Fender Reference Extract

bomots.de Peter Bertges

The Fender Reference

music.edition Technical details about all Fender basses and guitars - Foreword by Thomas Blug, Germany‘s Stratplayer No. 1

Peter Bertges

The Fender Reference A complete collection of specifications for the electric guitars and basses marketed under the Fender brand

2


All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, electro-static, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. All company names, brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners and therefore, as a rule, are protected by brands, patent or goods legislation. The author and publisher have made every effort in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information contained therein. However, it is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, bomots nor its dealers or distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused either directly or indirectly by this book.

© 2007 bomots verlag cover design: bomots verlag cover photograph: Thomas Blug ISBN: 978-3-939316-38-1

www.bomots.de

3

Contents

Preface .............................................................................................................. 21 Introduction....................................................................................................... 23 Purpose and Scope of this Book ..................................................................... 23 The Structure of this Book ............................................................................. 23 The Series...................................................................................................... 25 General Features and Changes ....................................................................... 27 Part I – Major Models ................................................................................... 31 1

Stratocaster ................................................................................................ 33 1.1

The original model............................................................................... 34

1.2

The Standard models............................................................................ 39

1.2.1

American Standard Stratocaster................................................... 39

1.2.2

Standard Stratocaster .................................................................. 41

1.2.3

Standard Stratocaster .................................................................. 41

1.2.4

Squier Series Standard Stratocaster ............................................. 43

1.2.5

American Stratocaster HH........................................................... 44

1.2.6

American Stratocaster HSS ......................................................... 45

1.3

Upgrades and Other Variants............................................................... 45

1.3.1

Anniversary Stratocaster ............................................................. 45

1.3.2

The Strat..................................................................................... 46

1.3.3

Walnut Strat ............................................................................... 47

1.3.4

Gold Stratocaster ........................................................................ 48

1.3.5

Elite Stratocaster......................................................................... 48

1.3.6

Contemporary Stratocaster .......................................................... 50

1.3.7

US Contemporary Stratocaster .................................................... 51 The Fender Reference

4

Contents

1.3.8

Strat Plus .................................................................................... 52

1.3.9

HM Strat..................................................................................... 53

1.3.10

Strat XII ..................................................................................... 54

1.3.11

Paisley Stratocaster ..................................................................... 55

1.3.12

Blue Flower Stratocaster ............................................................. 56

1.3.13

Deluxe Strat Plus ........................................................................ 56

1.3.14

HLE Stratocaster......................................................................... 57

1.3.15

Stratocaster American Standard Deluxe....................................... 57

1.3.16

Short Scale Stratocaster............................................................... 57

1.3.17

HM Strat Ultra............................................................................ 58

1.3.18

Strat Ultra................................................................................... 58

1.3.19

35th Anniversary Stratocaster...................................................... 59

1.3.20

HRR '50s Stratocaster ................................................................. 59

1.3.21

HRR '60s Stratocaster ................................................................. 60

1.3.22

American Classic Stratocaster ..................................................... 60

1.3.23

Floyd Rose Classic Stratocaster................................................... 61

1.3.24

Set Neck Stratocaster .................................................................. 62

1.3.25

Special Edition 1993 Stratocaster ................................................ 63

1.3.26

Special Edition 1994 Stratocaster ................................................ 63

1.3.27


1.3.28

Strat Special ............................................................................... 63

1.3.29

Foto Flame Stratocaster............................................................... 64

1.3.30

Foto Flame Floyd Rose Standard Strat......................................... 65

1.3.31

Carved Top Stratocaster.............................................................. 65

1.3.32

American Standard Strat GR Ready ............................................ 66

1.3.33


1.3.34

Lone Star Strat............................................................................ 66

1.3.35

Tex-Mex Strat............................................................................. 67 www.bomots.de

5 1.3.36

Roadhouse Strat.......................................................................... 68

1.3.37

Big Apple Strat........................................................................... 68

1.3.38

alifornia Strat.............................................................................. 69

1.3.39

1997 Collector's Edition Stratocaster ........................................... 70

1.3.40

Deluxe Super Strat...................................................................... 70

1.3.41

Classic Player Strat ..................................................................... 71

1.3.42

Relic Floyd Rose Stratocaster...................................................... 71

1.3.43

American Deluxe Stratocaster ..................................................... 72

1.3.44

American Deluxe Fat Stratocaster ............................................... 73

1.3.45

Deluxe Powerhouse Strat ............................................................ 73

1.3.46

Deluxe Fat Strat Floyd Rose........................................................ 74

1.3.47

Sub-Sonic................................................................................... 75

1.3.48

Highway 1 Stratocaster ............................................................... 76

1.3.49

trat-O-Sonic DV I............................................................................ 77

1.3.50

Acoustasonic Strat ...................................................................... 78

1.3.51


1.3.52

American Deluxe Stratocaster V-Neck ........................................ 79

1.3.53

American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster .............................................. 79

1.3.54

American Deluxe Strat FMT/QMT HSS...................................... 80

1.3.55

Deluxe Players Strat.................................................................... 80

1.3.56

Tie-Dye Strat HS ........................................................................ 81

1.3.57

Lite Ash Stratocaster................................................................... 81

1.3.58

Aerodyne Stratocaster ................................................................. 82

1.3.59

Big Block Stratocaster ................................................................ 83

1.3.60

Strat Pro ..................................................................................... 83

1.3.61

Deluxe Power Stratocaster .......................................................... 84

1.3.62


1.3.63

60th Anniversary Standard Stratocaster ....................................... 85 The Fender Reference

Contents

6

1.3.64

Koa Stratocaster.......................................................................... 85

1.3.65

Classic Player ‘50s Strat.............................................................. 86

1.3.66

Classic Player ‘60s Strat.............................................................. 87

1.3.67

VG Stratocaster .......................................................................... 87

1.3.68

Vintage Hot Rod '57 Stratocaster................................................. 88

1.3.69

Vintage Hot Rod '62 Stratocaster................................................. 88

1.3.70

'60s Closet Classic Stratocaster with Competition Stripe.............. 89

1.3.71

20th Anniversary Masterbuilt 2007 Stratocaster Closet Classic .... 89

1.4

Reissue Models.................................................................................... 90

1.4.1

Vintage '57 Stratocaster .............................................................. 90

1.4.2

Vintage '62 Stratocaster .............................................................. 91

1.4.3

'50s Stratocaster .......................................................................... 92

1.4.4

'60s Stratocaster .......................................................................... 93

1.4.5

'72 Stratocaster ........................................................................... 94

1.4.6

'68 Stratocaster ........................................................................... 94

1.4.7

'54 Stratocaster ........................................................................... 95

1.4.8

1960 Stratocaster ........................................................................ 95

1.4.9

Relic '50s Stratocaster ................................................................. 96

1.4.10

Relic '60s Stratocaster ................................................................. 97

1.4.11

'58 Stratocaster ........................................................................... 97

1.4.12

'69 Stratocaster ........................................................................... 98

1.4.13

N.O.S. Stratocaster ..................................................................... 98

1.4.14

'65 Stratocaster ........................................................................... 99

1.4.15

'66 Stratocaster ........................................................................... 99

1.4.16

'70s Stratocaster .......................................................................... 99

1.4.17

1957 Commemorative Stratocaster............................................ 100

1.4.18

‘57 Heavy Relic Stratocaster ..................................................... 100

1.4.19

‘62 Heavy Relic Stratocaster ..................................................... 101 www.bomots.de

7 1.5

Artist Models.................................................................................... 102

1.5.1

Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster ........................................... 102

1.5.2

Yngwie Malmsteen Signature Stratocaster................................. 103

1.5.3

Yngwie Malmsteen Standard Stratocaster.................................. 105

1.5.4

Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster ................................................ 105

1.5.5

Robert Cray Signature Stratocaster............................................ 106

1.5.6

Stevie Ray Vaughan Signature Stratocaster ............................... 107

1.5.7

Richie Sambora Signature Stratocaster ...................................... 107

1.5.8

Richie Sambora Standard Signature Strat .................................. 108

1.5.9

Dick Dale Signature Stratocaster ............................................... 109

1.5.10

Bonnie Raitt Signature Stratocaster ........................................... 109

1.5.11

Buddy Guy Signature Stratocaster............................................. 110

1.5.12

Richie Sambora Lim. Ed. Black Paisley Stratocaster.................. 111

1.5.13

The Ventures Lim. Ed. Stratocaster ........................................... 111

1.5.14

Jimi Hendrix Tribute Stratocaster.............................................. 112

1.5.15

Hank Marvin Stratocaster.......................................................... 112

1.5.16

Jimmie Vaughan Signature Tex-Mex Strat ................................ 112

1.5.17

Ritchie Blackmore Lim. Ed. Stratocaster ................................... 113

1.5.18

Jerry Donahue Lim. Ed. Stratocaster ......................................... 114

1.5.19

John Jorgensen Lim. Ed. Hellecaster ......................................... 114

1.5.20

Matthias Jabs Signature Stratocaster.......................................... 115

1.5.21

Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Stratocaster............................................. 115

1.5.22

Ritchie Blackmore Signature Stratocaster.................................. 116

1.5.23

Chris Rea Stratocaster............................................................... 116

1.5.24

Tom Delonge Stratocaster ......................................................... 117

1.5.25

Buddy Guy Polka Dot Stratocaster ............................................ 117

1.5.26

Mark Knopfler Stratocaster ....................................................... 118

1.5.27

Robert Cray Signature Standard Strat ........................................ 118 The Fender Reference

Contents

8

1.5.28

Rory Gallagher Tribute Stratocaster .......................................... 118

1.5.29

Robin Trower Signature Stratocaster ......................................... 119

1.5.30

Eric Johnson Stratocaster .......................................................... 120

1.6 2

John Mayer Stratocaster ..................................................................... 120

Telecaster ................................................................................................ 123 2.1

The original model............................................................................. 123

2.2

The Standard models.......................................................................... 127

2.2.1

American Standard Telecaster................................................... 127

2.2.2

Standard Telecaster................................................................... 128

2.2.3

Squier Series Standard Telecaster.............................................. 130

2.2.4

American Telecaster HH........................................................... 130

2.2.5

American Telecaster HSS ......................................................... 131

2.2.6

American Ash Telecaster .......................................................... 131

2.3

Upgrades and other Variants .............................................................. 132

2.3.1

Custom Telecaster .................................................................... 132

2.3.2

Rosewood Telecaster ................................................................ 133

2.3.3

Telecaster Thinline ................................................................... 134

2.3.4

Telecaster Custom .................................................................... 135

2.3.5

Telecaster Deluxe ..................................................................... 136

2.3.6

Black & Gold Telecaster ........................................................... 137

2.3.7

Elite Telecaster ......................................................................... 137

2.3.8

Contemporary Telecaster .......................................................... 139

2.3.9

40th Anniversary Telecaster...................................................... 140

2.3.10

Telecaster Plus.......................................................................... 140

2.3.11

Telecaster Plus Deluxe.............................................................. 141

2.3.12

Set Neck Telecaster .................................................................. 141

2.3.13

HMT Telecaster........................................................................ 142

2.3.14

Bajo Sexto Telecaster ............................................................... 143 www.bomots.de

9 2.3.15

Sparkle Telecaster..................................................................... 144

2.3.16

Special Edition 1994 Telecaster ................................................ 144

2.3.17

Tele Special.............................................................................. 144

2.3.18

Foto Flame Telecaster............................................................... 145

2.3.19

Set Neck Telecaster Jr............................................................... 145

2.3.20

Telecaster XII........................................................................... 146

2.3.21

B-Bender Telecaster ................................................................. 147

2.3.22

American Classic Telecaster ..................................................... 148

2.3.23

90's Telecaster Deluxe .............................................................. 149

2.3.24

90's Telecaster Custom.............................................................. 149

2.3.25

Telecaster Acoustic/Electric...................................................... 150

2.3.26

Telecaster Classic Nylon String Electric.................................... 150

2.3.27

Tex-Mex Telecaster Special ...................................................... 151

2.3.28

Deluxe Nashville Telecaster...................................................... 152

2.3.29

'90s Tele Thinline ..................................................................... 152

2.3.30

California Tele.......................................................................... 153

2.3.31

American Deluxe Telecaster ..................................................... 154

2.3.32

American Fat Telecaster............................................................ 155

2.3.33

Tele-Sonic ................................................................................ 155

2.3.34

1998 Collector's Edition Telecaster ........................................... 156

2.3.35

Deluxe Nashville Power Telecaster ........................................... 156

2.3.36

American Deluxe Power Tele.................................................... 157

2.3.37

Tele Sub-Sonic ......................................................................... 157

2.3.38

Telecaster Custom FMT............................................................ 158

2.3.39

Highway 1 Telecaster ............................................................... 159

2.3.40

Highway 1 Texas Telecaster...................................................... 159

2.3.41

Flat Head Telecaster ................................................................. 160

2.3.42

American Deluxe Ash Telecaster .............................................. 160 The Fender Reference

Contents

10

2.3.43

American Deluxe Telecaster FMT/QMT HH............................. 161

2.3.44

Blackout Telecaster................................................................... 161

2.3.45

Lite Ash Telecaster ................................................................... 162

2.3.46

Aerodyne Telecaster ................................................................. 163

2.3.47

Big Block Telecaster................................................................. 163

2.3.48

60th Anniversary Telecaster...................................................... 164

2.3.49

Custom Telecaster Thinline....................................................... 164

2.3.50

Koa Telecaster.......................................................................... 165

2.3.51

Classic Player Baja Telecaster................................................... 165

2.3.52

Telecaster Pro........................................................................... 166

2.3.53

Custom Telecaster Spalted Maple HH ....................................... 166

2.3.54

Vintage Hot Rod '52 Telecaster ................................................. 167

2.4

Reissue Models.................................................................................. 167

2.4.1

Vintage '52 Telecaster............................................................... 167

2.4.2

'50s Telecaster .......................................................................... 168

2.4.3

Paisley Telecaster ..................................................................... 169

2.4.4

'62 Custom Telecaster............................................................... 170

2.4.5

'72 Telecaster Custom............................................................... 170

2.4.6

'72 Telecaster Thinline.............................................................. 171

2.4.7

Blue Flower Telecaster ............................................................. 172

2.4.8

'69 Telecaster Thinline.............................................................. 172

2.4.9


2.4.10

Relic '50s Nocaster ................................................................... 173

2.4.11

'50s Telecaster .......................................................................... 174

2.4.12

'60s Telecaster Custom.............................................................. 174

2.4.13

'52 Tele Special ........................................................................ 174

2.4.14

'63 Telecaster............................................................................ 175

2.4.15

'60s Telecaster .......................................................................... 175 www.bomots.de

11 2.4.16

'72 Telecaster Deluxe................................................................ 175

2.4.17

'60 Custom Telecaster............................................................... 176

2.4.18

'67 Telecaster............................................................................ 176

2.4.19

'50s Telecaster with Bigsby....................................................... 177

2.4.20

'70s Telecaster LH .................................................................... 177

2.4.21


2.5

Artist Models.................................................................................... 178

2.5.1

Albert Collins Telecaster........................................................... 178

2.5.2

Danny Gatton Telecaster ........................................................... 178

2.5.3

James Burton Telecaster ........................................................... 179

2.5.4

Jerry Donahue Telecaster .......................................................... 180

2.5.5

Jerry Donahue "JD" Telecaster.................................................. 180

2.5.6

Clarence White Telecaster......................................................... 181

2.5.7

Waylon Jennings Tribute Telecaster .......................................... 181

2.5.8

James Burton Standard Telecaster ............................................. 182

2.5.9

Nokie Edwards Lim. Ed. Telecaster .......................................... 183

2.5.10

Merle Haggard Signature Telecaster.......................................... 183

2.5.11

Will Ray "Mojo" Telecaster ...................................................... 184

2.5.12

Will Ray Lim. Ed. Jazz-A-Caster .............................................. 185

2.5.13

John Jorgensen Telecaster ......................................................... 185

2.5.14

Buck Owens Lim. Ed. Telecaster .............................................. 186

2.5.15

Muddy Waters Telecaster.......................................................... 186

2.5.16

Jimmy Bryant Tribute Telecaster............................................... 187

2.5.17

J5 Telecaster (John 5) ............................................................... 187

2.5.18

J5 Telecaster............................................................................. 188

2.5.19

J5 Triple Tele Deluxe................................................................ 188

2.5.20

G.E. Smith Telecaster ............................................................... 189

2.5.21

Andy Summers Tribute Telecaster ............................................ 189 The Fender Reference

Contents

12 3

Jazz Bass ................................................................................................. 191 3.1


3.2


3.2.1

American Standard Jazz Bass.................................................... 194

3.2.2

Standard Jazz Bass.................................................................... 196

3.2.3

Squier Series Standard Jazz Bass............................................... 197

3.2.4

Foto Flame '60s Jazz Bass......................................................... 197

3.3

Upgrades and Other Variants............................................................. 198

3.3.1

Gold Jazz Bass.......................................................................... 198

3.3.2

Contemporary Jazz Bass (aka P-J Bass)..................................... 199

3.3.3

Power Jazz Bass Special ........................................................... 200

3.3.4

Jazz Bass Deluxe ...................................................................... 201

3.3.5

American Classic Jazz Bass ...................................................... 204

3.3.6

Deluxe Active Jazz Bass ........................................................... 205

3.3.7

Deluxe Active Jazz Bass V........................................................ 206

3.3.8

Custom Classic Jazz Bass ......................................................... 206

3.3.9

Highway 1 Jazz Bass ................................................................ 207

3.3.10

Aerodyne Jazz Bass .................................................................. 208

3.3.11

60th Anniversary Jazz Bass....................................................... 208

3.3.12

Power Jazz Bass ....................................................................... 209

3.3.13

Jazz Bass 24 ............................................................................. 209

3.3.14

Jazz Bass 24 V.......................................................................... 210

3.4

Reissue Models.................................................................................. 210

3.4.1

Vintage '62 Jazz Bass................................................................ 210

3.3.2

'60s Jazz Bass ........................................................................... 211

3.3.3

'75 Jazz Bass............................................................................. 212

3.3.4

Relic '60s Jazz Bass .................................................................. 212

3.3.5

'62 Jazz Bass LH....................................................................... 213 www.bomots.de

13 3.4

4

Artist Models.................................................................................... 213

3.3.2

The Ventures Lim. Ed. Jazz Bass .............................................. 213

3.3.3

Noel Redding Lim. Ed. Jazz Bass.............................................. 214

3.3.4

Marcus Miller Jazz Bass ........................................................... 214

3.3.5

Geddy Lee Jazz Bass ................................................................ 215

3.3.6

Jaco Pastorius Tribute Jazz Bass................................................ 216

3.3.7

Victor Bailey Jazz Bass............................................................. 217

3.3.8

Mark Hoppus Jazz Bass ............................................................ 218

3.3.9

Reggie Hamilton Jazz Bass ....................................................... 219

3.3.10

Reggie Hamilton Standard Jazz Bass......................................... 220

3.3.11

Frank Bello Signature Bass ....................................................... 220

Precision Bass.......................................................................................... 223 4.1


4.2


4.2.1

American Standard Precision Bass ............................................ 227

4.2.2

Standard Precision Bass ............................................................ 228

4.2.3

Squier Series Standard Precision Bass ....................................... 229

4.2.4

Foto Flame '60s Precision Bass ................................................. 229

4.3


4.3.1

Slab Body Precision Bass.......................................................... 230

4.3.2

Precision Bass Special .............................................................. 230

4.3.3

Walnut Precision Bass Special .................................................. 231

4.3.4

Elite Precision Bass .................................................................. 231

4.3.5

Precision Bass Plus ................................................................... 233

4.3.6

Short Scale Precision Bass ........................................................ 233

4.3.7

Precision Bass "Lyte" Standard ................................................. 233

4.3.8

Precision Bass Plus Deluxe ....................................................... 235

4.3.9

Acoustic-Electric Precision Bass ............................................... 235 The Fender Reference

Contents

14

4.3.10

Vintage Precision Bass Custom................................................. 235

4.3.11

Precision Bass Special .............................................................. 236

4.3.12

Precision Bass Deluxe............................................................... 236

4.3.13

California Precision Bass Special .............................................. 238

4.3.14

Hot Rod Precision Bass............................................................. 239

4.3.15

Highway 1 Precision Bass......................................................... 240

4.3.16

Standard Precision Bass Junior.................................................. 241

4.3.17

Big Block Precision Bass .......................................................... 241

4.3.18

60th Anniversary Precision Bass ............................................... 242

4.3.19

60th Anniversary Precision Bass ............................................... 242

4.3.20

Aerodyne Classic Precision Bass Special................................... 242

4.4

5

Reissue Models.................................................................................. 243

4.4.1

Vintage '57 Precision Bass ........................................................ 243

4.4.2

Vintage '62 Precision Bass ........................................................ 244

4.4.3

'50s Precision Bass and '60s Precision Bass ............................... 244

4.4.4

'51 Precision Bass ..................................................................... 244

4.4.5

'57 Precision Bass LH ............................................................... 245

4.4.6

'59 Precision Bass ..................................................................... 245

4.4.7

'55 Precision Bass ..................................................................... 245

4.4.8

Artist Models........................................................................... 246

4.4.9

Sting Precision Bass.................................................................. 246

4.4.10

Rocco Prestia Precision Bass..................................................... 246

4.4.11

Mike Dirnt Precision Bass Special............................................. 247

4.4.12

Tony Franklin Fretless Precision Bass ....................................... 247

4.4.13

Pino Palladino Precision Bass ................................................... 248

Showmaster ............................................................................................. 249 5.1.1

Showmaster Standard................................................................ 249

5.1.2

Showmaster 7-String................................................................. 251 www.bomots.de

15

6

5.1.3

Flat Head Showmaster .............................................................. 251

5.1.4

Showmaster Elite FMT ............................................................. 252

5.1.5

Showmaster Celtic H ................................................................ 253

5.1.6

Showmaster Scorpion HH ......................................................... 254

5.1.7

Highway 1 Showmaster HH...................................................... 255

5.1.8

Showmaster Blackout ............................................................... 255

5.1.9

Showmaster FAT HH ............................................................... 255

Esquire .................................................................................................... 259 6.1


6.2


6.2.1

Custom Esquire ........................................................................ 262

6.2.1

Seymour Duncan Esquire.......................................................... 263

6.2.2

Esquire Custom GT .................................................................. 263

6.2.3

Esquire Custom Scorpion.......................................................... 264

6.2.4

Esquire Custom Celtic .............................................................. 264

6.3

6.3.1

'54 Esquire................................................................................ 265

6.2.1

'62 Custom Esquire................................................................... 265

6.2.2

'59 Esquire................................................................................ 265

6.3 7

Reissue Models.................................................................................. 265

'50s Esquire ....................................................................................... 266

Jaguar ...................................................................................................... 267 7.1


7.2


7.2.1

Jaguar Baritone Custom ............................................................ 269

7.2.2

Jaguar Baritone HH .................................................................. 270

7.2.3

Jaguar HH ................................................................................ 270

7.3

Reissue Models.................................................................................. 271

7.3.1

'62 Jaguar ................................................................................. 271 The Fender Reference

Contents

16

7.3.2 8

'62 Jaguar ................................................................................. 271

Jazzmaster ............................................................................................... 273 8.1


8.2

Reissue Models.................................................................................. 276

8.2.1

'62 Jazzmaster........................................................................... 276

8.2.2

'62 Jazzmaster........................................................................... 276

8.3

Artist Models.................................................................................... 277

8.3.1 9

The Ventures Lim. Ed. Jazzmaster ............................................ 277

(Bass) VI ................................................................................................. 279 9.1


9.2

Reissue Models.................................................................................. 281

9.2.1

Bass VI..................................................................................... 281

9.2.2

Bass VI..................................................................................... 281

10

Mustang............................................................................................. 283

10.1

The original model ........................................................................ 283

10.2

Reissue Models ............................................................................. 285

10.2.1

'69 Mustang .............................................................................. 285

10.2.2

Competition Mustang................................................................ 286

10.2.3

'65 Mustang .............................................................................. 286

11

Mustang Bass .................................................................................... 287

11.1


11.2

Reissue Models ............................................................................. 289

11.2.1 12

Mustang Bass ........................................................................... 289

Stu Hamm Urge Bass......................................................................... 291 12.1.1

Stu Hamm Urge Standard Bass ................................................. 292

12.1.2

Stu Hamm Urge II Bass ............................................................ 292

13

Roscoe Beck V Bass .......................................................................... 295

14

Jaguar Bass........................................................................................ 297 www.bomots.de

17 15

TC-90 Thinline .................................................................................. 299

16

So-Cal Speed Shop Guitar.................................................................. 301

Part II – Models no longer in production (pre-CBS and CBS eras) ............. 303 17

Musicmaster ...................................................................................... 305

18

Duo-Sonic ......................................................................................... 309

18.1


18.2

Reissues ........................................................................................ 311

19

Electric XII........................................................................................ 313

20

Bass V ............................................................................................... 317

21

Marauder ........................................................................................... 319

21.1

The Version I prototypes ............................................................... 319

21.2

The Version II prototypes .............................................................. 320

22

Coronado........................................................................................... 321

22.1 23

Coronado I .................................................................................... 321 Coronado Bass................................................................................... 325

23.1

Coronado Bass I ............................................................................ 325

24

Bronco............................................................................................... 329

25

LTD .................................................................................................. 331

26

Montego ............................................................................................ 333

27

Telecaster Bass .................................................................................. 335

28

Swinger ............................................................................................. 337

29

Musicmaster Bass .............................................................................. 339

30

Starcaster ........................................................................................... 341

31

Lead .................................................................................................. 343

32

Bullet................................................................................................. 347

32.1 32.1.1

First series..................................................................................... 347 Bullet ....................................................................................... 347 The Fender Reference

Contents

18

32.2

Second series................................................................................. 348

32.2.1 32.3

Bass series..................................................................................... 350

32.3.1 33

Bullet ....................................................................................... 348

Bullet Bass B30 ........................................................................ 350

D'Aquisto .......................................................................................... 351

33.1

The first model .............................................................................. 351

33.1.1 33.2

The second model.......................................................................... 353

33.2.1 33.3

D'Aquisto Elite ......................................................................... 353 The third model............................................................................. 354

33.3.1 34

D'Aquisto Standard................................................................... 351

Classic Rocker .......................................................................... 354

Esprit, Flame, Robben Ford................................................................ 357

34.1


34.1.1 34.2

Esprit Standard ......................................................................... 357 Artist models................................................................................. 359

34.2.1

Robben Ford............................................................................. 359

34.2.2

Robben Ford Elite FM .............................................................. 360

34.2.3

Robben Ford Ultra FM.............................................................. 360

34.2.4

Robben Ford Ultra SP............................................................... 360

Part III – Models no longer in Production (post CBS era) ........................... 363 35

Katana ............................................................................................... 365

36

Performer .......................................................................................... 367

37

Performer Bass .................................................................................. 369

38

JP90 Bass .......................................................................................... 371

39

HM Bass............................................................................................ 373

40

Prodigy.............................................................................................. 375

41

Prodigy Bass...................................................................................... 377 www.bomots.de

19 42

MB4 Bass .......................................................................................... 379

43

Jag-Stang........................................................................................... 381

44

Cyclone ............................................................................................. 383

44.1


44.2

Variants ........................................................................................ 384

44.2.1

Cyclone II................................................................................. 384

44.2.2

Cyclone HH.............................................................................. 384

45

Toronado ........................................................................................... 385

45.1


45.2

Variants ........................................................................................ 386

45.2.1

Toronado DE ............................................................................ 386

45.2.2

Toronado HH............................................................................ 387

45.2.3

Highway 1 Toronado ................................................................ 387

45.2.4

Toronado HH............................................................................ 387

45.2.5

Toronado GT HH...................................................................... 388

46

Zone Bass .......................................................................................... 389

46.1


46.2

Variants ........................................................................................ 390

47

46.2.1

Zone Bass................................................................................. 390

46.2.2

Zone Bass V ............................................................................. 390

Dimension Bass ................................................................................. 393

Part IV – The Heartfield Models .................................................................. 395 48

Elan................................................................................................... 397

49

RR-58................................................................................................ 399

50

Talon ................................................................................................. 401

51

DR-4, DR-5, DR-6 Basses.................................................................. 403 DR-4 Bass ............................................................................................... 403 The Fender Reference

Contents

20 52

Prophecy Bass ................................................................................... 405 52.1.1

Prophecy I Bass ........................................................................ 405

Appendix: Additional Information ................................................................... 407 Left-handed instruments............................................................................... 407 General thoughts...................................................................................... 407 Available models ..................................................................................... 407 Differing features..................................................................................... 410 Available finishes ........................................................................................ 412 The Pre-CBS and CBS eras ...................................................................... 412 The Post-CBS era..................................................................................... 416 Serial Numbers............................................................................................ 420 The general scheme.................................................................................. 420 Reissue models ........................................................................................ 422 Special schemes ....................................................................................... 422 Fender Japan............................................................................................ 423 Instruments made in Mexico .................................................................... 425 Bibliography, Sources.................................................................................. 426 Books ...................................................................................................... 426 Photographs............................................................................................. 427 Trademarks.............................................................................................. 427 Updates ................................................................................................... 427

Index............................................................................................................... 429

www.bomots.de

21

Preface

A lot of music has been made with the Strat – a great deal actually, varying in a lot of different styles! The reason for this may lie in the versatility and the multifacetedness of this guitar. Or is it perhaps because each Strat is different from any other? We live in the 21st century and somehow a guitar which first saw the light of day in 1954, is still one of the most-played models of all the electric guitars of the present. As for myself, I have been playing this guitar for more than 20 years, and I still discover new tone colours and musical hues which I can get out of it. Similarities between Strats are mostly in appearance. Every Strat has its own special character, which can really be heard if you listen carefully. The closer you look, the more you'll understand how essential the influence of each component, which is built into the Strat, is for its sound. I have come to realise that not only the changing of pick-ups alters the sound – even the material of the pickguard, where the pick-ups are mounted, makes a noticeable difference. Summing up, this fact results in different sound properties which provide each instrument with its own character. Even small tolerances during the production process leave their acoustical traces and help form the quality and character of individual instruments. Which brings us to a particular phenomenon – one which non-musicians cannot grasp and which they would most probably shrug off as just being nonsense – the influence of the instrument on the musician. Some call it inspiration, others call it the soul of the instrument that speaks to them. Whatever the case may be, this is a point on which I agree with many of my fellow guitarists. Go and ask a violin player who plays a Stradivarius about the huge influence the violin has on its player and his music – this is an incontrovertible fact which is acknowledged all over the musical world. What I have experienced time and again, is that the soul of every single Strat I've ever played completely took me by surprise, as I discovered that every instrument inevitably shows you its character which you have to come to terms with, otherwise no musical oneness between musician and instrument can be established. Strats can be stroppy little beasts which you've got to become acquainted with and understand first... ...but that's exactly what makes them so fascinating to deal with. The Fender Reference

22

Preface

As a guitar player I can only reiterate what an immense influence the materials used have on the sound, the response and subsequently on the tone of the instrument. I have spent half a lifetime collecting these experiences. Today I have a clear conception of which tremolo, which pick-ups and which wood I like best. And that's exactly where the fun starts for every serious guitarist. Every guitarist has his own personality and is somehow searching for "his instrument" with which he has the best rapport and which lets him express himself best. That's why it makes sense to take a much closer look at the varied aspects of the Strat including its history. Many accounts that you'll find in this book will either ring a bell or bring something to light. Many of the things that you may have merely felt up to now, will start to make sense in the light of your own experiences. For me it is still fascinating to hear and see the things, different guitarists can do with the Strat, especially such diverse personalities as David Gilmour, Richie Backmore, Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher, Hank Marvin, Nile Rodgers, Eric Johnson, Gary Moore, Stevie Ray Vaughan. This book gives you a complete summary on what changes occurred to the hardware in the course of the years. There are exact references to the materials Fender used in the various series, and thus the book helps you understand what has changed, not only in the Strat, but also in all the other guitars and basses Fender has brought to the music-making world. Whether you use this information as a collector in order to establish the genuineness of an instrument, or whether the data serve as sources for your own research, is at your own discretion.

And the story will go on! That's a thing I'm very, very sure of...

Thomas Blug [email protected] www.guitarplayer.de

www.bomots.de

Purpose and Scope of this Book

23

Introduction

Purpose and Scope of this Book The purpose of this book is NOT to provide you with a myriad of colourful pics to look at and anecdotes or inside stories on certain guitar models. Instead the purpose of this book is to give you a concise reference which you can consult whenever you need to know exactly when a certain Fender model was introduced, changed, or dropped from the line, or if you're trying to establish the period during which a certain detail could be found in a specific Fender model. Therefore, the book contains all models built and marketed on an international basis by Fender. And while I'm at it, I might as well tell you what the book does not contain, as I obviously had to draw the line somewhere. Otherwise this book would have to include each and every one-off that an artist or a dealer ever received from Fender, and since there is no record being kept on each individual instrument that left the factory from day one, it is utterly impossible to trace them all. What's more, there is no point in a reference listing one-of-a-kind instruments. Reference means that you can compare your instrument to a number of specifications and officially given features. And a one-off can, of course, not be compared since… well, since it's a one-off. For similar reasons I have omitted the so-called dealer-select guitars that were produced in a limited number to be sold by one store exclusively. Once you start digging in that direction, there'll be no end to the matter.

The Structure of this Book One of the most, if not the most difficult thing about compiling this book was to create an order which would be clear and comprehensible for all the hundreds of different models and variants of models that were introduced with overlapping timelines and put in and out of production several times. That's why I dismissed my first impulse of listing the models in the chronological order of their first being marketed. Since the times are long gone when a Stratocaster was simply a Stratocaster full stop, you have to obtain some sense of order into the ensuing variety of Standard Strats, Deluxe Strats and Special Super Strats. The Fender Reference

24

Introduction

That's why I dismissed my second impulse to group the instruments according to the series they belong to. This method would lead to total chaos since it would mean that you could find Stratocasters in about a dozen different chapters, and in order to find a certain model you would have to browse through half the book. To make matters worse, there are models which switched from one series to another over the years, and sometimes whole series, such as the Hot Rodded Series, were swallowed up by other series, so that the models belonging to these series would have to show up in two or more chapters. Confusion would be complete, and you would be less than pleased with such a book. After considering several concepts, I finally settled for the following as being the best compromise between clarity and logic: First I have distinguished between what I will call basic models: Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazz Bass, etc.. In the old days, these were just different products in Leo Fender's catalogue. In the course of time though, they were divided into minor submodels and variants which in most cases bore their original name plus a suffix, e.g. American Deluxe Fat Strat, so that the Stratocaster in itself became something of a meta model. I decided to treat the abovementioned basic models not in the order of their first appearance on the market, but rather in the order of their importance. Now what is that supposed to mean? And how can I assume that one model is more important than another? It is easier to answer these questions than it would seem at first glance. The decisive factor is the number of submodels and variants that exist of a certain basic model. And since the Stratocaster has appeared in 161 different guises during its history, the case is quite clear. Once this first step is taken, everything else falls into place. The Telecaster has the second highest number of variants to its name. Then follows the Jazz Bass and so on. The parts of this book addressing these basic models all have roughly the same structure. For the sake of clarity let's take the Stratocaster as an example to explain this structure. In essence, it will be the same for all the other basic models. First the Stratocaster is introduced in a short paragraph, stating special features and peculiarities. After this, the basic specifications - measurements which usually never change - are given in the form of a table. Then all the general features of the original Stratocaster are listed in a table, and after this, the changes these features went through in the course of the years are listed. Following this, the standard models are addressed. In case you're wondering about the plural in 'models', let me tell you that there are indeed several (up to a dozen) 'Standard' variants of each major model. Hence the extra chapter. www.bomots.de

The Series

25

Next come the upgrades and variants of the Stratocaster in their chronological order. Here you will find all the models which added something, either some special features or gimmicks to the original model. The general features of these models are identical to those of the standard Stratocaster of the corresponding period, unless otherwise indicated. Then we come to the reissue models. Here you can find all the Stratocaster models that were produced as more or less true replicas of Stratocasters as they were at a certain point in their history. The tables of this chapter list only those features which divert from those of the original guitar, i.e. where period-correctness was not matched. The final chapter of the Stratocaster part is concerned with artist models. This chapter contains any model that has the name of an artist attached to it. If the model is clearly based on another Stratocaster model, the name of this parent model is given and the subsequent table will list only those features which divert from those of the parent model. And so we will proceed through the whole gamut of Fender guitars and basses.

The Series The idea of combining instruments in series is not very old. When Leo Fender started his business, he simply produced a couple of different guitar models and sold these. The necessity to create series does not arise until you start producing variants of different models, which share some common properties. These may be deluxe features such as active electronics, or vintage specifications. Then it makes sense to draw up various series for the instruments, such as in the above example: a Deluxe and a Vintage series. This is exactly what Fender did in 1982, when they introduced the Vintage series and, in the following year, the Elite series. The Vintage series (which later became the American Vintage series) contains the US-made reissues. When the craze for pre-CBS instruments gathered momentum at the beginning of the '80s, Fender finally decided to meet the demand for instruments with vintage specifications. The result was a range of guitars and basses which have enjoyed unabated popularity until the present day. Starting off in 1982 with the '52 Tele, the '57 and '62 Stratocasters, '57 and '62 Precision Basses and the '62 Jazz Bass, the series was enhanced in the course of the years by a '75 Jazz Bass, '62 Jazzmaster and Jaguar guitars, the '62 Custom Telecaster and the '70s Stratocaster. All these instruments are built to the same specifications as their original counterparts. The Fender Reference

26

Introduction

When the Elite Series was introduced in May 1983, it was a final attempt to raise CBS/Fender's reputation in the music world by offering the most advanced instruments that had ever run from their production line. The Elite series consisted of three Stratocaster models, three Telecaster models and five variants of Precision Basses, all with active electronics, newly-designed tilt-necks and pick-ups among other innovations. In 1986, the year after CBS had sold Fender to a group of committed employees, the product line started afresh with just the American Standard and the Vintage series. Yet it soon became apparent that in the modern music business it is necessary to offer a broad range of instruments to reach a wide public with its diverse tastes and needs. So the number of series rose and soon became very confusing with 'US Plus/Deluxe', 'Collectable', 'Special/Deluxe' series and what-not, the purposes of and differences between which were mostly indiscernible. Today there is a total of nineteen series, the most important of which are the following: The American Series was developed from the American Standard Series. This is the home of the standard US-produced models. The Standard Series includes basic models, aimed at customers who prefer plain instruments without any fancy features. These instruments are usually manufactured in Mexico. The Highway 1 Series was developed in 2003 for low-budget, yet US-made instruments. So price-wise it can be allocated between the Mexican-made Standard series and the US-made American series. The American Deluxe series is one step up from the American series and contains instruments with special features. The Deluxe series is to the Standard series, what the American Deluxe series is to the American Series. The Classic series is the smaller (cheaper) brother of the Vintage series. After the success of the Vintage series, Fender Japan started marketing more models from Fender's past, and in 1992 Fender US came up with the 'Collectables' series to cover a selection of these instruments for world-wide sale. Later the name of the series was changed to Classic series, and it now also contains a number of models made in Mexico. The Special Edition series is one in a line of special series that had several names in the course of the years, and in which instruments are collected which don't quite fit into the other series. Time Machine Series (Custom Shop) www.bomots.de

General Features and Changes

27

The 'Relic' idea was developed in the Custom Shop after a customer, on ordering an instrument, had asked if they could 'beat it up, make it look old'. First they thought the idea was silly, but then they decided to make a couple of distressed guitars for the NAMM show. In the end they left the show with hundreds of orders for Relic guitars. From there on the idea developed, and today the Time Machine instruments are offered in three different finishes: NOS meaning "New old stock"; this is usually described as a guitar that was produced in its original year and then brought to the present day as if by time machine. Closet Classic; this is an instrument that looks as if it were bought shortly after production in its original year, played for some time, and then stowed away under the bed or in the attic. Relic; this is a battered or worn instrument which bears all the marks of long and heavy use. The Artist Series started off as the Signature series in 1988 with the Eric Clapton and Yngwie Malmsteen models. It became the Artist Signature series some time during the '90s and finally the Artist series in 2000, presumably because it does not solely consist of signature models but of tribute models as well. The Custom Artist Series is the Custom Shop's version of the Artist series. More need not be said.

General Features and Changes And one last thing: There are some things which never change in Fender instruments such as the necks always being made of maple, and other features which changed for all models such as the switch to rosewood fingerboards in 1959. So, unless otherwise indicated, the following features hold true for all Fender models: Body

Two to four pieces of ash or alder

Neck

Maple, fastened to the body by 4 bolts (screws)

Fingerboard

MN (= one-piece MN) or RW (= rosewood board)

Head

All the tuners on the upper (bass) side

Decal

Reading 'Fender' + the name of the model LH (= left handed version)


28

Introduction

The following changes spanned the whole range of Fender instruments at the time of their occurrence, unless stated otherwise: Before 1959

One-piece MN Adjusting rod at body end of the neck

May 1959

Slab rosewood fingerboard, clay dots

July 1962

Curved fingerboard

Mid 1963

Dots at XII. fret closer together

Late 1964

"Kluson Deluxe" wording in two lines on tuners (guitars)

Late 1964 – early Pearloid dots on the fingerboard '65 Mid '65

"F" on the neck plate

Late 1967 – mid New black "TV" logo with a circled "R" '68 1969

Polyester finishes for the body undercoat and neck (headstock, colour, and topcoat remain lacquer)

1972

More ash bodies, alder increasingly less used

During '70s

Minimal body contours

1974

Finger rest changes to thumb rest (basses)

1975

3-ply black pickguard introduced, 3-ply white available as an accessory

1976

Serial no. on the headplate + "made in USA"; any further inscriptions dropped Schaller tuners with shorter shafts (basses)

After 1977

Gold outline of logo slightly increased

1980

More alder bodies again Schaller Deluxe tuning machines without safety slot (guitars)

1981

3-ply white pickguard reinstated (3-ply black optional)

End of 1981

Body contours deepened Tilt-neck and bullet truss-rod discontinued; 4-screw fastening

June 1983

Alder bodies, contours like early '60s 4-bolt micro tilt neck, Bi-flex truss rod, adjusting screw at headstock MN, fingerboard radius 12" (305mm) www.bomots.de


Jumbo frets (W/B): 2.8 x 0.9 Silver logo, small model designation "Fender" logo on neck-plate Schaller security strap lock buttons 01/'84

RW (slab) fingerboard reintroduced as an option, white dots markers

End of 1984

Production stops

02/'85

Official shutdown of Fullerton factory


29

30

Introduction

www.bomots.de


Part I: Major Models


31

32

Stratocaster

www.bomots.de

33

1 Stratocaster

Without any exaggeration, the Stratocaster can be described as Fender's flagship. Undoubtedly it is Fender's major guitar model, and probably the most popular design in guitar history. It was designed by Leo Fender in the early 1950s, and has been manufactured continuously until the present day. The Stratocaster has been used by many leading guitarists and on many historic recordings. Along with the Gibson Les Paul and the Strat's older cousin, the Fender Telecaster, it is the most enduring and common model of electric guitar in the world. Many books have been written on the Stratocaster (cf. bibliography), so it would be pointless to go further into such details for our purposes and in any case, the volume of information on the Strat's development is so huge that it would exceed the scope of this introduction. The Stratocaster was announced in April 1954. The first production run of guitars with tremolo was finished in October 1954, the first run of guitars without tremolo in April 1955. In the beginning the control layout of the Stratocaster was rather simple. A 3-way sliding switch allowed each pick-up to be selected individually. Combinations of two pick-ups were not intended and could only be achieved by balancing the switch between two positions. This situation changed only in the mid-'70s when Fender finally factory-fitted the Stratocaster with a 5-position switch.

Specifications: Length 39"

Width 99cm

Scale 25 1/2"

64.8cm

12 3/4"

Depth 32.4cm

1 3/4"

4.45cm

Neck width saddle

Fretboard radius

1 5/8"

7.27"

4.13cm


17.78cm

Stratocaster

34 1.1

The original model

General Features: Body

Ash, mostly two parts; very deeply contoured

Neck

MN, round, black dots (Bakelite)

Head

Small; 1 round string retainer

Decal

Gold Spaghetti logo, "with synchronized tremolo", "Original contour body"

Pickguard

White Bakelite, 8 screws (some were made of anodized aluminium)

Back cover plate

White Bakelite, 6 oval holes

Finish

Nitro-cellulose 2-tone dark sunburst

Pick-ups

3 white single coil PUs Staggered pole-pieces, shortest to tallest = B, e, G, E, A, D Black fibre bobbins

Controls

1 Volume, 2 Tone, white knobs

Circuit

1 3-position sliding switch Waxed cloth conducting wires Metal shielding plate in the control area

Bridge

6 nickel plated steel saddles String-through-body design

Vibrato

2-piece vibrato tailblock

Tuners

Nickel-plated Kluson safety slot machines

Serial no.

on neck plate

Differences in the earliest models: 

Serial no. on back cover plate (until 06/'54) Knobs and PU-covers made of brittle white phenolic plastic (similar to bakelite) (1954-55).



6 round holes in back plate (one ply white) (until early '55) Headstock edges slightly more rounded (until '55).

www.bomots.de

The original model

Modifications over the years: 1955

Snap-on bridge cover V-neck

Late '55

White parts change to ABS plastic

1956

Custom colours of the player's choice announced in catalogue

Mid '56

1 butterfly clip string retainer

Late '56

Alder body for all finishes except Blonde G pole-piece now the tallest

02/'57

14 k gold-plated hardware for Blonde finish (later optional for all Custom finishes)

1957

vinyl plastic knobs and pickup covers replace the phenolic plastic (many spring 1957 Strats have a mix of both materials) "Kluson Deluxe" wording on tuning machines

Late '57

A few anodized pickguards

1958

Blended 3-tone sunburst gradually introduced Rounder, flatter neck Very few anodized pickguards again (around the same time with Jazzmaster, Duo-Sonic, Musicmaster, and Precision Bass)

1959

Back contour slightly shortened 1 string retainer with spacer

05/'59

Slab rosewood fingerboard, clay dots

07-08/'59

3-ply white pickguard (greenish nitrate top layer), 11 screws (second between neck- and middle-PU), a few with 8 screws, earliest slightly thinner than later Full-dimension shielding plate

09/'59

Very flat neck (C-neck)

Through the 60s

A few tortoise pickguards on sunburst, black and white finishes

1960

3-tone sunburst with clearly defined separation between colours Optional neck widths (until 1970): 1 1/2" Narrow (rare), 1 5/8" Standard, 1 3/4" Wide The Fender Reference

35

36

Stratocaster

Optional gold-plated hardware 1961

Magnet for g-string shortened Additional inscriptions on headplate: "PAT 2,573,254 2,741,146" and "Original contour body Pat. Pend."

Spring '62

3 pat. nos. on headplate: "PAT 2,573,254 2,960,900"

2,741,146

Additional neck width 1 7/8" Extra wide (rare) 07/'62

Curved fingerboard D-neck

Mid '63

Second pickguard screw nearer to middle-PU Thinner fingerboard Dots at XII. fret closer together

After '63

Slightly thicker headstock

08/'64

Gold Transition logo 4 pat. nos.: "PAT 2,573,254 3,143,028"

Late '64

2,741,146 2,960,900

"Kluson Deluxe" wording in two lines on tuners Light grey pick-up bobbins

02/'65

Pearloid dots on fingerboard (slightly bigger than clay dots) Pickguard now made of plastic

Mid '65

"F" on neck plate 5 pat. nos.: "PAT 2,573,254 3,143,028 2,817,261"

2,741,146 2,960,900

12/'65

Large headstock A few bound necks (announced as standard in 66-67 catalogue) Top contour reduced, back contour shortened

Mid '60s

A few mahogany bodies One or more prototypes made from clear Lucite

02/'66

3 pat. nos. on headplate: "PAT 2,741,146 3,143,028 DES 169,062"

1967

Fender safety-slot tuning machines (by Schaller), chromeplated

05/'67

Optional maple fingerboard, black dots as big as pearl dots

After '67

Gold-plated hardware option dropped Slightly thicker headstock www.bomots.de

The original model

06/'68

New logo with circled "R", "Stratocaster with synchronized tremolo" wording enlarged, "PAT 2,741,146 3,143,028" Standard nut width 1 5/8" Optional nut widths at a surcharge: 1 1/2", 1 3/4" and 1 7/8" Plastic-coated wires Dark grey pick-up bobbins

1969

Neck more round and flat (increasing inconsistency in neck shapes) Metal shielding foil covering the control area

04/'70

Opt. one-piece MN 1 pat. no. on headplate: "PAT 2,741,146" "with synchronized tremolo" wording dropped

Mid '71

Tilt neck with bullet truss rod, 3 screws

Late '71

Saddles made from chrome-plated die cast Die cast tailblock, rear flange of baseplate slightly enlarged 2 string retainers on headplate

After '71

Slightly thicker headstock

Early '72

More ash bodies, alder increasingly less used

Mid '72

On headplate: "PAT 3,143,028"

1974

PUs with flat pole-pieces

1975

3-ply black pickguard and backplate introduced, 3-ply white as an accessory

1976

All black trim (pickguard, PUs, knobs, and backplate) Serial no. on headplate + "made in USA" PAT-no. and "Original contour body" wording dropped

09/'77

5-way sliding switch for PU selection

1977 to 1979

Optional Antigua finish with matching pickguard

After '77

Gold outline of logo slightly increased

1979

Blonde finish discontinued LH model only with tremolo and MN

1979/1980

Limited "Hendrix" version with left-hand neck (4 screws) and extra contour on body front (only 25 produced!)

Threshold of the More alder bodies again The Fender Reference

37

Stratocaster

38 '80s

1980

Schaller Deluxe tuning machines without safety slot One-piece black plastic pick-up bobbins Hotter X-1 lead pick-up International Colours introduced (until late 1981), combined with white 3-ply pickguard and black knobs, switch tip, pickups and pickguard screws

1981

3-ply white pickguard reinstated (3-ply black optional), White knobs and PUs later in the year

End of '81

Regular model now called Standard Stratocaster (aka Smith Strat) Small headstock, flatter neck more rounded at the sides with 4 screws and adjusting rod at body end Large metal shielding foil covering the pick-up and control area Jewel Colours introduced (until mid 1983) Body contours deepened

06/'82

Bridge cover deleted

1982

Approx. 200 bodies made from hackberry wood as a substitute for alder

06/'83

Standard Stratocaster (2nd Version) Alder body, contours like early '60s Tilt neck with 4-screw fastening, Bi-flex truss rod, adjusting screw at headstock One-piece MN, fingerboard radius 12" (305mm) Jumbo frets (W/B): 2.8 x 0.9 Neck width at saddle: 1.7" = 4.35mm XII. fret: 5.5mm Silver logo, small model designation "Fender" logo on neck-plate White one-layer pickguard w. 12 screws 1 volume and 1 tone knob, plug on pickguard, full dimension shielding foil Freeflyte tremolo system, strings loaded from the top Chrome-plated die-cast tuning keys with "F" stamped on back, no slots Schaller security strap lock buttons

01/'84

RW (slab) fingerboard reintroduced as an option, white dots markers

Late 1984

Limited edition Marble Strat: Production numbers according to finisher Darren Johansen: Red finish with black and white swirled in, sometimes resulting in grey areas as well (108 units); www.bomots.de

The Standard models

39

Blue finish mixed with yellow and black (105 units); Yellow finish with white and silver, sometimes resulting in gold patches (37 units);

1.2

The Standard models

1.2.1 American Standard Stratocaster With the opening of the new Corona factory, this was the official name of the standard Strat. The specifications were the same as those of the former Standard Stratocaster with minor alterations of its general features. General Features: Introduced

November 1986

Series

American Standard

Model no.

010-7400/2, LH: 010-7420/2

Body

Alder

Neck

4-bolt micro tilt neck Bi-flex truss rod w. adjusting screw at headstock end

Fretboard

MN or RW, 22 frets Fretboard radius 9.5" (241mm) Nut width 1.6815 " (42.7mm)

Decal

Re-designed small; 2 roller string retainers

Headstock

Silver logo, small model name, "made in USA", serial no.

Pickguard

3-ply white, 11 screws

Finish

Polyurethane 06, 32, 43, 58, 68, 80

Pick-ups

3 single coil PUs, white with flush pole-pieces

Controls

1 Master Volume, 1 Master Tone (neck PU), 1 TBX master (middle and bridge PUs), white knobs

Circuit

1 5-position sliding switch

Bridge

6 steel saddles, string-through-body


40

Stratocaster

Vibrato

2-pivot vibrato tailpiece

Tuners

Chrome-plated die-cast tuners

Modifications over the years: 1990 – '93/94

Poplar bodies

Early '90s

Neck width at nut: 1.6875" (43 mm) Finishes: 06, 09, 28, 32, 41, 72 Finishes LH: 06, 09, 32, 41

1994 - 1995

Optional anodized aluminium hollow body (400 units made)

1996

Spaghetti logo, serial no. on back of headstock Limited Edition with painted headstock: Olympic White, Lake Placid Blue

By 1997

Ash body on Natural finish Deluxe Fender die-cast machine heads Hot bridge PU, reverse-wound middle PU, standard neck PU 1 Volume, 1 Tone (neck), 1 middle/bridge "no load" Tone control Finishes: 00, 05, 06, 21, 24, 74, 93 Optional Hardtail-Version 010-7430/2

6/2000

Renamed American Series Stratocaster 011-7400/2, Hardtail 011-7430/2, LH 011-7420/2 (American series) Relevant changes: Ash or alder body Medium jumbo frets Staggered tuners 1 roller string retainer Finishes: - Alder body: 00, 03 (MN only), 06, 15, 74; - Ash body: 01, 21 Finishes for Hardtail and LH: 00, 01, 06, 15

2002

Neckplates now read 'Fender Corona, California' Complete selection of finishes (00, 01, 03, 06, 15, 21, 74) for RW, Hardtail and LH

2003

Alder body only Finishes: 00, 05, 06, 25, 51, 95 Finishes for Hardtail and LH: 00, 05, 06, 25

www.bomots.de

The Standard models

2004

41

th

40 Anniversary medallion on headstock (only this year) Finishes: 00, 05, 06, 25, 50, 95 Pickguard: 1-ply black (on finish 50), 3-ply parchment (for the rest)

1.2.2 Standard Stratocaster 1985 - 1997. This Japanese-built guitar is identical to the American Standard Stratocaster as introduced in 1986 in the new Corona factory. Differing Features: Model no.

027-4600/2, Japan

Head

1 string clamp

Changes over the years: 1988

Locking nut

1989

2nd version, similar to Mexican Standard Stratocaster but with 2 string retainers

1992

3rd version (?)

1996 only

LH version (027-4620) Basswood body 1-ply white pickguard w. 8 screws

1.2.3 Standard Stratocaster Introduced in 1991 after the opening of the new factory in Ensenada, Mexico, this is a budget version of the American Standard Stratocaster. Special features: Model no.

013-4600/2 (Standard series), Mexico

Body

Poplar

Neck

Maple, Width at nut 1.650" (42 mm) RW or maple fingerboard, 21 frets 9.5" radius (241 mm) The Fender Reference

42

Stratocaster

Head

Silver Transition-style Logo 1 string retainer

Finish

02, 06, 25, 32, 80

Pick-Ups

Standard single-coils

Tuners

Fender/Ping Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines

Bridge

Vintage style

Modifications over the years: 1998

Finishes: 06, 32, 73, 75, 80 LH version introduced 013-4620/2

2002

Alder bodies on all models Finishes for Standard Stratocaster, LH, Fat Strat: 06, 19, 29, 32, 75, 80

2006

Finishes for Standard Stratocaster, LH, HH, HSS: 06, 25, 32, 75, 80, 87

Minor Variants: Standard Stratocaster Roland Ready 1998 -

Model no. 013-4660

Special features: Additional Roland GK-2A synth driver mounted behind bridge pick-up, 3 synth control knobs Finishes: 06, 32, 80

Standard Fat Strat 1999 -

Model no. 013-4700/2

2002

Renamed Stratocaster HSS

Standard Fat Strat Floyd Rose 1999 -

Model no. 113-4700

Special features:

Floyd Rose locking tremolo

www.bomots.de

The Standard models

43

RW only 2002

Renamed Stratocaster HSS with Locking Tremolo

After 2006

Discontinued

Standard Stratocaster Satin 2003 -

Model no. 013-4400/2

Special features:

Velvety Satin finishes 09, 68, 73, 75

Stratocaster HH (Standard Double Fat Strat) 1/2004 -

Model no. 013-4800

Special features:

RW only 2 Tex-Mex Fat Strat Humbucking Pickups, 3-way switch 3-ply black pickguard

Stratocaster Junior 1/2004 - 2006

Model no. 013-3800

Special features:

Scale Length 22.72” (577mm) Finishes: 06, 58

1.2.4 Squier Series Standard Stratocaster Produced from 1992 - 1994 in Korea and from 1994 - 1997 in Mexico, based on the Mexican Standard Stratocaster. Name changed to Traditional Stratocaster in 1996. This model was an even cheaper version of the inexpensive Standard Stratocaster. Special Features: Model no.

013-3600/2

Head

Thick black logo, small "Squier Series" logo

Pickguard

1-ply white, 8 screws The Fender Reference

44

Stratocaster

Finish

06, 58, 80 Generally cheaper components

Minor Variants: Squier Series Standard Stratocaster LH 1994 – 1997

Model no. 013-3620

Special features: RW only Finishes: 06, 80

Squier Series Floyd Rose Standard Stratocaster 1994 – 1997

Model no. 113-1100/2

Special features:

Locking vibrato

Traditional Fat Strat 1996 – 1997

Model no. 013-3700

Special features: 2 single coil pick-ups, 1 humbucker

1.2.5 American Stratocaster HH Introduced in July 2003, based on the American Standard Stratocaster. Differing Features: Model no.

011-7100, Hardtail 011-7130 (American series), USA

Pick-Ups

1 Sidewinder Humbucker 1 Black Cobra Humbucker (Bridge)

Controls

Master Volume (with S-1 Switch), Tone 1 (Neck Pickup), Tone 2 No-Load Tone Control (Bridge Pickups)

Pickguard

3-ply Black

Finish

06, 25, 91, 95

www.bomots.de

(Neck),

Upgrades and Other Variants

45

1.2.6 American Stratocaster HSS Introduced in July 2003, based on the American Standard Stratocaster. Differing Features: Model no.

011-7000/2 (American series), USA

Body

Alder or Ash

Pick-Ups

2 Custom-Staggered Tex-Mex single-coils (Neck and Middle), 1 Fender Diamondback Humbucker (Bridge)

Controls

Master Volume (with S-1 Switch), Tone 1 (Neck and Middle Pickups), Tone 2 (Bridge Pickup and Bridge/Middle Pickup Combination)

Pickguard

3-ply Black (91), 3-ply Parchment (00, 06, 25, 47), 1-ply Black (50)

Finish

Alder body: 00, 06, 91 Ash body: 47; Maple fingerboard only: 50

1.3


1.3.1 Anniversary Stratocaster This guitar was introduced in the summer of 1979 as a limited edition model to commemorate the Stratocaster's 25th year in production. There were some 10,000 units produced between 1979 and 1980, giving quite a new meaning to the term 'limited'. The original finish, being water-based, was prone to cracking, so it was changed to a bluish Silver metallic after the first batch of approx. 500 units. According to Larry Moudy, then a district sales manager, the colour was supposed to be silver all along, but due to an error in the proportions of the necessary mixture, it turned out as a frosty white. Special features: Production years 06/1979 - 1980 (available until 1981) Neck

4 screw-fastening The Fender Reference

46

Stratocaster

Adjusting rod at body end Fingerboard

One-piece MN, black dots

Head

Large CBS-style, 2 string retainers

Pickguard

3-ply black

Finish

White pearl with "Anniversary" written on upper horn

Tuners

Deluxe Sperzel tuners with string post locking system

Serial no.

Serial no. ('25' + 6 digits) and '1954 - 1979 25th Anniversary' inscription on neckplate

1.3.2 The Strat The Strat was the first model to turn the Stratocaster's often used affectionate abbreviation into an official model name. It was also an attempt to re-introduce some of the cherished old-style features such as the small headstock (although the shape of The Strat's headstock was nowhere near the original), 4-bolt neck fastening, and deeper body contours, and combine them with up-to-date electronics and heavyduty brass hardware. The guitar was designed by Gregg Wilson, then head of R&D at Fender. Special features: Production years

06/1980 - 1983

Body

Ash, deeply contoured

Neck

4 screw-fastening Adjusting rod at body end

Fingerboard

One-piece MN or RW board Optional neck shapes: U (very thick), D (classic oval), C (wide and flat)

Head

Very slim, 2 square string retainers

Decal

Gold logo + ® + 'Strat' + serial no. + "Made in USA"

Pickguard


Finish

09, 02 80 added in 06/'81 Matching headstock

www.bomots.de


Pick-ups

47

3 white single coil PUs New-designed X-1 in lead position

Controls

1 V, 1 T, 1 two-way rotary switch; 5-way selector switch; all gold-plated

Bridge

Heavy brass; gold-plated

Tuners

Lubricated deluxe Schaller keys, no split shaft

Specials

All hardware 22k gold-plated (the earliest examples came with chrome tuners and polished brass hardware)

1.3.3 Walnut Strat The Walnut Strat was a minor variant of the Strat, the main difference being, as the name indicates, that it was made completely from Walnut. The Walnut Strat was eventually replaced by the Walnut Elite Stratocaster. Special features: Production years

06/1981 - 1983

Body

Walnut, deeply contoured

Neck


Fingerboard

One-piece walnut or walnut with ebony fingerboard Optional neck shapes: U (very thick), D (classic oval), C (wide and flat)

Head


Decal

Gold logo + ® + 'Strat' + serial no. + "Made in USA"

Pickguard

3-ply black, 11 screws

Pick-ups

3 black single coil PUs New-designed X-1 in lead position

Controls

1 V, 1 T, 1 two-way rotary switch; 5-way selector switch; all gold-plated

Bridge

Heavy brass; gold-plated

Tuners

Lubricated deluxe Schaller keys, no split shaft


48

Stratocaster

Specials

All hardware 22k gold-plated

Serial no.

"CC" + 5 digits on head plate

1.3.4 Gold Stratocaster The Gold Stratocaster was announced as a limited edition model in June 1981. In principle it was nothing but a clever way to present something new to the customer without any retooling. Basically the guitar combined features of The Strat and the standard Stratocaster. Legend has it that due to the combination of gold finish and gold-plated hardware, Fender incurred a financial loss with every unit sold. Special features: Production years 06/1981 – 1983 Body

Ash, deeply contoured

Neck


Head


Decal

Standard Stratocaster logo

Pickguard


Finish

Gold metallic

Specials

All hardware 22k gold-plated

Serial no.

"CA" + 5 digits on head plate

1.3.5 Elite Stratocaster When the Elite Stratocaster was introduced in May 1983, it was an ambitious attempt to bring tradition and modern technology together and merge both into a high grade instrument. The innovative features included active electronics, a re-designed tilt-neck and truss-rod adjustment device, individual on/off switches for each pick-up, locking strap buttons, a flatter fingerboard radius and a newly designed vibrato with dropin string loading. It is hard to tell whether the Elite would have caught on with musicians in the long term, because due to the corporate problems leading to CBS eventually selling www.bomots.de


49

Fender in the beginning of 1985, the Elite series was only produced for some 20 months. Special features: Production years

May 1983 - end of 1984

Neck

Bi-flex truss rod, adjusting rod at headstock Nut width 1.7" (43.2mm) Fretboard radius 12" (305mm)

Head

2 Ezy Glider string retainers

Headstock

Silver logo + ® + small 'Stratocaster' lettering + serial no. + "Made in USA"

Pickguard

3-ply white

Standard hes

finis- Black, Natural, Arctic White, Pewter, Sienna Sunburst, Brown Sunburst

Custom colours

Bronze Stratoburst, Black Stratoburst, Blue Stratoburst, Transparent: Emerald Green, Wild Cherry Opaque: Lake Placid Blue, Candy Apple Red, Candy Apple Green, Aztec Gold

Pick-ups

3 white, plain-top Active circuit Edge-mounted jack socket

Controls

1 Volume, 1 mid-range, 1 high-range, white knobs with rubber insert 3 push-button selectors for pickups

Bridge

Heavy die-cast bridge with drop-in string loading Freeflyte tremolo with snap-on tremolo arm

Tuners

High-ratio, special lubricated tuners

Specials

Security lock strap buttons LH version available (with one-piece MN only)

Minor variants: Gold Elite Stratocaster

Same as Elite Stratocaster except: Gold-plated hardware Pearloid tuner buttons

Walnut Elite

Same as Gold Elite Stratocaster except: The Fender Reference

Stratocaster

50

Stratocaster

Walnut body and neck, ebony fretboard Finish: Natural walnut only

1.3.6 Contemporary Stratocaster To help Fender get through the difficult period after CBS had sold the company, the Contemporary Stratocaster was imported from Japan. Special features: Production years

1985 - 1987, Japan

Body

Downsized alder body with contoured heel

Neck

Black with RW fingerboard, pearl dots

Head

Black headstock String clamp

Bridge

Double locking vibrato

Specials

Black hardware

Variants: 1

1 Humbucker, no pickguard 1 Volume knob

2

1 Humbucker, 2 single coils, black pickguard 1 Volume, 1 Tone; 3-way switch, coil tap

3

1 Humbucker, 2 single coils, black pickguard 1 Volume, 1 Tone; 5-way switch, coil tap 2 string guides lever-type locking nut chrome hardware

4

Humbuckers, black pickguard 1 Volume, 1 Tone; 3-way switch

www.bomots.de


1.3.7 US Contemporary Stratocaster Special features: Production years

1989 - 1997, USA (Custom Shop)

Model no.

010-9900/2

Neck

One-piece MN Width at nut 1.700" (43 mm)

Pickguard

Laminated white shell

Pick-Ups

2 Texas Special 1 Seymour Duncan humbucker

Finish

31, 37, 21, 44, 48

Bridge

Deluxe locking vibrato

Changes over the years: 1995

Finishes: 44, 59, 83

Minor Variants: US Contemporary Stratocaster Floyd Rose 1995 -

Model no. 110-9200/2

Special features:

Locking tremolo

1997

New model no.: 110-9900/2

Finishes: 44, 59, 83

US Contemporary Stratocaster FMT 1995 -

Model no. 110-9970/2

Special features:

Flamed maple top Deluxe tremolo Finishes: 21, 31, 48


single

coil

pick-ups

51

52

Stratocaster

US Contemporary Stratocaster Floyd Rose FMT 1995 -

Model no. 110-9270/2

Special features: Flamed maple top Locking tremolo Finishes: 21, 31, 48 1997

New model no.: 110-9970/2

1.3.8 Strat Plus With the Strat Plus, Fender offered an upgraded version of the standard Stratocaster for the first time. They didn't veer off too far from the original however. Special features: Production years

1987 – late 1998

Model no.

010-7500/2

Head

Roller nut, no string retainers

Pickguard

Laminated white or white pearl, 11 screws

Finish

02, 06, 40, 41, 57, 70

Pick-Ups

3 Gold Fender-Lace Sensors

Switching

TBX tone control

Tuners

Fender locking keys

Bridge

Locking vibrato

Changes over the years: ca. 1993

Finishes: 06, 15, 32, 47, 70, 73, 75, 80, 90, 91

ca. 1995

Finishes: 06, 09, 28, 32, 41, 72

1994 - 1995

Optional anodized aluminium hollow body

1997

Finishes: 02, 05, 06, 09, 21, 24, 32

www.bomots.de


53

1.3.9 HM Strat This model was a typical child of the heavy metal era. It was produced in Japan, and there were several variants of pick-up and pickguard layouts. Special Features: Production years

1988 - 1989

Body

Sharply contoured basswood, downsized

Neck

Maple or RW fingerboard, 24 frets 25.1" scale length (= 638mm) Locking nut

Head

Black headstock Single-bar string guide

Decal

Large flamboyant "Strat" logo + small Fender logo

Pickguard

None or laminated black with 8 screws

Finish

Black, Blue, Red, White

Pick-ups

Various combinations of DiMarzio humbuckers / American Standard single coils / Fender-Lace Sensors

Controls

1 Volume, 2 Tone (where applicable)

Switching

Pick-up selector switch, coil tap

Bridge

Double locking Kahler vibrato

Specials

Black hardware

Production was moved to the USA in 1989 and finally discontinued in 1990. Minor variants: Model no.: 010-2100/2 Special features:

No pickguard 2 American Standard single coils pickups, 1 DiMarzio humbucker 1 5-way selector switch, coil tap switch Two-pivot locking bridge / vibrato unit

Model no.: 010-2200 The Fender Reference

54

Stratocaster

Special features:

Laminated black pickguard 1 Silver Fender-Lace sensor (neck, angled) 1 DiMarzio humbucker (bridge) 1 Volume, 1 Tone controls 1 3-way selector switch, coil tap switch

Model no.: 010-2300 Special features:

1.3.10

No pickguard 2 DiMarzio humbuckers 1 3-way selector switch, coil tap switch

Strat XII

After the unsuccessful Electric XII model of the mid-'60s, Fender consequently based this 12-string guitar on their flagship model. This step gave it a popularity boost, and at the same time kept expenses low since many of the parts of both models were the same. Produced from 1988 to 1996 as part of the Special/Deluxe series and from 1/2005 onwards in the Special Edition series, the Strat XII is a standard Stratocaster in all respects, except for the 12-saddle bridge and the unusual elongated headstock which slightly resembles that of the Electric XII, yet without the 'hockey stick' extension. Special Features: Production years

1988 - 1996 and from January 2005, Japan

Model no.

027-8900

Body

Basswood

Neck

Adjusting rod at body end Scale = 24 ¾" (629mm)

Fingerboard

RW, 22 frets Width at nut = 1 ¾" (44.5mm) Radius = 7.25"

Head

Elongated 1 bracket string guide

Decal

Gold Transition logo, model name

www.bomots.de

Fender Reference Extract

Recommend Documents