Happy 50th Birthday Fender Stratocaster

Aha, found someone (!) older than me (except Tones, who's older than God)

 

Looking good for its age, too.

-- Ian

 

Me too
P.S. Then the penny dropped - the 50th anniversary was some time ago - I remember seeing it in the "Guardian Weekly". So I went looking - the good oil:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/04/stratocasters.50th.ap/

Perhaps happy belated birthday greetings are in order.

 

Radio 4 reported that it was today, CNN are wrong :-

http://www.fendereurope.com/news/MillerStratPack.asp

 

You'll notice that what you sent doesn't actually say that the anniversary is today, Andy, only that there will be a celebration today to celebrate 50 years. However, as the sky won't fall in either case, I don't mind who's right. Memories of Hank Marvin of the Shadows, who, I think, brought the first one (bright red) into the UK in the late 50s (shut up, Dev).

 

:shame: :cry:

 

Pink Floyd's David Gilmour will be playing his serial-numbered 001 Stratocaster® guitar on the night - one of the first of its kind, made in September 1954.

Looks clear enough to me serial number 001 September 1954

The CNN page is dated March the 4th.

 

a friend of mine was trying to get me to go the strat fest at the hammersmith odeon tonight. couldn't understand why I wouldn't. as he put ''john it 's a free 50 quid ticket'' apparently it's not a free ticket and 50 quid. staying home

 

Owned a couple - a late 1980's '62 Jap reissue (black with rosewood fretboard) - wish I'd kept it as they are going for £500 - as it was I traded it in for a Jap strat standard it garish Lake Placid Blue but with a corking all maple neck/fretboard - and that in due course made way for a Patrick Eggle New York which was a fine guitar.

Always wanted a Candy Apple Red Strat with a maple fretboard or I guess any 70's USA Strat - maybe I'll get one sometime but I don't get to play much in fairness.

Matt.

 

And again, perhaps not:

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/strat54.html

 

Les Paul Juniors are better looking and sounding...

 

I guess now we wait for the ''50th anniversary strat''

Aged pickups, 50's profile neck, original Fender logo on the headstock. 'aged' body.

All yours for 5,000 sir.

 

Depends what you want to play really.

Matt.

 

It's all gold (the colour, that is):

http://www.fender.com/products/show.php?partno=0132004

 

The Strat is a bare instrument, harder to play than most, yet I believe more rewarding imho, as Matt says depends on what you trying to achieve. For my sins I have a 63' salmon pink.
Maybe its a case of the legend being greater than goods, however in the hands of the right person can deliver something magical

 

Exactly;

- Comfortably Numb
- Water Mellon in Easter Hay
- Sultans of Swing (live 'Alchemy' version)
- Sexual Revolution (Roger Waters 'Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking featuring Mr E Clapton)
- Various Hendrix

A lot of things only sound right on a Strat - just as others e.g. 'Parisienne Walways' wouldn't sound right on a Strat.

That gold 50th anniversay model is horrid though and I must say that, even though I prefer a maple fretboard, I quite fancy the Mark Knopfler signature version.

Matt.

 

Magical & Clapton do not go together, the most overhyped fret scrtacher ever and then by large margin.
Still I blame Jane Asher

 

Infidel! He's not known as God for nothing. Actually, I'm not a massive Clapton fan but his playing on Roger Waters' The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking' is pretty fantastic.

I guess everyone has players they love and hate - I remember chuckling when Bryan May had his guitar nicked and Danny Baker was suggesting there should be a collection to be given to the thieves to NOT return it.

I know a lot of people aren't Knopfler fans (probably because of his headbanded days and because Dire Straits got too big to be cool) but he'll always be the man to me because he inspired me to pick up a guitar in the first place - and in fact that's probably why I favour the Strat (and because Les Pauls do my back in if I stand up playing one for any length of time).

Matt.

 

He had to pay to be thus named?