We buy a Fender Stratocaster. Choosing a Fender Stratocaster El guitar Fender Stratocaster

Hi all!

I was infinitely lucky: quite by accident, I discovered an advertisement on the Strat-Talk forum trading platform for the sale of a completely new set of Fender-Lace Sensor Gold pickups, produced in 1989, never installed on a guitar, in absolutely untouched condition!

Is it worth mentioning that I quickly contacted the author and bought the pickups?

Along the way, in a conversation with a friend, it turned out that these particular pickups were in the stash of Don Lace himself (yes, the founder of the Lace company)!

Please note the sensor resistance ratings: 5.32 KOhm (bridge), 5.16 KOhm, 5.23 KOhm (neck)

Once again mentally thanking fate for such a rare piece of luck, I finally decided to bring the project of creating a new Stratocaster to life.

Pickguard

After successfully purchasing the pickups, I immediately got confused with the pickguard for the new instrument. It would seem that it’s so difficult to buy a regular panel for pickups and electronics for a Stratocaster?

But inspired by the example of a friend from The Gear Page, as well as Japanese fetish ST-175RB, for the new guitar I decided to order a custom pickguard with two holes for pickups.

The order was made on the Warmoth website, which at one time showed me the deck for the first Stratocaster:

Ordering information: select three-layer plastic and in the 'Middle pickup' field indicate 'None'

There, at Warmoth, I purchased an additional sheet of self-adhesive copper foil for shielding the guitar, which has become my personal tradition (the first Strat, of course, was sealed with copper).

Pickguard assembly

When, finally, the set of parts for the new pickguard was finally completed, I began assembling it.

First of all, I tore off the standard aluminum screen from the pickguard, which was carefully glued on at the Warmoth factory, and replaced it with a copper analogue:

Two 250K CTS potentiometers were installed under the tone controls, and a Seymour Duncan YJM High-Speed ​​Volume Potentiometer was installed as the volume pot, which promised unsurpassed cranking speed. Since I use the volume knob often and with pleasure, why not? For the sake of humor, I’ll note that I successfully ditched my first YJM sweat when I was doing magic with grounding the third leg

Please note that I have a three-position CRL switch ( with spring removed- life hack from Richie!), and so that the “middle” position would not make too much noise, I put a jumper on it - now the bridge pickup sounds in the middle position:

When constructing the tone control circuit, I decided to move away from the classical canons using a single capacitor, and for each potentiometer a personal capacitor was used: for the neck pickup - Orange Drop:

And for the bridge - a vintage Soviet capacitor K40-U9 (some exotic, you know):

The elements were connected to each other by wires braided from wire-coated fabric - a tribute to Fender traditions!

Well, according to tradition, the 'Treble bleed' mod was soldered in - a capacitor and resistance soldered in parallel between both legs of the volume potentiometer.

Thus, electronic the component of my new guitar was ready by that time.

Guitar, which one to choose?

So, the need to buy a CBS tool has already arrived, but how to find and buy a quality one?

I’ll say right away that initially I didn’t have the slightest desire to feed domestic hucksters, so the option of buying a “vintage” Strat for ~$2000 from local dealers was immediately eliminated.

The only way is to buy the instrument abroad (from the States, to be more precise).

Yes, I agree, the option is risky because:

• “you need to listen to the instrument”;
• the instrument must be carefully packaged;
• the instrument must be transported here securely.

Why the USA? Yes, if only because America is still the homeland of Fender factories, and the domestic guitar and music market contains up to 60-70% of all Made in USA guitars, and there is definitely a choice. On the other hand, the analysis showed that there is practically no choice in CBS instruments: most big-headed Strats either have a maple neck or a natural lacquer top.

Let me remind you of my search criteria: Olympic White body and neck with rosewood fingerboard.

And sales of musical instruments are organized at a civilized level: there is always the opportunity to touch/listen to the instrument; If you don’t like the instrument after purchasing it, you can safely return it... Moreover, there is even a specialized chain of guitar stores, Guitar Center, where you can choose absolutely any instrument. I note that a quick analysis of offers on Ebay showed the absolute insanity of their prices, so this option was eliminated immediately.

Well, in the end, everything is fair with the first point in the USA - if the seller indicated that the guitar sounds great, the guitar will sound that way! Here I remember the generous epithets of the locals, such as “crazy sound!”

So, I haven’t been able to find a single instrument made in 1977 with the required characteristics! All the stores had only instruments from 1979, but some worm inside prevented me from making a positive decision in favor of this year.

Let me explain what led to a not very positive attitude towards 1979: the CBS era itself left a certain imprint on Fender’s reputation, when in pursuit of guitar production volumes it was already difficult to maintain the quality of their manufacture. Almost all instruments from 1979 had an elbow bevel... it simply didn’t exist!

Specifically, I chose from the following suggestions:

I admit, I would have taken this tool, but the seller did not provide adequate feedback to my questions/requests, so I dropped it from consideration.

This Strat is not bad, the seller was literally full of praise, but its price is quite reasonable, in my opinion - besides, the guitar does not have original factory pickups.

• '79 Strat ($1,799)

This is also a well-preserved copy, but I was very confused by the lack of a normal bevel for the elbow - the cost of production in 1979.

Offers at Guitar Center

• '79 Strat ($1,599)

At my request, Guitar Center consultants gladly sent photographs and even recorded a video demo of the sound:

But this Strat was disturbed by severe scratches on the soundboard and a rather serious crack on the knob, and, of course, 1979.

• '77 Strat ($1,399)

By that time, I had already begun to seriously consider this option, for a number of adequate reasons:

1. It's 1977!
2. The serial number is even slightly older than Ritchie Blackmore's instrument.
3. For a natural “varnish” coating, wooden parts of better quality are still selected.
4. The guitar was given with its original case.
5. The seller immediately honestly admitted that the pickups in the guitar were not original, which in my case did not play a special role (I already had the pickguard ready). Then it turned out that the Custom Shop pickups were quite luxurious.
6. I immediately liked the sound of this instrument, especially its sustain (though this was assessed during a phone call to the Guitar Center store).

The only thing that stopped me from buying for a while- this is the color of the deck.

But over time, having become convinced that no other adequate offers for Strats were in sight for me, I firmly decided to take it, and the GC manager also made a $100 discount.

Thus, I got a 1977 instrument in excellent condition and excellent sound for $1299 ! (fiery greetings to the hucksters of our Fatherland)

Having explained to the managers that the guitar would have a long journey to Russia, I convinced them to pack the guitar as securely and comfortably as possible.

After paying an additional $35.61 for two-day UPS delivery to the Polar Express warehouse in Delaware, the long and painful wait for the guitar began.

Guitar delivery

So, the logistics itself was based on the classic, already worked out more than once, scheme “Online store → Polar Express warehouse → customs in Kaliningrad → transfer to SPSR in St. Petersburg → delivery to the region using SPSR means.”

The cost of delivery to Russia via Polar Express was a significant $258:

Although the weight of the parcel was not weak

It so happened that the purchase of the guitar chronologically coincided with rumors about some innovative ideas, which were launched by the domestic Federal Customs Service in terms of regulating the turnover of online purchases (lowering the duty-free threshold to €150). The prospect that getting a guitar through customs could become a lottery loomed large on the horizon.

I admit that I did not take into account the fact that at the beginning of 2014, citizens of the Russian Federation would make unplanned purchases in order to avoid future problems with customs limits: this resulted in a huge flow of parcels, which Polar Express and SPSR were physically unable to receive in the usual short time.

For example, at the first stage the parcel was sent from the warehouse late; at the customs clearance stage, the guitar also stood for quite some time; there was a certain delay when transferring the batch to SPSR, etc.

But pah-pah, the guitar successfully survived the flight from the States to Russia, and more than a month later it arrived to me. The guitar case, itself quite well reinforced, was additionally packed in a large cardboard box, and the cavities were filled with popcorn; the guitar itself had the strings lowered and the truss rod relaxed - to the credit of the Guitar Center staff, the guitar was perfectly prepared for shipment!

But he couldn’t even imagine what awaited the guitar in the future...

Modifications

First things first, the guitar was fitted with Sperzel Trim-Lok tuners with a shiny chrome finish:

Hand on heart, I liked the quality of the German Schaller tuners installed in the first Strat more, but the choice of Spertzels was due to the requirements of authenticity: Blackmore’s ’77 Strat is equipped with Spertzels.

The next step is to replace the pickguard and shield the cavities of the guitar.

An important nuance: the Lace Sensor Gold sensors themselves are silent, and it is not at all necessary to shield the cavities under them; Moreover, shielding may affect the sound. Therefore, the shielding exclusively covered the space under the sweat and electronics, as well as the cavity under the output connector:

Together with the copper sheet on the pickguard itself, the shielding provided an excellent closed circuit in which the electronic components were reliably isolated from interference from external electromagnetic waves.

The guitar, assembled with the new pickguard, immediately began to look better, and the non-standard two pickups instead of three got along quite quickly:

In this form, the guitar had already become a self-sufficient musical instrument, but another round of changes awaited its deck...

Repainting the deck

Yes, yes, natural varnish was doomed! To be completely honest, I took this particular Strat with the expectation of immediately repainting it in the desired Olympic White with an aging effect, but the instrument was so good-looking even in this condition.

But over time, the true feeling grew within me that my Blackmorecaster was not quite the right Blackmorecaster, and I began to look for craftsmen who could competently carry out the operation of repainting the deck.

It even got to the point that I created a poll topic on the Strat-Talk forum, in which I asked my colleagues to express their opinion on the repainting. As usually happens, opinions differed, but I caught the most important fact - my guitar is not different in any way unique qualities to hold onto a harsh natural lacquer finish.

In addition, after a detailed inspection and analysis of the quality of the varnish coating, I was finally convinced of the correctness of the decision made:

• As you know, in the late 1960s, Fender abandoned nitro varnish in favor of polyurethane. Yes, it holds better, is more durable compared to nitro, but hypothetically may affect the sound of instruments;
• the old varnish coating on my guitar was too thick and was literally falling off (the legs grow out of the reputation of the CBS era - they just stupidly poured paint/varnish on the soundboards and did not worry about the quality at all);
• Under the pickguard, the varnish was perfectly preserved, but outside it turned into some kind of plastic substance, which could only negatively affect the sound.

Just in time, on a tip from a guitar master with golden hands

Still, I decided. I decided to buy a Fender Stratocaster to play blues and light rock. But which Fender to choose????... It’s very difficult when you don’t have the opportunity to listen and you have to choose only based on the “photo”

Let's start with the fact that Fender has a lot of different models of Stratocaster guitars, which are not so easy to understand. This is where I started digging. Since everyone already knows that “true” guitars are only from the USA, I immediately discarded the Japanese and Mexican-made options. So:

At first I thought that the usual would be enough for me

Fender American Standard series. Used price

$800-$1100

The guitar is of the most ordinary configuration, very similar to a guitar like Stevie Ray Vaughan, my favorite blues guitarist.

After reading guitar forums, I came to the conclusion that the guitars in this series sound very “unstable”, that is, within this series the variation in quality and sound is very large. You need to sort through and listen. A guru from the forums wrote that in this series there are many more silent guitars than sounding ones.

Then the series caught my eye

American Deluxe Stratocaster. Used price

$1100-$1500

The difference between these models is small: On the Deluxe series you can find a roller nut, most often the tremolo is not 2 bolts, the guitar has a slightly different finish, other materials are used, the inlay on the neck is mother-of-pearl dots and something else that I may not remember , apparently not so important :). Everywhere they write that the wood used in the Deluxe series is of higher quality and selected. There are some niceties in the wiring, like the push/pull switches that combine the neck and bridge pickups, which gives a sound reminiscent of a Telecaster.

It seems like a good option, but I couldn’t find a guitar that fit my requirements, and this is:

1. Solid maple neck without various fingerboards.

2. Be sure to have 3 single-coil pickups, like on older guitar models.

3. 6-bolt tremolo (this item can be neglected)

5. The threshold is made of plastic, or better yet, bone.

These are the main requirements for which I choose a Fender Stratocaster.

While I was searching the Internet for a guitar with such specifications, I came across

Artist series. Used price

$1300-$1900

These are serial editions of replica guitars that are/have been played by various famous Guitarists.

You can choose a guitar package like your favorite guitarist who plays a Fender. Here you have the Stevie Ray Vaughan Stratocaster, my recent dream with Texas Special pickups :) and

Yngwie Malmsteen Stratocaster with scooped frets and YJM single pickups for heavier music. The list could go on for a very long time: Byddy Guy, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Johm Mayer and others...

The wood for this model is even more carefully selected and the quality is even higher than that of the Deluxe series, according to guitar forum members.

Also, each guitarist had his own requirements for the instrument, and among these Artists you can find a more suitable instrument for yourself.

After watching a lot of videos and reading a lot of information, I decided on a guitar

Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster. Used price

$1400-$1800

The specs are exactly what I want: Selected alder, 6-bolt tremolo, plastic nut, solid radial cut maple neck. And the most interesting thing is that this is practically a reissue of the Fender Stratocaster guitar from 1957 with minor changes. That is, the coating of the guitar, like on the guitars of ’57, is Nitrolacquer, which allows the guitar to “breathe.” It also gets washed and worn out by clothes :) If you use the guitar very often, it can take on the appearance of an old, worn guitar :)

Everything seemed to be fine, I seemed to have made up my mind, but the devil pulled me to dig further...

Of course I heard and knew about guitars

Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster. Some of the highest quality guitars from the company, hand assembled, everything is top notch. I thought that they cost a lot of money and I would never buy one for myself, but it turned out that the price is not much higher

Artist series. Used price

$1800-$.......

There is a very large selection of different guitars with different configurations, colors and specifications. I think the sound is great too!

I found several options for myself:

Fender Custom Shop Time Machine 56 Stratocaster 2001. Price

I think it's a great tool. Reissue of a '56 Fender Straticaster guitar. The same Nitrovarnish coating. But the neck cut here is not radial, but I think it will certainly not sound worse :)

Fender Custom Shop Time Machine 56 Stratocaster 2004 of the year. Price

Almost the same guitar, only the color is different. You'll have to choose just by color :) But I don't think that these guitars will sound the same if you compare them on the same equipment. There will still be differences.

I was just about to sleep peacefully when the forum members again gave me information to think about... Many people advise buying an inexpensive guitar to understand what I need from it. Listen to a maple neck, what if I don’t like the sound of it and want a neck with a rosewood fretboard. Play, then don’t bother with Custom Shop. An expensive guitar is harder to sell, in case I don’t like something about it. And you need a lot of money for the Custom Shop, I don’t think I’m recouping all the money spent on this guitar, that is, I don’t know how to play for $2000 :)

I'm sitting here scratching my head... Should I bother with a Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster????

The Fender Stratocaster  

Everyone who starts playing guitar does it for different reasons. For some, self-expression and the realization of a natural gift is an absolute necessity. Some people are driven by the desire to be like their idols. Personally, for me it was and still is a combination of both options. In pursuit of this sometimes elusive goal, I have tried almost every guitar there is, and always come back to the Stratocaster without fail. It's like returning to your home. The Stratocaster is tough but comfortable, punchy but clean. It's as close to perfect as it gets. Take my advice, pick up a Stratocaster and play, I think you'll see what I mean.

Yours sincerely,
Eric Clapton

THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND

The Stratocaster was born in the early 1950s in Southern California, or to be precise, in Fullerton, located near Los Angeles, home of FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Co. From any point of view, at least three people were directly involved in one way or another in the creation of the guitar: LEO FENDER, of course, FREDDIE TAVARES and BILL CARSON. Others such as DONALD RANDALL, GEORGE FULLERTON and REX GALLEON may also have been involved in the process leading up to the start of mass production of the Stratocaster in 1954.

One of the main contradictions that remains unresolved to this day is the start date of its development. According to Leo Fender, the project dates back to the very early '50s: "We started working on the Stratocaster around 1951 because we needed a guitar with a tremolo system to compete with the Bigsby!" In another statement, Leo Fender elaborates: "This was before Freddie Tavares came to work for us. This was around 1951. We already had a neck and body design, and we had pickups. I remember this exactly because it was I already had processed materials and parts in stock before moving from Pomona Street to Valencia.”

It should be noted that the move from 122 Pomona Street did not take place until 1953, and was publicly announced in June 1953, when FENDER SALES Inc. However, even though the Stratocaster officially debuted in the spring of 1954, Leo Fender dates its development to 1951, possibly towards the end of the year after it was released. Mr. Fender has also mentioned on several occasions that he began the project shortly after meeting Bill Carson, who later became his favorite guinea pig for testing Stratocaster prototypes.

These statements are not entirely supported by Freddie Tavares, who was hired by Leo Fender in early 1953 to help him in the "laboratory" where new Fender products were developed: "I met Leo Fender around March 1953. I played the steel guitar in a club, and was introduced to me by a musician named Noel Boggs. Noel told me that Leo was looking for an assistant. The first full-time assignment I received was to make a drawing of a Stratocaster.

It was April or May 1953. Leo said we needed a new guitar, and I asked how far apart the strings were at the nut, how far apart the bridge would be. I got these parameters, then asked what the scale would be, and having understood how the strings would go, I knew where to start." According to Freddie, before he joined the company in early 1953, the Stratocaster was not specific.

However, despite Leo Fender's claims, it hardly existed before even as an idea. Bill Carson was the guitarist in the country-western band Eddy Kirk Band when he first met him in late 1951. He disagrees with Mr. Fender's point of view: "In 1952 Leo started discussing the Stratocaster, but as I remember, we didn't actually get anything done until early 1953." So, who has the better memory?

Another major point of contention relates to the reason why the Stratocaster was invented. There is no doubt that Leo Fender needed a “new guitar”, simply to expand its limited range of electric guitars, or to have an instrument that was in every way more advanced than the Telecaster, and had a tremolo system, in keeping with current fashion.

Don Randall, who was the general manager of RADIO & TELEVISION EQUIPMENT Co., then the exclusive distributor of Fender Instruments, certainly agrees with these assumptions (We remind you that on June 1, 1953, distribution was transferred to FENDER SALES Inc.). However, according to Bill Carson, the Stratocaster was originally planned as a guitar made by Leo Fender specifically for his professional needs: “I will say that 95% of the unusual ideas in the first Stratocaster were mine, but I could not implement them. I did not have engineering experience or education, and all I could do was come up with ideas...

The original prototype was not intended to be a production guitar. I think as Leo Fender talked to me, and then perhaps discussed these ideas with other players, he became more and more inclined to think that this would be a production guitar." Based on this assumption, in 1979, when When the Anniversary Stratocaster was released, CBS/FENDER announced Bill Carson as "the man for whom the Stratocaster was made."

Despite all the controversy, one fact is clear: Leo Fender has always been attentive to the suggestions of practicing musicians, and has always tried to maintain close contact with them in order to improve its products. As Freddie Tavares points out: "One of the reasons Leo was so successful was that the musicians knew they were welcome in our lab. They could come there and talk to us in person. Everyone knew they could reach Leo."

Bill Carson confirms this fact and adds: "Leo had a unique ability to accept what you tell him as the needs of a musician. He didn't play himself, didn't think or hear like a musician, so he relied entirely on musicians with good ears."

In light of the rather contradictory statements, it is quite difficult to give preference to any one version, and of course, answers to a number of questions are needed. Who invented the Stratocaster? How did this happen? When?

In 1951 or 1952, Leo Fender was probably thinking about moving beyond the straightforward Telecaster and Esquire concepts. He could think about it and even make rough sketches of what was supposed to be a more "advanced" tool. His frequent meetings with professional musicians such as Bill Carson certainly convinced him of the need to release an improved giara. And as a result, the project for a “new” Fender guitar, at some point in time, merged with the Carson order, and became the instrument now known as the Stratocaster.

It seems reasonable to believe that the ideas of Bill Carson as a musician and the ideas of Freddie Travers as an engineer were undoubtedly reflected in the development. And by and large, there is no doubt that the concept of the entire project was personally led by Leo Fender. Freddie Travers doesn't dispute this: "Leo wanted a new guitar, better, more versatile, and that's what he got in the end! I made the drawings, but everything was in his hands. By and large, everything was done the way he wanted."

Allowing for the passage of time, the author believes that Mr. Fender's memory is not very reliable when it comes to his eureka moments in the early 1950s. Considering what was happening at Fender in 1951-52 with the release of the Precision Bass and Stringmaster steel guitars, not to mention the growing activity in the amplifier market, it does not appear that development of a new model began as early as Mr. Fender seems to think. Despite what he claims in various interviews, development of the Stratocaster most likely began in 1953, as Freddie Tavares confirms: "Development began in April or May 1953 and took less than a year".

In fact, it could have lasted even less if it weren't for the tremolo bridge, which took six months to perfect. That's why Leo Fender said, "I already had machined materials and parts in stock," referring to the move from Pomona Street to East Valencia Street in mid-1953.

Be that as it may, although the development of the Stratocaster is not the sole merit of Leo Fender, it was he, a man who did not even know how to play, who gave birth to this guitar. And still very few can boast of such a still tangible influence on the industry!

STRATOCASTER CONCEPT

In the spring of 1954, when the Stratocaster was introduced to an excited, pre-rock 'n' roll music world, it exhibited several innovative, if not revolutionary, characteristics. The most radical innovations for that time were the "Synchronized Tremolo" system (Note: It was with the light hand of Leo Fender that the word "tremolo" began to be used to designate a structure that vibrates the strings) and the ergonomic design of the "Comfort Contour Body" body.

The new model also featured a number of other Fender innovations, such as a fully adjustable bridge with six independent saddles, three core profile pickups, and a top jack. Although more complex in design than the Telecaster, the Stratocaster is equally true to Leo Fender's philosophy of being an instrument designed for the musician's work. Freddie Tavares emphasizes this concept: "Leo Fender's attitude was to make everything practical, as practical as possible, and as simple as possible... Leo has always followed the principle of simpler and easier to maintain. So that it can be easily repaired."

Leo himself speaks on this matter: “I worked with radio and electronic equipment for so many years, and I was primarily concerned with the utilitarian side of the matter. This was the most important thing, they thought about the appearance later.”

Thus, the Stratocaster inherited the basic features of previous Fender electric guitars, such as an ash body, a detachable one-piece maple neck (no separate pickguard), an asymmetrical headstock, and a simple tuning mechanism.

The entire set of pickups was mounted on a single plate mounted on top of the milled body, so that each component could be easily removed and replaced if necessary. Leo Fender has always ensured practicality and functionality in its products. He never relied on mere theory or fancy technology... Only trial and error and accumulation of experience to produce better and better guitars.

About the Stratocaster, Freddie Tavares recalls the following: “There were no special theories in this development. It was a purely practical method of trial and error! The whole point was that we could not do what we wanted. It came into being on its own.” "Everything we did was empirical, just trial and error."

"Synchronized Tremolo"

As stated in the first advertising campaign that FENDER SALES Inc. launched in April 1954, the Synchronized Tremolo system was the most promising innovation in the Stratocaster. In the early 1950s, the Bigsby tremolo system became increasingly popular, especially among country and western performers. The tricks of Lonie Mack and the fury of Hendrix were not yet in vogue, but vibrato effects in the style of steel guitar were very popular in those days.

Bill Carson explains: "The value of the tremolo was that the steel guitar was used in most country-western and swing bands in those days. When I was working in the studio with the jig that Leo made for me, I could do that steel-like vibrato." -guitars, and sometimes I got double the fee for the session. That's why I needed a tremolo on the guitar!"

Fender's sales team certainly emphasized the device's relevance, and Freddie Tavares recalls quite candidly: "We didn't invent the tremolo idea. It was used on many other instruments, but we needed it because it would help sales!" The needs of musicians such as Bill Carson, combined with the demands of the sales department, logically led to tremolo outlines starting to appear on the drawing board.

The main problem with the tremolo systems produced in those days was that they did not always return in tune accurately, which caused problems. Therefore, Leo Fender was faced with the task of developing a tremolo that would hold tuning.

The first tremolo designed by Leo Fender was very similar in all respects to the device later installed on Jazzmaster guitars, introduced in June 1958. There was some distance between the bridge and the tailpiece in which the strings were secured. This early model had roller supports for each string, intended to make it easier to return to tune, but they actually dampened the string's sustain by allowing too much play.

In addition, it was discovered that the steel rod used to hold the strings in place did not press them tightly enough, and their energy was dissipated, resulting in a loss of tone and sustain. Leo Fender remembers this troubled design vividly: "We had problems with the first tremolo. It had no tone or sustain...we had to scrap it and completely rework it. It cost us $5,000 in labor and machinery!"

Bill Carson, who tested the prototype, initially suggested that the lack of sustain was due to the pickups, but this theory was quickly refuted by Leo Fender: "Bill thought it was the pickups, but it wasn't. They were fine, but we had to completely redesign the tremolo. We had these little rollers on the bridge, and they allowed play. You can't have uncontrolled vibration on the bridge. It has to be as rock-solid as the rocks of Gibraltar."

The return to operation was normal, so the problem with tone and sustain did not seem critical at that time. This is probably why Leo Fender began to equip a new assembly line to produce the first tremolo system. When a problem became apparent, he tried to solve it, no doubt convinced that he would succeed.

Freddie Tavares recalls with delight: “It seemed like Leo Fender could solve any problem just by sitting and thinking... he was incredible!” Leo Fender sat on the first tremolo for several months, but finally gave up at the end of 1953 so as not to delay the release of the new guitar any further. Freddie Tavares sums up the whole story: "When we made this tremolo, everything was great, except for the lack of sustain. There was no keel, there wasn't enough mass... so we ended up with the loose strings not being able to produce maximum output. That sealed the deal." It took us another 6 months - you understand, we still had work to do - to solve this problem!

For the second version of the tremolo, Leo Fender resorted to the principle of a drugstore scale, which uses a sharp edge as a fulcrum. In other words, the tremolo mechanism was integral with the bridge, and was not a separate part. The idea was that the strings did not have to go over the bridge, and the bridge itself had a supporting edge.

The bridge frame was machined to have a bearing edge and was secured to the body with 6 hardened screws, each opposite the saddle. What Freddie Tavares calls a "keel" was attached to the bottom of the bridge frame, and each string was threaded firmly through the keel, through vertical channels.

Return to the original position was carried out using 5 springs located in a space machined in the hull, with one end attached to the lower edge of the keel and the other to the hull. With this design, the springs were positioned exactly parallel to the strings, providing uniform resistance to their tension. If necessary, the resistance could be adjusted by turning two screws screwed into the body, to which a plate was attached, to which the spring clung. Or one or two of the five springs could be removed. This clever system allowed you to get back into tune and didn't kill the sustain.

The second version of the Synchronized Tremolo was completed in late 1953 and a year later, on August 30, 1954, Leo Fender filed a patent application for a "Tremolo System for Stringed Instruments." The patent was issued on April 10, 1956 and registered as number 2, 741,146. It was "safer" to patent such an innovative part, because, as George Fullerton, then FENDER's director of production, says: "Patents prevent inventions from being copied too early, and in the music business this is very important. Almost everything was copied the very next day... this not fair". The application clearly sets out the objectives of the Clarence Leo Fender invention.

"The purpose of my invention is:
FIRST: the creation of a tremolo system, which is particularly intended for use in guitars... in the process of playing on which the right hand is located in the bridge area, where the tremolo lever is installed so as to fit into the palm of the performer.
SECOND: create a tremolo system that is combined with the bridge in a new way so that, having limited freedom of rotation, it allows you to vary the tension of the instrument's strings, providing a vibration effect.
THIRD: equip the tremolo system with a new sectional bridge that allows you to adjust the length of the working section of the string and its height individually, so as to ensure precise tuning of each string without affecting the simultaneous operation of several springs necessary for the operation of the system."

The third paragraph concerns the fully adjustable bridge (discussed later) which was made as part of the tremolo and could have been protected by the same patent. In 1954, the Synchronized Tremolo system was far superior to anything on the market, but to get it, players were required to buy a Stratocaster guitar. In no way was the tremolo positioned as a separate accessory, like the Bigsby system, but was presented as an important integral part of a radically new instrument.

Thanks to the drawings and detailed verbal description (3 pages) in the patent, the second Synchronized Tremolo model is well documented. Additionally, those interested can examine a Stratocaster made before 1972 to see the original design. Unfortunately, there are no drawings or images of the first version invented by Leo Fender that could be published in materials dedicated to the history of FENDER.

"Comfort Contour Body" design

Like the tremolo system, the "Comfort Contour Body" design was another 1954 innovation introduced with the Stratocaster. Although the concept was radical for its time, it stems from simple and practical ideas. Despite the thinness of the Telecaster (1.750"), some players complained about the corners of the body pressing into their ribs.

Bill Carson says he specifically approached Mr. Fender with this problem and claims he was the one who got the idea of ​​a comfortable design out of the Leo: "What I didn't like about the Telecaster was the discomfort, because I was working a lot in studios on the West Coast at the time." , and when I played while sitting, these right angles were literally pressed into my ribs.

It was uncomfortable, and Leo just got fed up with the idea that a guitar should fit as well as a shirt!" Bill's statement is somewhat confirmed by Freddie Tavares: "I'm not entirely sure, but I think Leo got the idea of ​​a comfortable design by Bill Carson." Leo Fender, however, credits a local artist named Rex Galleon for the notch on the back of the instrument, as well as the forearm bevel: "We featured the Rex Galleon before Bill did, and it was Rex who suggested the cutout with the back side of the case and from the corner of the front side."

In the face of such conflicting evidence, the following conclusion can be drawn. Bill Carson admits that Leo Fender was initially rather lukewarm about his first request to reshape the body of the guitar because he thought it was too much. Bill also recalls that during the development of the Stratocaster, he left California for a time and worked in Canada.

While Bill was away, Rex Galleon may have repeated or confirmed his request for an ergonomic body design, and Leo may have only remembered this second request. Now it can be argued that whoever asked first, Mr. Fender probably did not consider the request significant until he received the same requests from other musicians. Freddie Tavares recalls that "Leo had a habit of thinking slowly and sequentially...no flashes of genius, but a steady, continuous process of thinking."

Be that as it may, once Leo Fender became convinced of the benefits of cutouts on the body, he simply began experimenting in search of the greatest comfort. Bill Carson recalls: "One morning in early 1953, I remember, I went to Leo, and he had 4 or 5 bodies with different cutouts to test which one would be comfortable for me."

It soon became clear that the presence of cutouts affected the shape of the entire body. Bill Carson recalls the process of working on his "personal" guitar: "There was no balance. At the beginning the body was like a Telecaster, and we began to lengthen the top horn until we reached balance. I think Freddie suggested lengthening it for symmetry and balance and the lower horn."

As a result, the layout began to take on the appearance of a smaller Precision Bass (released in 1951). Was this the result of purely empirical research? Or did Leo (and Freddie) somehow want to make a guitar to go with the P. Bass? Whatever the answer, there is no doubt that the Stratocaster took on its final form for purely practical reasons, but it also became very popular from a purely aesthetic point of view.

Many players have actually chosen the Stratocaster for its modern and stylish lines, only to realize how functional and reliable it is. The "Comfort Contour Body" design, originally conceived for the Stratocaster, later became a standard feature of all top Fender instruments, and has thus been used in the P. Bass since 1954. Oddly enough, Leo Fender did not immediately patent this innovation. This only happened with the release of the Jazzmaster and a patent application for the "Contour Body" (and the beveled "Off-Waist" design of the Jazzmaster) was made on January 13, 1958, and was granted on November 22, 1960.

Other Fender innovations

Leo Fender's main goal was to create a tremolo system that would stay in tune. Therefore, it was logical for him to pay some attention to the problem of accurate intonation. In 1953, Fender electric guitars were equipped with fairly primitive (and cheap) bridges, with one saddle per pair of strings. But as Freddie Tavares says: "Some players have incredible ears, some don't. So it was inevitable that someone would start complaining that we had one saddle for two strings, because the string couldn't play unless it adjust its length."

Bill Carson recalls fondly: “The other thing I didn’t like about the Telecaster was that there were compromises in the bridge design and you couldn’t really intonate it.” Fender's sales team may have noticed that such primitive intonation was not in keeping with the company's main mission of helping professional musicians. At some point, Don Randall might have asked Leo to correct this "sales-affecting defect" as he asked him in 1950, to put a truss rod in the neck of the Esquire/Broadcaster!

Be that as it may, Leo Fender has come up with a new bridge with 6 independent saddles, allowing the strings to be intoned individually. Like early Fender bridges, the saddles were adjustable for both height and string length, but they had a different shape for more stable tremolo operation. Height adjustment was carried out using two small hex key pins, and the length of the string was adjusted with a Phillips screw on the back of the frame. This new bridge design was included in the "Synchronized Tremolo" patent application filed in August 1954. That's why the words "FENDER" and "PAT.PEND." are stamped on every production model saddle.

Was the Stratocaster the first commercially produced guitar with a fully adjustable bridge? Most likely, yes, if you take into account the adjustment of both height and length for each string. The Stratocaster bridge was the only one that allowed you to adjust the radius of the string profile relative to the neck. For the sake of history, let's add that in the first versions of the bridge, the scale adjustment screws were located on the side of the pickups, and not at the back of the bridge. The prototype initially had this “mirror” bridge installed, until Bill Carson complained to Leo Fender that it was inconvenient to operate. Therefore, before the guitar was sent to production, the adjustment screws were rearranged.

But the reason why three pickups were installed on the Stratocaster seems to have nothing to do with purely musical requirements. In terms of sound, the needs of musicians in the mid-1950s were still quite conservative, and the 3-pickup set came about for a number of different reasons.

The simplest explanation comes from Leo Fender himself - he used 3 pickups because he had a supply of 3-way switches in stock! On the other hand, one can understand that Mr. Fender wanted to give his guitar a unique, exclusive look, like car manufacturers who decorate their products with chrome and other decorations.

Freddie Tavares recalls: "Leo said that everyone has 2 pickups, so we'll have 3!" Historically, however, this was not a “discovery”, since in 1949 GIBSON already had a semi-acoustic with three ES-5 pickups. This move probably did not go unnoticed by the Fender sales department and Don Randall could have suggested that 3 pickups would be a plus from a marketing point of view. At this time, GIBSON had begun to enter the solid body electric guitar market with the introduction of the Les Paul and Electric Bass, and FENDER clearly wanted to maintain their leadership in this area.

The 3-position switch available in 1953 only allowed one pickup to be turned on at a time, and the two-pickup combinations that musicians love today were not needed at that time. Freddie Tavares admits: "We weren't so omnipotent in our foresight as to realize that the switching could be more flexible!" - and Leo Fender once said in an interview: "There weren't many convenient switch options at the time. It wasn't about what we would like, but what we could get for work!”

Despite the fairly simple wiring, the presence of 3 pickups is reflected in the presence of three control knobs next to the switch - master volume and two tone knobs for the neck and middle pickups, respectively. It was assumed that the sound of the bridge pickup did not need to be adjusted, since its purpose was to produce a very bright sound.

At the time, amps didn't produce enough top end, and the Stratocaster's bridge pickup was required to provide "bright, ringing highs." And it was installed obliquely for better sound. Freddie Tavares explains: "The back pickup is angled for a very important reason. If you pick right up to the bridge, everything sounds a lot brighter, but you lose depth. So the angled pickup is designed to get a little more body out of the thick strings, but still maintain the brightness we need."

The specifications for the pickups were determined by trial, and Leo Fender made several for Bill Carson to try out live and in the studio. And again Freddie Tavares recalls: “When it came to choosing the wire section and the number of turns, it was all completely empirical... wind more, wind less and then try what happened! We did a lot of experiments, and of course the final verdict was always Leo's.” .

So Mr. Fender tested many different pickup configurations, with different coils and cores, until he came up with the one he liked best. These experiments explain why the pickups on the Stratocaster were, from the very beginning, wound with slightly thinner wire than those on the Telecaster. Additionally, unlike early Telecaster pickups, they had cores of different heights ("staggered") to compensate for differences in signal from different strings. In other words, the more signal a string produced, the lower the alnikov core underneath it.

Thus, the sound of the pickup was more balanced. Given the common gauge of strings at the time (usually thick), Leo Fender arranged the cores under the strings in height as follows (from short to tall): B - E (thin) - G - E (thick) - A and D. Profiled cores are not were intended to be a "unique competitive advantage" for 1954, since many guitars already had adjustable cores.

It was actually more of a way to get rid of some of the shortcomings inherited from the first Telecasters, in particular the second string being too loud. In turn, shielding was not considered an important issue at that time, so there were no attempts to make metal pickup covers.

The socket on the front of the case was a convenient, nice innovation. The idea was to place the socket in a safe place, so that the connected guitar could be briefly placed against a wall or chair. The nest also became more accessible, and the musicians did not have to fumble for it. Like all the controls on the Stratocaster, it had to be within easy reach, as Leo Fender emphasizes: “Another very important decision was the placement of the controls. On the Stratocaster we placed them much closer to the playing position of the right hand, and this seemed to add a lot of popularity."

And the last, important detail - the Stratocaster had one more innovation - the classic Fender headstock silhouette that has survived through the years! Leo Fender has repeatedly recalled how he came up with the idea of ​​an asymmetrical head with 6 tuners in a row on one side. From a technical point of view, he wanted the strings to go to the pegs in a straight line, and not diverge to the sides, as on a regular guitar. From an aesthetic point of view, it borrowed the idea from Croatian string instruments... The Telecaster neck implemented this concept in a primitive form - just enough wood to install the tuners and place the brand label.

Freddie Tavares recalls: "The Telecaster had a minimalist headstock. Just enough to have a little curl. Just so it didn't look hacky! Now it's time to make the headstock more beautiful."

Leo and Freddie collaborated to design the Stratocaster's headstock, which features a distinctive point at the bottom and a rounded tip at the end. This new style soon became a recognizable Fender trademark around the world, and over time, with minor variations, was adopted by almost all Fender basses and guitars except the Telecaster.

An interesting thought is that this design looks like a toned down version of the shape that P.A. Bigsby used in their guitars in the late 1940s.

Paul Bigsby, a resident of Downey (Southern California), gained fame after inventing the vibrato system that bears his name. On several occasions, renowned country musician Merle Travis has expressed the view that "this man came up with the design of Fender guitars," since he believed that the Broadcaster design was undoubtedly inspired by a guitar that Paul Bigsby made specifically for him.

Of course, Leo Fender always denied this harsh statement, and for decades the gentlemen remained in confrontation. Our goal is not to establish who is right in this case. The fact remains that the Stratocaster neck is very similar to the design used by Paul Bigsby back in 1947. Having acknowledged this, we note that it gained worldwide popularity on Fender guitars.

From prototype to production

So, according to Freddie Tavares and Bill Carson (which, however, differs from the memories of Leo Fender), the Stratocaster gradually took shape during 1953. The entire development cycle of the new guitar from drawings to production took less than a year, and most of this time was spent solving problems with the tremolo design. No one, however, can remember exactly how many prototypes were created during this period. Based on Fender manufacturing techniques, it appears that no more than two mock-ups were produced before the specifications were finalized.

Bill Carson recalls that he began testing the prototype in clubs and studios around the summer of 1953. At that time, the instrument was called the “Carson guitar,” since the model did not yet have an official name. This first prototype had no varnish, and the Telecaster-style pickups and metal knobs were mounted on a black fiber pickguard. Bill Carson elaborates: "As I recall, the prototype had a fiber pickguard. It was the same material that pickup coils were made from. Then they changed it to an anodized aluminum pickguard, but it stained your hands with oxides, so you ended up with single-ply white plastic."

Unfortunately, not a single photograph of this prototype has survived, and moreover, no one has seen the Stratocaster prototype itself since that time. Leo Fender may have documented some of the development of his new guitar, but there are no sacred relics left today to show the grandchildren of the pioneers of rock 'n' roll. Be that as it may, in late 1953, what was once a "Carson guitar" finally became Fender's new production model. It's time to think about the appearance of the guitar.

Unlike previous Fender electric guitars, the new guitar's standard finish is not a light "blonde" color, but a deep sunburst shade. This finish, uncharacteristic of Fender guitars of the time, was chosen for two main reasons. First, the sales department wanted to make the Stratocaster stand out from the Telecaster with an exclusive color.

Quite reasonable, but why the sunburst, which was quite common among other guitars of that time? From a marketing perspective, the choice of Sunburst was likely a move towards a more traditional approach in order to expand the target audience. The second reason lies solely in technological limitations.

Fender instruments were then made with 2-3 piece ash bodies, and solid bodies were a rare exception because the factory couldn't find wide enough cuts. The translucent varnish did not hide the structure of the fibers, and it was necessary to precisely select the grain of the wood in order to hide the gluing. In addition, the cases were carefully painted on the edges so that the heterogeneity of the wood would not be noticeable.

Taking these considerations into account, the dark sunburst was even more convenient, and in addition, it made the guitars in the series more similar to each other...

Leo Fender insisted on an aluminum pickguard because he liked the material, which he thought was both practical and beautiful. Despite the problem pointed out by Bill Carson (the pickguard got dirty on your hands), the first few guitars were produced with a gold-anodized pickguard. But then, models with single-layer white plastic were put on the assembly line. This led to changes in the material of the handles - metal (in the spirit of tele) were replaced with matching white ones from the supplier’s catalog. In 1954, Leo Fender also produced a very small number of Stratocasters with a clear Plexiglas pickguard painted gold on the inside.

The new guitar was ready for its official debut, but did not yet have a name. Recent research suggests that the name "Stratocaster" was not coined by Leo Fender, but by Donald Randall, President of FENDER SALES Inc. The idea was a combination of fashionable at the time, in the spirit of the space age, the "stratosphere" theme and the memorable suffix "caster".

Now let's look at the exact release date of the Stratocaster. According to Leo Fender: "We developed the new campaign in early 1953 and began shipping Stratocasters in the summer of 1953." In another interview he says: "We started shipping Stratocasters in late 1953." Freddie Tavares does not share these memories and states: "We showed the first Stratocasters in early 1954. I don't think we sold a single Stratocaster until the end of 1953." Mr. Fender is probably off by a year or so because no one has ever seen a 1953 Stratocaster. He was probably referring to some of the prototypes intended for final testing in late 1953.

Full production began in the first quarter of 1954, and the very first Stratocaster advertisement appeared only in the April issue of INTERNATIONAL MUSICIAN. A reproduction of the advertisement was immediately sent to all Fender dealers, with accompanying information stating that shipments were to begin on May 15th.

In Fender's first advertisements, the Stratocaster was announced in the following terms: "Another innovation from Fender! Once again in the field of electric guitars... meet the new Stratocaster from Fender! Ahead of its time design and unrivaled performance! You will experience an unforgettable experience when you pick up this revolutionary new instrument !".

The guitar was also brought to the attention of the industry in an article published in the May issue of MUSIC TRADES magazine: “What is most revolutionary about this instrument is the “comfort contoured” design, which literally merges the guitar and the player into one and provides more comfort in performance than ever before. -or".

The first mention of the Stratocaster in the catalog was made in the same spirit, since in the 1950s the description of the instrument was, by modern standards, rather sparse and not at all technical. Like other guitar manufacturers, Fender sought to simply point out the guitar's innovations and highlight the fact that they were made to meet the needs of discerning professional players.

In 1954, this approach gave birth to the following gems in the catalog: “The sound of the Stratocaster is as fresh and new as tomorrow, and this is exactly the big professional sound that professional musicians have been looking for for so long ... The Stratocaster is a guitar created for musicians, having all the advantages of Fender electric guitars plus a host of improvements that make it the most advanced tool on the market."

The main difference between this text and many similar statements in catalog descriptions is that time has shown that this is completely true! It's safe to say that the Fender marketers who wrote these words in 1954 never expected the impact the Stratocaster would have in the decades that followed.

At the time it went on sale, the "Stratocaster with Synchronized Tremolo" had a list price of $249.50 (without case). For comparison, the GIBSON Les Paul Custom and Les Paul GoldTop cost in September 1954 (without case) $325 and $225, respectively, and the Telecaster $189.50. The first Stratocasters were available for an additional $39.95 with a brown leatherette case and red plush interior.

Although the new tremolo was a very powerful marketing tool, in 1954 the Stratocaster was also sold without it. The Stratocaster without tremolo was slightly cheaper at $229.50 (without case). It, like the Telecaster, had strings passed through the body, but the bridge with 6 saddles already had precise intonation.

Over the years, the non-tremolo option sold in smaller numbers than the regular vibrato model, but it was a constant in Fender's catalog until 1984. Note that in 1954 the number of Stratocasters produced without a tremolo was miniscule.

The Stratocaster has undoubtedly stood the test of time. But while it appears to have remained unchanged in its basic specifications, musicians and collectors are quick to point out the many details that differentiate the many iterations produced since 1954. These fans were able to create and support the legend, and also wrote the oral “Chronicle of the Stratocaster” with their icons and vocabulary understandable only to initiates.

The first period for early release models is usually described as "original maple neck" or "pre-CBS maple neck". For those who are not familiar with the lexicon of "Fenderology", we explain that the second option is associated with the (in)famous acquisition of the company by the CBS holding company. Both formulations reflect the fact that for the first 5 years of production, Stratocasters were produced exclusively with a solid maple neck using Leo Fender's proprietary technology.

From its official debut in April 1954 to June 1959, the Stratocaster had the following characteristics:

• Solid maple neck with 21 frets
• "Small" head of the vulture
• Old Fender logo style (aka "pasta")
• Nickel plated Kluson tuners
• Neck fastening with 4 screws
• Anchor nut from last fret side
• Nickel plated steel saddles with Fender stamp
• Single-layer white cover plate with 8 screws
• Ash (after 1956 standard alder) body with ergonomic design
• Nitrocellulose varnish.

According to all currently available sources of information, industrial production of the Stratocaster most likely began in March 1954. When asked about the date, George Fullerton recalls: "It was no later than March 1954."

However, actual shipments began only two months later. As stated in the mailing to dealers from FENDER SALES INC.: “Shipments are scheduled to begin on May 15th.” As was typical for Fender of the period, production began at a moderate pace for technical and marketing reasons.

At the time, the music industry was very focused on the summer NAMM show as the main period for new product announcements. Although the Stratocaster was first advertised in April 1954, Fender's sales department clearly wanted to test dealer reaction (and pre-orders!) at the NAMM show before committing to any production schedule.

A few Stratocasters were made in the first half of 1954, but mostly for advertising purposes, endorsements, and the most eager Fender dealers. According to Forrest White, who had been in charge of Fender production since May 1954, full-scale production did not begin until October, when the first planned order for 100 guitars arrived from FENDER SALES INC. Although, in July 1954, 200 unpainted bodies and 150 unpainted necks were already waiting in the warehouse for the first orders.

The very first Stratocasters, released in the spring of 1954, had several specific features that were changed over the course of the summer. For example, Fender after a few months changed the original tuning knobs to slightly higher ones with different “fields”.

At the same time, they abandoned the white mother-of-pearl Bakelite that was initially used for handles and sensor covers, which often cracked. This was replaced with a "matte" and more durable white material, which was used until 156, when Fender replaced it with white ABS plastic, which was less prone to fraying at the edges.

The first sensor covers featured rounded edges and a glossy finish. The serial number moved from the tremolo block cover to a plate on the heel of the neck in late June after the company realized that players often preferred to keep the tremolo block cover off to quickly change strings. However, the round holes on the lid were replaced with oblong ones only at the beginning of 1955. Finally, the first couple of Stratocasters had a gold anodized metal pickguard.

In the summer of 1954 the original guitar-shaped case was also abandoned and replaced with the first of the tweed cases. Cases with a "pocket" in the center were produced until early 1955, after which, probably for cost reasons, they were replaced by standard Fender cases with a compartment in the lower left corner. 1955 also saw the first appearance of a removable bridge cover, and the same year models without a tremolo entered production. According to Forrest White records, they accounted for about 20% of all Stratocaster production that year.

Some 1950s Stratocasters have nice maple-grain necks, but this is more of a random choice of material rather than a special order. In practice, Leo Fender did not approve of such "bonuses". As Freddie Tavares points out: “Leo has always shied away from using precious woods in fretboards because they are too rare. If we were a one-piece instrument manufacturer, we could have had a sufficient supply. But it would not have been enough for our quantities. Leo really didn’t want that.” I wanted to, because if in your regular series, at a regular price, you periodically come across instruments that look like expensive custom-made guitars, this is wrong.”

This approach may explain why, at the end of 1956, cabinets began to be made from alder instead of ash. Ash is a beautiful wood, often with a distinct grain pattern, but it is also quite variable in characteristics, and Leo Fender must have had trouble maintaining a stock of consistent quality material.

Alder is less expensive and more available in large quantities, and there is no doubt that it was found more convenient from a production point of view. It is easier to process and the absence of a pronounced pattern eliminates the need for careful selection of pieces. Ash, however, was not completely abandoned, and remained in special color models, especially on the “Blond(e)” models, whose translucent coating allowed the design to show through.

In theory, at the time the series was announced in 1954, Stratocasters were produced only in a sunburst finish. However, as Freddie Tavares recalls: "Some people in show business, especially country, asked for a solid color. For example, there was this guy, Hank Penny, who played in the clubs in Las Vegas with his band... He was a cool guy... wanted a crimson guitar!" .

In turn, Eldon Shamblin (played with Bob Wills and Texas Playboys and in the Leon McAuliffe band) wanted a gold color, and Bill Carson wanted his instrument to be red: “The color was called Cimarron Red, it was chosen because steel guitarist Leon McAuliffe, who worked with Leo Fender for many years, liked this color and chose the name for the Cimarron Ballroom in Oklahoma. This is a large dance hall that belonged to Leon and was the base of his group. He chose this color, sent it to Leo and named it Cimarron. Red. That’s how we got this particular paint and they painted one of my Stratocasters with it.”

Custom colors - that is, non-standard finishes - were thus used at the factory from the very beginning, but only to suit the needs of a small circle of practicing musicians.

In 1956, custom color options were officially offered for the first time at the end of the Fender catalog: “Stratocaster guitars can be painted with any Dupont paint of your choice for an additional 5% of the price.” But very few musicians actually took advantage of this opportunity, because most of them were quite conservative in this regard.

In February 1957, Fender officially announced a "Deluxe" Stratocaster model in "Blond" with 14-karat gold-plated hardware for a list price of $330 with case. Although the model had not been advertised until then, "Blond(e) Stratocasters" had been produced since the Stratocaster's launch in 1954, and the creamy hue was standard on other federated electric guitars.

In the 1958-59 catalog, the line about color options already stated that “All Stratocaster guitars can be painted in any color or in a Blond finish for an additional 5% of the price.” In other words, the choice of colors was no longer the prerogative of the customer, because Fender began create your own palette of “standard non-standard” colors.

George Fullerton recalls: “One day I went to the nearest paint store and explained to the salesman what I was seeing. He mixed several colors for me right on the spot, and in the end we got a red tint. This started the whole palette of color options and it was this color that we named Fiesta Red. For a long time England ordered only this color. They ordered nothing but Fiesta Red! When asked about the date, he clarifies: “I would say it was late 1957/early 1958. The color options came out around the same time as the Jazzmaster came out. I'm sure of this because that red color was on one of the very first Jazzmasters. I still have that guitar as a testimony."

Fiesta Red soon appeared on the cover of the 1958-59 catalog, but the Stratocaster, since the Jazzmaster, did not appear on the cover (although the guitar was presented inside as a new luxury model). Half a century ago, it was unusual to put it mildly to paint a professional instrument red, but as George Fullerton says, “Nobody was making colored instruments back then, so we had a chance to do something unconventional, and we did it well.” Besides, as Freddie Tavares says: "Leo did this because of mass demand."

Whenever exactly it happened, the demand for solid colors in the late 1950s was undoubtedly prefigured by the birth of rock and roll, as well as the rise of the car cult in the United States. In fact, the colors in the Fender catalog were most often automotive colors, and the Fiesta Red went very well with the 58 Corvette in Cardinal Red. Although the general popularity of custom colors only began in the early 60s, and in the late 1950s, only a few Stratocasters were painted in a solid color - causing prices on the collector market to literally skyrocket into the stratosphere. Based on examples surviving today, the most popular custom colors in the late 1950s were Fiesta Red and Shoreline Gold Metallic.

In addition, the standard two-tone sunburst has been redesigned to include a shade of red between black and yellow. This was most likely at the request of the Fender sales department, who felt the need for brighter colors. The two-tone sunburst disappeared from the Fender catalog in early 1958, but a fair number of late 1950s and early 1960s Stratocasters look like two-tone sunbursts today. What's the matter?

In fact, all "two-tone" Stratocasters from the late 50's were painted with three-color sunburst, but due to some chemical reactions, this layer faded when the guitar was exposed to direct sunlight. In particular, the same problem is seen with Gibson Les Paul Standard guitars made in 1958 and 59 in Kalamazoo. The company had to change the composition of the red paint to make the three-color finish last longer.

Fender quickly noticed the problem, but apparently they struggled with the paint selection for a long time and this affected the stability of the red shade in the sunburst. Bill Carson recalls: "We were on the lookout and painted a lot of alder blocks that we exposed to the light to see which ones would fade and which ones wouldn't. The red color just evaporated due to chemical reactions."

The Stratocaster underwent several more modifications until 1959, the most important of which was that the neck profile was changed at the request of the musicians. The thick round neck of the early models was replaced by a V-shaped "boat" profile after 1955, and then it was replaced in mid-1958 by an even thinner one. Finally, it is worth noting that a small number of Stratocasters were again released in 1958 with anodized metal pickguard, as the same material was used by Fender on the Jazzmaster, Musicmaster, Duo-Sonic and Precision Bass finishes.

During the period 1954-1959, the Stratocaster was considered primarily a country guitar due to both its distinctive "twang" and Fender's loyal clientele of the time. However, in a nationwide advertising campaign, FENDER SALES INC. relied on the name Buddy Merrill, who was then working with the Lawrence Welk Dance Band, to reach a wider and less specific audience.

Beginning in early 1957, Fender began making less targeted advertising and launched a very funny campaign with the slogan "you won't part with yours either." It's fair to say that the true appreciation for the uniqueness of the Stratocaster began with rock 'n' roll and some of the genre's biggest names. In this sense, Buddy Holly, whose fame helped the guitar become popular, should be recognized as the very first "Stratocaster hero".

Typically the 1959-1965 period is described as "Pre-CBS, Rosewood Fingerboard" because in 1959 the original solid maple Stratocaster neck was temporarily replaced with the more common neck with a separate rosewood fingerboard.

Although this radical change occurred with the Stratocaster in 1959, its roots go back to the previous year, when the Jazzmaster was officially announced at the summer NAMM show in Chicago. The Jazzmaster was Fender's first production instrument with a rosewood fingerboard bonded to the neck rather than the usual solid maple neck. This innovation was introduced through the initiative of Don Randall and FENDER SALES INC. and has two main reasons.

As I remember George Fullertone: “I think it was a request from the sales department, perhaps from Don Randall himself,” and Freddie Tavares: “As I remember, our distributors, who were a separate company, made suggestions from time to time, because They had their own marketing considerations. They wanted a rosewood fingerboard, they said, why don’t we offer it?” The Jazzmaster was then envisioned as a new high-end model from Fender, and the sales team may have decided that a more traditional pickguard would help reach a wider range of buyers.

Another reason is explained by Bill Carson: “The choice in favor of rosewood was influenced by the fact that at that time we did not have polymer varnishes for the neck, and on a maple neck the varnish would wear off very quickly. After which the neck would lose its appearance and the wood itself would begin to wear off.”

In 1959, Fender decided to convert all electric guitar models to rosewood fingerboards. Following standard industry practice at the time, the modification was planned to take effect in the summer of 1959. Thus, from July 1959 to November 1965, the word portrait of the Stratocaster was as follows (changes from the previous period are marked with an asterisk):

• Two-piece neck with 21 frets and rosewood fingerboard over maple*
• "Small" head of the vulture
• Old Fender logo (removed after spring 1964), then "interim" logo (first introduced July 1964)*
• Nickel plated Kluson tuners
• Neck fastening with 4 screws
• Access to the anchor from the hull side
• Two-piece tremolo bridge with separate keel
• Nickel plated saddles with Fender branding
• 3 singles with profiled cores
• Ergonomic body profile with progressively smaller rear cutout*
• Nitrocellulose varnish

For the first few years after abandoning the solid maple neck, Fender successively tried different rosewood fingerboards. The very first version was invented back in 1958 for the Jazzmaster. The flat fingerboard was laid on a flat surface of the fingerboard and today is nicknamed "sleeper" due to the large amount of wood. This type of pickguard was installed until July 1962, after which Fender began making a thinner pickguard that had a concave bottom surface that coincided with the convex surface of the neck.

The second version lasted about a year, and it was still quite massive, despite the change in neck design. Finally it was decided to make the fingerboard even thinner, and in mid-1963 it became almost a veneer glued to the neck. This final design was standard on production Stratocasters (and other Fender guitars) until 1983.

All of these modifications were driven by manufacturing needs to achieve an optimal match between the maple and rosewood so that they would not conflict when glued together. Rosewood has a higher density, and therefore its thickness was reduced as much as possible. Additionally, the thick pickguard made it difficult to adjust the truss rod if the neck began to sag.

Interestingly, the first catalog photos of a Stratocaster with a rosewood fingerboard show a walnut inlay, like on standard maple necks. This shows that on the first prototypes with a rosewood fingerboard, the truss rod was placed on the back of the neck. Of course, on production models, the anchor was inserted from the front, before the trim was glued, so they don't have the walnut stripe ("chipmunk spine").

Changes to the neck design have somewhat changed the character of the Stratocaster's sound, which has lost some of its signature brightness and transparency. Stratocasters from the early 1960s are recognized as being softer-sounding than their 1950s predecessors. However, it should be noted that after 1960 there were some changes in pickup design that further emphasized the differences in these nuances. For example, manual winding installations were replaced by automatic machines, and this immediately affected the number of winding turns. This is probably why Fender mentioned "improved Stratocaster pickups" in the 1961-62 catalog.

From a design point of view, the introduction of the rosewood fingerboard coincided with a change in the fretboard on the body. The first Stratocasters of the new series, which appeared in July-August 1959, had the original single-ply white pickguard, no doubt for the purpose of recycling warehouse surplus. After which it was quickly replaced by a three-layer overlay made of new plastic, which gave a pronounced greenish tint to the top layer.

This feature of the 1959-1964 pickguards is often attributed to the age of the instruments, but in fact it is a property of the material used by Fender. As a result, these three-ply pickguards do not appear pure white, even on brand new Stratocasters from catalog photos from the early 1960s. In 1965, the greenish nitroplastic was discontinued for safety reasons, as it was extremely flammable and dangerous to store in large quantities. In addition to the standard three-ply pickguard, Stratocasters in the 1960s also featured tortoiseshell pickguards, which were commonly found on white, black, and sunburst guitars.

As fate would have it, the abandonment of the maple neck coincided with the abandonment of tweed Stratocaster cases. Fender kept the dimensions but changed the exterior upholstery to brown "Tolex" vinyl made by General Tire & Rubber Company. In 1963, brown Tolex was replaced with white with green stripe, and in 1965, black became the standard color for Stratocaster cases.

After 1960, Fender finally achieved a consistent three-color sunburst with more distinct color separation than the original 1958 colorway. The first custom color chart released by Fender in 1961 contained small samples of 14 additional colors (except Blond), which were offered by Fender for an additional 5% of the cost.

Solid colored instruments sold in large quantities in the early 1960s, but demand for different colors was uneven. Some colors never gained popularity and not many guitars were produced in them. Apparently for this reason, Fender regularly revised their color palette to make an attractive kit.

Despite the marketing "plus" of having custom colors, it should be noted that Don Randall and FENDER SALES INC. always put a sunburst Stratocaster on the cover of catalogs because they felt it was the most attractive option for the average buyer! Alder remained the standard body material, with the exception of Blond models and select custom paint guitars. Towards the mid-1960s, a number of mahogany-bodied Stratocasters were produced, most likely for experimental purposes, and are rare today.

After 1960, the recess on the rear side and the bevel under the arm of the cases began to become “shallow.” Since turning cases was then a manual operation, it must be assumed that it gradually affected the workload of the workers performing this work. This is not essential, but the 1957 Strat has noticeably more pronounced contours than, for example, the 1963 model.

Additionally, the original Fender "spaghetti" logo was replaced in 1964 with what is now known among collectors as the gold "transition" logo. The new logo first appeared on the Jazz Bass in 1960, but was not used on the Stratocaster until 1964. This change most likely occurred in an attempt to modernize and standardize the corporate image of Fender, who were no longer a small company, but had become a leading corporation in the music industry.

In the early 1960s, the Stratocaster was gradually overshadowed by the new Jazzmaster and Jaguar (announced in 1961). The two new models, with asymmetrical bodies and suspended tremolos, were constantly touted as the new luxury instruments, and the Stratocaster soon fell into third place in brochures and catalogs. Besides having to advertise new models that were much more expensive and therefore more profitable than the Stratocaster, Fender felt that musical fashion was going in a different direction.

For many well-known reasons, rock and roll could not maintain its former popularity in the USA, and it was supplanted by surf, folk and other softer genres such as “Italo-rock”! Whether due to shape, sound or birth date, the Stratocaster did not fit into what was commercially desirable music. Of course, he did not completely fall by the wayside. IMPRESSIONS used his sound extensively. Additionally, BOB DYLAN also turned to the Stratocaster in 1965 when he wanted to give his folk music a rockier sound.

In Europe, Cliff Richard's backing band SHADOWS released their first instrumental hit, "Apache", in July 1960, setting the stage for a new Stratocaster cult. In the 1960s, Fender instruments were in short supply in many European countries due to a lack of proper distribution, and it's fair to say that the red Stratocasters HANK MARVIN and BRUCE WELCH certainly opened the doors for the American company. Thanks to SHADOWS, England started ordering tons of Fiesta Red Stratocasters. Of course, Fenderomania picked up speed later with the help of other British bands, but the Stratocaster boom in Europe began with SHADOWS.

However, in the mid-60s, Europe was not a big enough market to compensate for the decline in Stratocaster sales in the United States. In August 1965, its list price was even reduced by several dollars, and at one point, Fender even considered discontinuing the model because it couldn't match the sales of such new products as the Mustang. Yet the Stratocaster was not discontinued and, ironically, this may be the result of a major event that occurred in late 1964, the arrival of CBS.

The purchase of FENDER INSTRUMENTS and FENDER SALES by COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEMS - CBS officially took place on January 5, 1965, but the deal was being prepared throughout 1964. The motives that prompted Leo Fender, the sole owner of FENDER INSTRUMENTS, and his partner Don Randall, with whom they equally owned FENDER SALES, to sell their business were quite simple. The incredible success of the Fender business as a whole during the decade was an achievement that for Leo and Don was an incredible record, and further growth required financial injections.

On the other hand, Leo Fender's health was failing and he was experiencing a constant breakdown due to a streptococcal infection he contracted in the mid-1950s. At some point, he decided to quit because he could not work as intensively as he would have liked and as the constant development of the business required. So Leo asked its CFO, Wade Tappert, to find a future buyer.

The resulting proposal, in the eyes of Don Ranndall, whom Leo allowed to also take up this issue, turned out to be unattractive. Don met with representatives from the consulting company Merrill Lynch, who introduced him to CBS. At the time, CBS was looking to diversify its business beyond its core market (two decades later, the opposite was true) and was looking for a suitable investment in which would help save on taxes. Negotiations began in the second half of the summer of 1964 and as a result, the Fender business was sold for $13 million.

Among guitar aficionados, the CBS era is often considered THE biggest turning point in Fender history. In the years since then, it has become littered with stories about how the quality has declined during the two decades that Fender was owned by CBS. This event also gave rise to the term "pre-CBS", which refers to instruments released before Leo Fender sold the company.

The most controversial question today is where exactly the line is drawn between "pre-CBS" and "CBS-era" guitars. Several options are possible. The first is simply based on the date of the deal - January 5, 1965, in which case 1964 is the last year of production of the "pre-CBS" guitars. However, changes in production did not begin immediately on January 6.

Most 1965 instruments were made from parts stored in a warehouse or made using old technology. Another watershed option is often considered to be the appearance of the distinctive F on the heel plate in 1965. In general, this fact is more obvious, since the large stamped letter F is an adequate symbol of the CBS era. However, in the case of the Stratocaster, the real "stamp" of the CBS is the enlarged headstock, which appeared in December 1965. Although this date cannot be used as a reference for the "CBS era", it seems to the author that it is the most appropriate for the Stratocaster.

The third period in the history of the Stratocaster can be called "Early CBS" and from December to the summer of 1971, the main features of the guitar can be described by the following age (the asterisk indicates changes from the previous period):

• Maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and 21 frets. Since mid-1967, maple fingerboard has been available as an option. From mid-1970 - solid maple neck available *
• "Big" headstock *
• Gold "interim" logo until mid-1968, then new black logo*
• Nickel plated Kluson tuners
  until 1967, then chrome plated
  Fender tuners with stamped "F" *
• Neck fastening with 4 bolts
• Adjusting the anchor from the heel of the bar
• Two-piece tremolo with separate keel
• Nickel plated steel saddles with fender stamp
• Three-layer body cover with 11 screws
• 3 singles with profiled cores
• Simplified body contour with reduced rear cutout*
• Nitrocellulose varnish until 1968, then polymer varnish *

In the mid-1960s, other electric guitars were outselling the Stratocaster, and the larger headstock was likely cosmetic product to refresh the appearance of the guitar and increase sales. The thin rosewood fingerboard remained a key feature of the model, but in mid-1965, after the arrival of CBS, the Stratocaster debuted a bound neck.

The same necks appeared on other electric guitars, such as the Jaguar or Jazzmaster, with the difference that the inlay was not in the form of dots, but in the form of mother-of-pearl blocks. The simplified 1966-67 catalogs say that the "bound neck features Fender's famous truss rod," while the full-color edition mentions an "improved bound neck design" and shows a photo of a red and sunburst Stratocaster with a round neck.

Although presented as a standard part in the aforementioned catalogs, the neck binding is rarely seen on Stratocasters built from 1965 to 1967. In 1968, mention of edging was removed from catalogues.

A more reasonable offer appeared in May 1967, when the price list began to offer a maple fingerboard for an additional 5% of the price. In fact, until 1967 (and even before the arrival of CBS), but these were exclusively special order options that were never advertised.

Maple fingerboard Stratocasters were produced in limited numbers between 1967 and 1970, but were nonetheless played by such famous Stratocaster stalwarts as JIMI HENDRIX and DAVID CILMOUR. Shortages fueled demand, and the solid maple neck was eventually returned to the catalog by popular demand around the turn of 1970. In April 1970, the Stratocaster could be ordered with a rosewood fingerboard for $367 or with a maple neck for $385. And finally, left-handed models were offered at a special price from April 1970.

Despite the return of the maple neck, the period from 1965 to 1970 was largely a period of transition, during which the Stratocaster moved steadily away from its previous configuration while maintaining core specifications. The headstock has been enlarged, the inlay on the fingerboard and the pegs have changed. The contours of the body have become less pronounced, and nitrocellulose varnish is a thing of the past.

The production technology of pickups has changed, and the coils are no longer impregnated with wax. The “greenish” three-layer overlay on the body was replaced by pure white. The gold-plated hardware and tortoiseshell pickguards were discontinued... All of the above may be considered minor details, but collectively it gave rise to the cult of "Before CBS" guitars, which was also fueled by the alleged deterioration in product quality.

CBS was by no means consciously degrading the quality of Fender's products, and in a sense, sought to do the opposite, trying to increase standardization and quality control. In order to improve production conditions, a new building with an area of ​​more than 10 thousand square meters appeared next to the Fender factory buildings in 1965. m and with modern equipment.

The problem is that it didn't work. And what is the root of all troubles? First of all, CBS's corporate bureaucracy and formal approach to management hit Fender like an avalanche and began to break down the company's established processes.

The change in management style outraged many employees, especially because, as Freddie Tavares recalls, “No one warned us production people about the sale of the company to CBS.” Disputes soon began between CBS and former Fender executives. For example, Forrest White, who became production director in 1965, left in December 1967 after a bitter dispute over production methods.

Leo Fender and Don Randall had a 5-year contract remaining with CBS, under which they were required to remain to ensure a smooth transition period with the company. Don Randall was appointed CEO of FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, but did not last five years, and eventually left in April 1969. LEO FENDER remained in the post, but as Freddie Tavares says: "Leo was hired by CBS as a consultant for 5 years, but at the end of those 5 years, he wanted nothing to do with them. I would say he wanted nothing to do with them general after the first year!

In addition to the emotional issues - after all, we are talking about business - quality problems began to arise, generated by the main goal of CBS - increasing productivity. Freddy Tavaers recalls: “We suddenly turned into a large fashion corporation, in which many different departments got involved in every issue, budgets, quotas, etc. were constantly discussed. They tried to churn out goods as quickly as possible!”

According to Don Randall, in the first year of operation of the new factory, production actually increased by 45% percent. It should be noted that at the time of the deal, Fender had a huge number of pre-orders for some models, such as the new Mustang, and it goes without saying that CBS did not want to lose money by not being able to meet demand.

Freddie Tavares, who remained with Fender until his retirement in 1986, says quite frankly: "When CBS bought Fender, they saw how profitable our business was, and they wanted to keep it that way. Like many other American companies, they wanted provide large dividends to shareholders. What could the people from the factory do?

Meanwhile, CBS began patenting well-known Fender trademarks, such as the word "Stratocaster" and the famous capital letter "F", which began to be placed on the heel of the neck and tuners. Applications were filed on April 28, 1967, and both trademarks were registered on December 5, 1967. Ten years later, an application for the word "STRAT" followed, filed by CBS on June 28, 1976 and granted on February 8, 1977.

The Stratocaster wasn't particularly popular in the mid-'60s, as evidenced by its placement in Fender's catalogues. It was not considered a suitable instrument at the time, as many guitarists were influenced by the British blues boom and bands like CREAM, who favored a tight, Gibsonian sound.

Production reached its low point in 1967, which is the rarest model in the author's experience to remain from the 1960s. The Stratocaster got its second wind with the help of the young musician JAMES MARSHALL HENDRIX. The JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE group was formed in England at the end of 1966, and in early 1967 it had already achieved star status thanks to the super-successful single "Hey Joe". Jimi made a triumphant return to the States in June 1967, where he became the highlight of the Monterey Pop Festival, bringing previously unheard sounds from the Stratocaster.

Thanks to his enormous influence on many musicians - including some famous guitar heroes! - JIMI HENDRIX played a fundamental role in restoring the Stratocaster's reputation. His choice in favor of the Stratocaster had an immediate effect and helped the model become a leader among electric guitars.

In addition to JIMI HENDRIX, other guitarists helped revive the Stratocaster. Among them is GEORGE HARRISON, who first used a Stratocaster on the BEATLES single "Nowhere Man", released in early 1966, and performed with it publicly during the "Magical Mystery Tour" in 1967 and the "Concert For BanglaDesh" charity event in August 1971. In 1969, PINK FLOYD guitarist DAVID GILMOUR showed off his Stratocaster to the public, and in 1970, such established virtuosos as ERIC CLAPTON and RITCHIE BLACKMORE of DEEP PURPLE put down their Gibsons to pick up a Strat.

The fourth period in the history of the Stratocaster can be called "CBS with a slant neck", due to the introduction in 1971 of a system for adjusting the angle of the neck. During his five-year stint as a consultant for CBS/FENDER, Leo Fender - finally cured of his illness in 1967 - was involved in development work.

In 1970, he came up with a new invention, which he called “a guitar neck with a system for changing and fixing the angle of inclination.” Until that time, the truss rod adjustment on Fender instruments was carried out at the last frets of the neck, and the correct angle of the neck was achieved by placing thin inserts under the heel.

The purpose of Leo's invention was to make life easier for musicians, and as a result, truss rod adjustment was accomplished by turning a "bullet" nut on the headstock, and the angle of inclination was achieved by turning a small adjustment screw through a hole in the plate on the heel of the neck.

The patent for what is commonly known as the "Tilt Neck" was issued on December 29, 1970, and the new system appeared on the Stratocaster in the second half of 1971. It has become a major, if often maligned, feature of the guitar and reflects a very specific period in Stratocaster history.

From mid-1971 to mid-1981, the main features of a standard Stratocaster can be summarized as follows: (changes from the previous period are marked with an asterisk):

• Maple neck with rosewood fingerboard or solid maple neck, 21 frets
• "Big" headstock
• Black Fender logo
• Chrome Fender tuners with "F" stamped on the back *
• Three-screw neck fastening with built-in tilt adjustment *
• Adjusting the truss rod with a "bullet" nut on the side of the headstock *
• One-piece cast keel tremolo system*
• Cast chrome bridge saddles*
• Three-layer body cover with 11 screws. Before 1975 white, after black *
• 3 single-coils with profiled cores until 1974, then with recessed cores *
• Ash body with reduced undercut *
• Shiny polymer varnish

The idea of ​​adjusting the neck angle isn't a bad idea, but it ended up giving 70's Stratocasters a bad reputation due to the three-screw mounting. Guitarists are quite conservative in their mentality, and when one screw was removed from the heel, this raised suspicions about the deterioration in the quality of the joint between the neck and body.

This is a controversial statement, but combined with other changes to the Stratocaster since 1965, it has only strengthened the cult of "PRE-CBS" among Fender fans. The split intensified as the model lost more of its old features during the 1970s. For example, the two-piece tremolo with a screwed-on keel was replaced at the end of 1971 with a one-piece, heavily chromed one. The saddles were also replaced with cast ones.

By the end of 1974, the profiled cores on the pickups were replaced with recessed ones. Initially, the different core heights were due to the fact that musicians preferred thicker strings.

In the early '70s, thinner sets were in circulation, with a third string without a wrap, and rather than reconsider the height of the cores, Fender opted for the more versatile option with flush cores.

1975 saw the introduction of 3-ply black body overlay, while the gauge and knob covers remained white. In 1976, all Stratocaster heads became black because, as Fender brochures of the time said, black was "the choice of professionals around the world."

The 5-position switch appeared as a standard solution for expanding the audio spectrum in 1977.

But it was not a real novelty, since the so-called "anti-phase" sounds, which could be achieved by "catching" the intermediate position of a 3-way switch, were already popular among guitarists. Additionally, several component manufacturers were already offering 5-way replacement switches by the time Fender finally followed suit.

However, other than the "Tilt Neck" system, the most compelling argument regarding the deterioration of Stratocaster quality in the 1970s is the complaints about the body and the quality of the finish. After “natural” coloring came into use in 1972, ash gradually became the main material for the body. Ash is a very unpredictable wood in terms of density and weight. As a result, ash Stratocasters from the 1970s are heavier than most other Stratocasters, and, contrary to popular belief, this does not improve the tone or sustain of the instrument.

With production ramping up dramatically—the Fullerton plant was churning out up to 580 guitars a day in the late 1970s—workers couldn't pay much attention to detail, which soon showed in the contours of the body. The lack of quality control is especially noticeable in the ergonomic profile on the body, the depth of which was noticeably flattened in the 1970s, especially in head-to-head comparisons with 1950s guitars.

In the middle of the decade, Fender came up with "Thick-Skin" - a thick, shiny coating that did nothing but give guitars a more "plastic" appearance. As stated in the data sheet, "Thick-Skin" means that guitars began to be spray-coated with 10-15 layers of polymer varnish! A few years later, Fender received simultaneous official orders from two environmental authorities to modify their paint technology to reduce air pollution.

The company switched to water-based paints, which were applied to the cases using the electrostatic method. New technology was first used in 1979 but soon turned into a disaster as the paint would crack and fall off within just a couple of weeks or months! Needless to say, such a failure brought quite a lot of complaints from dealers and customers, ultimately costing Fender a tidy sum, and the company returned to polymer varnishes.

As a result, over the course of a decade, the company reduced the choice of color options and, for example, in the period 1974-77, only 6 colors were available. A completely revised color chart was then released, known as "international colors", but it was so ugly that it lasted less than a year and was canceled in 1981.

Without being too biased towards Fender, it is certainly true that the Stratocasters released in the 1970s helped create the hype around pre-CBS "collectible" guitars. However, the Fullerton factory churned out thousands of Stratocasters (and other models) thanks to growing demand overseas. In fact, despite the mediocre quality of the Stratocaster during the period 1971-1981, the model gained incredible popularity thanks to a growing number of musicians.

Countless guitarists have chosen the Stratocaster as their workhorse... JEFF BECK, ROBBIE ROBERTSON (the Band), JJ CALE, RY COODER, FRANK ZAPPA, LOWELL GEORGE (Little Feat), RICHARD THOMPSON (Pentangle), NILS LOFGREN, RON WOOD (Rolling Stones), STEVE LUKATHER (Toto), just to name a few, not to mention such mega-stars as ERIC CLAPTON or BOB DYLAN. The new band DIRE STRAITS has dominated the minds of listeners since 1978, thanks to the talent and distinctive Strat sound of its leader MARK KNOPFLER.

However, it should be noted that these musicians played “old” Stratocasters and not “new” ones. This situation did not go unnoticed by CBS/FENDER, who felt that something had to be done to take advantage of the incredible popularity of the Stratocaster. Therefore, in the late 1970s, new series were invented.

THE ANNIVERSARY STRATOCASTER

ANNIVERSARY was released as a limited edition in June 1979 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Stratocaster and differed from the production models in the following ways:

• 4-screw neck mount with old-style heel-side truss adjustment (in other words, no Tilt Neck system!)
• Sperzel locking tuners
• 6 digit serial number starting with 25 stamped on heel plate along with "1954 1979 25th ANNIVERSARY"
• Exclusive metallic silver paint and memorable symbols on the upper “horn”

The first batch of ANNIVERSARY was finished with white pearlescent paint, the same as on Huffy Bicycle Company bicycles. Like most water-based paints of that period, it often cracked and fell off, so after the first batch of 500 guitars it was abandoned. Fender then chose the metallic silver used by Porsche. ANNIVERSARY were exclusively produced with a solid maple neck and included a "certificate of value" indicating the origin of the instrument and its serial number. According to Fender, approximately 10,000 Anniversary Stratocasters were produced between 1979 and 1980.

A year later, Fender unveiled a "tuned" Stratocaster model at NAMM, which they simply called "THE STRAT", using the guitar's established nickname. THE STRAT, designed by Fender's head of development, Greg Wilson, with the help of Dan Armstrong, was intended to combine classic performance with modern electronics, thereby updating the Stratocaster concept.

As a result, the model had a smaller headstock compared to production guitars, but was unlike the original 1954-1965 design. This discrepancy was caused by the fact that the old drawings were lost, and the design was recreated without researching the old guitars. Like the Anniversary model, the new guitar did not have the Tilt Neck system, the neck was attached with 4 screws, and the truss rod was adjusted in the old way. THE STRAT also had several innovations:

• More powerful bridge pickup than standard Stratocaster (X-1)
• New switching circuit providing 9 different sound options
• 22K gold-plated brass hardware, solid bridge and tremolo keel

THE STRAT had a price list of June 15, 1980 for $995 and could be ordered with either a solid maple neck or a rosewood fingerboard. At the beginning it was exclusively available in two classic colors Candy Apple Red and Lake Placid Blue, with painted headstock. Influenced by The Strat, from June 1980 the STANDARD STRATOCASTER also began to be equipped with more powerful X-1 bridges, although the guitar retained such characteristics of the 70s as the Tilt Neck system or large head of the vulture. In 1980, Fender began offering "original brass works" hardware to capitalize on the guitar "upgrade" market.

Finally, in 1980, at the request of the vice president of sales at Mudge Miller, a third model was developed as an experiment. Known today as the "HENDRIX MODEL", this unsuccessful variant was essentially the same design as the ANNIVERSARY, but had a reverse headstock and an additional profiled body at the front. According to Fender, only 25 examples of this extremely unusual Stratocaster were produced.

Once announced, ANNIVERSARY and THE STRAT sold quite well, and thanks to the magic of the name, the standard model remained a serious player in the market, despite all its shortcomings. However, although the musical instruments division (FENDER/ROGERS/RHODES/SQUIER) was still very profitable in 1980 ($60.5 million in sales with profits of $12.7 million), CBS realized that they were gradually losing market share in comparison with other manufacturers.

So in early 1981, CBS decided it was time to "refresh" Fender and make it more in line with what was happening in the music industry.

The fifth period is known as " a swan song CBS" is the finale of this era. In early 1981, CBS tapped John McLaren and Bill Schultz of Yamaha to head its musical instrument division. Early assessments of the state of affairs highlighted several problems that urgently needed to be addressed.

For example, a report dated May 19, 1981, spoke of “a sharp deterioration in product quality” and “a significant increase in complaints from local and foreign dealers about defects and unacceptable quality.” The same report emphasized that the company followed a "policy of over-selling and under-improving products" while allowing other manufacturers to enter the market with quality, competitively priced products.

Another confidential report, dated May 30, 1081, listed the top 9 reasons for declining sales (Fender sales fell 9% year-over-year in May), the most egregious of which was that dealers were unable to make good money on Fenders from - for poor quality, that the company raised prices for products, that after-sales support was insufficient, etc. In a memo dated May 14, 1981, Chuck Van Liew, director of operations, stated that "except for 1977, the Fullerton plant has been on a reduced capital investment budget" and emphasized the need for significant capital investment to modernize equipment at the plant. In other words, Fender urgently needed treatment!

Meanwhile, the summer NAMM show was approaching, and Fender, despite all the problems, had to introduce new products. Due to time constraints, it was not possible to completely redesign the standard Stratocaster, so it was decided to simply introduce two additional variants.

GOLD STRATOCASTER

The Gold Stratocaster was a great way to introduce something new without changing the production cycle. Announced in June 1981 as a collector's model, it was based on a combination of characteristics already used:

• THE STRAT body and solid maple neck with reduced head
• Standard Stratocaster pickup set on white 3-ply pickguard with white knobs
• Gold-plated brass fittings like the Brassmaster series introduced in 1980

Like The Strat, the Gold Stratocaster did not have a large headstock or tilt system. It, as the name suggests, was exclusively produced in gold metallic color (without painting on the headstock). According to Fender, the hardware was 100 micron gold plated (like expensive jewelry) and for this reason there were rumors that the company was losing money selling these instruments! This luxury is reflected in its current nickname: the Gold-Gold Stratocaster.

At the initiative of Chip Todd, a designer at Fender's development office, in June the company also introduced a deluxe version of The Strat, made entirely of black American walnut. The model known as the Walnut Strat (or sometimes Super Strat) had a solid walnut neck and black pickup covers and pickguard. In all other respects, its characteristics were identical to The Strat, which at that time was already available in the third color option - Arctic White.

The Walnut Strat was an exceptionally beautiful guitar, but due to its unique material, it became perhaps the heaviest Stratocaster ever (as did its later brother, the Walnut Elite).

The standard Stratocaster did not undergo any changes before the 1981 Summer NAMM and continued to be produced with a large head and Micro Tilt system. However, although it was still featured in Fender advertising (“people are the soul of the guitar”) until late 1981, its days were numbered!

In August 1981, Dan Smit, who had been lured away from Yamaha by Bill Schultz, took over as Fender's marketing director and quickly developed a five-year plan for guitars. A new strategy aimed at reviving sales, restoring quality control and expanding product lines was presented to CBS President and CEO Thomas H. Wyman in early September. The plan was approved and as a result, CBS agreed to spend $2 million to modernize the Fullerton plant.

The first decision of the new management was to reduce production from 250/300 guitars per day to just a few pieces. "Our goal was to first restore the faith of dealers and musicians in Fender. The only way to achieve this was to raise the bar of quality! We could not redo the entire production cycle at once, so we began to bring the product back to the previous level step by step, but for now This continued until we had to basically close the factory and teach everyone how to make Fender guitars the way people wanted them, and it took us about two and a half years!”

The first two projects Dan Smith launched in late 1981 were the Vintage Reissues series and a remake of the standard Stratocaster.

THE VINTAGE REISSUES

By the turn of the 1980s, the hype for pre-CBS instruments was at its peak, with an increasing number of players choosing older guitars over newer models. Dan Smith immediately realized that Fender needed to give the people what they wanted and, with the help of John Page, began working on producing replicas of the most popular models of the Leo Fender era.

Many old Stratocasters from the 1950s and early 1960s have been carefully examined and measured in every way to restore them to original specifications. This process involved famous collectors such as Larry Henricson, who allowed his collection to be examined. Although the specifications of the older instruments varied, two basic configurations were restored from which the 57 and 62 VINTAGE STRATOCASTER models were created. Prototypes were ready in December 1981, and two "new" models were officially unveiled at the 1982 Winter NAMM.

Fender supported the program with perhaps its most luxurious catalog yet (1982's The Sound That Makes Legends), but new models arrived much later. Dan Smith explains: "The factory was in such a bad state that we simply couldn't begin production of the Vintage series. We didn't deliver Stratocaster replicas until the end of 1982."

Of course, as always happens with replicas, a meticulous connoisseur can find fault with the accuracy of individual parts in comparison with the originals. But in fact, the Fender Vintage series was not intended to be exact copies of old guitars, but as a modern version of them. The idea was to make available (in all respects) to as many people as possible the classic models with all their main features, but taking into account modern requirements and restrictions.

For example, the neck on both guitars was the same and was aimed at the average preferences of the musicians. Therefore, it was very flat at the interface, which was not the case on the 1957 Stratocaster. Although the 12th fret marker placement of the prototype (as seen in the 1982 catalogue) was correct, this part could not be reproduced in production because it required expensive retooling. This detail is perhaps the fastest way to identify a replica at first glance.

Also, the '62 replicas had the "wrong" markers, no green pickguard, no patent numbers on the headstock, etc. I could go on and on, but again, Fender's goal was not to make exact replicas of older guitars.

As a result, instruments with rosewood fingerboards (Stratocaster, P. Bass and J. Bass) were based on the 1961 instruments and were named "62". According to Dan Smith, this was done so that Fender could retain the option of eliminating the thick fingerboard. - "boards" without renaming the model.

STANDARD STRATOCASTER

In late 1981, Fender also redesigned the standard Stratocaster and finally got rid of the large headstock and Micro Tilt system. Dan Smith brought back the classic 4-screw binding and made sure the small headstock was more properly shaped than THE STRAT. As a result, between December 1981 and 1983, the main features of the new STANDARD STRATOCASTER ("Smith Strat") became as follows: (* denotes changes compared to the previous period)

• 21-fret two-piece neck with rosewood fingerboard and maple or solid maple neck
• "Small" headstock *
• Black Fender logo
• Chrome Fender tuners with
  stamped on the back cover with the letter "F"
• Neck fastening with 4 screws *
• Heel side bar adjustment *
• Solid tremolo
• Chrome cast saddles
• Three-layer white cover with 11 screws
• Three flat profile single coils (with X-1 bridge pickup)
• Heavily profiled alder body*
• Polyurethane varnish with polymer primer *

First appearing on the 1981 price list, the revised Standard Stratocaster was produced in 6 standard and 7 new custom colors, but due to production reorganization, it was not produced in very large quantities.

ELITE STRATOCASTER

In addition to producing replicas and standard models, the 5-year business plan developed by Dan Smith also included three important points regarding Fender guitars in general and the Stratocaster in particular. Two of them were implemented, but the third, codenamed "ULTRA", never saw the light of day. The ULTRA STRATOCASTER was supposed to have a neck-through design, an ebony fretboard, active electronics, and the tone block was supposed to be installed in the back of the body. This was to be the top of the line Stratocaster. Two other projects that were implemented were the ELITE series and the FENDER JAPAN base.

The first priorities were to improve the vibrato, electronics and neck adjustment system. At first it was assumed that EMG would make new electronics for Fender, but no agreement could be reached. To avoid delaying the release of the new guitar, the active electronics for the Elite series were ultimately developed collectively by Roger Cox, Paul Guegan and Bob Eggler. John Page came up with a new Freeflyte tremolo bridge, with strings installed on top. Charlie Gressett came up with the Biflex trussing system, which allowed the neck to be adjusted in both directions. After months of development and much effort, the ELITE STRATOCASTER was announced in May 1983. Compared to existing Stratocaster variants, it had no less than 16 innovations:

• Biflex anchor system
• Neck angle adjustment system under the heel plate
• Wider sill (1,700”)
• Larger fingerboard radius (12”)
• Exy-Glide point-contact string retainers
• Pegs with high gear ratio, no backlash, with special lubrication
• Belt buckle
• Molded bridge with strings installed on top
• Freeflyte tremolo system with top spring adjustment
• Torq-Master Lever Mounting System
• Singles with Alnico II magnets hidden under the cover
• Noise reduction system using an additional coil installed between the middle and bridge pickups
• Active electronics with special pre-amplifier circuit including MDX and TBX midrange tuning circuits
• Three separate switches for each pickup
• Nest from the end
• Tuning knobs with rubber inserts

While some of these features appear to be variations on older concepts, the major departure from Fender's philosophy was without a doubt the active electronics. The idea was to provide a wide range of sound and combine the quietness of humbuckers with the signature ringing attack of Fender single coils.

In many ways, the Elite series undoubtedly demonstrated the potential of the updated Fenders, but in general, the rather conservative community of guitarists did not show the expected enthusiasm. In mid-1983, the new model was released in three configurations:

ELITE STRATOCASTER with heavily chromed hardware, rosewood fingerboard or solid maple neck, 6 standard and 9 custom finishes

GOLD ELITE STRATOCASTER– everything is the same, but with anodized gold-plated fittings and mother-of-pearl tuning pegs

WALNUT ELITE STRATOCASTER with American black walnut body and neck, ebony fingerboard, gold anodized hardware and mother-of-pearl tuning tuning buds

Whatever the choice of fingerboard (rosewood, maple or ebony), it is worth noting that the neck in any case had a "chipmunk" stripe on the back side, that is, the Biflex truss rod was installed at the rear.

The Elite case was also distinguished by the absence of a niche at the back for springs (and, accordingly, a cover for it) and a small compartment and cover for a 9V battery that powered the active electronics.
After the release of the Elite series in July 1983, The Strat, The Walnut Strat and the Gold Stratocaster naturally left Fender's price list.

STANDARD STRATOCASTER II

Some of the innovations of the Elite series found their way onto the standard Stratocaster, which was once again redesigned in mid-1983. From July 1983 to December 1984, the main characteristics of the Standard Stratocaster - whose price dropped by $295 in 6 months! – there was the following: (* means changes compared to the previous period)

• Maple 21-fret neck with rosewood fingerboard or solid maple neck
• "Small" head of the vulture
• Silver "modern" Fender logo *
• Chrome cast tuners with Fender stamp on body*
• Neck fastening with 4 bolts
• Solid top string bridge with Freeflyte tremolo*
• Extended chrome cast saddles*
• Single-layer white cover plate with 12 screws *
• 3 single-coils with closed cores *
• Profiled alder body without spring block cover *
• Polyurethane varnish with polyester primer

The new standard model also featured neck angle adjustment, a flatter fingerboard radius, a wider nut, a locking strap mount, and a snap-on lever mount. From a cosmetic point of view, however, compared to previous standard models there were such disadvantages as a jack on the top and a single tone control. At first, the guitar was produced only with a solid maple neck, but then, due to mass demand, since January 1984, an option with a rosewood fingerboard appeared.

Standard paint was limited to only four colors (black, ivory and two sunbursts - Sienna and Brown), with no custom options. However, in late 1984, Fender introduced a limited edition marbled finish and approximately 225 Standard Stratocasters were produced in marbled red, blue, and gold (with matching T-shirts available!). But this was already a farewell salute, since in January 1985 there were no longer Standard Stratocasters produced in the USA in the Fender catalog.

FENDER JAPAN CO LTD

Although this study does not address the numerous Fender guitars produced by Fender in Asia since the early 1980s, one cannot paint a picture of Fender's strategy without mentioning Fender Japan Co Ltd.

In the late 1970s, the company felt increasing pressure from copies and clones of its guitars being produced in Japan and other countries. When Dan Smith wrote his business plan, he emphasized the need for budget models to both displace imitators and re-establish a presence in the lower price segment. However, it soon became clear that the situation in the United States was not conducive to the implementation of such a project. Therefore, the obvious solution was to look for “offshore” production facilities in Japan.

Negotiations between CBS/Fender and Japanese companies KANDA SHOKAI Corp. and YAMANO MUSIC Co Ltd (Fender distributors in Japan) began in December 1981. Less than three months later, the parties reached an agreement and on March 11, 1982, the American-Japanese joint venture Fender Japan Co Ltd was officially established with equal participation by both countries.

Under the agreement, Fender guitars were manufactured in Japan by Fujigen to specifications and parts supplied by CBS/Fender, and distributed locally by KANDA SHOKAI Corp. and YAMANO MUSIC Co Ltd. It was also agreed that CBS/Fender would have final say regarding export rights for Fender Japan products to other territories.

The first products were announced on May 7, 1982 at the Grand Palace Hotel in Tokyo, where Fender Japan presented their variants of the Vintage Reissue series models, although in a more varied variety due to the specific price segmentation of the Japanese market.

These models, with the standard Fender logo and a small "Made In Japan" inscription, were partially sold in Japan (2000 pieces per month), but were also exported to Europe (1500 pieces per month) at the initiative of CBS/Fender. This soon led to misunderstandings and a conflict situation arose around the same, but more expensive guitars from the USA.

Dan Smith recalls: "Some distributors thought it would hurt sales of American guitars, so we decided to use the Squier brand, which was owned by Fender." On October 13, 1982, Squier guitars, which were owned by Fender Musical Instruments, were officially introduced at the Fender Japan conference in Tokyo. On the same day, Bill Schultz stated, "We now have effective measures to combat replicas. We will take legal action against them... CBS will not allow replicas to appear."

At the same time, it was decided that Japanese Fender guitars would be intended only for Japan, and only the Squier could be sold outside of it. However, this did not imply that any Fender Japan products were being shipped to the United States.

As Dan Smith recalls: "In late 1981, when we first started manufacturing in Japan, it was not intended for the US, it was intended to maintain market share in the export market. However, in 1983 we felt that we would have to supply these guitars and in the US to compete with the companies that were putting us out of business. We tried everything we could to try to make guitars under $500 in the US, and it just wasn't possible."

The strength of the dollar has forced Fender to face the fact that in order to compete with foreign manufacturers in its own market, it requires aggressively priced products. In late 1983, Squier guitars, made in Japan, began shipping to the United States, where they were an immediate success.

The first Squier Stratocasters delivered to the US were the '72 model with a large headstock, 3-bolt mount and Micro Tilt system. According to Dan Smith, "They should not have had any overlap with American models." The guitar appeared in the price list on January 1, 1984, although it began selling in the United States several months earlier. The reason for the change in policy was obvious: the Japanese model without a case was priced at $369, and the American Standard Stratocaster was priced at $699 with a case. From that moment on, Japanese Fenders began to be sold all over the world, including the USA.

The "offshore" strategy may be vulnerable to criticism from those who believe that a true Fender instrument can only be made in California, or at least in the USA. However, despite all the controversy, this move undoubtedly saved Fender in 1985, as CBS began to "back up".

Despite many improvements since 1981, Fender still couldn't boast big profits, and CBS blacklisted the musical instrument division as one of the reasons for poor financial performance in 1984. At a meeting in New York in 1984, Bill Schultz received notice from CBS that the Fender would be put up for public auction.

The list of buyers was headed by such corporations as Kaman and IMC, but in 1984 CBS also adhered to the principle of a priority management buyout. Finally, after weeks of rumors and speculation, the end of the “CBS Era” was announced on opening day of the 1985 Winter NAMM Show (February 1): “CBS Inc., announces its agreement in principle to sell CBS Inc.'s Fender Musical Instruments division to a group of investors. , which is represented by the president of Fender Musical Instruments, William Schultz. The price remains undisclosed, the details of the agreement are being finalized, the signing will take place in the near future."

Both parties signed a contract on February 8, 1985, and the transaction was completed on March 12 of the same year. The "investor group" included approximately 10 Fender executives, a local bank (FootHill Savings & Loans), a Chicago investment firm (Mesirow), and a famous musician! (Rumor has it that it's Tommy Tedesco)

After 20 years of the term "pre-CBS", "post-CBS" has entered the lexicon.

Following the announcement of the deal with CBS, Bill Schultz explained that "Despite various rumors, Fender products will be manufactured in the United States as well as in other countries." The only question was where exactly with the USA, since the huge factory in Fullerton was not included in the deal.

As Dan Smith explains: “Due to the nature of the business at the time and the funds we had available,” we could not buy the land and buildings owned by CBS either. The Fullerton factory was 2,500-3,000 square feet, a very large facility, more than what we needed for the business." In early 1985, the dollar was stronger than ever, and had reached record highs against most currencies. This meant that American products (overall) were barely competitive on price.

The Fullerton factory closed in 1985 and production of Fender guitars in the United States was temporarily discontinued. In June, privately held Fender Musical Instruments Corp. (FMI) moved its headquarters to Bree and during the summer the company found a suitable location for its production in Corona.

Dan Smith recalls: "It took us 8 or 10 months to get the new facility up and running. In October 1985, we were finally ready to reopen the guitar factory." No Fender guitars were produced in the United States between February and October 1985. and during this period FMI relied solely on Fender Japan products such as the Contemporary Stratocaster and stock purchased from CBS.

Japanese guitars largely helped the company survive until it was able to set up its own production. As Dan Smith says: "When we decided that we were going to buy the company, I went to Japan and worked very closely with Fujigen to develop a new series of models for Fender. This allowed us to show 21 new models at the winter show in 1985. On these models We held out. With the help of Japanese Stratocasters we gained time!

At the end of 1985, FMI could once again supply American guitars.

Production at Corona began in October 1985, with just 10 employees and the new factory's production rate was limited to 5 guitars per day. By comparison, Fullerton employed 135 people in July 1984 and produced about 200 guitars per day! With such restrictions, Fender could not have many different American models in the catalog, and it was decided to keep only the Vintage Reissue series.

The ’57 Stratocaster and ’62 Stratocaster were the first guitars on the Corona assembly line because they had always been the most popular in the Vintage series. The first two guitars made at Corona were two '57 models in Fiesta Red. The first, with serial number V000001, is now in the Bill Schultz collection, and the second, with serial number V000002, was presented at a gala banquet in London on February 12, 1986 to British guitarist Hank Marvin.

At the 1986 Winter NAMM, the new Vintage Plus model was introduced for the first time. It was basically a Vintage series guitar, with updated Elite electronics (new circuitry with up to 12dB boost) and a System III tremolo. Only two prototypes were made for the exhibition, and the model never went into production. Even though it was on the price list until the summer of 1986, Fender changed their mind and sent the Vintage Plus to the shelf. Market conditions had changed, the dollar was on a downward trend, so FMI decided to launch a larger-scale project that would reliably strengthen American production. This project became American Standard.

AMERICAN STANDARD

Thanks to more favorable exchange rates, the timing was right for the release of the new American Standard Stratocaster. Dan Smith states the idea behind the new model: "We wanted to take a classic guitar and make very few changes to it that would actually make a difference - a better-functioning tremolo, stainless steel saddles, flat-profile pickups." in essence it was a modernized vintage series.”

Development of the American Standard—the name explicitly emphasizing the country of origin—began in mid-1986. The first examples were delivered in November 1986, but the model was officially presented at the 1987 Winter NAMM with Eric Johnson as the main endorser. The main characteristics of the new Standard were as follows: (* denotes changes compared to the previous period)

• Maple 22-fret neck with rosewood fingerboard or solid maple neck *
• "Small" head of the vulture
• Silver "modern" Fender logo
• Chrome cast tuners with Fender stamp on body
• Neck fastening with 4 bolts
• Head side anchor adjustment (Biflex) *
• Two-piece tremolo system with sloping keel*
• Flatten stainless steel seats*
• Three-layer white cover with 11 screws *
• 3 flat profile singles *
• Profiled alder body
• Polyurethane varnish

The middle American Standard pickup was completely out of phase with the others, and the combinations of the two pickups produced a completely silent mode. For the first time in history, an American Stratocaster had 22 frets rather than 21 (note: a new Elite version with 22 frets was planned for 1985). In addition, the model had a medium nut width (1.6815") and neck radius (9.5") and borrowed some characteristics from the Elite series - Biflex truss rod, TBX tone block and Ezy-Glider retainers.

Available at launch in 6 finishes, the American Standard quickly achieved worldwide success thanks to its exceptional price/performance ratio and the fact that it was the result of a thoughtful evolution of the classic Stratocaster. The model also provided the next step in terms of the finances needed to develop the modern Stratocaster line. Nowadays the American Standard series is simply called American. The following years gave the world many new series, and, having already passed its sixth decade, the Stratocaster is still one of the most sought-after guitars in the world.

In 1987, Fender founded the Custom Design Guitar & Manufacturing division next to the Corona factory, or, as they say in the guitar industry, the Custom Shop. The workshop, which at first employed only two craftsmen - Michael Stevens and John Page, was created to create unique instruments for artists or for advertising purposes, as well as to produce "custom" parts for standard models.

The success of the Custom Shop quickly exceeded all expectations, and soon the scope of its activities expanded to produce limited editions and fulfill special orders for any clients. As a result, the staff of craftsmen expanded significantly, and in 1990, the Fender development department merged with the Custom Shop, and JOHN PAGE was appointed head of the new entity. This was a very smart move, since Fender's talented developers could work closely with equally talented craftsmen.

The Custom Shop played a key role in the development and production of new Fender models, particularly the signature series. The only downside to this is that this study makes it more than difficult to even simply list all the Stratocaster models produced since 1987! Custom Shop products deserve a separate book, so we will only focus on the early stages of the workshop’s work.

The first limited edition released by the Custom Shop were replicas of the Blonde "57 and "62 models with gold fittings. The model was nicknamed "Mary Kaye", after the artist who was photographed with this guitar in old Fender catalogs. In total, about 1,000 "Mary Kayes" were made between mid-1987 and 1989.

The next series was the release of the "tri-gold" model (gold color, gold fittings, gold overlay), made in the late 1950s for Homer Haynes of the Homer & Jethro duo. Only 500 HLE (Haynes Limited Edition) units were made between 1989 and 1990, which were numbered 001 to 500.

In 1989, the Custom Shop was also tasked with developing the 35TH ANNIVERSARY STRATOCASTER anniversary model. The model was a loose variation on the Strat Plus theme (see below) and featured three Lace Sensor Silver pickups, a patterned maple top, and an ebony fingerboard with abalone dots. Only 500 35th Anniversary Stratocasters were made between 1989 and 1991.

In addition to the "official" limited editions, the Custom Shop also produced small runs of special models at the request of the Fender sales department and dealers. Models such as the CARSON STRATOCASTER or TEXAS SPECIAL (with hotter pickups) have proven the success of this approach. The most extravagant of these series to this day is perhaps the commemorative Stratocaster HARLEY DAVIDSON 90TH ANNIVERSARY with an aluminum body, produced in 1993 in an edition of 109 pieces.

Currently, the Custom Shop produces tools in several series:

Custom Artist– personalized models of famous guitarists (R.Blackmore, E.Clapton, J.Beck, D.Dale, etc.)

Classic Player is a version of the American Deluxe series of guitars.

Custom Classic is a version of the American series of guitars.

Time Machine– reissues of models from the 50s and 60s. These guitars are produced in three versions:

• N.O.S.(New Old Stock) – guitars look like regular new instruments
• Closet Classic– guitars look old (faded paint, microcracks in varnish, faded metal parts)
• Relic– the guitars look “extremely ancient” (the same as the Closet Classic, but plus rust, chipped varnish and paint, scuffed wood, deep scratches)

NAMED MODELS

The release of a signature model of an instrument was no longer something new at the time when FMI began producing “signature” guitars. But as Dan Smith explains, "Our goal was to make the kind of guitars that artists want. We weren't just going to make something out of nowhere, but something that reflected the artist's personality." Even before parting with CBS, a project was begun with Telecaster virtuoso JAMES BURTON, but to Stratocaster's credit, the championship went to another guitar legend, ERIC CLAPTON.

ERIC CLAPTON

In 1985, Eric realized that the neck on his beloved Blackie (assembled from parts of three late-50s Stratocasters) would not survive another fret change. At a concert in Dallas, Dan Smith was able to give the musician two Elites with a fixed bridge to try out, but Eric demanded a V profile neck and more “compression” in the sound. The seed of the Clapton model was sown.

Two prototypes were made with V-profile necks and upgraded Elite electronics, providing +12dB boost. Both guitars were presented to Clapton in the spring of 1986, but the artist asked for even more compression. This forced Fender to change the Elite pickups to Lace Gold, which, along with the new active midrange control, provided 21dB of boost over the classic Stratocaster tone. Thus the Eric Clapton model was born.

Over two decades, the instrument's specifications have undergone various changes in the wake of Fender's developments, but the core of the instrument remains essentially the same - it's a '57 Stratocaster, with a locked tremolo and active TBX electronics and midrange boost. From its inception to this day, it has been one of the most popular signature Stratocaster models.

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN

While the Clapton model was taking shape, Fender came out in 1986 with their proposal to Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, who at that time had already acquired the status of a pillar of neoclassical guitar. The agreement was concluded in early 1987, and prototypes were already demonstrated at exhibitions that year, but mass production began only in mid-1988.

The Malmsteen is a variation on the '56 alder Stratocaster. It originally featured dual DiMarzio HBS-3 stack pickups in the neck and bridge positions, a flush-mounted mid pickup, active TBX electronics, a scalloped neck and a brass nut and American Standard tremolo. Since its release, the guitar has acquired a “big” headstock in the style of the 70s*, changed the electronics (passive tone block and signature YJM pickups) and is periodically produced with a maple or rosewood fingerboard. The range of colors of the Malmsteen model varies slightly, but its classic. the color is Olympic White.

(* In the 90s, a less expensive Japanese version was also produced, with a “big” head, which causes some confusion)

ROBERT CRAY

The following signature Stratocaster was created according to the requirements of Robert Cray, the leader of a new generation of bluesmen. Released in 1990, the Cray combines the characteristics of the artist's 58 Stratocaster without tremolo and 64 Inca Silver. The model is a "64 Stratocaster without a tremolo with special pickups providing a brighter and more transparent sound, characteristic of the musician's style. The neck with a rosewood fretboard has an "oval" profile. At first the model was manufactured only by the Custom Shop, then it became available in a serial version.

JEFF BECK

When FMI first approached Jeff Beck about making his signature instrument, he responded that he wasn't sure he deserved it! However, he chose the Strat Plus as his main instrument, which was unofficially considered his signature instrument. A few years later, Jeff changed his mind and agreed to take part in the development of a Stratocaster that fully suited his style.

The Beck Stratocaster was announced in January 1990, but went into production only a year later. The guitar was based on a Strat Plus, with 4 Lace Gold pickups (two in the bridge position, a special switch paired them for a tighter sound). The '50s style neck was customized to Jeff's specifications and featured a Pao Ferro fingerboard. Currently based on the Deluxe series that replaced the Plus, the model has a rosewood fingerboard. Guitar electronics have undergone changes over the course of a decade and a half. The instrument currently uses Hot Noisless pickups (three single-coil-size vertical humbuckers). The main colors of the model are Surf Green and Olympic White (for some time there was a Midnight Purple, Vintage White option).

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN

The project of the signature SRV guitar was started even before the tragic death of the musician in a plane crash in 1990, due to which it could only be implemented in January 1992, in memory of this blues genius. The model is based on Stevie's favorite instrument, the "Number One" - a battered '59 Stratocaster with a '62 neck. It's easy to guess that the model is based on a '62 Vintage Stratocaster in tri-color sunburst. What sets it apart from the standard model are the "hot" Texas Special pickups, white SRV initials on the pickguard, an old-style left-handed tremolo, 12" fingerboard, gold-plated hardware. The guitar is also occasionally released through the Custom Shop as an exact replica (with all scratches, chips, abrasions, etc. like the original).

Of course, since the mid-80s, many more signature models have been produced in mass production and within the Custom Shop, from guitars of honored veterans such as Dick Dale and Mark Knopfler, to the idols of the new generation Tom DeLonge and John 5. The Artist and Custom Artist series are living history live music.

PLUS AND AMERICAN DELUXE

The STRAT PLUS model was developed with the advent of the American Standard, since both models were originally intended to be produced simultaneously. The idea was to produce an "advanced" Stratocaster, with active electronics, like the Vintage Plus prototype. In late 1986, the project was modified to officially debut the Lace Sensor pickups.

The model was also the premiere of a roller sill developed by WILKINSON, which reduced friction. The use of locking pegs (first Sperzel, then Schaller) prevented the strings from slipping, so retainers could be abandoned. In all other respects, STRAT PLUS repeated American Standard.

The model first appeared on the price list on March 1, 1987, but its release was delayed by several months, partly due to shortages of certain components, partly for "marketing" reasons. A few months earlier, Jeff Beck had asked Fender to make him a 62 Vintage model in the same yellow color as the truck from the movie American Graffiti. The company took the chance to offer Jeff a signature model along the way. So the STRAT PLUS prototype was made with Jeff Beck and had the color "Graffiti Yellow". But Beck refused at that time, so the model was released under the name only STRAT PLUS.

The success of the model prompted FMI to launch the DELUXE STRAT PLUS in January 1989. The first version, produced for about a year, was identical to the standard Plus, with the exception of different Lace pickup models. A year later, the configuration of the pickups changed again, and to make the guitar lighter, the body became a “sandwich” of a layer of alder between two layers of ash. A DELUXE AMERICAN STANDARD model with three Laces was also introduced in January 1989, but it only lasted a year.

The peak of the Plus series was the release in January 1990 of STRAT ULTRA (the name had been kept up their sleeve since the 1980s!). The model had four pickups (a pair in the bridge position), as well as a new Deluxe tremolo with a solid lever (no plastic tip) on a latch and a Hipshot Trem-Setter.

This system, with a flyback spring and fine adjustment, ensured that the tremolo returned precisely to its original position. Following the release of the Strat Ultra, the DELUXE STRAT PLUS also came with a Hipshot Trem-Setter. Special attention was paid to the appearance and design of the Ultra. The alder center was covered with patterned maple on both sides, and the ebony fretboard had abalone markers.

Gradually, the word “Deluxe”, more attractive in all respects from a marketing point of view, replaced the word “Plus”, and the “elite” Fender series in the second half of the 90s began to be called AMERICAN DELUXE.

Like the PLUS guitars, the American Deluxe Series is a showcase for all new Fender designs. On these guitars, for example, the premiere of Vintage Noisless pickups took place, which were exclusively installed only on the American Deluxe for a couple of years before they went on public sale through the “Strings, Parts And Accessories” catalog. It is worth noting that, unlike Plus, the American Deluxe series gravitates more towards the “classics”. Experiments with materials and active electronics are a thing of the past.

New, exclusive, manufactured by Bill Lawrence, Samarium Noisless Cobalt pickups are the best possible combination of noiselessness and classic single-coil sound available today. The finishing of the guitars in the series is dominated by “vintage” motifs. Models with a “V”-shaped neck profile have appeared. Of course, this cannot happen without technological innovations.

The heel of the neck of the American Deluxe Stratocaster is "cut" for easier access to the last frets. The neck is covered with two types of varnish - matte on the neck itself and the fingerboard (on models with a solid maple neck) and shiny on the headstock. Since 2004, the American Deluxe series has used S1 electronics - a master volume button built into the handle adds 5 more sensor switching options to the 5 standard ones. (Since 2005, the S1 system has also been used in some American Standard models).

In addition, the American Deluxe HSS models feature a new Fender Deluxe tremolo, which is known as the “Fender Floyd Rose.” But that’s a topic for another story.

FLOYD ROSE & HUMBUCKER

Since the mid-80s, FENDER JAPAN has responded to the demands of a new generation of guitarists by releasing Stratocasters with Floyd Rose tremolos and humbuckers. In 1989, it was decided to produce “shredder” guitars in the USA.

The American model CONTEMPORARY STRATOCASTER appeared in July 1989 and was produced for about two years. The model had a tremolo licensed by Floyd Rose, a DiMarzio humbucker in the bridge position, 22 frets, a 12" rosewood fingerboard and a TBX tone block.

In mid-1989, FMI also released American versions of the HM Strat (H.M. - Heavy Metal), which had been produced in Japan since 1988. Available with a variety of pickup configurations from DiMarzio humbuckers, American Standard and Lace single-coils, the HM Strats featured a 24-fret neck, a black-painted headstock, and a slightly smaller, sharper basswood body.

In mid-1990, the HM Stratocaster was replaced by a more advanced version, the HM STRAT ULTRA. As the name suggests, the model had some Strat Ultra features such as 4 Lace pickups, two plies of patterned maple, and an ebony fingerboard. HM Ultra stayed in the catalog for two years, after which they were discontinued.

In January 1991, FMI publicly announced the start of a collaboration with FLOYD ROSE, the inventor of the double-lock tremolo. The result of this move was the appearance in 1992 of the FLOYD ROSE CLASSIC STRATOCASTER. The guitar had an alder body, rosewood fingerboard or solid maple neck and the following characteristics:

• DiMarzio PAF Pro humbucker in bridge position
• Two American Standard singles in middle and neck positions
• 22 frets and 9.5" fingerboard radius
• Pegs logo in vintage style
  And, of course, the Floyd Rose tremolo!

Despite all the abundance of new Stratocaster models that appeared after 1987, F.M.I did not calm down and released the Set-Neck series. In the spring of 1990, JOHN PAGE and STEVE BOULANGER developed new system neck gluing, devoid of the disadvantages of the old "pigeon tail" technology. First, in the summer of 1990, Telecasters with a glued neck appeared, then it came to the Stratocaster.

The SET-NECK STRATOCASTER and SET-NECK FLOYD ROSE STRAT models went into production at the end of 1992 and were introduced in January 1993. Both models featured a patterned maple top and a 22-fret neck with an ebony fingerboard. The Set-Neck Stratocaster was otherwise the same as the Strat Ultra, while the Set-Neck Floyd Rose Strat was the same as the Floyd Rose Classic. Both guitars were produced by the Custom Shop as the most advanced Stratocaster available.

Once the Floyd Rose humbuckers and tremolos ceased to be hot-button features, the Stratocaster was once again expected to be "classic." As a result, today the concept of a “heavy metal” guitar at Fender is fully realized only in the Showmaster series.

American Stratocasters with one or two humbuckers have a standard tremolo; models with Floyd Rose are not among them. And only, as already mentioned, in the American Deluxe series there is a model with an analogue of the Floyd Rose from Fender (but without a top-lock, but with locking tuners and a roller nut). And the Stratocaster with Floyd Rose and humbucker is produced today only in Mexico.

PEOPLE'S FENDER

In 1987, Fender opened a factory in the Mexican city of Ensenada. The original goal was to move the production of "small stuff" outside of the coverage area of ​​American tax laws, union agreements, etc. In the first years, the Mexican Fender factory was engaged in servicing orders from the “Strings, Parts & Accessories” catalogue. But gradually it began to be entrusted with more and more responsible orders. On the one hand, this was a logical result of the development of the new factory, on the other hand, there was a change in Fender’s attitude towards its co-production in Japan.

Changing economic conditions in the world have led to Japanese production becoming more and more expensive every year. Companies have begun to move production of their budget series to other countries in the Asian region. The only exceptions were those manufacturers whose American instruments were very expensive. During this objective process, the Squier brand gradually left Fender Japan completely. However, due to the same economic trends, Fender production in the USA became more expensive. There was a need to supply Fender guitars that would fill the widening price gap between Squier and American Fenders.

As practice has shown, Fender Japan products were not the best choice for this task. It was too “Japanese”, it was produced at rented production facilities, and due to its remoteness from the head office, it was difficult to control. A completely logical solution to the problem was the development of guitar production in Mexico. It was only a five-hour drive from the factory in Corona; the closest interaction and supply of materials and components could be ensured without any problems.

The first experiments with the production of Squier were very successful (although due to economic reasons they did not develop this particular brand at the Mexican factory) and in the second half of the 90s the line of guitars produced at Fender Mexico was equal in volume to American production.

Since the wooden parts of the guitars were supplied to Espenada from the USA, the quality of the Mexas was often close to American guitars. To avoid causing internal competition and to more clearly separate American and Mexican models, Fender began producing Mexican guitars with 21 frets and (in the case of the Stratocaster) a six-screw tremolo, while American guitars were produced with 22 frets and a two-screw tremolo (for excluding models that copy old instruments).

In the wake of the success of Mexican guitars, Fender embarked on the next bold experiment - they released the Highway 1 series in July 2002. The reason for the release of the series was the increase in the “gap” between Mexican and American models (and again world economy) and into this gap Fender tried to fit the Highway 1 series - American guitars priced under $1000.

This was achieved through the use of much of the same fittings as on Mexican Fenders, the use of a soft case rather than a hard one, and the development of economical painting technology. To visually distinguish Highway 1 from its neighbors in the price range, matte varnishes in original colors were chosen. Contrary to the doubts of skeptics, Highway 1 organically fit into the Fender lineup and are successfully sold all over the world.

As for Fender Japan, the company continues to operate, but serves, as it did in the days of its founding, almost exclusively the Japanese market. From time to time, various exotic models are exported - either personalized guitars such as the Ritchie Blackmore Stratocaster in a configuration different from the Custom Shop model, or guitars in original colors - the Paisley Strat, or bold experiments such as the 12-string Stratocaster!

TO BE CONTINUED

It may seem to some that the story about the Stratocaster ends suddenly, but it’s too early to put an end to this story. Celebrating its half-century anniversary, the Stratocaster remains a timeless classic.

Preserving the philosophy laid down 50 years ago by the great Leo Fender, the model is constantly evolving and improving and does not lose relevance despite all the whims of musical fashion.

The Fender Stratocaster is one of the standards of sound, construction and design of an electric guitar, with which instruments of other models and manufacturers are inevitably compared, and which sound producers and musicians are guided by.

The history of the Stratocaster is replenished with new fascinating pages, perhaps one of those reading it now will add their name to them.

For more than half a century, one of the most famous and most frequently copied guitars remains Fender Stratocaster- legendary, revolutionized the music world.
At first, the popular company, which enjoyed some success, began to lose out on the market to guitars with a tremolo system. The company needed a completely innovative, even revolutionary tool.
According to Leo Fender, the Fender Stratocaster guitar began to be developed in the very early 50s. Fender, who could not play the guitar himself, spent a lot of time in the company of musicians with good ears, listening to the needs of each of them. And the first Fender Stratocaster was released in 1954.

1954 Fender Stratocaster

Announcements of the Stratocaster were full of promises of a revolutionary instrument, ahead of its time and almost uniting the guitar and the musician into a single whole. The advertisement did not deceive. This model, unlike the Telecaster, demonstrated a number of improvements and innovations, such as: a synchronized tremolo system; three mounted on one plate; an adjustable bridge with independent saddles and, of course, an ergonomic design with smoothed sharp edges. In addition, Fender allowed the guitar to be painted in a wide variety of colors for an additional $5. Also, despite the complex electronics that came with the Stratocaster, Fender and engineer Freddie Tavares designed a guitar that was easy to fix if something broke. The Strat was intended for musicians, and not to begin and end its story with just a stylish and technologically advanced toy.

And now I suggest you listen to how a real Vintage Fender Stratocaster from 1963 sounds in the video. Despite the impressive wear on the body of the guitar, it has not lost its musical properties and sounds great.

Vintage Fender Stratocaster

The current lineup of Fender Stratocaster electric guitars offers a wide selection of modifications along with reissues of classic models.

Fender Stratocaster Deluxe

Fender Standard Stratocaster

Almost from the very beginning of its release, the Stratocaster began to be copied by other companies producing electric guitars, and many guitarists began to switch to it. What is the secret of such popularity? Released just in time for the birth of rock and roll, the Strat proved to be versatile, allowing musicians to experiment with sound. Guitarists who chose guitars from the Stratocaster line brought (and continue to bring) considerable popularity.

The recognized virtuoso, who influenced a huge number of guitarists not only of his time, switched to Strat in the late 60s, which undoubtedly attracted close attention to this model. He also became the choice of Eric Clapton, one of the most prominent figures in the rock movement, George Harrison of The Beatles performed with him, his image was engraved on the gravestone of Buddy Holly, the guitarist who was one of the first to turn his attention to the Strat, to him after switched semi-acoustic

In the world.

The Stratocaster is very widely copied, with the result that the name "Stratocaster" or "Strat" ​​is often used to refer to any guitar with the same technical features, regardless of manufacturer.

The name "Stratocaster" was coined by Don Randall in 1954. He suggested to Fender founder Leo Fender that he rename the improved Telecaster guitar model. The name was meant to evoke modern technology and express Fender's new design ideas. Former Guitar Player magazine editor Tom Wheeler, who died in 1991, said that without Randall, the commercial success of this guitar model would not have been possible.

Origin

In England, The Shadows guitarist Hank Marvin, who had the first Stratocaster exported to Europe (a '58 Fiesta Red, which gave rise to the color's huge sales success for Fender), played old Strats until the late '80s, then traded them in for a signature model. Fender Stratocaster.

However, when Fender was purchased by William Schultz from CBS in 1985, the previous high quality was restored and Fender was able to regain brand reputation and market share. This led to a craze for "vintage" guitars and new models in the classic "vintage" style.

Current models

For 2007, Fender offers a wide line of Strats along with vintage reissues, as well as a "Custom Shop" division that builds custom guitars. Those who want period-specific replicas can order a Stratocaster with original (cloth-covered) wires, pickups and electronics design, and even artificially aged and oxidized components using a special "Custom Shop" manufacturing process.

Series American Deluxe™ came with many high-quality options, such as a Fender DH-1 bridge humbucker and American Floyd Rose (two-point bridge-locking vibrato) with LSR ball clutch, locking tuners on select models, and silent Samarium Cobalt™ pickups with S-1 switch. Guitars manufactured before 2004 feature Vintage Noiseless™ pickups and a 4-bolt neck assembly.

Additionally, the American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS (also known as the American Deluxe Fat Strat) uses two Hot SCN™ pickups for proper balance with the humbucker pickup. This guitar was also available with an optional Fender Deluxe locking vibrato bridge (American Deluxe Strat HSS LT). Introduced in 1998 and redesigned in 2004, the American Deluxe Strat HSS LT was discontinued in 2007.

American Series™ The Stratocaster has an alder or ash body, three single-coil pickups, and a DeltaTone system (which includes a high-power bridge pickup and a reverse-wound middle pickup). The Hardtail version was discontinued in 2007. In 2003, the new American Strat HSS was introduced, which includes a Diamondback™ humbucker (in the bridge) and two Tex-Mex™ single-coils with an S-1 switch. The HH model with dual Sidewinder™/Black Cobra™ humbuckers was offered until 2007.

Series Vintage Hot-Rod™ combines vintage design with modern playability, all tied together in a 50's and early 60's design.

Series American Special™ includes Stratocasters with features that bridge the gap between traditional and modern technology. American Special™ manufactured in Corona, California (USA). Classic Floyd Rose Strats (made from 1998 to 2002) have the original Floyd Rose tremolo. They came in HSS and HH pickup configurations (a set of Fender DH-1 humbucker pickups and two DeltaTone pickups). The line also included Strat-O-Sonic guitars with mahogany bodies and two pickup options—Black Dove™ P-90 soap bars or Atomic II™ humbuckers—which remained in production until 2007.

VG Stratocaster™(developed by Fender and Japanese synthesizer giant Roland) is a guitar American Series™ with Roland VG pickups and two additional controls: (5-position) for the "Tuning Function" and a 5-position Mode control, offering 37 different Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster, humbucker, 12-string and acoustic tones, plus 5 alternate tunings, all controlled with a simple flick of a switch or turn of a knob. The VG Stratocaster was introduced in 2007.

Custom Classic™ Stratocasters are versions of the models American Series™, produced Custom Shop, feature a C- or V-shaped maple neck with a maple or mahogany fingerboard and three Modern Classic™ with a Hot Classic™ bridge pickup. Custom Classic™ guitars manufactured before 2003 were equipped with a set of Fender Texas Special™ single coils.

Highway One guitars (introduced in 2000 and upgraded in 2006) include a large headstock, "70s styling, super-sized frets, three distortion-friendly Alnico III single-coils and a Greasebucket tone circuit (which rolls off the high frequencies without adding bass ). The Highway One Stratocaster HSS features a black bobbin Atomic II humbucker in the bridge position. Limited edition models with "50s and early "60s specs are also offered with a run of 150 instruments, ash body, maple. fingerboard and 1-ply parchment pickguard or surf green finish, alder body, rosewood fingerboard and 3-ply mint pickguard, both featuring a small headstock with “spaghetti”-style decal. Additionally, the alder-bodied guitar with the rosewood fretboard and the 3-ply mint pickguard sports a set of Custom Shop "69 Stratocaster single-coil pick-ups.

The Artist Signature Series line includes several Stratocaster models come with features and specifications favored by popular artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, John Mayer, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mark Knopfler, Eric Johnson, Yngwie Malmsteen and others. The Custom Artist guitars are the Custom Shop versions; they slightly differ from the regular Artist Signature range in terms of quality and construction, making these instruments much more expensive than the regular production versions. Like the other Custom Shop models, the Custom Artist guitars are available as Team Built and Master Built items.

Standard, Deluxe and Classic Series Stratocasters are generally made in Mexico, although some models are manufactured in Japan and Korea.

Fender Stratocasters are built in the United States, Mexico, Japan and Korea.

• American, American Deluxe, Artist, Custom Classic, Custom Artist and Highway One series Stratocasters are made in a Fender factory in Corona, California, United States of America and are commonly called Made In America (MIA) Stratocasters. There is also a Fender Museum there open to the public.
• Most other Stratocaster series models are made in a Fender factory in Ensenada , Mexico and are often labeled as Made In Mexico (MIM). Guitar necks are still manufactured in the Corona factory and sent to the Ensenada factory to be mounted onto guitars.
• The Fuji Gen Gakki factory in Matsumoto, Japan, is also licensed to manufacture Fender Stratocasters, but exclusively for the domestic market. However, second-hand or earlier Made In Japan (MIJ) or Crafted In Japan (CIJ) Stratocasters can be found in foreign markets. Fender Japan had previously used the MIJ label, but switched to CIJ shortly after it limited guitar production to the domestic market.

Fender also produces Stratocasters under the brand