![Fender Stratocaster [1965-1984]](https://img.audiofanzine.com/img/product/normal/1/9/196155.jpg?fm=pjpg&w=300&h=218&fit=max&s=40daf9382a9381b1c77aa56a5090631d)
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mooseherman « An absolute classic! »
Published on 02/01/11 at 21:22This is an American classic, basically another great year for Fender. This Strat has all the great characteristics of a Strat, and features the still-great American craftsmanship of the 70s. The guitar has a maple body and neck with a maple fingerboard. There's three single-coil pole pickups with a volume knob and two tone controls as well as a five-way pickup selector switch below the strings. It has a larger headstock than most newer Strats do. It has 20 frets. It has a non-tremolo tailpiece, which is unfortunate if you like your whammy bar but is not essential anyway.
UTILIZATION
This guitar was an absolute dream for me to play. The standard Strat cutaway makes playing leads really easy. Even with a slightly worn fingerboard it felt like butter in my hands. Getting a good sound was as easy as plugging it in, the electronics on it still worked fine. It's actually a really light guitar which was and still is typical of Stratocasters. It was just as easy for me to play rhythm or lead on this guy, and it went through a variety of different styles of playing with ease.
SOUNDS
This is a fantastic sounding guitar. I basically loved the tone of it from the getgo. It is mostly the classic strat tone, bright and sparkling, but this was a bit different than the last couple older Strats that I've tried in that the mid-range was more pronounced. I don't know exactly what Fender did differently but it was really cool. It made the Strat rock a little harder, which I guess they were trying to do as rock moved into heavier territory in the later part of the decade.
I absolutely loved this with the Twin or any tube amp really. The Fender amps are probably the best bet though, as they make it sound great for blues, country or even lighter folk rock. Add in the right pedals and you've got great classic rock tones, or even heavier indie rock sounds (with a ton of fuzz this thing can get a ridiculous buzz going). As the Stratocaster is my favorite guitar, and this one is as good as any I've played, I really can't find anything I don't like about it.
OVERALL OPINION
I wasn't surprised by how good this guitar was, any Stratocaster that has stuck around since the 70s has to be pretty darn good since they always made great instruments back then. It's a shame that their overall quality has diminished the bigger the company gets. Anybody who comes across one of these and can afford to get it should really consider it as they absolutely rule.
UTILIZATION
This guitar was an absolute dream for me to play. The standard Strat cutaway makes playing leads really easy. Even with a slightly worn fingerboard it felt like butter in my hands. Getting a good sound was as easy as plugging it in, the electronics on it still worked fine. It's actually a really light guitar which was and still is typical of Stratocasters. It was just as easy for me to play rhythm or lead on this guy, and it went through a variety of different styles of playing with ease.
SOUNDS
This is a fantastic sounding guitar. I basically loved the tone of it from the getgo. It is mostly the classic strat tone, bright and sparkling, but this was a bit different than the last couple older Strats that I've tried in that the mid-range was more pronounced. I don't know exactly what Fender did differently but it was really cool. It made the Strat rock a little harder, which I guess they were trying to do as rock moved into heavier territory in the later part of the decade.
I absolutely loved this with the Twin or any tube amp really. The Fender amps are probably the best bet though, as they make it sound great for blues, country or even lighter folk rock. Add in the right pedals and you've got great classic rock tones, or even heavier indie rock sounds (with a ton of fuzz this thing can get a ridiculous buzz going). As the Stratocaster is my favorite guitar, and this one is as good as any I've played, I really can't find anything I don't like about it.
OVERALL OPINION
I wasn't surprised by how good this guitar was, any Stratocaster that has stuck around since the 70s has to be pretty darn good since they always made great instruments back then. It's a shame that their overall quality has diminished the bigger the company gets. Anybody who comes across one of these and can afford to get it should really consider it as they absolutely rule.