The Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster is an electric guitar, currently around $1655.40. Close alternatives include the Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster and the 1967 Gibson SG Custom - White. It pairs well with the Peavey Bandit 112 and the Vox MV50-CE Rock.
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster
Unknown brand · electric guitar
The Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster is the Iron Maiden guitarist's signature model, built around three Seymour Duncan humbuckers rather than the traditional single-coil Strat layout: Hot Rails in the neck and bridge positions and a lower-output JB Jr in the middle, chosen because it cleans up better than a second Hot Rails. The solid alder body pushes a firm midrange that cuts through a dense mix, and a compound-radius fingerboard with a Floyd Rose bridge and locking nut supports both rhythm chording and fast, sustained lead work. It is built for the high-gain, galloping rhythm and soaring lead tones associated with Murray's playing in Iron Maiden rather than for vintage Strat clean and quack tones. Fender has released this model both as a US-made Artist Series guitar and, more recently, as a Mexican-made California Series model with the same core three-humbucker layout.
- lead
- hot
- midrange
- solid
- metal
- rhythm
- high gain
- classic strat tones
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster is commonly used in
- Heavy Metal
- Funk
- Rock
- Blues
- Metal
- Electronic
Amps that pair well with the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster
Peavey Bandit 112
Peavey
33% matchThe Bandit's practice-level overdrive and crunch gives the Dave Murray Strat's hot, midrange-forward pickups somewhere driven to land at lower volumes.
Vox MV50-CE Rock
Vox
33% matchInto the MV50's tight, direct-recording crunch, the Dave Murray Strat's hot pickups drive it harder than a vintage-output guitar would.
Peavey VTM-120
Peavey
32% matchThe VTM-120's tight, aggressive metal gain gives the Dave Murray Strat's hot-output pickups a heavier amp voice to push into.
Hiwatt Custom DR20H
Hiwatt
25% matchThe Dave Murray Strat's hotter, midrange-forward pickups push the Hiwatt's punchy, natural headroom harder than a stock Strat would.
PRS Archon Classic 50 2-Channel Head
PRS
23% matchThe Dave Murray Strat's hot, midrange-forward pickups push the Archon's modern metal gain into something more vocal, less scooped.
Laney LX65R
Laney
22% matchThe LX65R's gigging-ready headroom and drive give the Dave Murray Strat's hot-output pickups a versatile amp platform.
Milkman 85W Pedal Steel Amplifier
Milkman
20% matchWhat Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster brings here leans toward high gain — that's worth building a pairing around
Hiwatt DR103H
Hiwatt
19% matchThe Dave Murray Strat's hot, high-gain-ready pickups push the DR103H's headroom-heavy clean into lead territory with plenty of sustain.
See all 69 amps that pair with the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster →
Pedals that stack with the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster
Ibanez Tube Screamer
Ibanez
37% matchThe Screamer's mid-forward boost pushes the Dave Murray Strat's hot-output pickups into fuller breakup.
Xotic EP Booster
Xotic
32% matchThe EP Booster's bright FET boost pushes the Dave Murray Strat's already-hot pickups even harder into the front of an amp.
Wampler Cory Wong
Wampler
tonal matchWampler Cory Wong pushes a high gain tone toward clean boost
Spaceman Effects Atlas IV
Spaceman
tonal matchSpaceman Effects Atlas IV takes that high gain character and pushes it toward clean boost
MXR CAE Wah
MXR
tonal matchMXR CAE Wah pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Friedman Buxom Boost
Friedman
tonal matchInto Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster, Friedman Buxom Boost is right at home: it's built around a high-gain amp's front end
Foxgear Pedals Knee Trembler Guy Pratt Signature
Foxgear
tonal matchFoxgear Pedals Knee Trembler Guy Pratt Signature takes that high gain character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Orange Two Stroke
Orange
tonal matchOrange Two Stroke takes that high gain character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Cheaper alternatives
Boutique & premium upgrades
Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic® Stratocaster
Fender
70% similarity“It is separate from Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray's actual signature model, the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster with its Seymour Duncan Hot Rails and JB Jr pickups”
Gibson ES-335
Gibson
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
Gibson
95% similaritysimilar tone character
1961 Gibson ES-335
Gibson
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Gibson '58 Les Paul Standard Reissue
electric guitar
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III Electric Guitar
electric guitar
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster
Fender
70% similarity“Buyers interested in a genuine artist connection should look instead at the confirmed signature models, Murray's Dave Murray Stratocaster or Guy's Buddy Guy Standard Stratocaster”
1967 Gibson SG Custom - White
Gibson
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Ernie Ball Music Man Luke
Ernie Ball
95% similaritysimilar tone character
ESP Tiger
Esp
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Fender Jaguar
electric guitar
94% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster?+
The closest matches in character are the Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster, the 1967 Gibson SG Custom - White, the Ernie Ball Music Man Luke. Budget picks: Epiphone Riviera Electric Guitar. Boutique upgrades: Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1956 Relic® Stratocaster, Gibson ES-335, Gibson Les Paul Goldtop.
What pairs well with the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Peavey Bandit 112, Vox MV50-CE Rock, Peavey VTM-120 — The Bandit's practice-level overdrive and crunch gives the Dave Murray Strat's hot, midrange-forward pickups somewhere driven to land at lower volumes..
How much does the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster cost?+
Around $1655.40 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).