@@EmilioConesa in all seriousness I bought my friends 92 squire strat for $80 just a few months before he passed. The one with a big Fender logo and the tiny Squire logo that was easily removed lol. That one stays stock. I touch up the wiring every now and then but that’s it. I’d trade every guitar I have for another day with him again though.
I bought a ‘75 back in ‘76 for $275. It’s still my favorite guitar. But dayum man, you got a real pre-BS Strat for $250 around the same time? Is your friend still a friend? (KIDDING-sort of). I bought mine in a local guitar shop. They had a’66 on the wall next to it for $1,100. Remember, this is back in ‘76 as I was graduating from college at the time and $275 was a huge amount of money for a 21-year-old kid. Cheers.
Do you make YT videos by chance? If I wasn't so lazy, and it was easier to find the older cats who bought the classics new, in order to have them hold the guitar, pick it a little bit, and talk about when they bought it, and tell stories about it through the years. IDK, to me, that stuff just interests me and I could listen to stories like that all day.
It's because Leo was able to think outside of the soundbox. Players are often too close to the trees to see the forest. Imagination + Perspective = the Potential for Genius.
I heard a well-known pup winder say Leo didn’t care about tone. He was just cheap and it was pure luck. I lost all respect for the cat who made that statement. 😂
“My Strat is another arm, it’s part of me. It doesn’t feel like a guitar at all. It’s an implement which is my voice. A Les Paul feels like a guitar and I play differently on that and I sound too much like someone else. With the Strat, instantly it becomes mine so that’s why I’ve welded myself to that. Or it’s welded itself to me, one or the other.” Jeff Beck
Cool quote ! Man I used to THINK felt this exact same way (Strats were perfect and everything else felt strange) until recently I tried a Gibson SG and something clicked instantly. I was like wait, no, this is effortless for me. Now I get what he means by it not feeling like a guitar
I’ve probably owned 25-30 Strats over the last 40 years , still have 3 including my first strat, A gift from my parents in 1986 that I judge all other Strats I play on
My dad bought me my first Fender Strat, a 1996 Mex which is still my main. With all the new guitars I buy or build, nothing beats it. Maybe it’s just because it’s the one a learned how to play on and holds sentimental value.. or it’s just that good. Not sure, but I play my best on it.
@@chrishh03 ha. tbh i agree with ya. collectors ? buy and sell a lot so yeah. unless you're an idiot you know what guitars you've had. i've sold a few in the last 4 years due to health reasons. i want them back but don't have the $$$ right now which is fine coz i'm fighting cancer. Guitars can wait.
I've had around 14 but I've loved em all. Had vintage, customs, main line offers... I find the modern mainline is best. That's my opinion, but it's due to the guitar functioning best, amd not being a problem until perfect for a brief period of time, like vintage and classics behave. For me, it starts in 86', when the prototype American Standard was floating around.
@@PeterMoore350best of luck and health to ya. Stratocasters are the main guitar of virtually everyone anyone wants to be, so it's an addiction that rewards the user. Rare, wouldn't ya say?
For what it’s worth: There’s a Ginger Rogers movie called Tight Spot from 1954 or 1955 that has a scene or two that includes someone playing a Stratocaster. It’s the earliest film appearance of the Stratocaster that I know about.
Excellent job on this, Keith. I absolutely love the “short history” series and this one is a gem. I had several “oh wow” moments during this one; especially around prices!
Leo made it . Jimi played it. I wanted it. Saved and bought it. I play it every chance I get -still. I love it and I hope my kid gets it after I’m gone. That’s the history of the Stratocaster from here.😅
Hi, Keith! I am the proud owner of a 1999 Strat. It’s the only Stratocaster I’ve ever owned, and the only one I’ve ever needed! Talk about an all-purpose guitar! You can play ANY style of music with a Strat. It covers all the bases needed to play anything. And as an homage to the original Strats, this one has a maple neck and fingerboard. It just plain feels good in your hands. And I find it interesting that Leo Fender, whose first partner was a man by the name of Fullerton, located his first manufacturing plant in the City of Fullerton, CA. Leo himself was not a guitar player, but always had a huge interest in that instrument. The team he assembled to design the Stratocaster did a near-perfect job on the design of the instrument. Mine was customized for me, with the bridge pickup being a Seymour Duncan “Li’l ‘57” (and NOT the later “Li’l ‘59”), coupled with the change of the standard volume pot to one with a pull-up switch, which will make that pickup either a single-coil or a humbucker. Just that little change gives the player an entire second range of sounds the guitar will make. And my Luthier did an extra little trick - adding a small capacitor in line with the output jack. What that does is make the notoriously “hummy” Fender standard single-coil pickup as noiseless as the Fender “Noiseless” pickup. Not just another Strat - this one is a work of ART!… as was this video. Thanks, Keith!
I feel very fortunate to have been friends with Dick Dale, and to have played his one and only 61 Strat. He also insisted I play his custom shop Strat ( The Beauty) He signed and played mine. I will never let that go. Rest easy Dick!🙏
@@handle433 He always said it was a prototype but it had a slab rosewood board and a 1961 serial number. ( somewhere at home I have it written down) it was a fat baseball bat like neck. No tone pots and just a volume pot with no knob. It had a 3 position switch, with a toggle that combined the neck pickup to whatever other pickup was selected. He didn’t even have a case for it. He carried it around in a gig bag. His custom shop Strat had a slab of mother of Pearl on the headstock with the Fender logo inlayed in jewelry quality gold wire. All hardware was gold plated and his name was inlaid in the fingerboard. He said it was too pretty and was afraid to play it for fear of tearing it up, but insisted I play it. Cheers!🎸
@@calsurflance5598 wow no case for a gem like that! Maybe the neck was a prototype? ‘61 is usually a thinner profile, Leo could have designed that neck for him? Was it very heavy?
I've been shredding on 12-16" boards since I can remember but when I played a vintage 7.25" U neck with tiny frets my hands finally felt at home. I've been a fan of strats ever since. They really are magical guitars with the added bonus of being easy to modify and maintain, which makes the experience of owning one feel more personal than any other brand. This is a beautiful documentary and your presentation style is wonderful.
Yeah, I always look forward to hearing you play Jeff. I love the fact that you like Clapton, and play in his style. Many people try to emulate him, but it's a rare player that can capture the nuances of his playing. I love hearing you play Cream stuff, and Hendrix too, of course. I believe you're based in New York City; I'm not !! If I ever make it to New York, I would definitely like to come and see you play. Best wishes from England.
Beauty, thanks Keith! Your reverence for the subject matter is inspirational and spiritual. The stories you tell reflect your love for it all. And I am grateful to listen. I have a '92 Mexican standard, completely stock. Tuned in Eb ALWAYS. Needs a fret job, black with rosewood. I get tones out of that, no frills, blemished, awkward, aged, instrument I get out of NOTHING else. Possibly because my hands fit that description perfectly.
Keith, thank you for making consistently great videos. The quality always stands out above the rest. And i also think you have the best "commentator voice" out there! Keep it up, I'm always waiting for your next video.
This is another great history video about Fender Stratocasters. Just like I said that I have always loved Fender Stratocasters no matter what. Basically, Leo Fender was not a guitar player himself but he always wanted to hear what the musicians wanted and he did not have his own opinions whatsoever. Not only that but he even wanted guitar players to tell him what they wanted. What a humble gentleman Leo Fender was. Fender Stratocasters have always looked right when you play any variety of musical styles such as country, rock & roll, pop, blues, jazz, soul, heavy metal and so many among others. Long live Fender Stratocasters for many more years to come. They are number one as always.
One of the great "Fender" innovations was the use of the center-hole-shafted Klusons which are some of the easiest tuning machines to restring, no accidental blood-letting, no sharp points or scrapes, easy winding and release, too. A small but important part of the Fender guitar story. (:
I’m new to playing guitar at 70 years young. Have always loved the Strat sound so I picked up a Squier 60s Classic Vibe and I just love the tones. Thanks, as always, Keith for a great video. ✌️
Many many things designed in 1950’s America still look cool today - not just Stratocasters. There was a certain strong style back then which actually was coming thru already in the ,40’s. It flourished in the ‘50s and morphed into something else in the following decade. The Les Paul is of a much older aesthetic. Edwardian Gibsons basically have the same style. Cool as well but not the same at all, and nothing to do with 1950s
The Ultra Strats are really nice. The tortoiseshell scratchplate on a white finish looks a bit garish but I have a silvery one which came with the EMG DG20 set and will be fitted the next time I change the strings. It's one of the great things about Strats generally - Don''t like something? There are plenty of aftermarket parts you can swap in. As long as the wood is good you can make it your own. I think the Ultra will be my Strat with the least modifications.
I’ve played guitar for 18 years now and finally just bought my first strat. I’ve had it less than a week and am already wondering what took me so long. It’s such a beautiful design and a joy to play.
I never knew I was a strat player till I was basically forced to start back at guitar with a strat. The neck position is my all time favorite cleans! Also when I understood how many tone palettes the strat has, I understood why our most influential artist stuck to the strat. Damnnn that volume knob sometimes
Thanks for another great fender video. I stopped in to Dr. Guitar in Watertown on Saturday past and while checking out their great selection of PRS SE guitars I test drove a Squier affinity strat fmt hss in Sierra burst. It was a struggle to not bring it home.!!!
I recently got a vintera ii 50s stratocaster in black for my 18th birthday, I got it for a number of reasons (such as it looked like eric clapton's blackie strat, it was a vintage style guitar for a fraction of the custom shop price and i like black guitars) a friend of mine in America suggested the guitar cause i had trouble picking between the strat and 2 others ( a tele and a les paul ) with the fact it looked like claptons being a coincidence for her, as an owed of gratitude i named the guitar Luner after her nickname, its become my favourite guitar and im glad i came across it. Edit, thanks for the ❤ keith, without out your channel I would've been a stranger in the guitar community
Wish I could give this more than one thumbs up - masterful job. Loved the "nothing but the facts" delivery some subtle sarcasm thrown in. "Who's gonna want a colored guitar - especially a red one?" Just brilliant - and I own two red Fender Strats.
I actually just got my first Strat at the ripe age of 47. I’ve always had Gibson/Epiphone styles, but a 75th anniversary with that silver metal flake finish showed up used at a local shop. I went to try out a D’Angelico semihollow, but I tried the Strat and it won me over.
Great imformative video Keith. I am a older beginner (56 YO). I picked up a Squier Fender Classic Vibe 70's Strat to start with. Eventually, i will pick up a Fender Strat once I become proficient. New subscriber! Keep up the good work.
I'm nowhere near anyone in this video, but over 20 yrs of playing guitar I've pretty much played or owned all of the major styles. The Stratocaster is 100% my favorite. The carves fit into my body just right. And I've grown so used to the 7.25" fingerboard radius that anything else just doesn't feel right. Sure I play others from time to time. But my Stratocaster is and always will be my favorite.
Of my first 6 good quality guitars 5 of them were Stratocasters. Everything about that guitar is well thought through. Literally everything. Parker and other companies tried a similar approach, but although those were ergonomically brilliant, none of them ever had the appeal of the Stratocaster. I sold most of my strats because…., well, people change and so do I. I’m more of a Telecaster player these days. But I’ll never forget that one day, after I’ve read that book about the Stratocaster you showed. I could literally remember every little detail that was written and shown in that book. My love for the Stratocaster was at its peak after I bought another book and documentary called ‘Curves, Contours and Body Horns’, with lots of famous Stratocaster players talking about the Stratocaster… Those pictures were so beautiful! And it was nothing less than a dream to once play a real fifties Stratocaster. Anyway…., that day. That day I went to Denmark Street during a 4 day visit to London. It didn’t take long before I saw two fifties Stratocasters in the window of one of those shops. I can be one or two years off, but I think this was in 1991. Both guitars were very similar of course and both were all original, yet what I thought was a little weird was the fact that the 1957 Strat was £7,700.00 and the slightly younger 1958 Strat was £8,800.00 (that’s why I still remember). I didn’t really dare to do it, but I wanted to try and see if ‘they’ (actually, there was only one guy standing behind the counter and next to the shop window) were willing to let me play one. There was nobody else in the store. Not that I remember anyway. This guy was cool about it and he handed me the ’58. 😬😬😬 To me this was the highlight of the four day trip. The shop owner (frankly, I don’t think he was the owner. He looked too young, so I guess he just worked there) kept talking to me, but it didn’t come through. I was in awe, looking at the beautiful wear and tear of the front of the body and I was specifically interested in the dark spots on the fingerboard (well…, one piece maple of course). And then I just started playing it. I wasn’t plugged into an amp, so I have no idea what it sounded like, but even without an amp it sounded like the best thing ever to me. And when I looked at my girlfriend, hinting at her to make a picture of me playing this ‘58 Stratocaster (remember in these days digital photography was either non existent or it was still very new and bad, so we had an old fashioned camera). And it was only then that some of the words that this ‘shop assistant’ was trying to convey were slowly coming through. And I think he had my full attention when I heard something like “….bla bla and so I bla blabla when Ron Wood…” And I said:”… rrr… Ron Wood? Sorry, I didn’t hear you well enough…?” And then he told me that the guitar I was holding in my hand was a guitar they got out of Ron Wood’s collection. And he asked me to turn around the guitar, which oddly enough was something I hadn’t done yet. So I flipped the guitar around and what I saw on the back of the guitar was a huge round sticker that was almost as wide as the waist of the guitar itself and the first thing I noticed was the Rolling Stones logo (the tongue with the lips). The sticker itself had a number of colours, but the only colour I can clearly remember as it covered most of the background was a fairly dark shade of green AND it said something about the tour. Not much. Probably something like ‘The Rolling Stones Tour 1977’. I hate the fact that we didn’t take more pictures than the one my girlfriend took. Because 1977 is a bit of a guess, although I do think it was 1977. It was absolutely somewhere mid seventies. I just did some research and I read that Ron Wood joined the Stones a year earlier, so now I’m quite convinced that it was indeed 1977. Anyway, it was so cool! Another little detail about the big round sticker. It wasn’t printed on paper and it wasn’t glossy. But do you remember those stickers from the seventies that looked like it was made of a fabric like silk or something similar? It was like that. Of course years have gone by and since I spend a lot of time on UA-cam anyway, I did try and see if I could find that guitar being used onstage. I didn’t necessarily pay a lot of attention to the sticker, because who knows when that was added? By the way, it was the only weird and easily noticeable thing on that guitar. I have seen a lot of footage of Ron Wood playing a late 50’s maple Stratocaster that looked a lot like the one I played (with a ‘tremolo’ by the way - Ron is known for his love for hardtail Strats, but this one had a normal ’tremolo). But every time I saw him playing a late fifties Stratocaster I could see a clear yellowish spot, the size of an Oreo, located near or on the armrest. And I can’t see that spot on the one picture I have of me and this guitar. It could have been hidden under my arm, but I honestly don’t remember that guitar having weird spots. Anyway, I realise that I probably bore the heck out of you all with this story. But hey, it was one of the highlights of that year for me. Back then, the fact that I could play a REAL old Stratocaster was already like a dream for me. The fact that this guitar used to belong to Ron Wood (and who knows who else played that guitar? I’ve heard Ron and Keith played each others guitars frequently), all of this makes it so much more special to me. Side note: in another store that day in Denmark street, on the right corner when you enter it, they had a Marshall full stack, with the logos of Motörhead painted on the cabinets. It (of course) used to be a part of Motörhead’s back line. It wasn’t expensive at all. Probably needed some work. I think that was enough excitement for a day. O no, not for me, I could’ve stayed there for a week without being bored. However, my girlfriend was way more interested in Christmas decorations and wandering through Harrods. Her eyes were burning. She didn’t seem happy. I’M TRULY SORRY FOR THE LONG STORY, KEITH! Love you as always. Thank you sooooo much! 🧡🧡🧡
I'm completely sold on Fender stratocaster. I love everything about it ! I recently bought a road worn Mike McCready and I don't regret my purchase at all. I even wore it down a bit more to make it look even more relic.
Thanks, Keith, for another great historical account of a great instrument that forever changed the landscape of the music we listened to today. Your videos are definitely a go-to for learning about the history of many great guitars.
My dad texted me a picture a few weeks ago, he said was holding the first made fender Stratocaster in a local brewery. I did not believe him at first but after a bit of research I did online, he was in fact holding the first strat, it was the prototype. Pretty wild. I want put together a replica of it.
Thank-you Keith for such a comprehensive history of the strat. So well done! Makes me love my strat all the more to know how it has developed over the years
Man, you make great videos! Covered what I (think I) know, plus the holes. . I started with acoustic classical in ‘89 when I was an undergrad. While I loved Classic Rock, Hendrix, and The Dead, I stuck with classical for a decade learning pieces painfully, slowly, by finding notes on the finger board note by note from sheet music. Meanwhile SRV, Grunge, The Red Hot Chilipeppers and many others kept my ears busy while I finished 14 years of school, a decade+ of work, and starting a family. . Last year, I finally cashed in a forgotten small 401k my wife found and kept track of over the years. I bought a G&L Asat classic blues boy with a P90 and a tiny tube amp, I was hooked. Over the year I bought 6 guitars and four tube amps. Three are strats or s-styles, including a PRS Silver Sky which, is def. a beautiful sounding, feeling “precision machine” as a life long player friend of mine likes to say. . One of those strats is a ‘23 fender avrii 1961 Stratocaster, which I love beyond reason. It has something like soul, I’m not sure. . All I want to do now is master the fingerboard (I’m close) and jam, just improvising before I leave this world behind. . So, idk why I’m telling you my life guitar story. Perhaps just in thanks for the video. . Peace, my friend.
Another great documentary Kieth! I have been diving into the 80’s post CBS era Fender history myself while reshaping a Squier like a Performer. It was such a difficult time and the brand almost disappeared completely before being saved by the employees themselves.
I watched the video about reshaping the squier into a performer. Very good stuff, I love performer, but it's never been worth the price it's sitting at for what seems like forever. I just want the body like that, I want a proper Dog Leg headstock. Like all Fender have.
Great job Keith. Thorough, comprehensive, and very educational. I had no idea it's the 50s and 60s strats that people want and that the 70s ones were undesirable. 🕊️🙏❤️
I'm not a paid endorser. So I can tell you without bias (no amp pun intended) that TrueFire is the mother lode of great guitar resources regardless of where you are in your musical quest; and Five Watt world with Keith Williams is it's herald. BTW.. I've been a s Strat player a Loooong time. Love these videos!
I really enjoyed this Keith. I love the Strats and the way they sound. I suppose the first time I got knocked out by them was when Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits came out with their first album in 1978. What a record!!! 🎸🎸🎸👑⭐😎👌💖💖💖
Great video, Keith. I was born in 1955. The guitar that was the mist rock and roll to me has always been the Strat. Les Pauls are okay but they to me just don't have the right look. I've never been able to afford American made ones but my made in Mexico one from the late 90's and my Chinese one from around 2019 are amazing to play and sound great. Hoping to get a '54 re-issue for my 70th birthday, Fingers crossed!
“I never considered myself a Strat guy, but most of my favourites are” yes, I relate to that. I was always a Les Paul guy, although I had a Squier Strat as my change guitar, until acquiring an 8 year old HSS Strat at the age of 65. She is The One!
I’m 15 min from the original factory. If you’re ever here, will give you a tour and show you the mural. Lots of amazing artifacts left in the town. All the hardware and upholstery stores Leo walked to grab parts for cabinets are still here in one form or another. Great video!
Keith, definitely make those changes to make that Squier yours, I did and LOVE my 1989 MIK Squier!😋 My best guitar buddy is a Strat guy and I am mainly a Tele guy. Back in 2020 when everything shut down I decided to say "What the Hell, the world is burning rown, sounds like an ideal time to get a Strat and a Les Paul!!!" so I did (the Les Paul was an Epiphone Les Paul Special in TV Yellow that I waited 24 years for). I mainly bought "Strat shaped guitars" (not Fenders) because the prices of used guitars shot through the roof and Squier adjacent brands were the only ones that were still under $100 used. So I bought a Samick Malibu that I thoroughly modified (on my pic), what I thought was a 1989 MIK Squier II Stratocaster neck only Partscaster that actually turned into a real MIK Squier (with a solid body and not plywood) that I replaced all of the pickups (Seymour Duncan- Twangbanger/Pro Alinco II reverse wound/Five-Two) and bought a aluminum pickguard (adds a bit of zing, even in the plugged in sound). I only found out it was stock years after the mods.🤔 I bought two other Strat shaped guitars and I went about modifying them for what I wanted. For all of them I basically "dumbed down" the Strat control to a master volume and master tone like a Tele. For a Xaviere version I put in a Surf 90 (a DeArmond meets a P-90 in a humbucker size) with two Brighton Rock pickups (basically Burns copies) so that guitar has way more of mid focus than anything you will really find on the wall at a guitar store. I bought an Ariana that basically failed in every attempt to mod it to what I wanted it to do (Filtertron type of pickups or humbuckers) but the original Xaviere set of pickups went in there alright once I got frustrated enough to fill and drill new pickguard holes. I also added a aluminum pickguard to this and currently it is dumbed down and in D Standard tuning. It actually plays and sounds better than I could have expected.🤔 My Samick Malibu is a beast. I added a GFS brass block to it. The pickup load out is a Filtertron/SD Little 59/SD Quarter Pounder and the middle hole on the pickguard is a coil split for the Little 59. It sounds only like a Strat on the Little 59 in split mode, otherwise... nope. It is a very warm and heavy (both in sound and weight) guitar. On all my Strat guitars I put Dunlop strap locks and GFS Soft Springs on the trems. They all have 11s on them for string guages and mainly wither D'Addario NYXLs or Stringjoy strings. I also rewired them all with Bournes or CTS pots, Orange Drop capacitors, Switchcraft jacks, and better Import switches (all are too shallow for Grigsbys). For all but one, I have my own switching style so position 2 is bridge and neck like a Tele (I never liked bridge and middle on a Strat (the only exception being my MIK Squier as it is a nod to my Strat feiend as well as I don't want to change the pickups since I like thwm how I have them). I call this the "Gringo Mod." The reaon I brought up details is because you can take a guitar like a Strat (who has the most aftermarket parts) and totally make it yours. Even Annie from St Vincent said she wouldn't play a Strat because of the weight of the history of that guitar. While I get it, there is still loads of wiggle room to do your own thing. The other reason I made these changes was to get at the "It's a Stratocaster or it's NOTHING!!!" types of players because they are so OBNOXIOUS!!! Yes the Strat is a fine guitar but over everything else? C'mon!!! Unless you want to be the Captain of the "Douche Canoe" just chill and don't Yuck other player's Yum! Also have you ever thought that maybe less Strat players means you have more opportunities to buy those beloved Strats?🤔 The Strat is a cool guitar but I still prefer my Teles overall. What I really like about the Strat is how much mods you can do with a Strat body that has a swimming pool route underneath the pickguard (also another side bonus of non Fender makes!😋). So keep on strumming and if you like your Strat the way it is... good for you!🤪👍✨ Edit: If anyone wants to know the two ways to do the "Gringo Mod" on a Strat just ask me in a comment.😉👍✨
24:15 it’s also worth noting that due to the rise in popularity of heavy metal and so-called superstrats, Fender had a handful of their own responses to what were essentially heavily-modded Stratocasters. From 1984 to ‘87 they had the Japanese-made Contemporary Stratocaster. From 1985 to ‘86 there was the short-lived Fender Performer, designed by John Page. From ‘88 to ‘92 they had the Fender HM Strat, with the “HM” being short for “heavy metal”. (The logo on the headstock is about as ‘80s metal as it gets.) From 1991 to ‘93 they had the Prodigy. And from 1998 to 2009, there was the Fender Showmaster. Edit: the Contemporary Stratocaster is still offered by Squier as part of the Contemporary series.
@@spookybaba incidentally, that has actually never been an official term used by Fender nor any other guitar manufacturer. The very definition of what a superstrat is also varies depending on the player.
I bought my friend’s 1964 Stratocaster in 1975 for $250.
I was 17 years young.
50 years later it’s still my number one.
@@EmilioConesa money well spent. If you’re ever looking to turn a profit, I’ve got $300 cash for it…
@@EmilioConesa in all seriousness I bought my friends 92 squire strat for $80 just a few months before he passed. The one with a big Fender logo and the tiny Squire logo that was easily removed lol. That one stays stock. I touch up the wiring every now and then but that’s it. I’d trade every guitar I have for another day with him again though.
I bought a ‘75 back in ‘76 for $275. It’s still my favorite guitar. But dayum man, you got a real pre-BS Strat for $250 around the same time? Is your friend still a friend? (KIDDING-sort of). I bought mine in a local guitar shop. They had a’66 on the wall next to it for $1,100. Remember, this is back in ‘76 as I was graduating from college at the time and $275 was a huge amount of money for a 21-year-old kid. Cheers.
@@Boris_Chang yea, we’re still good friends.
He offered me an awesome 55 Les Paul reissue to get the Strat back. I respectfully declined…
Do you make YT videos by chance? If I wasn't so lazy, and it was easier to find the older cats who bought the classics new, in order to have them hold the guitar, pick it a little bit, and talk about when they bought it, and tell stories about it through the years. IDK, to me, that stuff just interests me and I could listen to stories like that all day.
It’s fascinating to me that Leo Fender didn’t play guitar yet created such an iconic instrument.
And not only one iconic instrument.
He did because he did what many builders and techs do not do. He listened to artists and built what they wanted, rather than tell them what they want.
It's because Leo was able to think outside of the soundbox. Players are often too close to the trees to see the forest. Imagination + Perspective = the Potential for Genius.
I heard a well-known pup winder say Leo didn’t care about tone. He was just cheap and it was pure luck. I lost all respect for the cat who made that statement. 😂
@@alexanders562 💯💯💯
“My Strat is another arm, it’s part of me. It doesn’t feel like a guitar at all. It’s an implement which is my voice. A Les Paul feels like a guitar and I play differently on that and I sound too much like someone else. With the Strat, instantly it becomes mine so that’s why I’ve welded myself to that. Or it’s welded itself to me, one or the other.” Jeff Beck
Yea but not you
Goals!
Spot on
Cool quote ! Man I used to THINK felt this exact same way (Strats were perfect and everything else felt strange) until recently I tried a Gibson SG and something clicked instantly. I was like wait, no, this is effortless for me. Now I get what he means by it not feeling like a guitar
Thanks Jeff, many agree. Thanks for passing the lesser Paul to Jimmy Page. Well played.
It is the shape kids think of when drawing an electric guitar. It is the emoji for the word guitar 🎸. It is iconic in the truest sense.
Absolutely true. I was one of those kids in the 70’s, drawing one on my notebook. 😉
This is a rare case of the word 'iconic' NOT being completely misused.
I’ve probably owned 25-30 Strats over the last 40 years , still have 3 including my first strat, A gift from my parents in 1986 that I judge all other Strats I play on
My dad bought me my first Fender Strat, a 1996 Mex which is still my main. With all the new guitars I buy or build, nothing beats it. Maybe it’s just because it’s the one a learned how to play on and holds sentimental value.. or it’s just that good. Not sure, but I play my best on it.
if you don't know the exact number of Strats you've owned, you're not a real Strat man....(iim kidding btw)
@@chrishh03 ha. tbh i agree with ya. collectors ? buy and sell a lot so yeah. unless you're an idiot you know what guitars you've had. i've sold a few in the last 4 years due to health reasons.
i want them back but don't have the $$$ right now which is fine coz i'm fighting cancer. Guitars can wait.
I've had around 14 but I've loved em all. Had vintage, customs, main line offers... I find the modern mainline is best. That's my opinion, but it's due to the guitar functioning best, amd not being a problem until perfect for a brief period of time, like vintage and classics behave. For me, it starts in 86', when the prototype American Standard was floating around.
@@PeterMoore350best of luck and health to ya. Stratocasters are the main guitar of virtually everyone anyone wants to be, so it's an addiction that rewards the user. Rare, wouldn't ya say?
Thanks Keith. The world needs more humble geniuses like Leo Fender. My Stratocaster told me so. The message came through my Super Reverb.
Using automotive paint was a genius move. Use what you have at hand.
Even more importantly, the flashy colours made Fender iconic.
The one thing I love about Leo Fender was that he listened to players and build his guitars to satisfy the players.❤
I've been waiting all day to get off of work and watch this.
Thank you for being a normal human being and working all day.
@@stratjed we're a dying breed.
For what it’s worth: There’s a Ginger Rogers movie called Tight Spot from 1954 or 1955 that has a scene or two that includes someone playing a Stratocaster. It’s the earliest film appearance of the Stratocaster that I know about.
Now, THAT is cool!!
Thanks, gotta see that immediatly!
As ever, utterly peerless piece of work from 5WW.
Thanks and blessings KW.
Excellent job on this, Keith. I absolutely love the “short history” series and this one is a gem. I had several “oh wow” moments during this one; especially around prices!
Leo made it . Jimi played it. I wanted it. Saved and bought it. I play it every chance I get -still. I love it and I hope my kid gets it after I’m gone. That’s the history of the Stratocaster from here.😅
Hi, Keith!
I am the proud owner of a 1999 Strat. It’s the only Stratocaster I’ve ever owned, and the only one I’ve ever needed! Talk about an all-purpose guitar! You can play ANY style of music with a Strat. It covers all the bases needed to play anything. And as an homage to the original Strats, this one has a maple neck and fingerboard. It just plain feels good in your hands. And I find it interesting that Leo Fender, whose first partner was a man by the name of Fullerton, located his first manufacturing plant in the City of Fullerton, CA. Leo himself was not a guitar player, but always had a huge interest in that instrument. The team he assembled to design the Stratocaster did a near-perfect job on the design of the instrument. Mine was customized for me, with the bridge pickup being a Seymour Duncan “Li’l ‘57” (and NOT the later “Li’l ‘59”), coupled with the change of the standard volume pot to one with a pull-up switch, which will make that pickup either a single-coil or a humbucker. Just that little change gives the player an entire second range of sounds the guitar will make. And my Luthier did an extra little trick - adding a small capacitor in line with the output jack. What that does is make the notoriously “hummy” Fender standard single-coil pickup as noiseless as the Fender “Noiseless” pickup. Not just another Strat - this one is a work of ART!… as was this video. Thanks, Keith!
Bought my Squier Strat in 1984 as a wedding present to myself.
Still got it, still play it, it's still gorgeous.
I love the Stratocaster SO MUCH. My first Strat changed my playing and my life. ❤
I feel very fortunate to have been friends with Dick Dale, and to have played his one and only 61 Strat. He also insisted I play his custom shop Strat ( The Beauty) He signed and played mine. I will never let that go.
Rest easy Dick!🙏
Wow, what was it like? I’ve watched many interviews with him talking about it and the 20 layers of paint😂😂❤
@@handle433
He always said it was a prototype but it had a slab rosewood board and a 1961 serial number. ( somewhere at home I have it written down) it was a fat baseball bat like neck. No tone pots and just a volume pot with no knob. It had a 3 position switch, with a toggle that combined the neck pickup to whatever other pickup was selected. He didn’t even have a case for it.
He carried it around in a gig bag.
His custom shop Strat had a slab of mother of Pearl on the headstock with the Fender logo inlayed in jewelry quality gold wire. All hardware was gold plated and his name was inlaid in the fingerboard.
He said it was too pretty and was afraid to play it for fear of tearing it up, but insisted I play it.
Cheers!🎸
@@calsurflance5598 wow no case for a gem like that! Maybe the neck was a prototype? ‘61 is usually a thinner profile, Leo could have designed that neck for him? Was it very heavy?
@@handle433
It’s been almost 30 years, but I do remember it feeling slightly heavier than mine.
Nothing feels more natural than playing a Strat. Best guitar ever by far.
except a Tele.
Although I have a custom shop SG Standard 1964 reissue that is real hard to put down ...
Depends on what you’re doing tbh.
Second best! The red special; Brian May!
I've been shredding on 12-16" boards since I can remember but when I played a vintage 7.25" U neck with tiny frets my hands finally felt at home. I've been a fan of strats ever since. They really are magical guitars with the added bonus of being easy to modify and maintain, which makes the experience of owning one feel more personal than any other brand. This is a beautiful documentary and your presentation style is wonderful.
You make the best in depth docs for guitars on UA-cam, but it works because your such a great bloke
110%
Accept no substitute...KW is the real deal.
Great video! Thanks for having me as always my friends!!!!
You’re always the life and soul of the party Jeff!
I’m blown away by your tone and nuances Jeff. Always glad to hear you play.
@@08Barclaythank you very much!!
Yeah, I always look forward to hearing you play Jeff. I love the fact that you like Clapton, and play in his style. Many people try to emulate him, but it's a rare player that can capture the nuances of his playing. I love hearing you play Cream stuff, and Hendrix too, of course.
I believe you're based in New York City; I'm not !! If I ever make it to New York, I would definitely like to come and see you play.
Best wishes from England.
Unbelievable tone and playing Jeff!! Brought out what I think is the true essence of " Strat" tone!!
Beauty, thanks Keith!
Your reverence for the subject matter is inspirational and spiritual. The stories you tell reflect your love for it all. And I am grateful to listen.
I have a '92 Mexican standard, completely stock. Tuned in Eb ALWAYS. Needs a fret job, black with rosewood. I get tones out of that, no frills, blemished, awkward, aged, instrument I get out of NOTHING else. Possibly because my hands fit that description perfectly.
Keith, As always, you deliver the Goods! Nice Work! WooF!!🐶🐶
Thanks for the short history Keith. I love them and always learn something new and interesting. I personally love Stratocasters.
Keith, thank you for making consistently great videos. The quality always stands out above the rest. And i also think you have the best "commentator voice" out there! Keep it up, I'm always waiting for your next video.
This is another great history video about Fender Stratocasters. Just like I said that I have always loved Fender Stratocasters no matter what. Basically, Leo Fender was not a guitar player himself but he always wanted to hear what the musicians wanted and he did not have his own opinions whatsoever. Not only that but he even wanted guitar players to tell him what they wanted. What a humble gentleman Leo Fender was. Fender Stratocasters have always looked right when you play any variety of musical styles such as country, rock & roll, pop, blues, jazz, soul, heavy metal and so many among others. Long live Fender Stratocasters for many more years to come. They are number one as always.
Maybe the best strat video out there. Well done, so articulate, and completely informative.
I’ve been (not so) patiently waiting for this episode! Thanks for all you do!
One of the great "Fender" innovations was the use of the center-hole-shafted Klusons which are some of the easiest tuning machines to restring, no accidental blood-letting, no sharp points or scrapes, easy winding and release, too. A small but important part of the Fender guitar story. (:
I'll take vintage style split shaft Klusons over any other style of tuners any day of the week.
I appreciate the work that goes into a well studied presentation like this. Well done sir.
I’m new to playing guitar at 70 years young. Have always loved the Strat sound so I picked up a Squier 60s Classic Vibe and I just love the tones. Thanks, as always, Keith for a great video. ✌️
Bless Leo. RIP Mr. Fender. ❤
How is something designed in the early 50s still one of the coolest looking things ever!? That and the Les Paul!
What really amazes me is how they got so much right in their designs.
Many many things designed in 1950’s America still look cool today - not just Stratocasters. There was a certain strong style back then which actually was coming thru already in the ,40’s. It flourished in the ‘50s and morphed into something else in the following decade. The Les Paul is of a much older aesthetic. Edwardian Gibsons basically have the same style. Cool as well but not the same at all, and nothing to do with 1950s
I love the way Keith delivers these...not just a bunch of very interesting facts, but warmth and resonance, too. Thank you for doing them!
Yeah bro 😊..great surprise this morning.. fantastic work as always
Facts
Love my American Ultra strat. Who knew that design would be as fresh today as it was when it was first designed
The Ultra Strats are really nice. The tortoiseshell scratchplate on a white finish looks a bit garish but I have a silvery one which came with the EMG DG20 set and will be fitted the next time I change the strings. It's one of the great things about Strats generally - Don''t like something? There are plenty of aftermarket parts you can swap in. As long as the wood is good you can make it your own. I think the Ultra will be my Strat with the least modifications.
Just wish they’d release the so called ‘higher’ spec in the basic colour schemes. Henry Ford had it right
Great roundup history on the Fender Stratocaster… and how Fender squire played an important role as well ❤
Lol, Mark Knopfler is playing a Schecter in that first pic. Love all these Short History videos!!
I’ve played guitar for 18 years now and finally just bought my first strat. I’ve had it less than a week and am already wondering what took me so long. It’s such a beautiful design and a joy to play.
I must have purchased one of the few great 72 American Standard Strats , there isn’t much I wouldn’t give to get it back. Great video Keith!
Keith Williams you do one of the best programs about guitars ,really appreciate it man !
Thank you for making this, Keith!
I never knew I was a strat player till I was basically forced to start back at guitar with a strat. The neck position is my all time favorite cleans! Also when I understood how many tone palettes the strat has, I understood why our most influential artist stuck to the strat.
Damnnn that volume knob sometimes
Yeah the volume knob sucks for placement.
Thanks, Keith. Another fine Short History !!!!
I don’t play air guitar very often but when I do, I always play a Stratocaster!
Jeff's playing is mesmerizing; I could listen to him for hours.
Thanks for another great fender video.
I stopped in to Dr. Guitar in Watertown on Saturday past and while checking out their great selection of PRS SE guitars I test drove a Squier affinity strat fmt hss in Sierra burst. It was a struggle to not bring it home.!!!
Top notch! Thank you Keith.
I recently got a vintera ii 50s stratocaster in black for my 18th birthday, I got it for a number of reasons (such as it looked like eric clapton's blackie strat, it was a vintage style guitar for a fraction of the custom shop price and i like black guitars) a friend of mine in America suggested the guitar cause i had trouble picking between the strat and 2 others ( a tele and a les paul ) with the fact it looked like claptons being a coincidence for her, as an owed of gratitude i named the guitar Luner after her nickname, its become my favourite guitar and im glad i came across it.
Edit, thanks for the ❤ keith, without out your channel I would've been a stranger in the guitar community
Wish I could give this more than one thumbs up - masterful job. Loved the "nothing but the facts" delivery some subtle sarcasm thrown in. "Who's gonna want a colored guitar - especially a red one?" Just brilliant - and I own two red Fender Strats.
I actually just got my first Strat at the ripe age of 47. I’ve always had Gibson/Epiphone styles, but a 75th anniversary with that silver metal flake finish showed up used at a local shop. I went to try out a D’Angelico semihollow, but I tried the Strat and it won me over.
Great imformative video Keith. I am a older beginner (56 YO). I picked up a Squier Fender Classic Vibe 70's Strat to start with. Eventually, i will pick up a Fender Strat once I become proficient. New subscriber! Keep up the good work.
I'm nowhere near anyone in this video, but over 20 yrs of playing guitar I've pretty much played or owned all of the major styles. The Stratocaster is 100% my favorite. The carves fit into my body just right. And I've grown so used to the 7.25" fingerboard radius that anything else just doesn't feel right. Sure I play others from time to time. But my Stratocaster is and always will be my favorite.
I am a big fan of your channel. Great history, facts and very entertaining information on our favorite musical instruments. Keep up the amazing work!
Of my first 6 good quality guitars 5 of them were Stratocasters. Everything about that guitar is well thought through. Literally everything. Parker and other companies tried a similar approach, but although those were ergonomically brilliant, none of them ever had the appeal of the Stratocaster. I sold most of my strats because…., well, people change and so do I. I’m more of a Telecaster player these days.
But I’ll never forget that one day, after I’ve read that book about the Stratocaster you showed. I could literally remember every little detail that was written and shown in that book. My love for the Stratocaster was at its peak after I bought another book and documentary called ‘Curves, Contours and Body Horns’, with lots of famous Stratocaster players talking about the Stratocaster… Those pictures were so beautiful! And it was nothing less than a dream to once play a real fifties Stratocaster. Anyway…., that day. That day I went to Denmark Street during a 4 day visit to London. It didn’t take long before I saw two fifties Stratocasters in the window of one of those shops. I can be one or two years off, but I think this was in 1991. Both guitars were very similar of course and both were all original, yet what I thought was a little weird was the fact that the 1957 Strat was £7,700.00 and the slightly younger 1958 Strat was £8,800.00 (that’s why I still remember). I didn’t really dare to do it, but I wanted to try and see if ‘they’ (actually, there was only one guy standing behind the counter and next to the shop window) were willing to let me play one. There was nobody else in the store. Not that I remember anyway. This guy was cool about it and he handed me the ’58. 😬😬😬
To me this was the highlight of the four day trip. The shop owner (frankly, I don’t think he was the owner. He looked too young, so I guess he just worked there) kept talking to me, but it didn’t come through. I was in awe, looking at the beautiful wear and tear of the front of the body and I was specifically interested in the dark spots on the fingerboard (well…, one piece maple of course). And then I just started playing it. I wasn’t plugged into an amp, so I have no idea what it sounded like, but even without an amp it sounded like the best thing ever to me. And when I looked at my girlfriend, hinting at her to make a picture of me playing this ‘58 Stratocaster (remember in these days digital photography was either non existent or it was still very new and bad, so we had an old fashioned camera). And it was only then that some of the words that this ‘shop assistant’ was trying to convey were slowly coming through. And I think he had my full attention when I heard something like “….bla bla and so I bla blabla when Ron Wood…” And I said:”… rrr… Ron Wood? Sorry, I didn’t hear you well enough…?”
And then he told me that the guitar I was holding in my hand was a guitar they got out of Ron Wood’s collection. And he asked me to turn around the guitar, which oddly enough was something I hadn’t done yet. So I flipped the guitar around and what I saw on the back of the guitar was a huge round sticker that was almost as wide as the waist of the guitar itself and the first thing I noticed was the Rolling Stones logo (the tongue with the lips). The sticker itself had a number of colours, but the only colour I can clearly remember as it covered most of the background was a fairly dark shade of green AND it said something about the tour. Not much. Probably something like ‘The Rolling Stones Tour 1977’. I hate the fact that we didn’t take more pictures than the one my girlfriend took. Because 1977 is a bit of a guess, although I do think it was 1977. It was absolutely somewhere mid seventies. I just did some research and I read that Ron Wood joined the Stones a year earlier, so now I’m quite convinced that it was indeed 1977.
Anyway, it was so cool! Another little detail about the big round sticker. It wasn’t printed on paper and it wasn’t glossy. But do you remember those stickers from the seventies that looked like it was made of a fabric like silk or something similar? It was like that.
Of course years have gone by and since I spend a lot of time on UA-cam anyway, I did try and see if I could find that guitar being used onstage. I didn’t necessarily pay a lot of attention to the sticker, because who knows when that was added? By the way, it was the only weird and easily noticeable thing on that guitar. I have seen a lot of footage of Ron Wood playing a late 50’s maple Stratocaster that looked a lot like the one I played (with a ‘tremolo’ by the way - Ron is known for his love for hardtail Strats, but this one had a normal ’tremolo). But every time I saw him playing a late fifties Stratocaster I could see a clear yellowish spot, the size of an Oreo, located near or on the armrest. And I can’t see that spot on the one picture I have of me and this guitar. It could have been hidden under my arm, but I honestly don’t remember that guitar having weird spots.
Anyway, I realise that I probably bore the heck out of you all with this story. But hey, it was one of the highlights of that year for me. Back then, the fact that I could play a REAL old Stratocaster was already like a dream for me. The fact that this guitar used to belong to Ron Wood (and who knows who else played that guitar? I’ve heard Ron and Keith played each others guitars frequently), all of this makes it so much more special to me.
Side note: in another store that day in Denmark street, on the right corner when you enter it, they had a Marshall full stack, with the logos of Motörhead painted on the cabinets. It (of course) used to be a part of Motörhead’s back line. It wasn’t expensive at all. Probably needed some work. I think that was enough excitement for a day. O no, not for me, I could’ve stayed there for a week without being bored. However, my girlfriend was way more interested in Christmas decorations and wandering through Harrods. Her eyes were burning. She didn’t seem happy.
I’M TRULY SORRY FOR THE LONG STORY, KEITH!
Love you as always. Thank you sooooo much! 🧡🧡🧡
I love your videos, and this was one of your best, great work.
The vibrato system on a Strat is a genius piece of engineering. Simple, graceful and very effective. Leo was on fire in the ‘50’s.
Great work Keith. Thank you kindly.
Great job as always, Keith - thanks for doing what you do!
I'm completely sold on Fender stratocaster. I love everything about it ! I recently bought a road worn Mike McCready and I don't regret my purchase at all. I even wore it down a bit more to make it look even more relic.
70 years today. woohoo. thank you Leo
Thanks, Keith, for another great historical account of a great instrument that forever changed the landscape of the music we listened to today. Your videos are definitely a go-to for learning about the history of many great guitars.
The most iconic guitar shape and sound of all time!! 🎸
Thanks for putting this out here, this throws me back.
Thanks Keith - so tastefully done and informative.
My dad texted me a picture a few weeks ago, he said was holding the first made fender Stratocaster in a local brewery. I did not believe him at first but after a bit of research I did online, he was in fact holding the first strat, it was the prototype. Pretty wild. I want put together a replica of it.
Another superb short history video. Thanks Keith!
Your videos are amazing. I love the history, the music clips and the way you pay homage to those who created the guitars and amps we all love so much!
Amazing content as always! A lot of things I did not know. Thanks Keith
thanks Keith, love the strat and love your videos
Thank-you Keith for such a comprehensive history of the strat. So well done! Makes me love my strat all the more to know how it has developed over the years
Jeff is a monster guitarist - so happy to se him in these vids.
Great walk thru music history! Bravo!
Man, you make great videos!
Covered what I (think I) know, plus the holes.
.
I started with acoustic classical in ‘89 when I was an undergrad. While I loved Classic Rock, Hendrix, and The Dead, I stuck with classical for a decade learning pieces painfully, slowly, by finding notes on the finger board note by note from sheet music. Meanwhile SRV, Grunge, The Red Hot Chilipeppers and many others kept my ears busy while I finished 14 years of school, a decade+ of work, and starting a family.
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Last year, I finally cashed in a forgotten small 401k my wife found and kept track of over the years. I bought a G&L Asat classic blues boy with a P90 and a tiny tube amp, I was hooked. Over the year I bought 6 guitars and four tube amps. Three are strats or s-styles, including a PRS Silver Sky which, is def. a beautiful sounding, feeling “precision machine” as a life long player friend of mine likes to say.
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One of those strats is a ‘23 fender avrii 1961 Stratocaster, which I love beyond reason. It has something like soul, I’m not sure.
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All I want to do now is master the fingerboard (I’m close) and jam, just improvising before I leave this world behind.
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So, idk why I’m telling you my life guitar story. Perhaps just in thanks for the video.
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Peace, my friend.
Great well paced documentary- thanks
Another great documentary Kieth! I have been diving into the 80’s post CBS era Fender history myself while reshaping a Squier like a Performer. It was such a difficult time and the brand almost disappeared completely before being saved by the employees themselves.
I watched the video about reshaping the squier into a performer. Very good stuff, I love performer, but it's never been worth the price it's sitting at for what seems like forever. I just want the body like that, I want a proper Dog Leg headstock. Like all Fender have.
@@caiusmadison2996 Cheers and same here. It’s hard to justify spending so much on something so rare that I’ve never seen in the wild.
Well done, my dude. Tossed you a sub. Keep rockin. 🤘
fantastic video- presentation, photos- you are the best!!
Good job Keith! Love this video, Love my strats! Always my go to choice!
Another A+. Excellent, Mr Williams.
Great job Keith.
Thorough, comprehensive, and very educational.
I had no idea it's the 50s and 60s strats that people want and that the 70s ones were undesirable.
🕊️🙏❤️
Great vid and you have a great voice for narrating.
Thanks Keith. Very informative as always. I’ll never let my ‘98 CIJ Strat go
Great video, like all of your videos. You are the Custom Shop of making watchable videos for guitar nerds that don't play.
Robin Trower? And Deja View? Great Video none the less. I had not been getting Notifications.
Great video thanks!…nice to understand the history of the Strat🎸
What a great channel. I love my 94 Chinese Strat Squire.
I'm not a paid endorser. So I can tell you without bias (no amp pun intended) that TrueFire is the mother lode of great guitar resources regardless of where you are in your musical quest; and Five Watt world with Keith Williams is it's herald. BTW.. I've been a s Strat player a Loooong time. Love these videos!
I really enjoyed this Keith. I love the Strats and the way they sound. I suppose the first time I got knocked out by them was when Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits came out with their first album in 1978. What a record!!! 🎸🎸🎸👑⭐😎👌💖💖💖
Great video, Keith. I was born in 1955. The guitar that was the mist rock and roll to me has always been the Strat. Les Pauls are okay but they to me just don't have the right look. I've never been able to afford American made ones but my made in Mexico one from the late 90's and my Chinese one from around 2019 are amazing to play and sound great. Hoping to get a '54 re-issue for my 70th birthday, Fingers crossed!
What a great vid! Thank you Sir!
Eric Clapton Strat: next year it will be 40 years since Eric's first pre-production models. Artist model since 1988!!! Deserving of it's own video
“I never considered myself a Strat guy, but most of my favourites are” yes, I relate to that. I was always a Les Paul guy, although I had a Squier Strat as my change guitar, until acquiring an 8 year old HSS Strat at the age of 65. She is The One!
Great video, Keith. As a 40+ year strat player, you managed to pack a mountain of essential history in a concise presentation. Well done!
Love love Fender Strats!!!!
A fantastic video. Thank you!
I’m 15 min from the original factory. If you’re ever here, will give you a tour and show you the mural. Lots of amazing artifacts left in the town. All the hardware and upholstery stores Leo walked to grab parts for cabinets are still here in one form or another. Great video!
Keith, definitely make those changes to make that Squier yours, I did and LOVE my 1989 MIK Squier!😋
My best guitar buddy is a Strat guy and I am mainly a Tele guy. Back in 2020 when everything shut down I decided to say "What the Hell, the world is burning rown, sounds like an ideal time to get a Strat and a Les Paul!!!" so I did (the Les Paul was an Epiphone Les Paul Special in TV Yellow that I waited 24 years for). I mainly bought "Strat shaped guitars" (not Fenders) because the prices of used guitars shot through the roof and Squier adjacent brands were the only ones that were still under $100 used. So I bought a Samick Malibu that I thoroughly modified (on my pic), what I thought was a 1989 MIK Squier II Stratocaster neck only Partscaster that actually turned into a real MIK Squier (with a solid body and not plywood) that I replaced all of the pickups (Seymour Duncan- Twangbanger/Pro Alinco II reverse wound/Five-Two) and bought a aluminum pickguard (adds a bit of zing, even in the plugged in sound). I only found out it was stock years after the mods.🤔
I bought two other Strat shaped guitars and I went about modifying them for what I wanted. For all of them I basically "dumbed down" the Strat control to a master volume and master tone like a Tele.
For a Xaviere version I put in a Surf 90 (a DeArmond meets a P-90 in a humbucker size) with two Brighton Rock pickups (basically Burns copies) so that guitar has way more of mid focus than anything you will really find on the wall at a guitar store. I bought an Ariana that basically failed in every attempt to mod it to what I wanted it to do (Filtertron type of pickups or humbuckers) but the original Xaviere set of pickups went in there alright once I got frustrated enough to fill and drill new pickguard holes. I also added a aluminum pickguard to this and currently it is dumbed down and in D Standard tuning. It actually plays and sounds better than I could have expected.🤔
My Samick Malibu is a beast. I added a GFS brass block to it. The pickup load out is a Filtertron/SD Little 59/SD Quarter Pounder and the middle hole on the pickguard is a coil split for the Little 59. It sounds only like a Strat on the Little 59 in split mode, otherwise... nope. It is a very warm and heavy (both in sound and weight) guitar.
On all my Strat guitars I put Dunlop strap locks and GFS Soft Springs on the trems. They all have 11s on them for string guages and mainly wither D'Addario NYXLs or Stringjoy strings. I also rewired them all with Bournes or CTS pots, Orange Drop capacitors, Switchcraft jacks, and better Import switches (all are too shallow for Grigsbys). For all but one, I have my own switching style so position 2 is bridge and neck like a Tele (I never liked bridge and middle on a Strat (the only exception being my MIK Squier as it is a nod to my Strat feiend as well as I don't want to change the pickups since I like thwm how I have them). I call this the "Gringo Mod."
The reaon I brought up details is because you can take a guitar like a Strat (who has the most aftermarket parts) and totally make it yours. Even Annie from St Vincent said she wouldn't play a Strat because of the weight of the history of that guitar. While I get it, there is still loads of wiggle room to do your own thing.
The other reason I made these changes was to get at the "It's a Stratocaster or it's NOTHING!!!" types of players because they are so OBNOXIOUS!!! Yes the Strat is a fine guitar but over everything else? C'mon!!! Unless you want to be the Captain of the "Douche Canoe" just chill and don't Yuck other player's Yum! Also have you ever thought that maybe less Strat players means you have more opportunities to buy those beloved Strats?🤔
The Strat is a cool guitar but I still prefer my Teles overall. What I really like about the Strat is how much mods you can do with a Strat body that has a swimming pool route underneath the pickguard (also another side bonus of non Fender makes!😋). So keep on strumming and if you like your Strat the way it is... good for you!🤪👍✨
Edit: If anyone wants to know the two ways to do the "Gringo Mod" on a Strat just ask me in a comment.😉👍✨
"The first batch of Stratocasters were ready to ship October 13th, 1954" I am watching this video on October 13, 2024. 70 years to the day!
24:15 it’s also worth noting that due to the rise in popularity of heavy metal and so-called superstrats, Fender had a handful of their own responses to what were essentially heavily-modded Stratocasters. From 1984 to ‘87 they had the Japanese-made Contemporary Stratocaster. From 1985 to ‘86 there was the short-lived Fender Performer, designed by John Page. From ‘88 to ‘92 they had the Fender HM Strat, with the “HM” being short for “heavy metal”. (The logo on the headstock is about as ‘80s metal as it gets.) From 1991 to ‘93 they had the Prodigy. And from 1998 to 2009, there was the Fender Showmaster.
Edit: the Contemporary Stratocaster is still offered by Squier as part of the Contemporary series.
Yeah, the SuperStrat!
@@spookybaba incidentally, that has actually never been an official term used by Fender nor any other guitar manufacturer. The very definition of what a superstrat is also varies depending on the player.
@StarQueenEstrella *tips* *fedora*
@@StarQueenEstrella The HM Strat was known by many as The Superstrat. Officially, or not!