Stratocaster turns 60 but for its musician fans, it never gets old

[G_j]

Last edited Thu Feb 13, 2014, 10:32 PM - Edit history (1)

Stratocaster players such as Jeff Beck, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, the Edge and Buddy Guy sing praises for the electric guitar and its perfectly modern design, which turns 60 this year.

By Randy Lewis
February 13, 2014, 6:00 a.m.

Rock guitar hero Jeff Beck remembers falling in love for the first time.

"I'd only ever seen Spanish-style or jazz guitars, and then I saw a Stratocaster," said Beck, 69, of his schoolboy crush. "I was fascinated by the shape, the double cutaways; it was all too cool. It had all these pickups and knobs and controls — it embodied all the excitement of modern living.

"A few years later I saw one in London hanging in a window, and the guy let me try it on," said the former member of the Yardbirds. "It fit me like it was made for me. That was it — we were married. I thought 'This is it,' and I never forgot it."

Virtually all musicians have a similar story surrounding their first high-quality instrument, and for many guitarists, that tender memory revolves around the Stratocaster.

The Strat, which was created by electric guitar innovator Leo Fender in his Fullerton workshop, turns 60 this year.

..more..

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-stratocaster-60th-20140213,0,3072085.story#ixzz2tFfltZ90

Stars and their Stratocasters,

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-stratocaster-celebrities-photos,0,60116.photogallery#axzz2tFg7Ej6B

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[dionysus]

1. ever since i bought my SG, i haven't touched my strat. i feel like i'm cheating on the poor thing...

[1000words]

5. Fine choice

I like the heavy bottom SGs produce, but I am partial to the clear, bright tones from Strats and Teles.

[G_j]

6. wish I could afford

a good hybrid style (Fender-Gibson) ala Garcia.
I'm a Strat player at this point.

[johnp3907]

2. I love the sounds of the Strat.

But don't like the feel. They just don't "fit me," or something.

[stevil]

4. Same here....

They have such a unique sound but can be a little more challenging to play.

[dionysus]

21. how so more challenging to play?

[icymist]

23. I think it's because of the thicker neck.

I grew up playing telecasters and stratocasters and then one day tried a Les Paul. Right off, I noticed that the neck is slimer and when I played it, it was as if it would be playing itself! I liked that for a little while when I was learning to play like Randi Roades, but eventually went back to the strat. Besides, a worn down maple neck on the old Fenders looks way cool!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Road-Worn-50s-Telecaster-Electric-Guitar-Blonde-/300927721060

[TwilightGardener]

3. Two Strats in my household.

Husband's and son's prized possessions, along with all their effects pedals and whatnot. Thank God for basements.

[panader0]

7. Maybe someday--I love my Gibson ES335

[reddread]

8. will live forever, but Fender Stratocasters died a long time ago, Romney and Bain raped the dead

its horrible what became of such an American icon.
Past 1984 they were never the same, no matter how precisely duplicated.
Really fond of the Fender Leads they put out before the end.
four of those should be enough, but...
Quite a few Elites, and an 83 body to beat on.
They built some great necks back then.
wouldnt be caught dead with a 22 fret Strat.

[Lizzie Poppet]

17. G&L Lecacy = the true "new" Strats.

The Legacy is where Leo wanted to take the design, and they're better Strats than, um...Strats. I've moved away from Strats (and to an ES-335 and a G&L SC2), but if I was going to get another of that iconic design, it'd be the Legacy.

That said, Fender's Custom Shop is making some very good instruments (and grossly overcharging for them). You can still get Strat and Tele pickups wound by Abigail Ybarra, although Abby retired last year, so they're starting to get rare (and crazy expensive).

[reddread]

20. well, the strat looks beautiful and does its own thing just right

but the Telecaster is the best of all guitars.
The last of the Lead III's are incredibly nice, utterly professional tools.
But something about the single pickup original Lead I's has a significant, gutsy edge.
Fender produced many incredible instruments.
Until Japan wiped them out, and now Bain has China and Indonesia grinding out mockeries with sticker finishes.
Fortunately, plenty of talented Americans are building great pieces, and if you want an American Strat or Tele,
those luthiers can do the job.
All those cheap overseas numbers are going to drive the real pieces out of reach, price wise.
Seriously recommend grabbing a nice Lead before the world catches on completely.

[Scuba]

9. I learned on a Strat, taking advantage of the light feel (strung with 9-42's) ...

... to play despite having arthritis in my left hand. I was 61 when I started lessons.

Mine's wine, and I'm very pleased with it ...

[G_j]

10. have the same color

'92

[panader0]

11. Ain't it fun? I play daily, and have 12 or so guitars. Each is different, feel and voice.

[Zorra]

12. I use a customized hard tail strat with Texas Specials at the neck and middle

and a Delta Tone at the bridge. I love pure strat tone and use it on most of what I play. I just had it set up by Gene Matisko and it has never played better, he's really a genius at building and setting up guitars.

This is what it sounds like through a 40W Marshall Tube combo, almost clean.

[L0oniX]

13. plugged into one of these...

[calimary]

14. Dang! Love it!!!!!!

[mulsh]

15. I inherited a '62 Strat. the original pick ups and hardware are stored it's got replica

hardware and a very old very nice set of Joe Barden Strat pickups since it was the original owner's gigging guitar.
It doesn't take much to get it back to stock condition, but I hate knocking 3 position switched out of place. Its a pretty valuable instrument but since I will never sell it I tell people who ask that its worth about $1.00.

I got a Mexican made Strat made in '92. It has the most responsive pots and pick ups of any strat I've played.Believe it or not I can get great tone with all the nobs set around 1. I'll never sell that one either.

these days I mostly play a Les Paul but I'll always love my strats.

[Brother Buzz]

16. My hero as I became older was the great Leo Fender because he made one of the first guitars....

to hold up in a bar fight. - Charlie Deal

[The Midway Rebel]

18. Cool article, it should have mentioned Freddie Tavares though.

Freddie Tavares was more responsible for the design of the Strat than Leo. Leo is a business man and designed the Telecaster. Freddie was an actual guitarist. When you hold a Tele and then a Strat, you can tell it who designed what.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Tavares

[G_j]

19. nice photos

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[NoGOPZone]

22. as is the one in your post

His own playing is too often overlooked

[Zorra]

24. Here's a pic of my partner.

"Wait a minute something's wrong here,
Lord, have mercy, this key won't unlock this door,
something's goin' on here.
I have a bad bad feeling
that my baby don't live here no more.

That's all right, I still got my guitar"