The Fender Lead II is a Fender electric guitar, currently around $639.99. Close alternatives include the Fender Stratocaster and the Fender Telecaster. It pairs well with the Marshall Plexi 1959SLP and the Dumble Overdrive Special Amp Head.
Fender Lead II
Fender · electric guitar
The Fender Lead II was part of Fender's short-lived Lead series, produced from 1979 to 1982 as a more affordable, student-and-working-player-oriented alternative to the Stratocaster and Telecaster, and endorsed during its run by both Eric Clapton and Steve Morse. Clapton's connection is mostly a footnote rather than a stage staple; he gave his red Lead II to Hard Rock Cafe founder Isaac Tigrett, and it became the first piece of memorabilia hung on a Hard Rock Cafe wall, at the chain's London location. The Lead II carries two single coils and simpler electronics than a Stratocaster, positioning it as a leaner, more direct-sounding guitar from a model line that never achieved the lasting popularity of Fender's core Strat and Tele designs.
- hard rock
- electronic
- complex
- alternative
- lead series
- three pickup strat
- hard rock cafe
- lead ii
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Fender Lead II is commonly used in
- Rock
- Hard Rock
- Electronic
- Alternative Rock
- Christian Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Fender Lead II
Marshall Plexi 1959SLP
amplifier
18% matchThe Plexi's aggressive, saturated tube breakup gives the Lead II's complex, hard-rock-voiced pickups a genuinely heavier amp voice to push into.
Dumble Overdrive Special Amp Head
Dumble
17% matchThe Lead II's complex, hard-rock-voiced pickups find a genuinely legendary home in the Dumble's responsive, transformer-driven blues breakup.
Fender Bassman Combo Amp
amplifier
17% matchThe Lead II's three-pickup Strat-style voicing opens up nicely into the Bassman's sweet, natural clean and crunch.
Pedals that stack with the Fender Lead II
Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster
Dallas
14% matchThe Lead II's complex, hard-rock-voiced pickups give the Rangemaster's germanium treble boost a hotter signal to push.
Beetronics Overhive
Beetronics
13% matchThe Lead II's single-coil bite stays clear through the Overhive's transparent, medium-gain voicing instead of getting buried.
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Fender Stratocaster
Fender
70% similarity“a more affordable, student-and-working-player-oriented alternative to the Stratocaster and Telecaster”
Fender Telecaster
Fender
70% similarity“a more affordable, student-and-working-player-oriented alternative to the Stratocaster and Telecaster”
Fender Lead I Electric Guitar
electric guitar
70% similarity“The Lead II carried two single-coils instead; the Lead I's one humbucker straight to volume and tone makes it the most stripped-down American Fender electric of the period”
Ernie Ball Music Man EVH
electric guitar
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Tom Anderson Guitar
Tom Anderson
89% similaritysimilar tone character
1977 Dean Z Electric Guitar
Dean
88% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Fender Lead II (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Fender Lead II?+
The closest matches in character are the Fender Stratocaster, the Fender Telecaster, the Fender Lead I Electric Guitar. Boutique upgrades: Gibson Sg Custom 1960s.
What pairs well with the Fender Lead II?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Plexi 1959SLP, Dumble Overdrive Special Amp Head, Fender Bassman Combo Amp — The Plexi's aggressive, saturated tube breakup gives the Lead II's complex, hard-rock-voiced pickups a genuinely heavier amp voice to push into..
How much does the Fender Lead II cost?+
Around $639.99 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).