Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Masterbuilt Michael Landau “COMA” Stratocaster by Todd Krause – Relic

A Renegade Creation

Wildwoodians, few guitars have tickled more eardrums than Michael Landau's legendary Coma Stratocaster. The long-time session ace has played on so many records that his Discogs page might crash your computer, and he used the Coma Strat on most of them (to say nothing of his many spectacular albums as a frontman with Burning Water, the Raging Honkies, and Renegade Creation!). Now, Michael has teamed up with Fender Masterbuilder Todd Krause to recreate the Coma in painstaking detail, capturing the look, feel, and sound of the original in a beautiful, inspiring way. Let's dive deeper and see what makes this Masterbuilt marvel so special!

Why Coma?

When he was 16 and vintage Stratocasters weren't something to fuss about, Michael Landau found a 1959 Strat tucked in the corner of a guitar shop. It had been refinished had the pickups swapped, but something about it spoke deeply to young Michael. He bought the guitar, and, because it had already been modified, he felt comfortable customizing it to his tastes. The Coma Strat underwent many changes, going from an HSS Floyd Rose machine with a boost circuit to its current iteration with a Wide Range Humbucker in the bridge and two Noiseless Strat single-coils voiced to his specification.

But, the namesake modification--the word "COMA" written in permanent marker--has the best story. According to Landau, he saw many one-name pop stars in the eighties like Bono, Sting, or Madonna, and he thought he might reinvent himself under the stage name Coma. The name didn't stick, but the guitar sure did!

A Master’s Tool

This Masterbuilt Coma Strat captures all of the sonic charms and stylish looks of Landau’s original. Though it’s certainly a collector’s item, it’s also an absolute sonic powerhouse. Like Landau's original, the cavity for the removed Floyd Rose remains behind the bridge, which Landau says gives the guitar a bit of Thinline-like responsiveness. The pickups are marvelous, too! The noiseless single-coils have a lovely bell-like tone with warm bass response, sparkling, shimmering highs, and a vocal chirp and quack in the upper mids. The Wide Range humbucker in the bridge is AWESOME, too! It's quite muscular, but it has a more open tonality with more sparkle than the more typical style of humbucker. The in-between positions are also glorious--Strat squawk and shimmer for days! With such a versatile pickup configuration, it's easy to see why the Coma Strat became Michael Landau's number one, and it may become yours, too!

It's also an absolute joy to play. It has a just-right '60s Oval C neck profile, and it has a hot-rodded vintage feel thanks to its period-accurate 7.25" radius and narrow-tall frets. The rounder radius allows for easier chording, and the taller frets reduce left-hand effort and make bending easier. To top it off, the beautiful subtle relic job mimics the wear on Michael's original to a T, and its resonant alder body and earthy Coma Stain finish give it an elegant but rustic appearance.

Coma Together

Apologies for the Beatles pun, but that happens when we get excited, and this awesome Michael Landau Coma Strat from the bench of Masterbuilder Todd Krause has us pumped! Its stylish looks, powerhouse tone, and fast feel will no doubt inspire you to reach new heights on your guitar journey!