- Randy Bachman (born 1943), a founding member of both The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bachman favored Stratocasters and custom Strat-style guitars.[2] Though his bands are mostly known for their simplistic rock-radio anthems, Bachman's soloing often revealed complex melodies and jazz-inflected phrasing. Among his Stratocasters used are a '63 standard and a '71 four-bolt hardtail. He has listed guitar influences as varied as Lenny Breau, Leslie West, Wes Montgomery[3] and Hank Marvin.[4]
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
List of Stratocaster players
This is an alphabetized list of musicians who have made notable use of the Fender Stratocaster in live performances or studio recordings. The Fender Stratocaster was designed by Leo Fender and Freddie Tavares with involvement from musicians Rex Gallion and Bill Carson in the early 1950s, and since its commercial introduction in 1954 has become widely used among popular artists in rock, blues, and other genres.[1] The Squier Stratocaster is produced by Fender as a more affordable alternative to the Fender-branded version.
Due to the immense popularity of this model, musicians are listed here only if their use of this instrument was especially significant — that is, they are players who:
- have long careers and a history of Stratocaster use.
- have a particular guitar that was unique or of historical importance.
- have contributed significantly to the popularization of the instrument through their use of it.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Yngwie Malmsteen Tribute Series Stratocaster
November 2008 sees the 100-instrument limited edition release of the eagerly awaited Fender Custom Shop Yngwie Malmsteen Tribute Series Stratocaster (“Play Loud”) guitar replica. The instrument is a meticulous recreation of the infamous and battle-hardened 1971 Stratocaster guitar that fueled Malmsteen’s meteoric rise to metal stardom, complete with heavily worn Olympic white finish, scalloped fingerboard and distinctive body graphics.
Malmsteen was one of the very first Fender signature artists; a Stratocaster bearing his name appeared in 1988, the first year that Fender offered artist signature guitars.
The original on which Malmsteen's new Tribute Series Stratocaster is based is a highly significant instrument in the annals of metal and of instrumental rock music. The replica is authentic in nearly every detail, including the famous "Play Loud" sticker on the upper horn and the distinctive scalloped maple fingerboard.
Like the original, it features DiMarzio® HS-3 pickups in the bridge and neck positions and a standard '70s-era Fender middle pickup. It has a standard Fender bridge, a large headstock and a heavily worn Olympic White finish expertly treated to mirror each of the original guitar's many battle scars—the nicks, dings, scratches, burns and worn finish spots from decades of heavy use (and abuse) in Malmsteen's masterful hands.
Malmsteen need no introduction to shred fans, of course. He rose to fame in the early 1980s as the phenomenally talented and flamboyantly theatrical sole progenitor of “neoclassic” metal. Live and on record, his classically inflected guitar chops dazzled all who heard him. His phenomenal playing proved highly influential and served as the foundation for an entire new metal sub-genre. Several of his many albums are considered metal classics, including Rising Force (1984), Marching Out (1985), Fire and Ice (1992) and Unleash the Fury (2005).
Malmsteen was one of the very first Fender signature artists; a Stratocaster bearing his name appeared in 1988, the first year that Fender offered artist signature guitars.
The original on which Malmsteen's new Tribute Series Stratocaster is based is a highly significant instrument in the annals of metal and of instrumental rock music. The replica is authentic in nearly every detail, including the famous "Play Loud" sticker on the upper horn and the distinctive scalloped maple fingerboard.
Like the original, it features DiMarzio® HS-3 pickups in the bridge and neck positions and a standard '70s-era Fender middle pickup. It has a standard Fender bridge, a large headstock and a heavily worn Olympic White finish expertly treated to mirror each of the original guitar's many battle scars—the nicks, dings, scratches, burns and worn finish spots from decades of heavy use (and abuse) in Malmsteen's masterful hands.
Malmsteen need no introduction to shred fans, of course. He rose to fame in the early 1980s as the phenomenally talented and flamboyantly theatrical sole progenitor of “neoclassic” metal. Live and on record, his classically inflected guitar chops dazzled all who heard him. His phenomenal playing proved highly influential and served as the foundation for an entire new metal sub-genre. Several of his many albums are considered metal classics, including Rising Force (1984), Marching Out (1985), Fire and Ice (1992) and Unleash the Fury (2005).
10th Anniversary Crossroads Antigua Stratocaster
In the 1970s Fender introduced the Antigua finish on a number of models from the flagship Stratocaster to the classic Coronado Bass. Described as a “rich antique-white finish with halo-mist shading,” it became highly prized among collectors around the world.
In 2008 Sam Ash incorporated the spirit of the Eric Clapton Stratocaster with the spirit of the Crossroads Centre, commissioning a limited run of only 100 pieces of the signature model in the classic Antigua finish along with a commitment to donate $100,000 to the Crossroads Centre. This exclusive instrument is currently being built by the Fender Custom Shop to Slowhand's exacting specifications.
Features include a select alder body, 1-piece maple neck with soft “V” shape, 22 vintage style frets, 3 Vintage Noiseless pickups, “blocked” American Vintage synchronized tremolo, active mid-boost circuit and vintage black case. Each instrument is individually numbered from 1 through 100 and come with an official certificate of authenticity.
In 2008 Sam Ash incorporated the spirit of the Eric Clapton Stratocaster with the spirit of the Crossroads Centre, commissioning a limited run of only 100 pieces of the signature model in the classic Antigua finish along with a commitment to donate $100,000 to the Crossroads Centre. This exclusive instrument is currently being built by the Fender Custom Shop to Slowhand's exacting specifications.
Features include a select alder body, 1-piece maple neck with soft “V” shape, 22 vintage style frets, 3 Vintage Noiseless pickups, “blocked” American Vintage synchronized tremolo, active mid-boost circuit and vintage black case. Each instrument is individually numbered from 1 through 100 and come with an official certificate of authenticity.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Limited Edition Crossroads Signature Guitar and Amp Set for Eric Clapton
Fender introduced a matching set of limited-edition Crossroads instruments, which consisted of an Eric Clapton Crossroads Signature Stratocaster (better known as the "Sun Strat" and produced in a limited run of 100 instruments globally) and a Crossroads '57 Twin-Amp (produced in a limited run of 50 pieces). Each guitar is crafted to Clapton's exacting specifications and bear a unique "Crossroads Antigua" smiling sun graphic designed and originally hand-drawn by Eric Clapton himself.
The commemorative Crossroads '57 Twin-Amps are modeled after the original '57 Twin. This limited-edition amplifier features a custom engraved commemorative "Crossroads 2007" badge autographed by Eric and his "Crossroads Antigua" graphic is artistically embedded on the grill cloth.
The latest copy of the Stratocaster was made to Clapton's current exacting specifications. Bearing in mind the number of changes he makes with regards to neck dimensions, Slowhand fans purchasing this will be getting an exact replica as used at the Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007.
The commemorative Crossroads '57 Twin-Amps are modeled after the original '57 Twin. This limited-edition amplifier features a custom engraved commemorative "Crossroads 2007" badge autographed by Eric and his "Crossroads Antigua" graphic is artistically embedded on the grill cloth.
The latest copy of the Stratocaster was made to Clapton's current exacting specifications. Bearing in mind the number of changes he makes with regards to neck dimensions, Slowhand fans purchasing this will be getting an exact replica as used at the Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007.
Construction and design variations of Eric Clapton Stratocaster
Several variations of the Clapton Strat were made by the Fender Custom Shop throughout the years, including fancy versions with ash bodies, quilted or maple tops, abalone dot position inlays, matching headstocks, gold hardware and white pearloid pickguards, made by Senior Master Builder J. W. Black. Many of these guitars were sold for charity auctions for the Crossroads Centre of Antigua, the drug and alcohol addiction rehabilitation facility founded on the small, idyllic Caribbean island in 1998. They include the Gold Leaf Stratocaster of 1996 (used during the Legends and Montserrat concerts in 1997) and the Crashocasters (signature model Stratocasters hand-painted by New York-based street artist John Matos, better known as Crash), used by Clapton from 2001 to 2004.
The Gold Leaf Stratocaster
The original Gold Leaf guitar was built by Fender Master Builder Mark Kendrick as a custom order for Eric Clapton at the time of the 50th Anniversary of the firm in 1996 and was Slowhand's main instrument of choice during the Legends period in 1997. Clapton used the guitar for the last time during his Japanese One More Car, One More Rider tour of 2001 before selling it to Christies for US $455,000.
The Fender Custom Shop reissued the Gold Leaf Stratocaster after 8 years of absence as a limited-edition run of 50 pieces. Each guitar was built to Eric's exacting specifications, with Fender's Vintage Noiseless pickups and a standard tone control instead of the TBX tone circuit actually found on the original 1996 model.
Bacchus BST-GL
Japanese guitar manufacturer Bacchus Custom Guitars had popularized Clapton's Gold Leaf guitars with the BST-GL series since late 1998. These guitars were basically nearly close reproductions of the original Gold Leaf Stratocaster (using genuine USA electronics, Gold Fender Lace Sensor pickups and hardware), except for the "Bacchus Custom Guitars" decal on the headstock rather than the "Fender" spaghetti logo found on Clapton's gold-finished signature model. Since 2005 the Japanese guitar company stopped using its own decal on the guitar's headstock, after few customers requested to have the Fender logo put on for reasons of authenticity.
The Gold Leaf Stratocaster
The original Gold Leaf guitar was built by Fender Master Builder Mark Kendrick as a custom order for Eric Clapton at the time of the 50th Anniversary of the firm in 1996 and was Slowhand's main instrument of choice during the Legends period in 1997. Clapton used the guitar for the last time during his Japanese One More Car, One More Rider tour of 2001 before selling it to Christies for US $455,000.
The Fender Custom Shop reissued the Gold Leaf Stratocaster after 8 years of absence as a limited-edition run of 50 pieces. Each guitar was built to Eric's exacting specifications, with Fender's Vintage Noiseless pickups and a standard tone control instead of the TBX tone circuit actually found on the original 1996 model.
Bacchus BST-GL
Japanese guitar manufacturer Bacchus Custom Guitars had popularized Clapton's Gold Leaf guitars with the BST-GL series since late 1998. These guitars were basically nearly close reproductions of the original Gold Leaf Stratocaster (using genuine USA electronics, Gold Fender Lace Sensor pickups and hardware), except for the "Bacchus Custom Guitars" decal on the headstock rather than the "Fender" spaghetti logo found on Clapton's gold-finished signature model. Since 2005 the Japanese guitar company stopped using its own decal on the guitar's headstock, after few customers requested to have the Fender logo put on for reasons of authenticity.
Features of Eric Clapton Stratocaster
Clapton asked Fender for a V-shaped neck similar to his Martin acoustic guitar and what he called a "compressed" pickup sound, similar to that of a humbucker, explaining everything else about the famous "woman tone" he had developed during the Cream period in the late '60s, a playing technique almost synonymous with various Gibson models such as the ES-335, Les Paul Standard, Explorer, Byrdland, SG and Firebird, all sporting a pair of humbucking pickups. Early prototypes made around 1986/87 featured 21 frets and locking strap buttons. Few of these prototypes had an active/passive toggle button. The final product (released in 1988) came with 22 frets and three Fender Gold Lace Sensor pickups powered by an active mid-boost circuit with 25dB of gain and TBX tone controls. These world famous pickups (made by AGI Lace Music Products since 1985) were used exclusively by Fender until 1996. Powerful active 25dB midrange boost and TBX tone circuits (first introduced in 1983 with the shortlived Elite Series instruments, which have been discontinued at the end of 1984) helped augment the tone of the sound delivered, opening up a greater tonal range Clapton desired. Also, the guitar had an interesting feature: a vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridge blocked off to tremolo arms. This idea came about as Clapton disliked the tone of hardtail Stratocasters but never used the whammy bar. In 1991 Eric agreed to have his signature model with a rosewood fretboard as well to suit the needs of players disliking the feel of maple-neck models. However, only 94 of these shortlived guitars were made and their production finally ceased.
In 2001, reflecting the changes Clapton had made to his own guitar, the Lace Sensors were replaced with Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups, which were available as a standard equipment material on the Fender American Deluxe Series guitars manufactured between 1998 and 2003. The Custom Shop version (introduced in 2004) is available in Midnight Blue, Mercedes Blue, Black and Gold Leaf with gold-plated hardware (also available in two new "Thinskin Nitro" finishes, Olympic White and Pewter, as well as a left-handed version).
Since their introduction in 2004, Custom Shop Clapton Stratocasters use a standard tone control instead of a TBX tone circuit.
In 2001, reflecting the changes Clapton had made to his own guitar, the Lace Sensors were replaced with Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups, which were available as a standard equipment material on the Fender American Deluxe Series guitars manufactured between 1998 and 2003. The Custom Shop version (introduced in 2004) is available in Midnight Blue, Mercedes Blue, Black and Gold Leaf with gold-plated hardware (also available in two new "Thinskin Nitro" finishes, Olympic White and Pewter, as well as a left-handed version).
Since their introduction in 2004, Custom Shop Clapton Stratocasters use a standard tone control instead of a TBX tone circuit.
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