Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster [2008-2014]

I am going to go ahead and give this a rating of 10 across the board since I am a huge Maiden fan. So everything that comes from this review will solely and completely be 100% biased. That is the disclaimer before I start.

This guitar is just awesome! The versatility of this guitar and combined with the fell of the neck and the body is suburb. You get three pickup offerings. Two humbuckers in the bridge and neck position and one single coil int he middle position. So you have a plethora of tonal options with this pickup arrangement.

UTILIZATION

Fender Artist Series - Dave Murray Stratocaster Features:


Neck
Neck Shape: Soft "V" Shape
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Black Dot Position Inlays
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" (24.1 cm)
Fretboard: Maple
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish with Satin Finish on Back
Nut Width: 1.650” (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Headstock: Artist Signature on Headstock
Neck Plate: Serialized 4 Bolt Neckplate
Truss Rod Nut: Original Vintage Style
Electronics
Pickup Configuration: H/S/H
Bridge Pickup: DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion Humbucking Pickup (Bridge)
Middle Pickup: American Vintage Strat Single-Coil Pickup
Neck Pickup: DiMarzio PAF DP-103
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Middle Pickup, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge/Middle Pickup)
Hardware
Hardware: Chrome
Bridge: American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
Tuning Machines: Vintage Style Tuning Machines
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Switch Tip: Parchment Switch Tip
Tremolo Arm/Handle: American Vintage Tremolo Arm

SOUNDS

This guitar sound pretty good in most music styles even if you don't play heavy metal. You can even get a great tone with a down tuning on this guitar which is more difficult on other Strats. Another great thin about this guitar is that the great pickups are already in stalled into this guitar. SO you don't have to replace anything once you buy this. Just get it to your guitar tech for a pro intonation setup and you will good to go.

This guitar sounds great with a solid Fender amp, but if you want the Maiden tone then you will need to play it through a Marshall amp of some kind. I know these guitars are tuned to their amps and visa versa so it is natural that hooking up a nice Fender Twin Reverb would sound very pleasant, but this guitar just wants to play the Trooper or Aces high so a Marshall amp is only necessary when plugging this guitar in.

OVERALL OPINION

You can pick these guitars up new for right at around $1750, which is a great price for a signature series guitar. I am not sure why Fender decided to do this guitar instead or Dave's three tone sunburst Fender Strat. I see him play that guitar more than any other gigging guitar that comes on stage with him. I would rather have that one as a fan than this one but hey this s still great!