Stratocaster

The American Spectator ^ | 5/4/2007 | Lawrence Henry

[Bean Counter]

My wife made a mistake. For my birthday in February, she bought me a calendar from the Fender Custom Shop. I hung it on the wall directly behind my desk, right in my range of vision, and I have been gazing longingly ever since at beautiful guitars. My longing stayed within reason until I turned the page to April, and saw the Engraved Thinline Telecaster in flame maple. The clumsy copy below the calendar proper says "both nice to look at and a dream to play."

"A dream to play" has been ringing in my head ever since, the way a phrase from ad copy will do. And two weeks ago, I drove to the nearest Guitar Center and sat down and started playing electric guitars for the first time in 30 years.

Beautiful Telecaster notwithstanding, I played only Stratocasters on that first visit. I have always been a Strat man. Here is a picture of a very nice one, from the current Fender website.

MY PARENTS BOUGHT ME MY FIRST STRATOCASTER when I was in junior high school, in about 1961. Those of you who know the marque will share my chagrin that I do not still have that model, now known as a "vintage" Stratocaster, and much desired. It had belonged to a country western musician, whose big belt buckles had torn up the sunburst finish on the back. I got a Fender Concert Amp with it, and instantly became a popular guy with the two other serious guitar players in my school, Roger Johnson and Bob Cohen. They used to invite me to play with them, mainly so they could use my amp, which was bigger and better than the ones they had.

**SCHNIPP**

[teledude]

That is beautiful.... I think I’m in love....

[ravensandricks]

I like the Strat just fine. Nicely made guitars, especially the American jobs. I’ve owned two, as well as a Tele.

But as my screen name implies, I’m totally and hopelessly in love with Rickenbackers. Nothing sounds like them, nothing looks like them and they bring with them the cache of John Lennon, Roger McGuinn, Paul Weller and countless other Really Cool Guys.

I also have a Taylor T5, which I HIGHLY recommend.

[rockrr]

Ahhhh!

Just reading this gives me GAS*!





(Guitar Acquisition Syndrome ;'}

[Califelephant]

The Taylor T5 is #1 on my wish list.

[FunkyZero]

If you like the Strat feel, pick up a G&L Legacy next time you get a chance. It’s become my absolute fav guitar. you know that headstock ring? Try this one out...

[Libloather]

I have the best of both worlds - I own a Gibson strat. Yep, they made models Q400 & Q4000 in the ‘80’s. Even though it has a bolt-on neck, it’s one of the finest guitars (made in the US of A, of course) I’ve ever seen.

[rawcatslyentist]

Do you use the flatwounds on your little Ricky?
The only thing that rings like a Rick is a Rick!

Here's an example of Johns little black guitar with flatwounds.

Zippo Hero

[pyx]

I have a Gibson ES335 and a hardshell case. Its similar to the one below with a whammy bar.


Of course, its in MINT, MINT, MINT condition.

I also have a Selmer Super Action 80 Series II Tenor Bb Sax that is very very rare because it is BLACK LACQUER with an additional hardshell gig case. The better low Bb key alignment on the Series II is much improved over the Mark VI.

I'd like to sell both of them for health reasons, but I don't think this is the right forum. Drop me an PRIVATE email.
Note to Moderator - If this is an inappropriate posting, accept my apologies and please remove my post to this thread. - Pyx.

[Califelephant]

I know this is a Strat thread, but here's a T5 I'm drooling over:

[ravensandricks]

I play with Fender Flatwounds .11, yeah. Quite nice.

[Mr. Mojo]

The Telecaster is both the first and (imo) the most versatile solidbody electric guitar ever made. Ash body with maple fretboard preferred, but the alder/rosewood combo has its uses. ....especially for hard rock. The twangy bridge pickup is its bread and butter -- an immediately recognizable tone. Playing an open E chord on the bridge pup through an old Fender blackface amp produces the best sound known to man.

Some find it unwieldy. At first, perhaps. But after a while it feels natural.

Some find it ugly/archaic. It's beautiful.

My dream: to own a '53 Tele.

The problem: they sell for around $60,000 - $75,000

[ravensandricks]

Oh, boy, that’s nice. That’s the custom Koa, right? I’ve got the custom maple in red. I play it probably more than the Ricks, which sometimes gives me pause, as I’ve been into the Ricks for so long and I almost feel like I’m cheating.

[Mr. Mojo]

I’m totally and hopelessly in love with Rickenbackers.

Ricks are very underrated. I'd love to get a old 360F (Fullbody).

[GOP_1900AD]

Need to get me one of them to go with my:

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0253900540

[ravensandricks]

Good luck with that! I’ve got a 1989 330/6 mapleglo, a 1994 360/6 jetglo and a 2004 330/12 blueboy. I got the first two off of ebay and the last one from Southpaw Guitars in Houston. Being a lefty turns out to be a good thing - Lefty Ricks are few and far between enough that I haven’t depleted my kids’ college funds buying them :)

[Lancey Howard]

I still have my 1969 Univox copy of a Gibson ES335. It looks exactly like Lucille. My son had it at his apartment for awhile and a couple of friends (music schoolers) tried to buy it from him. Thankfully, his better sense prevailed.

Personally, I never liked solid bodies too much.

I recently heard a David Gilmour interview and I believe he said he has a Strat with the serial number 00001 (something like that - - it was the first one). Gilmour says that the Strat is simply the best guitar ever made for people who play electric guitar. David apparently has a nice guitar collection (surprise, surprise).

[Cymbaline]

I’ve been a Strat lover for years. I still want to get a Les Paul, though.

[Yardstick]

Such a classic shape. Every curve just perfect.

I’ve had Strats — an American one, a Japanese one, and very good clone called a Tokai. I love ‘em and will probably own one again. But for right now all I’ve got is a crazy mid 60s Kent semi-hollow that I found at a pawnshop and a very good but very beat up 12-string acoustic. It has a solid spruce top and rosewood sides, a simple Martin style headstock, but no identifying labels or markings other than a little sticker that says “handmade in Israel”. I don’t know of any Israeli guitarmakers so it’s kind of a mystery.

[Bean Counter]

I love FR....

[P-Marlowe]

I have a strat and a Gibson Les Paul. The Les Paul is a dream to play. The scale length is shorter so it is easier to reach all the different frets on jazz chords. And chords just sound better on the LP.

If you are an acoustic player looking to get into playing electric, I would recommend a Les Paul. It has a feel that is much closer to an acoustic, so the transition is quicker.