The Squier Venus (commonly known as Fender Vista Venus) is a signature series guitar released in 1997 and co-designed by

Courtney Love Courtney Michelle Love (née Harrison; born July 9, 1964) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress. A figure in the alternative and grunge scenes of the 1990s, her career has spanned four decades. She rose to prominence as ...

in conjunction with Fender's

Squier Squier is an American brand of electric guitars owned by Fender. The former manufacturing company, established as "V. C. Squier Company" was founded in 1890 by Victor Carroll Squier in Battle Creek, Michigan, producing strings for violins, ban ...

brand, under the Vista series. At the time of its release, Love and Bonnie Raitt were the only two female musicians to have their own signature series of guitars. Its shape was based on Mercury,

Stratocaster The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously ...

and

Rickenbacker Rickenbacker International Corporation is a string instrument manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California. The company is credited as the first known maker of electric guitars – a steel guitar in 1932 – and today produces a rang ...

solid-body guitars. It was released in two configurations, six or twelve string (the ''Venus XII''). Colors available included black, sunburst and surf green. Surf green was named after paint code #57 (surf green) from Chevrolet c. 1957. Upon its original release, the Venus retailed for US$699.99 and the Venus XII for $999.99. It was discontinued at the end of 1998. Shirley Manson from Garbage played a custom pink Squier Venus live.

Ryan Jarman Ryan James Jarman is a British musician who is the guitarist and vocalist with English lo-fi indie rock band the Cribs. The Cribs Jarman formed the Cribs in the early 2000s with his twin brother Gary and younger brother Ross. The band is kno ...

from UK band

The Cribs The Cribs are a British indie rock band originally from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, that formed in 2001. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-The Smiths guit ...

, a friend of Love's, used the surf green version of the guitar as his main instrument between 2011 and 2015.

Controversy

A man named Tim George of the short-lived Mercury Guitar Company (of

Atlanta, GA Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

) has claimed to be the actual designer of the guitar, along with his company co-founder Danny Babbitt. According to George, Babbitt snuck backstage at a Nirvana concert in Atlanta in November 1993 and sold the original custom metallic-green Mercury guitar on which the Venus design was eventually based to Love. Love played this guitar in public extensively over the next several years, and it is the guitar she played in the music video for Hole's song

Violet Violet may refer to: Common meanings * Violet (color), a spectral color with wavelengths shorter than blue * One of a list of plants known as violet, particularly: ** ''Viola'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants Places United States * Viol ...

. The 6-string Venus model is virtually identical to Love's Mercury guitar, except with a

Fender Stratocaster The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuousl ...

-like headstock.

Product dating

The Venus has a one-letter, six-digit serial number printed on the neck of the guitar. Serial numbers beginning with the letter V were manufactured in 1997. Serial numbers beginning with the letter A were manufactured between 1997 and 1998.

References

{{Fender guitars Fender electric guitars