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Here is the current StratoFAQ. It deals with (hopefully) all the new
"Strats" available as of 01/06/95. I spoke with my friendly neighborhood
Fender dealer to get the info on the new Strats which Fender is offering
for 1995. This year promises to be a very interesting one for the Strat.
Fender is making available aluminum bodied Strats (probably in response to
wood shortages) in their American Standard and Strat Plus lines. Also new
for '95 is the carved-top Strat which is part of their "contemporary"
series. Fender is also making available on a limited basis two classic
finishes: burgundy mist and surf green on the American Standard. In a
rather ironic twist, there is now an up charge for sunburst (what would
CLF had said?) and any other finish which exposes the wood's grain (like
natural) on the assembly line guitars like the American Standard. Some
custom shop guitars do not have the up charge.
After these introductory notes, there will be a brief section on Strat
anatomy (wood hardware etc.) and then we'll move on to the real stuff. I
will try to keep the guitars separated by country of origin but in some
cases, it was hard to tell because Fender organizes its info based on part
numbers, so no promises.
The original StratoFAQ was composed by Jeff Templon and Don Tillman. Other
contributors are displayed alongside their contributions. Any corrections
/ suggestions / contributions are welcome at "chenaa@cleo.bc.edu".
And, in keeping with the policy of the original FAQ, no prices will be listed.
For those of you who want some reference reading on Stratocasters, here
are a couple suggested titles:
"The Fender Stratocaster" by A.R. Duchossoir
"The Fender Book" by Bacon & Day
"The Fender Stratocaster: Curves, Contours and Body Horns" by
Minhinnett&Young
Strat Anatomy 101
===============
This section is intended to provide a brief overview into the makeup and
composition of the Fender Stratocaster. There are three subsections
dealing with the hardware, bodies and necks found on the Strat.
I. Hardware
---------------
a. Bridges
There are currently two types of vibrato bridges available on Fender
Strats: locking and non-locking.
The non-locking bridges are:
1. vintage model used on U.S. Vintage models and the Eric Clapton
signature model to name a few.
2. American Standard model which is an "upgrade" of the vintage model;
designed to stay in tune better than the vintage model while still
retaining the feel of a vintage bridge. This model is available on the
American Standard, Strat Plus, and Malmsteen signature guitars to name a
few. There is also a deluxe model which features a "pop-in" vibrato arm
and stainless steel bridge saddles.
3. vintage-style model used on the entry level Squires: the "affordable"
rendition of the vintage model bridge.
The locking bridges are:
1. Floyd Rose Original / Pro / II: These three bridges were first
pioneered by Floyd Rose in the mid-1980's and made famous by Edward Van
Halen. They require cutting off the string's ball-end and provide tuning
stability for players who want heavy duty vibrato use. The Original
features locking saddles and fine tuners; the Pro has locking saddles and
fine tuners moved back; the II is a more "affordable" rendition of the
Original. Examples of these bridges are on: the Original can be found of
the Floyd Rose Classic Series; the Pro can be found on the set-neck Floyd
Rose Strat; the II can be found on the Sambora standard signature model.
These bridges are usually used in conjunction with a locking nut.
Retro-fitting one of these Floyd models onto say an American Standard
equipped guitar would require cutting and drilling which is major surgery,
so don't try it at home if you don't know how.
2. Fender-Floyd Rose bridge: this bridge is basically an American Standard
bridge with locking saddles similar to the Floyd Pro model. These bridges
can be found on the Strat Plus Deluxe and Strat Ultra guitars. The spacing
of the mounting screws is similar to the American Standard as opposed to
the wider spacing of the Floyd Original. I believe you can retro-fit an
American Standard with a Fender-Floyd without major surgery. Again, if
you're unsure, check with a repair shop.
Non-Vibrato Bridges are also available. Guitars with this type of bridge
lack the routing in the back for the spring cavity. The Robert Cray
signature model features a vintage type non-vibrato bridge. Strats with
this bridge have string ferrules in the back similar to a Telecaster. For
the most part, there are very few non-vibrato Strats in mass production.
Unless noted, the guitars come with chrome hardware.
b. Tuning Keys
There are two basic types of tuning keys (or machine heads if you like)
available: locking and non-locking.
1. Locking Keys: can be found of the Strat Plus line. I have them on my
Strat and they really make restringing easy. About one turn brings the
string up to pitch.
2. Non-Locking Keys: there are two types here - vintage and American
Standard. The vintage keys are reproductions of the Kluson tuners found on
pre-CBS Strats and feature a split shaft (you put the end of the string
into the key's post) while the American Standard has an enclosed shaft.
Vintage keys can be found on the Vintage 57/62 and the Vaughn signature
models. American Standard keys can be found on (you guessed it) the
American Standard.
Note: There are also "affordable renditions" of both the vintage and
American Standard keys which can be found on the Squire models.
c. Pickups
There are a wide variety of pickups available stock on a Strat. Here's a
basic list of what's available.
Note that these are found on the American guitars; the imported models
feature different pickups.
1. Vintage 57/62: these pickups are in the U.S. vintage 57 & 62 guitars.
They are reproductions of the pickups which defined the Fender Strat
sound. They feature staggered pickup magnets and cloth wire and are pretty
noisy.
2. American 509s: these pickups are in the 1954 custom classic series. I
think this model is intended to be brighter than the vintage 57 model
though I9m not completely certain.
3. American Standard: found in the AM STD Strat; feature flat pole-pieces;
the middle pickup is reverse wound/reverse polarity (RW/RP) to fight the
hum (note that this only applies in the neck+middle and middle+bridge
pickup combinations; there is no hum-canceling when any of these pickups
are used individually).
4. Texas Specials: these are over-wound, "hot" versions of the Vintage
57/62; they have staggered pole-pieces and the middle pickup is RW/RP.
Texas Specials can be found in the Vaughn Signature guitar.
5. Fender-Lace Sensors (FLS): these are single coils designed to be
quieter (less noise) than say the vintage or AM STD models. There are four
different single coil models available; they are differentiated by their
colors: Gold (50's vintage single coil sound), Silver (beefier Strat
sound), Blue (50's humbucker sound - thicker sound), and Red (really hot /
high output pickup). There are also the "Dually" models which are two Lace
sensors wired in series.
6. Seymour Duncan "JB" humbucker: this pickup was originally designed for
Jeff Beck by Seymour Duncan. It is one of the Duncan company's most
popular pickups and Fender is using it in their contemporary series
Strats.
7. DiMarzio Pro PAF: DiMarzio produces this double coil humbucker for
Fender; it is used in the Sambora Signature and Floyd Rose Classic Series
guitars.
8. DiMarzio HS-3: this is a stacked coil humbucker. It takes the two coils
and mounts them vertically as opposed to horizontally. This pickup
therefore is single-coil sized and can be found on the Malmsteen signature
model.
d. Switches
There are two different types of pickup selector switches used on Fender
Strats: the 3-way and the 5-way.
Vintage type Strats will usually have the 3-way switch which gives Neck,
Middle, or Bridge pickup.
"Modern" Strats like the Strat Plus will have the 5-way switch which gives
the above three pickup modes as well as neck+middle and middle+bridge
combinations.
e. Nuts
There are two basic types of nuts in use by Fender:
1. Non-Locking: these nuts are usually made of cyclovac (an artificial
compound used to simulate bone) on the American Standard or some form of
plastic on lower end models. The Strat Plus series uses the new L.S.R.
nuts instead of the Wilkinson nuts. The L.S.R.'s are the same size as the
regular nuts however they have metallic and contain small ball-bearings
used to guide the strings. The Yngwie Malmsteen model uses a nut made from
brass.
2. Locking: the other half of the Floyd Rose double-locking system.
These nuts require an Allen Wrench to lock/unlock them and clamp down on
the strings to keep them better in tune.
II. Body Material
--------------------
There are several different wood types used by Fender in making Strats. A
short list follows below
1. Alder: used in several American guitars like the Strat Plus, Clapton,
and American Standard. Light weight (body weight about 4 lb.) with a full
sound.
2. Ash: the main type used by Fender USA is swamp ash because it provides
a light weight (body wt about 5 lb.) guitar with a balance of high and low
end.
3. Mahogany: Fender uses the Honduran variety on their set-neck series;
provides a moderate to heavy weight (body weight at least 5 lb.) with a
warm, full sound and good sustain; used in conjunction with a maple top to
add brightness.
4. Poplar: don9t know too much about this wood. It is probably available
in larger quantities than Alder so Fender is using it in some guitars.
5. Basswood: several Japanese reissue models use Basswood. Produces a
light (body wt less than 4 lb.) guitar though some people find the sound
to be too "dark". Basswood is a very soft wood and cannot handle a lot of
abuse (though who among us would abuse our guitars?).
New in
95: Aluminum bodies!!!! Previously, Fender had made some limited
runs of aluminum bodied Strats in the custom shop. Now, the American
Standard, Strat Plus, Strat Plus Deluxe, and Strat Ultra are all available
with hollowed out aluminum bodied w/ anodized finishes (finishes currently
available are: Blue Metal Burst, Violet Metal Burst, and Stars&Stripes).
III. Neck Material
---------------------
For Bolt-On Neck Strats, Fender uses Maple for the Neck. The fingerboard
material varies between:
1. maple: all maple neck; gives a clear "bright" sound.
2. rosewood: maple neck with rosewood veneer; gives a "warmer" sound
compared to the all maple neck. On some higher ticket Strats, Fender uses
Pao Ferro which is a more exotic species of rosewood.
3. ebony: maple neck with ebony veneer; gives a "bright" sound and is a
very "fast" neck (some people find it "slick" feeling).
With the Set-Neck (glued-in neck) Strats, Fender uses
1. maple/ebony neck with the Strat Ultra setup (see below).
2. maple/ebony neck with the Floyd Rose Vibrato system.
U.S. Stratocasters
-----------------------
U.S. Vintage Stratocasters are intended to be recreations of the models
which made the Strat and Fender famous. These guitars are not exact
copies of a
57 or
62 Strat; they give you the essence of an original
57
or
62 without the high price tag that an original would command.
57 Stratocaster [Maple fingerboard] single layer white pickguard
62 Stratocaster [Rosewood fingerboard] white/black/white pickguard
Both models: Alder Body, Nitrocellulose lacquer finish; "medium" neck with
a more curved 7.25" radius (good for chording), 21 vintage (small) frets,
; pickups have lacquer-coated windings; 3-position pickup switch (a 5-way
switch is included); nickel plated hardware, vintage vibrato bridge,
tuners and headstock logo.
Comments:
Jeff Templon: "I have played a '62 reissue and found it to be really
nice". nathan@laplace.biology.yale.edu: "the necks are actually quite
different from each other".
The American Standard is intended to be the modern version of the vintage
series Strat. They feature redesigned and upgraded hardware. They are
available in both right-handed and left-handed models (left handed models
do not have as many finish options available as the right handed models).
American Standard Stratocaster [Rosewood fingerboard]
American Standard Stratocaster [Maple fingerboard]
Contoured Alder (or Poplar in some cases) body in a variety of colors,
American Standard Pickups, Vibrato Bridge and Tuning Keys, satin finish
lightly tinted neck with a flatter 9.5 inch radius (good for bending),
vintage (spaghetti) logo, Master Volume, Neck Pickup Tone Control, Middle
& Bridge pickup TBX tone control, and 22 American Standard Frets (medium
- jumbo sized), Serial Number on the back of the headstock.
Comments:
The previous care takers both have Am Std and liked them.
I have one of these and like it a lot [-dt]. I have one too, and ditto [-jt].
The AM STD is frequently sighted as one of the "best buys" in a variety of
publications.
The Strat Plus series is intended to be the next step up from the American
Standard. They feature upgraded hardware but use the same necks and bodies
as the American Standard. The Strat Plus listed below is a right handed
guitar.
Strat Plus [maple fingerboard]
Strat Plus [rosewood fingerboard]
Contoured Alder (or Poplar in some cases) body in a variety of colors.
3 Gold Fender-Lace pickups (for a more vintage Strat sound), LSR nut,
locking tuners, Hipshot tremsetter, American Standard Vibrato Bridge,
satin finish neck with a flatter 9.5 inch radius (good for bending),
Master Volume, Neck Pickup Tone Control, Middle & Bridge pickup TBX tone
control, and 22 American Standard Frets (medium -jumbo sized).
The Strat Plus Deluxe has upgraded hardware and transparent finishes.
Strat Plus Deluxe [maple fingerboard]
Strat Plus Deluxe [rosewood fingerboard]
Contoured Alder (or Poplar in some cases) body with ash veneer on top and
back in a variety of translucent finishes. Neck pickup is a Blue FLS,
Middle is a Silver FLS , Bridge is a Red FLS, LSR nut, locking tuners,
Fender-Floyd Rose Vibrato Bridge, satin finish neck with a flatter 9.5
inch radius (good for bending), Master Volume, Neck Pickup Tone Control,
Middle & Bridge pickup TBX tone control, and 22 American Standard Frets
(medium - jumbo sized).
Comments:
I have one of the deluxe Strat + models, made in 1993 before they added
the Fender-Floyd rose bridge. It stays in tune well though it can9t
achieve the same "spaghetti strings" state that an original Floyd can. The
trem setter works great when setup properly; I9ve found that it holds the
bridge in place even with a broken string using 129s and only two springs.
The Blue FLS is a bit too dark in the neck position but the Silver & Red
FLS sound great.
The Strat Ultra is intended to be the ultimate Strat Plus.
U.S. Strat Ultra [Ebony Fretboard]
Contoured Alder body with maple veneer on top and back in a variety of
translucent finishes. Neck pickup is a Blue FLS, Middle is a Gold FLS ,
Bridge is a "Dually" (double) Red FLS with special toggle switch to
control operation, special 5-way switch, LSR nut, locking tuners,
Fender-Floyd Rose Vibrato Bridge, satin finish neck with a flatter 9.5
inch radius (good for bending), Master Volume, Neck Pickup Tone Control,
Middle & Bridge pickup TBX tone control, and 22 American Standard Frets
(medium - jumbo sized).
Comments:
I9ve got one of the earlier model ultras (gathering dust) with the old
Wilkinson nut-->the new LSR are (imho) much better; the maple tops Fender
is currently using are really not that attractive and in some cases you
wonder if they actually used a maple top but the ebony fretboard feels
nice.
The Floyd Rose Classic series combines a Floyd Rose vibrato system with an
American Standard guitar.
Floyd Rose Classic Stratocaster [maple fingerboard]
Floyd Rose Classic Stratocaster [rosewood fingerboard]
Contoured Alder body in a variety of colors,American Standard Pickups in
the neck and middle positions, DiMarzio Pro PAF in the bridge position,
Floyd Rose Original vibrato bridge and locking nut, vintage tuning keys,
satin finish lightly tinted neck with a flatter 9.5 inch radius (good for
bending), vintage (spaghetti) logo, Master Volume, Neck Pickup Tone
Control, Middle & Bridge pickup TBX tone control, and 22 American
Standard Frets (medium - jumbo sized).
Comments:
Changing strings is an adventure; best to set the bridge flat against the
body so you don9t have to bother tuning a floating Floyd. Floyds are great
fun for massive whammy bar usage; they stay in tune incredibly well.
Signature Series Strats are meant to be "just like" the guitar the artist
plays. All the Strats in this series feature Alder bodies (unless noted)
with bolt-on maple necks. Distinguishing characteristics are listed by
model.
Eric Clapton Strat: Active electronics (output booster), 3 gold FLS,
special neck shape, 9.5" radius maple fretboard with 22 frets, blocked
vintage vibrato bridge. This is probably the most popular of the signature
series.
Yngwie Malmsteen Strat: 2 DiMarzio HS-3 pickups (in neck & bridge
positions), Am STD single coil in middle, Am STD vibrato bridge, scalloped
maple or rosewood fretboard with 21 frets.
Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat: left-handed vintage vibrato bridge, gold
hardware, 3 Texas Special single coil Strat pickups, 12" radius Pao Ferro
fretboard with 21 jumbo frets.
Jeff Beck Strat: 4 gold FLS (bridge has a dual model with a mini-switch
to control single/double mode), large neck with 22 frets on a Pao Ferro
fretboard, LSR nut and locking tuners, deluxe Am STD vibrato bridge.
Robert Cray Strat: non-vibrato bridge, 3 vintage Strat pickups, 21
frets on a rosewood fretboard.
Richie Sambora Strat: active electronics, 2 Texas Special single coils
and 1 DiMarzio Pro PAF bridge humbucker, star inlays, 12" radius maple
neck with 22 frets, Floyd Rose Original vibrato.
Buddy Guy Strat: swamp ash body, active electronics, 3 Texas Special
single coils, 22 fret maple neck, vintage vibrato bridge.
Dick Dale Strat: this is a right handed model even though DD is a
lefty; left handed model is also available, 3 vintage Strat pickups,
reverse headstock, vintage vibrato bridge,
Bonnie Raitt Strat: swamp ash body, smaller neck size, 22 frets on a
rosewood fretboard, has the large headstock reminiscent of CBS-era Strats.
Custom Shop Strats
--------------------------
These guitars are built in the Fender custom shop and are made to order as
opposed to mass production technique of the American Standard. There are
three series: set-neck, contemporary and the classic.
Set-Neck Strats feature a glued-in neck as opposed to a bolt-on neck.
Mahogany body with figured maple top, glued-in maple neck with ebony
fretboard.
Set Neck Stratocaster: this model features the same electronics and
hardware as the Strat Ultra (i.e. 4 FLS, deluxe Strat bridge, locking
tuners, LSR nut).
Set Neck Floyd Rose Stratocaster: this guitar has a reverse headstock,
black hardware, volume and master TBX tone control, AM STD single coil
pickups in the neck & middle positions, DiMarzio custom PAF Pro humbucker
in the bridge position, and a Floyd Rose pro double locking vibrato
system.
Contemporary Series:
Strat Special: this is a cross between an American Standard and a
vintage model Strat. The neck has an oval shape, 22 Am Std frets, 9.5"
radius. The body is Poplar with an Ash veneer. 2 single coils pickups and
a bridge humbucker (with coil splitter), volume and two tone controls
(neck & middle pickups). Black hardware and a vintage bridge.
Contemporary Series: new for
95
Carved Top Strat [maple or rosewood fretboard]
Contoured swamp Ash body with a highly figured carved maple top. Texas
Special Pickups in the neck and middle positions, Seymour Duncan "JB"
humbucker in the bridge position, Fender-Floyd Rose vibrato bridge, LSR
nut and locking keys, lightly figured maple neck, Master Volume, master
TBX tone control, and 22 American Standard Frets (medium - jumbo sized).
Contemporary Strat [maple or rosewood fretboard]
Smaller Contoured Alder body in a variety of colors (including Shoreline
Gold!!!), Texas Special Pickups in the neck and middle positions, Seymour
Duncan "JB" humbucker in the bridge position, Fender-Floyd Rose vibrato
bridge, LSR nut and locking keys, lightly figured oval shaped maple neck,
Master Volume, master TBX tone control, pearloid pickguard and 22
American Standard Frets (medium - jumbo sized).
Contemporary Strat FMT [maple or rosewood fretboard]
Smaller Contoured Alder body with a Flamed Maple Top in a variety of
colors, Texas Special Pickups in the neck and middle positions, Seymour
Duncan "JB" humbucker in the bridge position, Fender-Floyd Rose vibrato
bridge, LSR nut and locking keys, lightly figured oval shaped maple neck,
Master Volume, Neck Pickup Tone Control, Middle & Bridge pickup TBX tone
control, pearloid pickguard, and 22 American Standard Frets (medium -
jumbo sized).
Classic Series: These are custom shop produced Strats. The vintage models
(54 & 60) are intended to be reproductions of that year9s model.
54 Strat: Ash body with a lightly figured, soft-V shaped maple neck,
9.5" neck radius, 21 vintage (small) frets, volume & 2 tone controls, 3
custom shop 50's vintage single coil pickups.
54 Strat FMT: Ash body with a flamed maple top, lightly figured,
soft-V shaped maple neck, 9.5" neck radius, 21 vintage (small) frets,
volume & 2 tone controls, 3 custom shop 50's vintage single coil pickups.
60 Strat: Alder body with a lightly figured, C shaped maple neck with
rosewood fretboard, painted headstock, tortoise shell pickguard, 9.5"
neck radius, 21 vintage (small) frets, volume & 2 tone controls, 3 Texas
Special single coil pickups.
60 Strat FMT: Alder body with a flamed maple top, a lightly figured, C
shaped maple neck with rosewood fretboard, painted headstock, tortoise
shell pickguard, 9.5" neck radius, 21 vintage (small) frets, volume & 2
tone controls, 3 Texas Special single coil pickups.
American Classic: this is an American Standard Strat made in the custom
shop. The main component differences between this guitar and the American
Standard are 3 Texas Special pickups, stainless steel bridge saddles, and
different finishes.
57 Stratocaster Left-Handed: pretty much the same as the right-handed
models except for 3 Texas Special pickups and 9.5" neck radius.
62 Stratocaster Left-Handed: pretty much the same as the right-handed
models except for 3 Texas Special pickups and 9.5" neck radius.
------------------------------------------------End of USA made Strats
Reissue Stratocasters: The Japanese Reissue Stratocasters are intended to
be "good deal" reproductions of old-model Stratocasters. They have
Basswood bodies and Maple necks with 7.25" radius. Volume and 2 Tone
controls (neck & middle pickups) and 3 single coil pickups.
Reissue 50's Stratocaster: V-shaped maple neck, single-layer white
pickguard, skunk stripe on back of neck and headstock plug.
Reissue 60's Stratocaster: u-shaped neck with rosewood-slab
fretboard, and triple-layer pickguard (white/black/white).
'68 Stratocaster: large CBS-era headstock, transition (macaroni) logo,
u-shaped neck, triple layer pickguard (w/b/w).
'72 Stratocaster: large CBS-era headstock, CBS-era logo, three-bolt
neck, bullet truss rod, u-shaped neck, triple layer pickguard (w/b/w).
Paisley finished Stratocaster: same as
72 except has the "wall paper"
finish (paisley design wallpaper is applied to the body and sealed w/
clear coats).
Foto-Flame finished Stratocaster: a 60's reissue Strat with Alder body
and foto-flame finished Basswood cap, neck is also foto-flame finished.
Standard Series: poplar body "standard" versions of the Strat; bolt-on 21
fret, 9.5" radius maple neck w/ shallow U shape, 3 single coil pickups, 5
way switch, volume & 2 tone controls, vintage vibrato bridge.
Standard Stratocaster [Rosewood fingerboard]
Standard Stratocaster [Maple fingerboard]
Standard Stratocaster [Left handed w/ Rosewood fretboard only]
These are the ones you typically see on sale. I have heard that the
Standards are no longer made at all in Japan [-jt]. The Mexican
Standards that I have played seem to be very nice guitars,
especially for the money [-jt]. I have had professional player
friends tell me the same thing.
Squier series Stratocasters
-------------------------------
Fender Squire Series: poplar body "affordable" versions of the Strat;
bolt-on 21 fret, 9.5" radius maple neck, 3 single coil pickups, 5 way
switch, volume & 2 tone controls, vintage-style vibrato bridge.
Fender Squire Stratocaster [Rosewood fingerboard]
Fender Squire Stratocaster [Maple fingerboard]
Fender Squire Stratocaster [Left handed w/ Rosewood fretboard only]
Squire & Squire II series:econoline guitars; bolt-on maple neck with 10"
radius rosewood fretboard; 3 single coil pickups, 5 way switch, volume & 2
tone controls, vintage-style vibrato bridge.
Squier Standard Stratocaster [21 fret]
Squire Bullet SRS Stratocaster [22 fret]
Very inexpensive Korean instruments made with cheap plywood bodies and
cheap hardware. There are some people (a "cult following"?) who prefer
these guitars to the Fender models, once the pickups have been
replaced. [-dt, jt]
The Squier name comes from a manufacturer of strings that CBS bought in the
late 60's. Fender uses it for their cheap instruments, so as to cash in on
the low end of the market, but keeping the business somewhat separate from
their main market.
Some Commonly-Asked Questions About Stratocasters:
--------------------------------------------------
Q: How can I tell if they are "American" Stratocasters?
A: There are several locations to check. Look for the guitar9s serial
number. The Strat Plus used to have its serial number on the headstock.
Under the "Stratocaster" logo, it says "Made in America". It would appear
that starting in 1995 all American Strats like the American Standard,
Floyd Rose Classic have the serial number on the back of the headstock
and "made in America" appears on the back of the headstock. On the current
Japanese 509s and 609s reissue Strats, the serial number appears on the
back on the neck near the body. There is also a "made in Japan" notice
near the serial number.
In some cases, the serial number can reveal the country of origin. During
the CBS regime, Strats made from the mid-709s on had a serial number
starting with S# where S denotes the "Seventies" decade and # denotes the
year so S8 would have been made in 1978 (roughly). During the 809s, the
serial numbers switched over to E#. However, in 1983 when CBS sold Fender
to its current ownership, there was a period when there were no American
made Fenders. Fender was retooling its factory during this period and was
selling off old stock and Japanese made guitars. So there are Strats with
serial numbers beginning with E# that were made in Japan (and it says so
on the headstock). However, now American made Strats like the American
Standard and Strat Plus will have E# or N# (for "Nineties") and are made
in America. Vintage Series (57 & 62) will have a serial number starting
with V and signature series will have serial numbers starting with the
initials of the artist.
Q: What is the difference between a rosewood neck and a maple neck?
A: Actually, both versions have a maple neck; the rosewood fretboard is
added on top of the maple piece. There are two important differences:
first the maple is usually smoother and harder due to the fact that there's
a finish over it while the rosewood fingerboard is bare, so there is a
different feel when you play the guitar. Secondly, the woods have
different physical properties, so the way they carry the vibrations is
different, which gives the guitar a different sound. Most people say the
maple-neck models sound "brighter" and the rosewood-models "warmer".
Q: Why the difference in the neck radii?
A: Leo originally designed the curved neck to be easier to chord, while
more recently a less radical curve is in demand to allow more extreme
string bending without "fretting out". The original and reissue models
have a 7.5-inch radius while the American Standard has a 9.5-inch radius.
Q: What's a TBX tone control?
A: Fender claims that the TBX tone control is an advanced design tone
control that can not only roll off the highs, but boost them as well.
Specifically between full counter clockwise and the center ditente it acts
like a normal tone control and between the center detent and full clockwise
it boosts the highs. Actually at full clockwise it's effectively out of
the circuit, as you turn it toward center it shunts the pickup with an 82K
ohm resistor, and from center down to full counterclockwise it shunts the
pickup with a capacitor like a standard tone control. So it doesn't boost
the highs at all. I don't like the TBX myself; being a double ganged
control it's more difficult to spin with your pinkie, and the interesting
part of the adjustment range is all cramped between 2 and 3 or so. [-dt]
Q: What's the out-of-phase position?
A: A misnomer, the pickups aren't really out of phase. The original
Stratocaster had a 3-position pickup switch that would choose only one
pickup on at a time and folks eventually discovered that they could get two
additional neat sounds by rocking the switch in between positions 1 and 2
and between positions 2 and 3. (This is because Leo correctly chose a
make-before-break switch.) Soon 5-position switches were readily available
in the parts market, and soon after that Stratocaster came equipped with
5-position switches as standard equipment.
These two addition positions soon became known as out-of-phase positions
because the nasal sound of two pickups on in phase and physically located a
couple inches from each other is superficially similar to the sound of the
neck and bridge pickups on a two pickup instrument on out-of-phase. And
the name has stuck. [-dt]
Q: What's the deal with the middle pickup?
A: The middle pickup on current model Stratocasters (with standard pickups)
has its magnets mounted opposite to the other two (north pole up vs.
south pole up), inverting the polarity of the signal, and is wired with its
electrical connections swapped, inverting the polarity back again. Doesn't
sound too useful at first, but when the middle pickup is on at the same
time one of the other pickups is on (positions two and four on the selector
switch), hum and noise from external sources will cancel. This is the
hum bucking principle. Most guitars with two single coil pickups also do
this (i.e.., the Telecaster, Jaguar, Jazz Bass, etc.). [-dt]
Q: What's a Lace Sensor Pickup?
A: A Fender Lace Sensor pickup is a standard single coil pickup that, because of
its design, is less sensitive to hum and noise than typical single coil
pickups. It sounds similar, but not exactly like, standard Fender single
coil pickups. They're available in four models (Gold, Silver, Blue, Red)
with different tonality. The Lace Sensors only come in one magnetic
polarity, so the middle pickup hack mentioned above doesn't
apply. [-dt]
Q: What's the deal with the tone controls?
A: The original Stratocaster and current vintage reissue model have the
first tone control connected to the neck pickup (and thus in effect only
when the neck pickup is selected), the second tone control connected to the
middle pickup (and in effect only when the middle pickup is selected), and
the bridge pickup runs without a tone control. Modern Stratocasters have
the second tone control in effect for both the middle and bridge pickups.
[-dt]
Q: Does the wood used in the guitar matter? Which wood is used?
A: [courtesy Christian Sebeke <cseb@frodo.lfi.uni-hannover.de>]
Woods that have been used to make Stratocasters include ash, alder,
poplar, and basswood. The alder-bodied guitars are the "normal"
Stratocasters, ash having been used in some early models and
poplar or basswood in some of the Japanese/Mexican/Korean versions.
[note - any more information from wood experts is welcome]
In the opinion of some luthiers, poplar is close to basswood.
The basic sound of a guitar made from Alder is warm with a good amount
of presence without being too extreme in the top. The Poplar is not as
popular as the name might suggest. The sound is not characteristic, but
a bit more bright than basswood. Poplar is quite soft.
Q: What is the difference between changing string gauges, tightening
the trem screws (accessible on a Strat from behind the guitar),
or adding more springs (also accessible from behind) in trying
to set up your Strat's tremolo system?
A: I'll not write up the physics details, but ... in this situation,
the difference between adjusting the number of springs vs.
adjusting the screws is that the fewer springs you have,
the "spongier" your trem action will be. That is, it will
take less force for you to change the pitch of the strings
by a given amount. This goes for both ways, either raising
or lowering the pitch! It is easy to see why this works
with lowering the pitch (then you pull against the spring),
but I was surprised about getting the same answer when
raising the pitch.
A related effect is that if you choose the few-spring option,
then your guitar will be more apt to go out of tune when
you bend notes. I don't mean "lose tune" so that you must
retune, I mean that if you play one open note and bend another
at the same time, the open note will go out of tune because
you've moved the bridge by increasing string tension with
your bend.
The effect of the string gauge is to increase the string tension;
thus if you have your trem setup and you put on heavier strings,
you'll either have to tighten the trem screws or add more springs to
keep your same trem setup position.
A final note: the number of springs may affect your guitar's
tone! You are changing the way that the string vibrations
are transmitted to the wood of the body when you add
or remove springs. A professional player told me [jt] once
that's why he doesn't use a non-tremolo Strat, even though
he hardly ever touches the tremolo bar ... "you've got
this hollowed-out area in the wood with all this metal
in it ... that's why a Stratocaster sounds like it does."
After that, you should also check the bridge intonation (the distance
between the nut, and the string saddle).
Q: How do I tell when my possibly valuable Stratocaster was made?
A: The below part of the FAQ has been contributed by Christian Sebeke
and Pasi Korhonen, and answers ALOT of these questions.
Version 2.3.2 , 27.01.93, 9.00
FAQ: Please date my Strat.
Introduction
Stratocasters were built since 1953 and it is quite difficult to
exactly recover the birthday of your guitar. The manufacturing dates
of the parts for the Stratocaster and the final assembly may differ
significantly. Necks are usually stamped with their manufacturing date
on the end that fits into the body and faces towards the pickups.
Bodies were also stamped, but the digits are usually hidden under the
pickguard and covered with paint. For a first idea we would call it
convenient to hang on to the serial numbering scheme to determine the
manufacturing year of a Strat although it is easy to exchange neck
plates. You will have to disassemble the guitar to find the definitive
(neck) age. If you want to know a bit more, there is a book that deals
with nearly all details on Strats, it's called "The Fender
Stratocaster" by A.R. Duchossoir (see reference above.) One could
also recommend Tony Bacon and Paul Days book: "The Fender Book", A
complete History of Fender Electric Guitars, Balafon, London 1992 (We
don't have it yet, so no comment). If you really want to dig vintage
guitars of any kind, try George Gruhn and Walter Carter: "Gruhn's
guide to Vintage Guitars", GPI Books, SF, 1991. Not so many pictures,
but more numbering information. Also "American Guitars" by Tom
Wheeler is a good book for the guitar lover. He has several sections
and tons of pictures on all American guitar manufacturers along with
some information on dating Fenders and Gibsons. ISBN 0-06-273154-8
paperback, revised and updated edition, Harper Perennial, NY 1992
The authors [cs,pk] think that it is a pity that old Strats are getting
sold to people who don't use them to enrich the world of music, but to
enrich themselves. There may be talents that would have grown to a better
playing using an old but well crafted reasonably priced guitar. So be aware
of your instrument's value and think twice before giving it away to someone
who does not know how to play it. We don't include prices here, but if you
buy or sell a guitar be aware of the following facts: Every modification
lowers the price, also refinishing. Special models and original custom
colors may raise it significantly.
Note
ALWAYS USE THIS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT!!! THERE MAY BE
INCONSISTENCIES.
IF YOU DATED YOUR STRAT PLEASE SEND A NOTE TO THE AUTHORS
ALONG WITH AS
MUCH INFORMATION ON YOUR GUITAR AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY
REGARDING THE
SUBJECTS MENTIONED BELOW. WE WILL COLLECT THEM AND MERGE
THEM TO THE
COMING VERSIONS OF THE FAQ.
pkor@phoenix.oulu.fi
cs@frodo.lfi.uni-hannover.de
Questionnaire (We would appreciate at least the first three items):