I’m a bit late to this, but that’s incredible. What a find. Shultz & co really knew what they were doing. I’m lucky enough to have a 1982 ‘57 AVRI, so I get it. I’ve had & played lots of Strats since then & none have matched up until now. I’ve just bought a Vintage 2 ‘61, & it’s sweet.
Thanks for watching, and welcome to the channel! Yes, some of those early 80's Strats were just great. Don't get me wrong, I love 70's Strats too, but they can be a little hit and miss. There was a definite step change with the reshuffle. I bet your AVRI is awesome too. Enjoy your guitars, and please check out some of my other Strat videos! I did one of 4 Strats spanning 4 decades for comparison 👍🎸
I've had two 1982 Smith strats, one black with rosewood board and the other pewter with maple board. The black one is my "how could I have sold that" guitar. Loved it. Interesting how the one in the vid has a pale headstock, being in a closed box means the clearcoat hasn't yellowed it to that vintage ambered look as both of mine had. Great find, wherever you came up with it!
Thanks for watching. I have a rosewood hardtail new also. I may feature that in a similar video. Yeah - they were still lacquering the headstock face then, so not uncommon for a '2-tone' neck once a bit of aging has occurred! It's horrible when you regret selling a guitar - but sometimes needs must. I'm about so sell some of mine, in fact. Thanks for watching. 😀🎸
I bought the very same guitar from the Soho Sound House in 1986 for about £700, Johnny Arbiter was keeping some back in storage, He told me all about the Dan Smith era and how the guitars were so much better than what he had in the shop at the time, I had exactly the same unboxing experience as you, I still have it and all the case candy, it's still in great condition, kind of wish I kept all the box and packaging but I did buy the correct case for it, R.I P. Johnny Arbiter.
Thanks for watching. Yes, it's amazing how totally different these feel compared to the previous years - especially the necks. I'm glad you kept yours all these years - I bet you and the guitar have many memories and plenty of stories 😊🎸
Many, if not all of the earlier Shultz guitars were made with pancake bodies. Not until the year 2000, did they finally make a solid body guitar (albeit made in two pieces, horizontally). But I've heard a Stratocaster made of pencils that sounded pretty darn good!
Wonderful guitar .... I actually have a late 1979 stratocaster came from a mom & pop music store it never sold not quite as mint as yours .owners said that the guitar was on the floor for about a year and told me that it has the original strings on it.. It has the fender bullet strings on it .. got it about 15 years ago
Cool! I always think it's nice to have a time warp guitar, I've nothing against wear and tear, but you see far less mint original guitars these days. All the guitars on my channel are genuine and super clean, because that's how I like them 😃Thanks for watching 👍🎸
I have a Dan Smith 1983, and it has only one volume and one tone knob, and the input jack for the cord is mounted directly on the pick guard. From what I understand, that's not a Dan Smith guitar.
Cool. Thanks for watching 👍Nothing wrong with a hard life for a guitar. Some of mine sure have seen some action! Just nice to keep reference guitars for future generations 😃🎸
Thanks for watching. I still have the guitar. I packed it away after filming the video, and it's been untouched since. I have a hard tail and a trem (maple and rosewood neck) both from the same consignment. I may actually be offering them for sale this year though. Thanks for watching 👍🎸
Dude this is literally amazing. I have one in sienna burst but has been owned a couple times. I cannot believe it is 40 years untouched that is a time capsule for sure! I have an important question though. How do you properly pack and store a guitar with it not getting ruined, warped or dehydrated? I know acoustics are more sensitive but just a question because I’ve been storing mine just in their cases in a closet. This one looks literally brand new and I’m assuming plays just as new. I’m in disbelief!
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I think Sienna Sunburst is my favourite colour from this era. This one does play like new - this video was literally the first (and only) time that I plugged it in and played it. I just keep this one in the middle of the house so that any changes to temperature and humidity are gentle. I have others that are kept in storage but under blankets, but I don't apply exact rules any more - I find that a common sense approach works best. Just make sure that the guitar acclimatises between buildings if you can to protect the finish if it's a thin skin nitro. 👍🎸
How is the neck profile of theis early Dan Smith strat? I heard they are really slim, but I don't know if all the 1981-83 Strats have the same neck profile. Are the frets vintage or medium jumbo?
Yes, the neck on mine is very shallow. I bought my E2 for my 21st birthday, and still have it. The body and pickups are stunning, but the neck was not only tiny, but mis-aligned too. So I've replaced it, and now it's better than new. Kept the old neck of course.
Nice Dylan, i take it this is one of the two brandnew Dan Smith Strat's from the Gardiner Haulgate auctions last year? Did you not plug it in since then? :-)
Hi, thanks for watching 😊 I think the GH ones last year were sienna sunburst from memory. I've had this one about 5 years, and this was genuinely the first time I tried it! It's now safely packed away again. I do have another, which I'll probably need to check at some point too! Thanks again 👍🎸
@@dylansmithguitarist3843 Wow that's some serious selfcontrol! I love those Smith Strats. They're not all built as well as most people think or expect (missalligned pickguards and backplates, some are realy heavy) but they are what they are and have their own place in Fender history. By the way nice Knopflerish playing!
@@andyr8805 I don't doubt what you say - but the ones Ive had have been tickety-boo. But perhaps I've been lucky! The 2 pot ones have a bad name, but I think they sound great. I've featured a couple on my channel - including the Bowling Ball Strat. But the early Smith ones have a less pronounced, softer edge to the neck back/fretboard (which I prefer). Whilst the design intent for the later ones was deliberate, I found it a bit less comfortable to start with, until I got used to it.
That’s amazing!!! That’s my birth year strat. I want to get one so bad.
It's never too late! Thanks for watching 👍🎸
I’m a bit late to this, but that’s incredible. What a find. Shultz & co really knew what they were doing. I’m lucky enough to have a 1982 ‘57 AVRI, so I get it. I’ve had & played lots of Strats since then & none have matched up until now. I’ve just bought a Vintage 2 ‘61, & it’s sweet.
Thanks for watching, and welcome to the channel! Yes, some of those early 80's Strats were just great. Don't get me wrong, I love 70's Strats too, but they can be a little hit and miss. There was a definite step change with the reshuffle. I bet your AVRI is awesome too. Enjoy your guitars, and please check out some of my other Strat videos! I did one of 4 Strats spanning 4 decades for comparison 👍🎸
I've had two 1982 Smith strats, one black with rosewood board and the other pewter with maple board. The black one is my "how could I have sold that" guitar. Loved it. Interesting how the one in the vid has a pale headstock, being in a closed box means the clearcoat hasn't yellowed it to that vintage ambered look as both of mine had. Great find, wherever you came up with it!
Thanks for watching. I have a rosewood hardtail new also. I may feature that in a similar video. Yeah - they were still lacquering the headstock face then, so not uncommon for a '2-tone' neck once a bit of aging has occurred! It's horrible when you regret selling a guitar - but sometimes needs must. I'm about so sell some of mine, in fact. Thanks for watching. 😀🎸
Wow!!! Exciting stuff there Dylan.
Very exciting indeed. A relief to know that it works :)) But theres another too.....
@@dylansmithguitarist3843 I can barely contain my excitement 😉🥸😋
@@markleveson6093 she's all boxed away now, but maybe you'll get to see her soon 😊👍🎸
I bought the very same guitar from the Soho Sound House in 1986 for about £700, Johnny Arbiter was keeping some back in storage, He told me all about the Dan Smith era and how the guitars were so much better than what he had in the shop at the time, I had exactly the same unboxing experience as you, I still have it and all the case candy, it's still in great condition, kind of wish I kept all the box and packaging but I did buy the correct case for it, R.I P. Johnny Arbiter.
Thanks for watching. Yes, it's amazing how totally different these feel compared to the previous years - especially the necks. I'm glad you kept yours all these years - I bet you and the guitar have many memories and plenty of stories 😊🎸
Many, if not all of the earlier Shultz guitars were made with pancake bodies. Not until the year 2000, did they finally make a solid body guitar (albeit made in two pieces, horizontally). But I've heard a Stratocaster made of pencils that sounded pretty darn good!
Wonderful guitar .... I actually have a late 1979 stratocaster came from a mom & pop music store it never sold not quite as mint as yours .owners said that the guitar was on the floor for about a year and told me that it has the original strings on it.. It has the fender bullet strings on it .. got it about 15 years ago
Cool! I always think it's nice to have a time warp guitar, I've nothing against wear and tear, but you see far less mint original guitars these days. All the guitars on my channel are genuine and super clean, because that's how I like them 😃Thanks for watching 👍🎸
So cool!
Thanks for watching! Great to share it at last!
I have a Dan Smith 1983, and it has only one volume and one tone knob, and the input jack for the cord is mounted directly on the pick guard.
From what I understand, that's not a Dan Smith guitar.
Wow! what a guitar..... I have the a similar black 1982 E209449, but it's had a much harder life then yours.
Cool. Thanks for watching 👍Nothing wrong with a hard life for a guitar. Some of mine sure have seen some action! Just nice to keep reference guitars for future generations 😃🎸
Awesome find! Did you end up selling it?
Thanks for watching. I still have the guitar. I packed it away after filming the video, and it's been untouched since. I have a hard tail and a trem (maple and rosewood neck) both from the same consignment. I may actually be offering them for sale this year though. Thanks for watching 👍🎸
Dude this is literally amazing. I have one in sienna burst but has been owned a couple times. I cannot believe it is 40 years untouched that is a time capsule for sure! I have an important question though. How do you properly pack and store a guitar with it not getting ruined, warped or dehydrated? I know acoustics are more sensitive but just a question because I’ve been storing mine just in their cases in a closet. This one looks literally brand new and I’m assuming plays just as new. I’m in disbelief!
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I think Sienna Sunburst is my favourite colour from this era. This one does play like new - this video was literally the first (and only) time that I plugged it in and played it. I just keep this one in the middle of the house so that any changes to temperature and humidity are gentle. I have others that are kept in storage but under blankets, but I don't apply exact rules any more - I find that a common sense approach works best. Just make sure that the guitar acclimatises between buildings if you can to protect the finish if it's a thin skin nitro. 👍🎸
How is the neck profile of theis early Dan Smith strat? I heard they are really slim, but I don't know if all the 1981-83 Strats have the same neck profile. Are the frets vintage or medium jumbo?
Yes, the neck on mine is very shallow. I bought my E2 for my 21st birthday, and still have it. The body and pickups are stunning, but the neck was not only tiny, but mis-aligned too. So I've replaced it, and now it's better than new. Kept the old neck of course.
Nice Dylan, i take it this is one of the two brandnew Dan Smith Strat's from the Gardiner Haulgate auctions last year?
Did you not plug it in since then? :-)
Hi, thanks for watching 😊 I think the GH ones last year were sienna sunburst from memory. I've had this one about 5 years, and this was genuinely the first time I tried it! It's now safely packed away again. I do have another, which I'll probably need to check at some point too! Thanks again 👍🎸
@@dylansmithguitarist3843 Wow that's some serious selfcontrol!
I love those Smith Strats. They're not all built as well as most people think or expect (missalligned pickguards and backplates, some are realy heavy) but they are what they are and have their own place in Fender history. By the way nice Knopflerish playing!
@@andyr8805 I don't doubt what you say - but the ones Ive had have been tickety-boo. But perhaps I've been lucky! The 2 pot ones have a bad name, but I think they sound great. I've featured a couple on my channel - including the Bowling Ball Strat. But the early Smith ones have a less pronounced, softer edge to the neck back/fretboard (which I prefer). Whilst the design intent for the later ones was deliberate, I found it a bit less comfortable to start with, until I got used to it.