The Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster in Olympic White is the Ed O’Brien signature model, designed in collaboration with the Radiohead guitarist to deliver everything from traditional Strat tones to expansive, atmospheric textures and near-infinite sustain.

Built around an alder Stratocaster body and maple neck, the EOB combines a Seymour Duncan JB Jr. humbucker in the bridge, Custom Shop Texas Special single coil in the middle and Fernandes Sustainer Driver in the neck position.

The Sustainer system is the defining feature, allowing notes and chords to continue ringing far beyond their natural decay, with selectable fundamental, harmonic and blended modes.

This Pre-Owned example has a maple fingerboard, classic Olympic White finish, is in Very Good condition, weighs an actual 8.24 lbs, and includes a gigbag.

AT A GLANCE

Detail	Specification
Brand	Fender
Model	EOB Sustainer Stratocaster
Artist	Ed O’Brien
Finish	Olympic White
Fingerboard	Maple
Pickup Configuration	JB Jr. / Texas Special / Sustainer
Special Feature	Fernandes Sustainer System
Weight	8.24 lbs
Condition	Very Good / Pre-Owned
Case	Gigbag Included

PRE-OWNED CONDITION REPORT

This is a Pre-Owned Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster in Very Good condition.

The Very Good condition grade reflects an instrument that has been well looked after overall while showing the light signs of previous use expected from a Pre-Owned guitar.

The guitar retains its distinctive Olympic White finish with maple fingerboard and Sustainer electronics.

This individual guitar weighs 8.24 lbs.

A gigbag is included.

KEY FEATURES

• Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster

• Ed O’Brien Signature model

• Olympic White finish

• Alder body

• Maple neck

• Maple fingerboard

• 10/56 “V” neck profile

• 9.5" fingerboard radius

• 25.5" scale length

• 21 Narrow Tall frets

• Synthetic bone nut

• Seymour Duncan JB Jr. bridge humbucker

• Custom Shop Texas Special middle single coil

• Fernandes Sustainer Driver neck pickup

• Active Sustainer electronics

• Sustainer on/off mini-toggle

• Fundamental / Harmonic / Blend mini-toggle

• Master Volume

• Master Tone

• Sustainer Intensity control

• 5-way pickup selector

• 6-saddle vintage-style synchronized tremolo

• Vintage-style tuners

• 3-ply parchment pickguard

• Nickel/chrome hardware

• Custom EOB neck plate

• Actual measured weight of 8.24 lbs

• Very Good Pre-Owned condition

• Gigbag included

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT

The EOB Stratocaster is much more than a conventional artist-signature Strat.

Its pickup configuration can cover familiar Fender clean sounds and thicker bridge humbucker tones, while the Fernandes Sustainer opens up an entirely different approach to playing.

Held notes can continue almost indefinitely, making it possible to build ambient textures, feedback-like harmonics and evolving soundscapes even at relatively controlled volume levels.

For players interested in post-rock, ambient music, experimental guitar or layered studio work, it is an exceptionally creative instrument.

DETAILED FEATURES & BENEFITS

Ed O’Brien Signature Design

The EOB Stratocaster was developed with Ed O’Brien of Radiohead, whose playing is known for textural, atmospheric and effects-driven guitar parts.

Rather than creating a straightforward vintage reproduction, Fender built the model around the tools required for that style of playing.

Alder Body

The guitar uses a traditional alder Stratocaster body.

Alder provides the balanced response, clear mids and familiar attack associated with countless Fender instruments.

Olympic White Finish

The classic Olympic White finish keeps the guitar visually traditional despite its unconventional electronics.

Combined with the parchment pickguard and maple fingerboard, it has a clean and understated appearance.

Maple Neck

The maple neck provides a clear and immediate playing response.

10/56 “V” Neck Profile

The distinctive 10/56 V-shaped neck profile gives the guitar a more substantial vintage-inspired feel than many modern Stratocasters.

It gradually transitions across the neck and gives the EOB a personality of its own.

Maple Fingerboard

The maple fingerboard provides a smooth playing surface and classic Fender appearance.

9.5" Fingerboard Radius

The 9.5" radius strikes a useful balance between traditional Fender curvature and modern playability.

21 Narrow Tall Frets

The guitar uses 21 Narrow Tall frets.

These provide additional height for comfortable string bending while maintaining a relatively narrow footprint.

Seymour Duncan JB Jr. Bridge Pickup

The bridge position uses a Seymour Duncan JB Jr. humbucker.

Its single-coil-sized construction allows it to fit within the Strat format while delivering a thicker, more powerful tone than a conventional bridge single coil.

Custom Shop Texas Special Middle Pickup

The middle position is fitted with a Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Strat single coil.

This provides the familiar brightness, snap and midrange presence associated with hotter vintage-style Strat pickups.

Fernandes Sustainer Driver

The neck position houses the Fernandes Sustainer Driver.

When the Sustainer circuit is switched off, it functions within the guitar’s conventional pickup switching.

When activated, it magnetically drives the strings to maintain vibration and dramatically extend sustain.

FERNANDES SUSTAINER SYSTEM

The Sustainer is the defining feature of the EOB Stratocaster.

Once activated, the system continuously excites the strings, allowing notes to sustain for extremely long periods.

A dedicated mode switch offers three different responses:

Fundamental Mode emphasises the original note.

Harmonic Mode encourages the sustained note to develop into upper harmonics.

Blend Mode combines characteristics of the fundamental and harmonic settings.

The dedicated Intensity control adjusts the strength of the effect.

This allows the EOB to create sounds ranging from subtle controlled sustain to more dramatic feedback-like harmonic movement.

FIVE-WAY PICKUP SWITCHING

The standard 5-way blade provides familiar Strat-style switching:

• Position 1 – Bridge

• Position 2 – Bridge + Middle

• Position 3 – Middle

• Position 4 – Middle + Neck

• Position 5 – Neck

This gives the guitar plenty of conventional tonal versatility before the Sustainer is even activated.

VINTAGE-STYLE SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO

The 6-saddle vintage-style synchronized tremolo provides traditional Stratocaster pitch modulation.

It works particularly well alongside the Sustainer for ambient swells and expressive sustained notes.

8.24 LBS ACTUAL WEIGHT

This individual guitar weighs 8.24 lbs, giving it a reassuringly substantial but still manageable feel.

WHO IS IT FOR?

The Fender EOB Stratocaster is particularly well suited to:

• Ambient guitarists

• Radiohead fans

• Post-rock players

• Experimental musicians

• Alternative guitarists

• Shoegaze players

• Studio musicians

• Soundscape-oriented guitarists

• Players who use looping and delays

• Musicians who want both traditional and unconventional sounds from one guitar

PLAYING STYLES & APPLICATIONS

The EOB Stratocaster works particularly well for:

• Ambient

• Alternative

• Post-rock

• Indie

• Shoegaze

• Experimental music

• Art rock

• Progressive music

• Soundtrack work

• Studio layering

• Clean atmospheric playing

• Effects-heavy guitar rigs

HOW IT COMPARES

EOB Stratocaster vs Standard Stratocaster

A conventional Strat generally uses three passive single-coil pickups.

The EOB combines a bridge humbucker, Texas Special middle pickup and Fernandes Sustainer system, giving it a much broader and more experimental tonal range.

JB Jr. vs Standard Strat Bridge Pickup

A traditional Strat bridge pickup is bright and cutting.

The Seymour Duncan JB Jr. provides more output, thicker mids and greater suitability for distortion and lead work.

Sustainer vs Natural Sustain

Normal guitar sustain gradually fades as the strings lose energy.

The Fernandes Sustainer actively keeps the strings vibrating, allowing notes to continue for far longer and develop into controlled harmonics.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Specification	Details
Product Type	Solid Body Electric Guitar
Brand	Fender
Model	EOB Sustainer Stratocaster
Artist	Ed O’Brien
Finish	Olympic White
Body Shape	Stratocaster
Body Material	Alder
Body Finish	Gloss Urethane
Neck Material	Maple
Neck Profile	10/56 “V”
Neck Finish	Satin Urethane Back / Gloss Headstock Face
Fingerboard	Maple
Fingerboard Radius	9.5"
Scale Length	25.5"
Frets	21 Narrow Tall
Nut	Synthetic Bone
Nut Width	1.650" / 42mm
Bridge Pickup	Seymour Duncan JB Jr. SJBJ-1N
Middle Pickup	Custom Shop Texas Special Strat
Neck Pickup	Fernandes Sustainer Driver
Pickup Configuration	HSH
Switching	5-Way Blade
Controls	Master Volume, Master Tone, Sustainer Intensity
Sustainer Switching	On/Off + Fundamental/Harmonic/Blend
Bridge	6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo
Tuners	Vintage-Style
Pickguard	3-Ply Parchment
Hardware	Nickel / Chrome
Neck Plate	Custom EOB Logo
Weight	8.24 lbs
Case	Gigbag Included
Condition	Very Good / Pre-Owned

POWER REQUIREMENTS

The Fernandes Sustainer system requires a 9V battery.

The guitar does not require an external power supply.

FAIR DEAL MUSIC EXPERT VERDICT ★★★★★

Best suited for: Experimental, ambient and effects-driven players who want genuine Stratocaster versatility combined with an unusually powerful creative tool.

Customers usually upgrade from: Standard Stratocasters, HSS-style guitars and conventional passive electric guitars.

Most commonly paired with: Delay, reverb, loopers, modulation, volume pedals, multi-effects processors and stereo amplifier setups.

Our tip: The Sustainer really rewards experimentation with delay and reverb. Try Fundamental mode for smooth pad-like parts, then switch to Harmonic mode while sustaining a note to create controlled feedback-like textures without needing extreme amplifier volume.

Showroom feedback: The EOB is one of those artist models that makes sense even if you are not specifically a Radiohead fan. The JB Jr., Texas Special and Fernandes Sustainer combination gives it genuinely different capabilities from almost any regular production Strat.

WHY BUY PRE-OWNED FROM FAIR DEAL MUSIC?

Buying a Pre-Owned Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster gives you access to one of Fender’s most distinctive modern artist models.

This example is in Very Good condition, weighs 8.24 lbs, and includes a gigbag.

Fair Deal Music has decades of experience buying, selling and part-exchanging Fender and Pre-Owned guitars.

WHY BUY FROM FAIR DEAL MUSIC?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

Fair Deal Music combines a large Birmingham showroom with nationwide ecommerce and knowledgeable musician-led advice.

Customers benefit from:

• Family-run independent retailer established in 1987

• Birmingham's largest independent music store

• 6,000+ Trustpilot reviews

• Knowledgeable musician-led advice

• Extensive experience with Fender and Pre-Owned guitars

• Large Birmingham showroom

• Secure online ordering

• Fast UK delivery

• Friendly customer support

• Part-exchange and trade-in service

TRADE IN. TRADE UP. SAVE MORE.

Your current guitar or other musical equipment could help towards the cost of this Fender EOB Stratocaster.

Fair Deal Music buys and part-exchanges guitars, basses, amplifiers, effects, keyboards and a wide range of musical equipment.

Contact our team for a no-obligation valuation.

PART EXCHANGE / TRADE-IN

If you already own a guitar or other musical equipment you are considering replacing, Fair Deal Music can assess it for part exchange.

Trading in can remove the inconvenience of selling privately while allowing the value of your existing equipment to go directly towards your next instrument.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is this Fender EOB Stratocaster used?

Yes. This is a Pre-Owned Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster in Very Good condition.

What does EOB stand for?

It refers to Ed O’Brien, guitarist with Radiohead.

What finish does it have?

It has an Olympic White gloss urethane finish.

What is the body made from?

Alder.

What is the neck made from?

Maple.

What fingerboard does it have?

Maple.

What neck profile does it have?

A 10/56 “V” profile.

What is the fingerboard radius?

9.5".

What is the scale length?

25.5".

How many frets does it have?

21 Narrow Tall frets.

What bridge pickup does it have?

A Seymour Duncan JB Jr. humbucker.

What middle pickup does it use?

A Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Strat single coil.

What is in the neck position?

A Fernandes Sustainer Driver.

What does the Sustainer do?

It actively keeps the strings vibrating, allowing notes and chords to sustain for extremely long periods.

What Sustainer modes are available?

Fundamental, Harmonic and Blend modes.

Can the Sustainer intensity be adjusted?

Yes. There is a dedicated Intensity control.

Does the Sustainer require a battery?

Yes. It requires a 9V battery.

Does the guitar still work when the Sustainer is off?

Yes. The guitar retains normal pickup operation with the Sustainer disengaged.

What bridge does it have?

A 6-saddle vintage-style synchronized tremolo.

How much does it weigh?

This individual guitar weighs 8.24 lbs.

What condition is it in?

It is in Very Good condition.

Does it come with a gigbag?

Yes. A gigbag is included.

Is it only suitable for Radiohead-style music?

No. The conventional pickups provide plenty of everyday electric guitar tones, while the Sustainer adds additional creative possibilities when required.

Is it suitable for ambient guitar?

Yes. This is one of the areas where the model particularly excels.

Can I part-exchange another guitar against it?

Yes. Fair Deal Music considers guitars and a wide range of other musical equipment for part exchange.