Stop someone on the street and ask them to name an electric guitar, and the overwhelming response
will be the
Fender Stratocaster. Since its introduction in 1954, Leo Fender's innovative Strat
has become a worldwide icon. There are lots of reasons why, but it begins with the Strat's many
breakthrough features, including:
- Three single-coil pickups
- Patented Synchronized Tremolo tailpiece
- Double-cutaway, "Comfort Contour" Body
- Individual string length/height adjustment bridge
- Recessed jack socket
- Ease of repair/customization
Why a Strat?
So just what is it about the Fender Stratocaster that makes it so popular?
Well, first and foremost, Strats sound great. (They sound like a Strat!) They also feel good, and
are incredibly comfortable to play. But there's more to the Strat's appeal. Face it, a Stratocaster
looks very cool. And it doesn't hurt that so many great guitarists—from Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton,
Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughn to Eddie Van Halen, Yngvie Malmsteen, Smashing Pumpkins' Billy
Corgan, and John Mayer—have made music history with the help of the Fender Stratocaster. (There's a
long list of well-known Strat players) The Fender Stratocaster has a long, rich history as one of
the first and most enduring electric guitars ever made.
So whether you're just starting out, or have been playing—or collecting—for years, there's a
Strat that's exactly what you've been looking for.
How much is a Stratocaster? There are Stratocasters for every budget and level of player,
from about $99 to thousands of dollars, for absolute beginners, to great stars, to collectors.
Classic Stratocaster Features
Before we get to all the variations, let's take a look at
your Stratocaster's classic features:
- Solid ash or alder body
- Double-cutaway "Comfort Contour Body"
- Bolt-on maple neck
- Maple or rosewood fingerboard
- Nitrocellulose lacquer finish (Vintage and Fender® Select models)
- Urethane or polyester finish (modern models)
- Three single-coil pickups
- Five-position pickup selector (position 1 – bridge pickup only; position 2 – bridge and middle
pickup; position 3 – middle pickup only; position 4 – middle and neck pickup; position 5 – neck
pickup only).
- Two tone controls and 1 volume control
- 25-1/2" scale length, 21 or 22 frets
- 7-1/4" fretboard radius (vintage models)
- 9-1/2" fretboard radius (modern models)
- Synchronized Tremolo (Vibrato arm/tailpiece)
Stratocaster Families
There are four major "families" in the Stratocaster line The major
differences in the families are in the places where they are built, the quality of components, and
the quality of fit and finish. They are (in order of increasing quality of components, fit and
finish), Squier by Fender, Fender Stratocaster, Fender American Stratocaster, and Fender Custom
Shop.
Squier by Fender
Today's Stratocaster line starts with the entry-level Squier by Fender .
They're lower priced, but Squier Strats aren't knockoffs—they're genuine, high-quality Strats made
to Fender specs in the far east (principally China). Squiers don't use some of the better pickups
or electronics of the other models and are still relatively comfortable to use, thanks to the
Comfort Contour Body. The Squier line includes the Bullet Strats made for beginners, and the
Affinity, Standard , and Vintage Strats . Squier quality has made huge improvements in recent years
and several well known players have begun to use them. By the way, since Squiers are made to Fender
specs, you can upgrade most (but not all) Squier parts, especially the pickups and electronics with
equipment made for Fender American Stratocasters.
Fender Stratocaster Guitars
200 miles from Fender's factory in Corona, California, USA is
Fender's other factory in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. There is a constant flow of traffic
between the two factories, carrying parts, cut wood, and personnel. Both factories make fine
guitars and amps bearing the Fender name, although the highest end products are made in the US
factory and custom shop. Fender's Ensenada factory produces top quality Fender instruments and
amplifiers albeit at a somewhat lower price. They are not made by subcontractors who simply adhere
to Fender specifications – this is Fender's factory with a staff of Fender personnel trained by
Fender. The models produced there include:
- Fender Standard Stratocaster
- Fender Blacktop Stratocaster
- Fender Deluxe Stratocaster
- Fender Road Worn Stratocaster
- Fender Classic Series Stratocaster
- Fender Classic Players Stratocaster
- Fender Roland Ready Stratocaster
Fender American Stratocaster Guitars
Fender American Series Stratocasters are made in
Fender's factory in Corona, California, USA. This is where you will find Fender's master crafts
people and where the most coveted Stratocasters are made Fender American Stratocasters include:
- Fender Highway One Stratocasters
- American Standard Stratocasters
- American Deluxe Stratocasters
- American Vintage Stratocasters
- American Special Stratocasters
- Select Stratocasters
- Artist Series Stratocasters
Fender Custom Shop Stratocasters
Built for fine guitar collections, these instruments are
thought about, dreamed about, and hand-crafted in the United States by Fender's legendary
craftsmen. Usually offered for a limited time, or in limited quantities, so they can even increase
in value, Custom Shop instruments are made to honor a specific musician's tastes or a specific
instrument from the past.
Optional Stratocaster Features:
Today, Fender offers a large variety of features, options,
and finishes in the Stratocaster line, yet all Stratocasters retain the classic features that make
them instantly recognizable in design and sound as Stratocasters. Here are some of the options that
make one Stratocaster different from another:
Different Woods: The Stratocaster's solid body is typically made of ash or alder,
though other woods, like poplar and basswood, are also used. Different woods affect the tone in
subtle ways.
Color: Color Choices vary by model. In addition to the standard colors and
sunburst, Fender also offers Custom Colors and over the years occasionally offers flame tops.
Neck Profile: C-shaped, like most Stratocasters, or V-shaped like Eric Clapton's
favorite models.
Fingerboard Radius: Most Strats have a 9.5" fingerboard radius, which is a
comfortable curvature that provides great playability. Vintage-style Strats have a more curved
7.25" radius. Several top models, including the American Deluxe, the Select, and certain artist
models, have a compound radius starting at 9.5” near the nut and slowly changing to 14” near the
bridge. The 9.5” radius near the nut is helpful for forming chords, while the flatter shape near
the bridge is ideal for string bending and more comfortable soloing.
Pickup Arrangements: Although the classic Strat has 3 single coil pickup design
(known as SSS), some models add a humbucker at the bridge position (known as HSS) or at both the
bridge and neck position (known as HSH) There are also different kinds of single coil pickups from
the Alnico 3 pickups, to the vintage noiseless N3 pickups to the Texas Special overwound pickups
with the classic Texas blues sound There are also a few Stratocasters, most notably the value
priced Blacktop Stratocaster, that offer two Humbucking pickups instead of the classic 3 pickup
arrangement.
Different Circuitry: Several models have special circuitry for special results. For
example, models with Texas Special pickups have reverse polarity in the center pickup to eliminate
hum and give that "twangy" tone that Stevie Ray Vaughn made famous. The Fender Highway One Strat
has the famous "Greasebucket" tone circuit that lets you roll off the highs without adding bass.
Fender American Deluxe models also have the S1 tone switch for a wider choice of tonal variations,
while the Fender Deluxe Players Stratocasters offer a pushbutton switch to increase the 5 pickup
selector combinations to 7 (this allows you to use all three pickups at once or the neck and bridge
pickups at the same time). American Standard and Select Strats feature the “no load” tone control,
that gives you the pure, unmodified tone of the pickups when set to 10. Most strats with 3
single-coil pickups have reverse polarity in the center pickup to eliminate hum.
Hardware: Hardware usually refers to things like the tuning gears, pickup covers and
other metal parts such as the bridge, switch plates, etc., and is often available in nickel, chrome
or gold plating finishes. Stratocaster guitars can have four distinctive types of bridges. The most
well-known bridge is the vintage-style "synchronized" tremolo (found on the American series Strats
and on the Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and Yngwie Malmsteen models). The other three are the American
Series bridge, which is a modern-day two-pivot bridge; the non-tremolo hardtail bridge (found on
the Robert Cray and Billy Corgan signature strats); and a locking tremolo, such as the American
Deluxe or Floyd Rose® locking tremolos. A number of different style tuners are found on
Stratocasters including Vintage (oval button), '70s F Key (octagonal button), Standard Sealed
Modern Key (pin mounted), and locking tuners.
