An example of this is Fenders Parallel and Squiers Paranormal series. Music Strive is a participant in several affiliate programs. Its not in the wood or the electrics, its in the soul and the fingers. One notable change is the larger headstock in late 1965. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Collectors have come to understand this and many late 60s to 1970 Strats can now fetch $10-20K. Required fields are marked *. The reasons for its success are mainly due to its design and materials. Starting in 1958, the Three-Tone Sunburst was implemented, but since red sometimes faded -just as it did in the Sunburst of the Les Pauls of the 50s- many Three-Tone Sunburst finishes are confused with Two-Tone Sunburst. Music Strive is a web magazine dedicated to musicians and audio enthusiasts. In 1957, the V-neck profile began to be used and the plastic parts were changed from polystyrene to ABS plastic. Thus, in these years there are no two identical necks, no two identical guitars. Fender's Player series of Stratocasters has been one of their most successful to date, acting as an affordable, high quality point of entry for those who want 'Fender' on the headstock. Best Years for Strats - 70s and beyond - Gearspace.com Do you want something with low output pickups that give you a nice clear, clean sound, or something with hotter pickups that will break up a little quicker? Well, weve searched high and low to put together this guide so you can see whats on offer right now. 7 Best Fender Stratocasters (2023) Strats For Every Budget! The neck profile is still the modern 'C', however - so don't worry too much about this guitar feeling alien. 1976-1980: These are the worst Fender Stratocaster years that we recommend avoiding, although you can always try an instrument and be pleasantly surprised. The Fender Stratocaster, simply known as the 'Strat', has unquestionably been the most influential and iconic electric guitar ever made. If you prefer a lower action, a bit more grunt in your dirt channel and more tuning stability, go modified. The Pure Vintage 57 Strat pickups have been specifically voiced to match those constructed during Fenders golden years, with cloth-covered wire, fiber bobbins, and Alnico magnets for a proper vintage tone. This guitarist spent 100K on gear to learn valuable lessons so you don't have to, On our radar: Joe Kelly & The Royal Pharmacy "Hearing Nebraska by Springsteen was a game changer for an indie kid growing up on a council estate", Joe Bonamassa tries Peter Green's Gretsch White Falcon: "You can play blues on anything". The Player Series, too, is made in Mexico. #5. for the most part Squier quality goes up with price. The main issue with the polyurethane finish CBS implemented was that it left a thicker layer on the body of the guitar, meaning a loss of resonance within the wood. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The rosewood fretboard and alder body of this year's model proved to be the best iteration of the Strat so far. Dan Smith was an engineer and takes control of the Fender plant. Why? Squier Classic Vibe '70s Stratocaster 4. It is a Sunburst color. James is an amateur guitarist and home-recording enthusiast. 3.9. the pickups and hardware get better as the guitar's price gets higher. By the mid-1970s, CBS knew that they had almost ruined the Fender company. Its body is basically perfect, ergonomic with a belly and forearm cuts. Our experts countdown the best Strat guitars - from budget to pro - that showcase arguably the most iconic guitar of all time. Thanx. 4.7. Squier Classic Vibe 70's. Fender Standard. Thus, these instruments have the worst quality that Fender has ever had. The exact same? Please read our affiliate disclosure for more details. Fender made the Stratocaster in great numbers from its introduction in 1954 and throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. This is a very frowned upon time, Fender is bought by the CBS corporation that changes the manufacturing methods from artisan style, to an industrial one of mass production. #1. So, they took the chance of hiring three members of Yamahas American division to attempt to resuscitate what was quickly becoming a dying company. Lives for gear. The Strat has been around for the best part of 70 years, and the design has stayed largely the same for that time. It is worth mentioning that also between 1972 and 1975 you can find good guitars, but during these years and after of the CBS Era, we recommend not to buy blindly. All this without important changes, although there are variations. There are a lot of different types of Stratocaster you can get, with pretty much every aspect of the instrument being customized over the years, from pickups to neck profiles, hardware, and finishes. Im just trying to guess: a Fender Stratocaster Plus Black Pearl Burst? Concerned about buying a Strat online without playing it first? Read the full Fender Player Plus Series Telecaster and Stratocaster review. It uses a thinner Brazilian rosewood for the fretboard to create brighter tones, an Alder body, and a Maple neck. This model is made of quality materials, bringing some of the best traits among all Stratocasters. Because the maple of the fingerboard was stained once the lacquer was removed because of playing, the rosewood is implemented. 1965-1966: The second period most sought after by guitar collectors;even the prices are very high, above $ 10,000. PRS SE Custom 24. This edit to the traditional design makes the Player Plus series great for the modern guitarist. Thus, the Fender Music Instrument Corporation (FMIC) was born. It may be a no-frills option but it's exactly what lots of people like about it. Extra contouring on the back of the body gave our fretting hand access all areas, and the 10" - 14" fingerboard radius offered us a combo of old school chording comfort and super slick above octave noodling during our testing. Fender American Original 60s Stratocaster. Note: there's a HSS version in the catalogue with Fender's Double Tap humbucker in the bridge position. The upshot of all this lack of output was tone, lots of sweet tone. 1954 1965 are recognized as Fenders first golden age, starting with the release of the first edition Stratocaster in 1954 and ending with Fenders acquisition by CBS in 1965. Depending on the tone or musical style that you like, you will have a different period. 16 Best Fender Stratocaster Guitars in 2023 - Guitar Lobby When choosing what we believe to be the best Stratocasters available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category. It does not store any personal data. The Strat has so many configurations and they all sound killer, but it's definitely worth putting some thought into the tones you'd like to achieve, and how best you'll achieve them. 35 years of Fender Mexico: a timeline | Guitar World Oh yeah, John Mayer was seen playing an early Strat Plus. Therefore, ash is used again, which has a showy grain. Player-friendly features like a 22-fret fingerboard and a slimmer neck make for easier playing and choke-free bends. Best Stratocasters 2023 | Guitar World Yeah, we know. The prices of these instruments are around $ 3,000. Fender American Special. The Yosemite single coils were specifically designed for this model. The American Vintage Reissue and their successors, the American Original, are of excellent quality. Fender Stratocasters by Year - StratCollector Fender Stratocaster - Wikipedia You might already know this but the Fender Vintera guitars come in two formats: regular and modified. what year were the best mexican strats made | Fender Stratocaster 5 Best Signature or Artist Series Fender Stratocasters No. The low and cheap level Stratocaster to compete with Asian guitars, are manufactured in China and Indonesia mainly under the Squier brand. In this way, the construction process was the same for necks with rosewood and maple fingerboards. This is where you start to see how the gradual changes become consistent. The thin layer of rosewood on the neck gave the guitar a lighter tone, and the alder body was tough and durable without being too heavy. Since its launch in 1954, the Fender Strat has come to redefine the publics expectations of what an electric guitar is, leading to countless imitators and a list of players that quite literally make up the rock and roll hall of fame. That is why it was so common in those years for a musician to try so many guitars until they found one that was comfortable for them, as well as that they liked its tone. Fender's S-1 switch is also present to add more tonal options. I was at the Fuji Gen Gakki Factory in Matsumoto Japan from 1986-1987. There were other colors, called Custom, but these were made to order, the first example of a Custom guitar was the famousMary Kaye Strat. The new hires, Dan Smith, Bill Shultz, and John McLaren, would help to bring Fender back into the hearts of music lovers all over the world. Fender as most of the manufacturer doesnt always do the same. The American Standard series Stratocaster was put into production, but the materials were cheap. For a bit more money, you can also consider a Fender Player Series Stratocaster (made in Mexico). Regularly selling for north of 20k, these holy grail Stratocasters are highly sought after by collectors and vintage guitar enthusiasts alike. Thus, you can find American Standard with bent saddles bridges and Fat 50s pickups. Blog Best Year for the Fender Stratocaster Best Year for the Fender Stratocaster The Fender Stratocaster is the archetype electric guitar. When the guys got Fender back from CBS in 85 the only Stratocasters that were made to consistent quality standards were the guitars coming from Japan. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Affinity. From 2012 to the present, in our opinion, a Modern Golden Age is being lived. The Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster is as close as most of us will ever get to an actual 57 Stratocaster. A SSS version is available at the same price. 7 Best Squier Guitars: Stratocaster and Telecaster | Guitar Chalk This catalog was based on the nitrocellulose lacquers of the manufacturer Dupont Ducco, which were the same ones used by the automotive industry. Sep 12, 2010. 1982-Present: Vintage Reissues made from 1982 onwards generally maintain excellent quality, beyond their not-so-Vintage Correct specifications. 'F@&k you, I won't do what you tell me!' These instruments are still really expensive, with prices normally above $ 7,000. Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s. Modern guitars are launched, but they move away from the essence of the Fender Stratocaster. The Fender Player Stratocaster is our top pick when it comes to the Best Strats. Check Price on Sweetwater. Heres a thought, a good guitarist can get a great sound out of any axe. Related article: The best Stratocaster pickups. What you need to know about Fender finishes | Guitar World Polyurethane finishes are thicker than nitrocellulose ones, and affect the resonance of the instrument. 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This is then followed by Fenders second Dark Age, the Modern Dark Age which is between 1989 and 1997. This is without a doubt the darkest period in Fender history. Check Price on Sweetwater. Spec'd by Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave and The Nightwatchman guitarist Tom Morello, this new Stratocaster isn't your average rock star vanity project. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Then there's the same guitar with either a HSS (humbucker/single/single) or HSH (humbucker/single/humbucker) pickup layout for a little more cash. There are a tonne of great Strats out there at the moment, but for pure bang for buck, we have to go with the Fender Player Plus Stratocaster.Featuring Noiseless single coil pickups, a 12" fretboard with rolled edges, and a set of Fender's own locking tuning machines, this guitar is a proper gigging workhorse. Prices are already starting to not be that high, with values between $ 7,000 and $ 13,000. Vintage Modified Jaguar 2. My Fender Strat California series from 98 is an unexpensive strat gem. Anchor heavy bodies, toffee apple thick finishes it wasn't pretty. Possibly the most popular and well-known musical instrument of all time, Leo Fenders innovative electric guitar continues to age like a fine wine, finding new fans with each generation of guitarist. This meant that for a while, production was moved to Japan, and for a short period, in 1985, no Fender Stratocasters were made in America. Want all the hottest music and gear news, reviews, deals, features and more, direct to your inbox? Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. It took the musical world by storm and was famously played by Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and John Lennon of The Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix, to name just a few. The main reason for the great weight of the guitars of the 70s is that the natural finish became fashionable. Here are a few of the changes that CBS made during that period: The increase in the size of the headstock was a controversial decision made by CBS. Finally, the last few years have witnessed a recovery of the quality and prestige of Fender with the Dan Smith Era between mid-1981 and 1983. Kluson vintage style tuners, 6 bent saddles on the bridge and great feel. During the late 80s, Fender experienced strong sales growth thanks to the recovery of prestige. The rosewood, already used by Gibson, in brown color does not stain, keeping the aesthetics unaltered. Fender is a giant in the musical instrument industry, and it is known for its high-quality, trend-setting guitars that have shaped the musical landscape for decades. Best years for MIM's? | Telecaster Guitar Forum The specifications of the Fender Stratocasters of these years are in line with the legacy of the most popular guitar in history. Starting in 1998, Fender began actions to improve quality. The Fender Stratocaster is the most iconic solid electric guitar of all time. In my opinion some of the best guitars were manufactured there as well as some horrendous attempts to try to complete with the high mass, very heavy, and cumbersome bridge designs were being implemented. Thus, the four-hole neckplate is replaced by the three-hole one in 1971. These changes generally go in the direction of lower costs and quality. The weak point of Japanese guitars used to be the pickups and the electronics. Another problem caused by the switch to cheap wood was the difficulty in properly shaping the signature contour body of the Stratocaster. Do better research, or talk to someone who was around then. Anyone who was ever any good, or ever known for playing a guitar now has a signature series instrument with some company or another. This has resulted in an uneven output of products, meaning Stratocasters produced in certain years are more desirable than others. The maple fingerboard has a bright tone with a sparkling attack, perfect for those looking for a well-defined tone. Since it's introduction in 1954, the Strat has been featured on countless recordings, and played by rock, punk, jazz, blues, soul, R&B, and country artists the world over. The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed between 1952 and 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares.The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously manufactured the Stratocaster since 1954. In this period, the increase in production affects the quality of the instruments. The only Fender Stratocasters that maintain prestige are the Fender Stratocaster Vintage Reissue, which maintain the traditional specifications of the model and good quality of construction and materials. Now stunningly recreated with the American Vintage II series from Fender, this model features a V profile neck and a 7.25 radius maple fretboard. The rosewood fingerboard has a rounder and warmer tone than the maple fingerboard. Heres how it works. Another change is the replacement of the neckplate. And while Eric's love of fat, powerful tones is evident in his particular Signature Fender, aspects of Gibson playability are present too. This really was a great improvement. Thanks for sharing your experience! The same happens with the production of Mexico, which over the years has shown a great improvement based on more experience. Youre dead wrong about the dates and the MIJ Strats. There are a tonne of great Strats out there at the moment, but for pure bang for buck, we have to go with the Fender Player Plus Stratocaster. These Fender Stratocasters are quite sought after and have their own following. Tell us about your experience buying Fender Stratocaster guitars in the comments section. 54, 57, 62. elementlax Senior Stratmaster Feb 4, 2009 1,256 Central Ohio Feb 8, 2009 #2 '62 ArlenBucy Senior Stratmaster Nov 22, 2008 1,549 Plant City, FL This results in heavy guitars over 12 lbs / 5 kg and necks that were loose. Fender Eric Clapton Stratocaster review | MusicRadar Hi Sean, the Fender Strat California Series are great axes. Fender American Original '60s. Well, Sherlock they're grey on the bottom. What seems to go against the veneer theory on these two years is the wood seams on both three and two piece match evenly from front to back, along with a fine job of grain matching. The alder is great for those looking for a versatile Stratocaster that sounds good with clean and saturated audios. It all interests him, from the history of acoustic guitars, to the latest Bluetooth headphones, to his (ever-growing) collection of vinyl records. Firstly the magnets havent had time to age, so theyre still at their maximum strength when you get them. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Plus the first examples of those guitars were ALDER. I used to have to pull the neck up while holding the bodythen you hear a loud cracklike a guitar with a hernia. We found playability to be enhanced with a pleasantly plump Modern C neck profile, 9.5" fingerboard radius, and 22 big ass frets. I had the privilege to have been trained at the factory. Similar specs to a 62 strat but with a much lower price tag. So the production targets were written off, and the inspection criteria were rewritten. Since its popularity continues to grow, we've set about finding which are the best Stratocasters you can buy today. That said, in comparison to a P90 or a Humbucker any Strat single coil pickup will sound relatively low output. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Its like a dark grey color or it could have been a dark blue of sorts. Although depending on your taste, you can find other interesting years in case you like the Stratocaster with an ash body and/or maple fingerboard, the 1962 Fender Stratocaster is the most popular and benchmark of all. The tremolo bridge is top loaded, called Free Flyte Tremolo, simplifying the routing of the body. Yamaha Pacifica PAC612VIIFM. Alder veneers are used and in Sunburst finishes the black paint covers the belly cuts to cover the joints of the different pieces and the poplar wood. But Fender and the Stratocaster havent always been on top, and the company has been through its fair share of ups and downs over the years. Stratocaster Guide: Electric Guitar Models Explained | Fender Its three-pickup configuration provides great audio versatility. Regarding the tonewood, the veneer is used to hide the many pieces the body is made, so it could be several (5 or 6?) Adding a tremolo, a trio of single coil pickups, as well as a thinner more contoured body shape, this guitar was an instant hit. Someone help me out here. As of mid-1956, the bodies became alder, but paying an additional 5%, you could order it from ash in transparent Blonde that reveals the grain of the wood. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Yes you can see the dark part of the burst comes down low in the belly cut, and yes these have swimming pool routs. The Performer is the most affordable USA built Fender Stratocaster you can buy. So much so, that the Telecaster and Stratocaster, unlike the Gibson Les Paul, have been made uninterruptedly since their launch. Fender had been using both Alder and Ash for its Stratocasters before, but CBS decided to switch to a cheaper Northern Ash, as opposed to the Southern Swamp Ash Fender had used in earlier models. Available in SSS and HSS pickup layouts, the Squier Affinity packs in a lot of Strat goodness for such a low price. 10 years. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. keep on Stratton~! Best Stratocasters: Our top picks. Everyone should look at production refinements from 2006 forward on Mexican and the American models. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Over the next few years, CBS made changes to the production process. Location. The newer devilles seem chepish to me, and many of their new guitars just don't seem to have the quality. Read the full Fender American Performer Stratocaster review. Finally, there's the double locking Floyd Rose vibrato and HSS pickup spec model. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Best Stratocaster in 2023 - Find the Best One for You - Zing Instruments The HSS branding means you get a humbucker in the bridge position and a pair of single coils in the middle and neck slots. I am trying to find out some information on a USA Fender strat that I recently saw sold at a local pawnshop. Ron Vogel. Because the single-ply pickguards warped over time, these were replaced by the three-layer capable celluloid pickguard. The asymmetrical double horn gives you perfect access to the high frets, while also providing a perfect fit and balance for standing guitar playing. Ive had great luck with all the MIM's Ive owned but they have all been the Classic and artist . The prices of the Stratocasters from the years 1965 and 1966 are around $ 10,000 $ 20,000. Although polyurethane lacquer had already been used in previous years, as the CBS era developed, polyurethane finishes became more common, until it became the main finish in 1968.
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