You're wild... but you're not crazy
Let's talk about guitarists. Let's narrow it down a little bit, though, huh? Let's talk about today's guitarists – 2025 guitarists. If you're not up on your cutting-edge guitar music, the list might seem a little slim, and understandably so. It's no secret that electric guitars in pop music ain't what they used to be, but by no means does this hint at any drought of great modern guitar players. It would be no great leap to say that the electric guitar has gone somewhat underground in popular music conversations. What this really only means is you might have to do a little bit more digging to find a new favorite.
Luckily for you, we've done the legwork on letting you in on one of modern guitar's worst-kept secrets, Mark Speer and Laura Lee of the band Khruangbin ("krung-bin"). Even luckier for you, the folks over at Fender have certainly taken notice of this duo also. Who are Mark Speer and Laura Lee though, really? Why have they gotten their own limited edition Fender guitar models? That's a lot of questions, and we're grateful you're asking them because that's exactly why we're here today. We're talking about guitarists today. Who'd've thought?
This is the Fender Limited Edition Laura Lee Jazz Bass and Mark Speer Stratocaster.
Shop the Mark Speer Stratocaster
So We Won't Forget
Introducing the Fender Laura Lee Jazz Bass and Mark Speer Stratocaster
The Grammy-nominated Khruangbin is a three-piece band out of Houston, Texas. Consisting of drummer Donald Ray "DJ" Johnson Jr. on drums, Laura Lee on bass and Mark Speer on guitar, the trio has made waves in modern rock, soul, and psychedelic circles for their largely instrumental fusion of genres. Centering their sound around laidback yet exciting and exploratory compositions, Khruangbin has become a formidable live force, a prolific studio presence, and a favorite of Internet music nerds.
Assembling their songs in a more segmented, piecemeal fashion, Johnson, Lee, and Speer build effortlessly cool yet endlessly melodic journeys on which listeners can embark. The trio has since found themselves nominated for a Grammy for Best New Artist at the 2024 ceremony*. It's no overstatement to say the Khruangbin are among the most exciting instrumentalists working today as they call upon truly worldly influences of notable African and Middle Eastern influence.
Despite their over decade-long tenure as a band at that point
Today's Fender Laura Lee Jazz Bass and Mark Speer Stratocaster recreate Lee and Speer's two go-to instruments. Their signature J Bass and Strat, distinctly vintage-leaning models, come together with a host of exciting features for fans of the band or '70s-style Fenders to swoon over. Let's get into some specifics.
The Universe Smiles Upon You
Fender Laura Lee Jazz Bass and Mark Speer Stratocaster Design
Fender enters our story here with these limited edition signature Strat and J Bass models. Based off of Speer and Lee's own models, Fender has meticulously recreated these vintage-style guitars for the modern market. There's definite soul imbued in these two signatures, which is sure to translate when they're picked up and played.
The Mark Speer Stratocaster and Laura Lee Jazz Bass both start out relatively simply in their design. Speer's Strat features a select ash double-cutaway Strat body and Lee's J Bass features an alder offset J body. Serving as excellent foundations off which the rest of these experiences can fly, these tonewoods play with classically minded Fender style and only enable smoother playing and richer sonic textures.
Since melodic exploration is such a priority in Khruangbin's catalog, the necks of these signature models simply had to be knockouts. The guitars' necks both feature custom profiles with Speer's Strat taking a Custom "C" shape and Lee's bass taking a Custom "U" shape. Throwing back to more vintage-minded profiles of past generations, these necks facilitate sleek movements from lower to higher registers to inspire either player. On top of these streamlined necks, both fingerboards play with Jumbo frets. These frets, combined with Speer's maple board and Lee's rosewood board, offer a unique feel on the fingers and deeper fretting experiences than your average Fender.
"It ends up becoming a conversation between the bass and guitar, and given how few instruments are in this band, that is sort of a thing." - Laura Lee
Fender Laura Lee Jazz Bass and Mark Speer Stratocaster Electronics and Hardware
We wouldn't have authentic Khruangbin models without some of that special sauce. Rest assured, Fender has us all covered here for striking sonic palettes. Onboard the Laura Lee Jazz Bass, Fender has included two Dimarzio Hum-Cancelling Ultra Jazz DP149 single-coil pickups. These Jazz-style single-coils punch in with a distinctly vintage tone that is warm, pulsing, and rich, without unwanted hum. A quality that can be common to vintage-style electronics, these specialized Dimarzios do quite a bit for players seeking thumping, funky, J Bass tones without any hassle of hum.
Let's not forget about our Strat, however. With the Mark Speer Stratocaster, Fender went ahead to put in a unique combination of pickups to reflect Speer's vintage original. Two Dimarzio ProTrack humbucking pickups align in the neck and bridge positions, mirroring Speer's customized configuration. These two Dimarzios are matched by a Fender vintage-style '70s single-coil in the middle position. Altogether, these pickups offer a wide range of tones for replicating Speer's warm, sustaining, and melodic lead lines. Rolling through the Strat's five-way pickup switch will bring you to new tonal conclusions for outstanding articulation, muscle, and nuance.
In addition, Lee and Speer's signature models welcome some key hardware specifications to the mix. For one, Laura Lee's Jazz Bass features pickup and bridge covers – a lesser-seen specification among modern Fenders – imparting a uniquely vintage element to the playing experience. This unique experience of Lee's bass is matched with Speer's Strat's Graph Tech saddle synchronized tremolo bridge. These Graph Tech saddles ensure stability and strong intonation across the entire scale, even when incorporating smooth vibrato bends in playing. Thoroughly vintage and with cool factor to spare, the Laura Lee Jazz Bass and Mark Speer Stratocaster are marvelous models that fans of the band and fans of (particularly) ‘70s-style Fenders are sure to get into.
Fender Mark Speer Stratocaster and Laura Lee Bass Final Thoughts
With these two limited edition models, Fender gives the red carpet experience to two of modern guitar's funkiest and most soulful players. Mark Speer and Laura Lee have absolutely earned their spot among modern guitar's most prolific and celebrated players, therefore it is appropriate that a name like Fender might have taken notice. Encapsulating so much of what makes the band a force to be reckoned with as well as what makes '70s Strats and J Basses so captivating, these Fender limited edition models are certainly something to take notice of while they're around. If you’re a fan of 1970s Fenders, check these models out. If you're a fan of Khruangbin and a guitarist or bassist yourself, we don't have to say it twice. The Mark Speer Stratocaster and Laura Lee Jazz Bass are delights for any guitarist. What else could you ask for?
Khruangbin smiles upon you.
