoustic a few smart extras – such as the Hellcat logos made of pearlescent acrylic on the 3rd, 5th and 7th frets and the two skulls that adorn the 12th fret. Other specials include a solid mahogany top, scalloped X-bracing, the Fishman CD-1 pre-amp and Tim Armstrong's signature on the truss-rod cover. The striking checkerboard finish is a novelty in Fender's colour palette and was designed at Tim's personal request. The Tim Armstrong Hellcat Checkerboard is waiting to be rocked!
Product information "Fender Hellcat Tim Amstrong Signature BPG CHCK"
- Back / Sides: Mahogany
- Binding: Black
- Body Shape: Size O/OOO/OOO
- Body Shape: Concert
- Body finish: Satin
- Bridge: Walnut
- Bridge-Pins: Plastic black
- Color/ Finish: Checkerboard
- Colour: Multicoloured
- Construction / Acoustic: Solid (Top)
- Controls: Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble
- Country of Origin: China
- Cutaway: no
- Factory Stringing: Fender Dura-Tone Coated 80/20 Bronze
- Finish: Polyurethane ( Body), Urethane (Neck)
- Finish: Matt
- Fretboard: Walnut
- Fretboard Inlays: Hellcat and Double Skulls
- Fretboard radius: 15.75" (400 mm)
- Fret material: Nickel silver
- Frets: 19
- Headstock: Black
- Neck: Maple
- Neck Mount: Dovetail
- Neck Profile: "C"
- Neck finish: Satin
- Nut Width: 43,0 mm
- Pickguard: Black
- Pickup Details: Fishman CD
- Pre-amp system: Fishman CD-1 Preamp
- Saddle/Cross piece inlay: Graph Tech NuBone
- Scale Length: 25,3" (643 mm)
- Signature Artist: Tim Armstrong
- Signature Model: yes
- Strings: 6 string
- Strings thickness ex factory: .012 - .052
- Top: Spruce
- Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style with Aged White Plastic Buttons
- Tim Armstrong Signature
To make a Fender instrument available to everyone, they are offered in different price ranges. The subsidiary Squier sells affordable, Far East-made models built to original specifications with Fender know-how in the background. An affordable, "real" Fender can be found in the series made in Mexico. The classic original Fender instruments, such as the American Pro series, are made in the USA. For lovers of hand-built instruments and guitars with vintage flair there is the Fender Custom Shop, where you can even have a guitar built completely to your own specifications.
But Fender is not only known and appreciated for its instruments, it is also famous for various amplifiers such as the Deluxe Reverb, the Princeton, the Champion, the Blues Junior and the Fender Rumble bass amp range. Fender now also offers a wide range of guitar accessories like strings, picks, cables, straps, cases, tuners and care products, as well as spare parts and pickups, plus accessories and merchandising. You can of course find all of this at the music shop you trust – session in Frankfurt and Walldorf!
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