Billie Joe Armstrong’s “Blue” is one of the most famous guitars in punk rock, and it isn’t a Fender. It’s a blue Strat-style Fernandes RST-series guitar, made in Japan, that started as a simple beginner guitar and became the workhorse behind Green Day. For the company that built it, see the Fernandes Brand Guide.
Billie Joe Armstrong’s Blue Quick Facts
- Player: Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day
- Guitar: a blue Strat-style Fernandes RST series, made in Japan
- Mods: stickers, an angled bridge humbucker, single-coils disabled, selector locked
- Pickups over the years: Bill Lawrence and Seymour Duncan models
- Today: he appears to rely on a Fender-made replica
Prefer to watch? This article is based on my own short video below.
Blue: A Japanese Beginner Strat That Became a Legend
Even this legend played a Japanese guitar. Blue is a blue Strat-style guitar from the Fernandes RST series, made in Japan. It was a simple beginner guitar, nothing special on paper, and it turned into Billie Joe’s main workhorse.
That simple Japanese Strat ended up shaping more history than anyone expected.
How Billie Joe Modified Blue
Blue didn’t stay stock for long. Billie Joe made it his own with a handful of changes, each one aimed at a loud, simple punk sound:
| Mod | What it does |
|---|---|
| Stickers all over the body | Turned a plain blue Strat into a guitar you can recognize from the back of a club |
| A humbucker at the bridge, mounted at an angle | A fatter, louder, more distorted tone than a single-coil |
| Single-coils disabled | Only the bridge humbucker is live, so there is just one sound |
| Selector switch locked | Nothing to knock into the wrong position mid-song |
The result is a Strat that works like a one-pickup guitar: plug in, turn up, play.
Pickups Over the Years: Bill Lawrence and Seymour Duncan
The bridge pickup changed over the years. Blue carried humbuckers from Bill Lawrence and Seymour Duncan at different points, while the angled-humbucker, bridge-only setup stayed the same.
From Tiny Shows to the Breakthrough
Blue followed Billie Joe from tiny shows to Green Day’s early recordings, and into the breakthrough that defined the band. Few guitars that started as a beginner’s instrument have been heard by so many people.
What Is a Fernandes RST?
The RST belongs to Fernandes’ The Revival series, the vintage-style Strats that first spread the Fernandes name in the 1980s. How it grew out of Japan’s first Strat copy, the FST-80, is covered in Fernandes FST-80 and The Revival RST. Fernandes sold Fender-style guitars under its own name and Gibson-style ones as Burny, which Fernandes vs Burny explains. For the full company story, read the Fernandes guitars history.
If you want a Blue of your own, a Japanese-made Fernandes RST from the used market is the place to start: it is the same family of guitar Billie Joe began with.
Blue Today: A Fender-Made Replica
These days, Billie Joe seems to rely on a Fender-made replica instead of the original. The original Blue has earned its rest.
Final Thoughts
Blue proves that the guitar doesn’t have to be expensive to make history. A Japanese beginner Strat, a sheet of stickers and one angled humbucker became the sound of one of the biggest punk bands in the world.
If you know any extra stories or tips about this guitar, let me know in the comments on the video.
FAQ
What guitar is Billie Joe Armstrong’s Blue?
Blue is a blue Strat-style Fernandes RST-series guitar made in Japan. It started as a simple beginner guitar and became his main workhorse.
Is Billie Joe Armstrong’s Blue a Fender?
No. The original Blue is a Fernandes, a Japanese brand. Today he appears to rely on a Fender-made replica instead of the original.
What pickups are in Blue?
Blue uses a single humbucker at the bridge, mounted at an angle. Over the years it carried Bill Lawrence and Seymour Duncan pickups.
How did Billie Joe modify Blue?
He covered it with stickers, added an angled bridge humbucker, disabled the single-coils and locked the selector switch.
What is a Fernandes RST?
The RST is a Strat-style model from Fernandes’ The Revival series, the vintage-style Japanese Strats that first spread the Fernandes name.
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