FENDER STRATOCASTER: A BRIEF HISTORY
Many people don't know that the Fender Stratocaster was invented and manufactured in 1954 as Fender's response to the release of the Gibson Les Paul. Although Fender got an initial foothold in the electric guitar market with it's 1950 release of the very successful Fender Telecaster, Gibson responded with the Gibson Les Paul.
The Les Paul was a more elegant guitar and was sold as a stark contrast to the basic and utilitarian Telecaster (known as the "plank" because of its lack of body sculpting and was essentially a plank of wood). The Les Paul model from Gibson showed how style could be combined with electric guitar essentials. By 1953, the Leo Fender and the Fender Company realized, they had better do something!
That something was the Stratocaster. A more sculpted and styled version of the Telecaster with other refinements (three single coil pick-ups for starters) the Strat was a hit and remains the most popular and widely sold electric guitar ever made.
The Stratocaster was just in time for the explosion of Rock n Roll and became the symbol of the greatest musicians of that early period and really of rock music generally. It is the electric guitar most easily identified by the non-guitar playing public and most popular to this day.
I know myself and many others I know simply love the way it fits your body, becomes an extension of your body due to the design of the contours of its very shape. It's sound is unmistakable and can be thin or thick, sounds great distorted or clean and the color choices...oh the colors!
BUILD YOUR OWN STRATOCASTER
Fender recently brought back it's great colors from the 1950s and 1960s that matched the great cars of that era. Also, even though their dealers are losing their minds, you can now design your own and order it directly from the Fender Factory. For example, you could order a 1962 reissue in Fiesta Red with the neck of your choice and they will build it and ship it to you! Um, WOW!
From Buddy Holly to Jimi Hendrix and to this day, guitar players around the world know if they are a true guitar fanatic, they simply must have a Fender Stratocaster in their guitar arsenal! Click HERE to see and learn more about vintage stratocasters
Here’s a video we did with our friends at Mecum Auction’s Guitar Search on a cool custom color rare 1962 Black Fender Stratocaster.
For a very concise history, watch this video from Keith Wilson’s “Five Watt World” YouTube channel. Well researched guitar history videos.
Thats a wrap on the 2022 Orlando Guitar Show and what a show it was. I really enjoyed doing a video walk-thru with Luthier Nick Scout from…