| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 241.1 | Blackie | CSSE::CLARK | wear your love like headphones | Wed May 13 1987 10:45 | 16 |
| re: Blackie
In a GP interview last year, Clapton said Blackie is really made
up of parts of several old Strats. He said he was in some music
store in 69 or so and the guy had a ton of old strats and teles
for 100 bucks apiece, so he bought them all. Blackie is made up
of parts of those.
My understanding is that the Fender EC strat will have some kind
of on-board compression or chorus. It was written up in the recent
GP issue on the NAMM convention.
The difference between the old Fenders has to do with (among other
things) the shape and feel of the necks. Some gurus will fill in
more detail here, I'm sure.
-Dave
|
| 241.2 | To add my 2-cents-worth | IOSG::CREASY | Close the Curtains, Geoffrey, I'm Amphibious | Wed May 13 1987 11:23 | 15 |
| RE:-1
Yup, that's what I heard about Blackie, too...
As for different vintages of Strat, the most obvious difference
is the design of scratch plate (honestly!). On the 57 (?) ones,
they're a single thickness of plastic, with (n) screws, on later
ones, they're a laminated white/black pickguard with (n+2?) screws...
Now that you're none the wiser...
Nick
|
| 241.3 | neck mounting | LYMPH::LAMBERT | Charmed, I'm sure... | Wed May 13 1987 11:30 | 5 |
| Wasn't there some point in Strat history that they changed from a "three
screw" neck mounting to a "four screw" (or the other way around)? Anyone
know what model year(s) that change went into place?
-- Sam
|
| 241.4 | Fingerboards, Pickguards and Sunbursts | AQUA::ROST | But are they friendly spirits? | Wed May 13 1987 16:37 | 28 |
|
OK, I'm no expert but correct me if I'm wrong...
54 Strat...didn't know Fender made such an animal in the vintage
series , Teles though
57 Strat...maple fingerboard, non-laminated pickguard, two-color
sunbursts
62 Strat...rosewood fingerboard, laminated pickguard, three color
sunbursts
All *vintage* models come with tweed cases as standard equipment.
New US "standard" Strat...tremelo looks like the old one but has
been redesigned (somehow),also some changes in neck(ads not specific
here)...cheaper than vintage models
Jap Strat...similar to US model but old-style tremelo and neck
(whatever that means)
As far as things like neck radius, pickup models, etc. who knows.
Fender couldn't make this more confusing if they tried to.
Maybe they will print a new catalog soon and actually show what
they are and aren't making. If you think this is bad, try to figure
out what they are doing with *basses*.
|
| 241.5 | Stwatocasters | HAMSTR::PELKEY | on information overload | Wed May 13 1987 17:06 | 33 |
| re: The necks...
What a coincedence, I've been in the Strat Market myself for a few
years now. Was real disapointed with anything made after 65.
The older Strat necks, 54 especially, are a little chunkier than the later
model issues. Not fat mind you, just a little thick on the top
half.
54 to 60 series Strats are up and over 1500 dollars. Heavy price
to pay for a guitar with 'DUDE' scratched on the back with a camp
knife, (no lie. I'v seen some barbequed strats, and the guys
usually want big bucks for them.)
I was in Mr. C's in Marlboro, asking Jim if he knew where there
were some decnet early 70 series around.
He handed me a 54 Vintage Series Tokai. Said close your eyes and
try this. I fell in complete love with it. Bought it.
It is so close in sound and feel that I was stunned.
Fernadies makes a vintage series also, but it's not as good as the
vintage Tokai. Paid about 400 with the tweed case. I couldn't
live with 1500 dollars for a 25 year old, beat to snot, (as they
usually are) fender.
So, my advice to you is ,,, Check out the Tokai AST 54 series.
You'll be surprised. I've had old strats, new strats, old teles,
etc... I hate to sound pompus but one thing I know about is the
feel and sound of a strat. I used to say, if it's not a pre-cbs,
forget it. How quickly I was proved wrong.
|
| 241.6 | | MTBLUE::BOTTOM_DAVID | | Thu May 14 1987 11:06 | 39 |
| A number of differences between the different years...many of them
primarily comsmetic. Sahpe of the headstock etc.
Necks: Necks vary widely from year to year and even within the same
year....if your lucky enough to have a Kubricki neck on a early
70's strat you've got a nice neck...at one time Fender made a "v"
neck for strats....instead of being round on the back it was slightly
pointed in the center of the back...thus the "v" neck..like my
Washburn has...
Neck mounting: 4 screws were used until '72-'73....Leo (under contract
to CBS as a consultant) came up with the idea of a 3 hole neck mounting
scheme that had the micro-tilt adjustment...essentially the neck
is held on by 2 screws...the third holds the neck by bolting thru
the body to a metal plate on the back of the neck..there is an
allen wrench adjustment to set the tilt of the neck..doing away
withthe shims used on the 4 screw mounted necks....making neck
adjustment faster 'cuz you don't have to remove the neck to adjust
it. Also making the neck easier to pull up and down becuse 2 screws
can't hold it very well...if you don't power chord, slam the neck
aroudn or move on stage this is no problem...me I always had trouble
with this...I fixed my two fenders by shiming the neck so tight
it had to be put in the body with a mallet....it doesn't move anymore.
They've used differnet woods for the body over the years etc.
The vintage reissues I've played have all been nice guitars. Can't
speak for tokai, never played one....but I would not own a Fernandez
based on the few that I've played.
I have a '73 strat that I love...the neck supposidly is one of the
Kubriki necks....it plays great and sounds great....although I did
replace the pickups with hot stacks.
Vintage strats are excpensive but obviously in Mass they go for
much more than here.....but I still wouldn't pay 700-800 for an
old strat....its not worth it to me.
dave
|
| 241.7 | Fender Issues "Clapton" Strat | AQUA::ROST | Four strings are better than six | Fri Jun 19 1987 12:37 | 13 |
|
Fender will be issuing an "Eric Clapton model" Strat soon, using
a design by Fender's Dan Smith which Clapton is currently using,
having replaced the legendary "Blackie".
The Strat will have a V-shaped neck, similar to '57 vintage models,
three Alnico II magnet pickups and (!!) active electronics.
The three knobs will be master volume, TBX (active tone control)
and a mid boost to give a humbucker-like tone.
Price will be somewhere over $1000.
|
| 241.8 | I wanna black left handed strat! | ERASER::BUCKLEY | No Substitute for Arrogance | Fri Jun 19 1987 16:20 | 7 |
| re -1:
Do you know if they plan to offer a left handed version of that??
Would be neat...
WJB
|
| 241.9 | Anyone know? | COLORS::BUSENBARK | | Fri Jun 19 1987 17:54 | 4 |
| I wonder if the active electronics are the same as what is sold
by EMG which offers a prewired strat setup/pickguard with midrange boost.Which
are the same electronics that Larry Carlton use's in his Valley Art's electric
guitars.(strat style)
|
| 241.10 | Clapton model will have Fender electronics | AQUA::ROST | Four strings are better than six | Mon Jun 22 1987 09:51 | 7 |
|
Re: -.9
The article was not specific but suggested the circuit was of Fender
design rather than purchased outside.
|
| 241.11 | Happy strat owner's comments | GLIND1::VALASEK | | Mon Jun 22 1987 18:36 | 68 |
| My own two cents......
I would offer this : rather than buy a strat for 1) the model year or
2) vintage re-issue or 3) the fact the Robert Cray uses an American
Standard Strat or 4) they are going to make a Clapton "blackie"
copy, Buy a strat that FEELS RIGHT ! I have played some vintage
re-issues that can't hold a candle to my 84 strat. On the other
hand, I have played some new strats that feel better than my 84.
As most of you already know, Strats bought in late 84 were made
in Japan. I have no complaints, and I am happy with it.
Yes indeed, I am as sentimental as the next guy, and I like Clapton
and Cray, but let's face it. A Fender marketing ploy is no reason
to run out and buy a new strat or whatever. Now if you find a "blackie"
strat that feels good or a Robert Cray-American standard,
BUY IT ! I certainly would, and you would get the best of both
worlds. However, I would try and compare all models of strat that
you can find (and like) and pick the best one, Japanese models
included.
I do know though that some new Fender strats are coming equipped
with an actual Kahler tremolo system. Before they used some kind
of tremolo that "kind of" looked like a Kahler, but I am not sure
who the actual manufacturer was. I have also played an American
Standard Strat and I like it very much. Much more than some vintage
re-issues I have played. But this is my OPINION, and I have certainly
NOT tried all the vintage re-issues available.
This is what I think Fender is up to :
1. Strats made in U.S. prior to 1984 were too expensive, Fender
had to address a couple of issues. Find a cheaper way to manufacture
strats and compete with the strat copies. Enter Fender Japan and
Squire made by Fender Japan. In late 84 you could buy a Fender Japan
strat for 350.00 and a Squire strat for 250.00.
2. So now Fender is making Japanese strats, but wait, people want
that vintage U.S.A. Fender so enter re-issues made in U.S.A. Now
prior to that, there were available vinatage re-issues made in Japan.
But I don't believe they were ever made available in the U.S.A.
3. The U.S.A. issue doesn't go away, blues is coming back. What
better time to manufacture a new American Standard Strat that
is personally endorsed by an upcoming blues guitarist (Robert Cray).
He even plays it on the video "Right next door". Now this model
comes in right at 499.00 retail, still affordable and the same as
the list price on the Japanese strats. The difference is that the
Japanese strats have the system I tremolo and American standard
has a "new revolutionary" design tremolo without the locking nut.
This design is supposed to solve tuning problems associated with
the vinatage tremolo design.
4. Now since Clapton is kind of "hot" right now and he has retired
"blackie", what a neat time to come out with yet another endorsed
Fender model.
You've got to hand it to Fender, they are marketing-wise. I think
they learned a lesson from history. Remember when CBS took over
Fender ? Well soon after that, Strat sales sagged and the future
looked a little bleak. Enter Jimi Hendrix, all of a sudden strat
sales pick up, then comes Ritchie Blackmore, Eric Clapton who switched
from Gibson, etc. etc. etc. and the story continues.....
I know this is long, but it's hard to stop when you are on a roll....
Thanks for indulging me,
Tony
|
| 241.12 | | BAXTA::BOTTOM_DAVID | | Fri Jul 10 1987 13:40 | 6 |
| re: active electronics
The THX or whatever it is called is a Fender circuit, included in
the past on the elite series of strats and tele's
dave
|
| 241.13 | Strat Mania in GP | AQUA::ROST | The old fart was breathing freely | Tue Jul 14 1987 14:56 | 6 |
|
The latest issue of Guitar Player has a cover story, "Strat Mania"
which among other things goes into great detail as to what the various
differences were in the Strat from 54 to 64. The most interesting
part is that there were a lot of oddball variations that were never
fully documented. The article is a must read for Strat lovers.
|
| 241.14 | | MTBLUE::BOTTOM_DAVID | Not so famous rock star | Mon Sep 14 1987 07:32 | 9 |
| I don't know if you're still shopping but I wanted to say that I
finally played a couple of ESP strats. One was the very basic strat
copy, it was a good guitar nothing to write home about...the other
was more top of the lineish, it had EMG pickups (1 humbucking two
single coil) a Floyd rose tremelo bar very fancy finish, cherry
sunburst with a rosewood neck. This guitar I like very much..so
much that I'm considering where I can get the $800 to buy it....
dave
|
| 241.15 | E.C. Strat Opinion! | SALEM::ABATELLI | On the dark side of the moon | Thu Dec 15 1988 17:15 | 12 |
|
I tried the E.C. Strat today at Music Workshop in Salem, N.H.
The neck was alot wider than my 1969 Strat and was "v" shaped as
well. Quite a different animal actually! Not a bad guitar, just
different. The price shock the pants off me though! $1050. w/case!!!
My opinion? Nice guitar, but for that price, I'd have a hard time
justifing its purchase. True, the tone is very good. Different from
my old Strat, but not a really BIG difference. Not $1050. worth
of difference! JMO remember!
Fred
|
| 241.16 | | DNEAST::BOTTOM_DAVID | Everyday I got the blues | Fri Dec 16 1988 08:00 | 6 |
| this was the new one with the new pickups? I'm interested in these
new pickups as they are supposed to be quite good...
anybody know anything about the pickups?
dbii
|
| 241.17 | here's a start! | VIDEO::BUSENBARK | | Fri Dec 16 1988 08:51 | 10 |
| The pickup's are called Lace Golden sensors and they can be
found on the Fender Strat Plus also. I've heard they are available
individually,but I have not heard any price information. They do
not have quite the edge that the american std strat has.
BTW, I was also told that Fender did not develope the TBX tone
circuitry and the pickup's were a variation of another company's
pickup.....
The difference between the electronics of a Strat Plus and a
EC Model is in an active preamp in the EC model. A Strat Plus would
would be a good addition to any strat collection.
|
| 241.18 | what about the wood | CECV01::COCONIS | | Fri Jun 09 1989 15:35 | 3 |
| How come nobodys mentioned the aging process of the wood for the
"57" sound. This brings to life the sound of the guitar, and "what
a sound"!! The Guitar screams!!!!!!
|