Article One -- Setting the Stage for the 80s

Innovation and the introduction of new models and old models with new features has been a hallmark of all three "Fender" companies. But two of those Fender companies, CBS-Fender and its successor and present day iteration, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC), took this heritage to a new level in the 80s.

But before turning to the 80's, which I will do in the next article in the series, a quick look at Fender model history will give Fender's drive for innovation and variation from 1980-89 (and thereafter) some helpful context and perspective.




A Condensed Fender Guitar (electric six string and bass) Timeline

1950 -- Broadcaster [Note: although Fender was founded in 1946, 1950 marks the beginning of the Le0-Fender era for purposes of this disucssion]

1951 -- Precision Bass / Broadcaster renamed "Nocaster" (no model name) then "Telecaster" / Esquire [Note: "/" is used to separate distinct models]

1954 -- Stratocaster

1956 -- Duo-Sonic / Musicmaster

1958 -- Jazzmaster

1960 -- Jazz Bass

1961 -- Jazz VI

1962 -- Jaguar

1964 -- Mustang

1965 -- Bass V / Electric XII / Marauder (65/66 -- "invisible pups", never made it into production, but did make it into the 65/66 catalog -- where are those prototypes?) [Note: CBS-Fender era begins]

1966 -- Coronado / Mustang Bass

1967 -- Bronco

1968 -- Montego / LTD / Telecaster Bass (essentially Fender's first "Reissue" -- being a reissue of the original Precision)

1969 -- Custom (aka, Maverick) / Swinger (aka, Musiclander)

1975 -- Fretless Precision Bass / Musicmaster Bass / Fender's first "Art Guitar" -- the Rhinestone Stratocaster with the work of English sculptor, Jon Douglas (one of my "ones that got away" -- I passed on buying one of the original bodies for $500 a few years ago due to not having done my homework in time)

1976 -- Starcaster

1979 -- Lead I / Lead II / 25th Silver Anniversary Stratocaster (not a new "model", but two "firsts" for Fender -- the first anniversary model and the first numbered "limited edition" instrument, though the number was "limited" to a whopping 10,000 units)

Bear in mind a few important facts. First, I could have easily left off a guitar or two by mistake. Second, the list doesn't account for amps and other Fender instruments such as mandolins, steel guitars, banjos or acoustics. Third, and probably most important, it doesn't account for the myriad model variations introduced during these three decades.

Before we usher in the 80s, let's take a brief look at some of the now extinct species of Fender guitars that surfaced before 1980, which should help put the decade of the 80's into historical perspective.

The Stratocaster is, and always has been, Fender's flagship instrument. Although there are good reasons why you're not reading this article on Bronco Collector Dot Com, that's not to say that these "lesser" models didn't serve an important function in the life and development of Fender, and continue to do so through the present day under different names and marketing strategies.

In 1954, a Fender Stratocaster would have cost you, in "today's dollars" accounting for inflation, roughly $1,500, the street price of some modern day Custom Shop models. While it is often said that a good part of Fender's success is the result of being in tune with the wants and needs of working musicians, a large part of that success also has much to do with staying in tune with the wants and needs of retail music stores. Although the Ed Sullivan and Dick Clark shows inspired generations of young men and women to emulate their particular guitar swinging idol, most middle class parents could not afford to buy their aspiring Buddy Holly or Eric Clapton a new Strat. To cash in on the exploding Rock n' Roll craze, an introductory priced model was needed, and continues to be needed.

Music stores thrived in the 60s and 70s on a swarm of adolescent guitar students to whom it was much easier to sell a Bronco, Mustang or Musicmaster than a Stratocaster, Jaguar or Jazzmaster; and these lower priced models were honestly marketed as being what they were intended as -- introductory or student models. But in the 80s, and thereafter, market perceptions changed. Perhaps as the exaggerated tales of overnight rock success became urban legend, new players no longer wanted to be associated with "introductory" or "student" models.

You won't find a guitar labeled an "introductory" or "student" model in the latest Fender catalog. The closest you'll come is the description of the Mini Squier Bullet marketed with this language: "...an ideal travel guitar for players of all ages or a first guitar for kids. This is not a toy though." [page 113, 2003, Fender Frontline Catalog]

New instrument marketing has become much more sophisticated. Manufacturers realized that idolized guitar players were what really drove the market of new buyers. In the days of the Bronco and Mustang what performers endorsed them? None. Today, however, the Bronco has become, figuratively speaking, the "Tom DeLonge Stratocaster", and other introductory level models, such as the Squier variations, are presented on catalog pages that associate these models with, albeit lesser-known artists, names and faces that will hopefully be significant to potential teen players (buyers).

Here, for example, is a paragraph from the 2003, Fender Frontline Catalog introducing the Squier:

Are you passionate about your music and want to channel that energy through a cool guitar or bass of your own? The desire to play music marks the beginning of a life-long relationship between you and your instrument. It's a journey of self-expression and discovery that is very empowering and rewarding. [page 98, 2003, Fender Frontline Catalog]

What's missing? Simply the phrases "introductory" or "student" model. The lower end models haven't disappeared, they've simply changed names, configurations, country of origin, and, marketing strategies.

What accounted for the higher end models no longer with us, such as the Montego, Coronado, and Starcaster?

Competition.

Other manufacturers occasionally carve out market niches and thrive. Fender seems to have had an uncanny knack for playing market catch-up and taking shots at these sub-markets when it's too late and in competition with their own well established image of the classic Strat player.


Jazz and heavy metal are two good examples -- the former in the pre-80's, the later in the 80's and beyond. Gibson had and has strong market penetration among jazz players and other competitors, such as Ibanez and Washburn, have done well with the heavy metal market. Fender tried to attack both of these niches from time-to-time, but often with less than impressive results.

Fender-FMIC has now taken a different approach to this market issue. Instead of offering modern equivalents of the Montego, Coronado, or, Strat (one of the Fender forays into metal) under the Fender name, Fender has purchased companies with existing market penetration, such as Guild, Gretsch, and Jackson/Charvel.

Pre-1980, Non-Vintage, Collectible Stratocasters

Since the Fender Custom Shop did not come into existence until 1987, there's no need yet to make the distinction between the production line and the CS. At this point, the threshhold question is simply, what year serves as the dividing line between vintage and non-vintage? How old does a guitar have to be in order to be considered vintage?

If 30 years, nothing newer than 1973 is vintage (as of 2003 when this is being written). If 20 years, then everything from '83 and before is already "vintage". Who's to say? Any specific answer smacks of the arbitrary and artificial - food for endless discussion thread debates.

In my opinion, the first significant collectible non-vintage Stratocaster, as of 2003, is the 1979, 25th Anniversary model, for a few reasons, a couple of which were stated above but deserve repeating. Historically, it represents two important firsts (considering Fender's subsequent history): it was the first "numbered limited edition" model; and, the first anniversary model. It also has historical significance from a design standpoint. It foreshadows the return to the four bolt neck and the abandonment of the "bullet" truss rod that would take place in the 80s.

That's not to say every one of the 10,000, 1979, 25th Anniversary Strats has hit the collector's radar screen. Most desireable are the low serial numbered, original water-based Pearl White finish units in excellent plus to near mint condition (considering the fact that you can expect some or a good deal of finish crackle in these first units there probably are no true "mint" examples). After the first 500 or so, the color of the remaining 9,500 was changed to Porsche Silver, certainly a sensible move from the standpoint of finish stability and the fact that it happened to be the Silver Anniversary.

There is some growing collector interest in the Porsche Silver models IF they are in truly near mint to mint condition AND come with ALL the original accessories, OHSC, and of course, the numbered Certificate of Merit. But that's not to say that those units that don't fit into either category aren't bought and sold, which makes this a good time to discuss the difference between the "marketability" and "collectibility" of a guitar.

Despite the laughter of my vintage guitar collecting friends, several years ago I argued in favor of buying mid-to-late 70s Strats for their investment potential. At that time the large headstock CBS-Fender Strats were the black sheep of the family and could be bought in near mint condition, "with paper", often for substantially less than $700. And I mean substantially less.

I argued that: during the time period they were new, major players used them (either unaware of their supposed design/manufacturing defects or lucky enough to have gotten "one of the good ones"); many people find the large headstock attractive; and, every decade eventually benefits from nostalgic interest. Whether or not my reasoning at the time was sound, over the last two years the explosive growth of eBay gave me access to buyers that agreed with my point of view and let me cash in on the theory for a substantial profit.

But while these instruments are "marketable", that doesn't necessarily make them "collectible", at least not at the moment. While their market value continues to rise on eBay, very few serious vintage or non-vintage collections contain pieces from 1975 - 1979. They may be a little too young for the vintage collectors, and that dark CBS cloud still hovers above them in the minds of most non-vintage collectors.

This is why the 1979, 25th Anniversary Stratocaster is the only model on my list of mid-to-late 70's Strats that I feel has hit the collector's radar screen - to-date.

This is probably also a good time to discuss what I mean by the phrase, "with paper", an idea that will come up again in discussing the 80s and newer collectibles.

Simply put, "with paper" means that the instrument is accompanied by documents that verify or support its provedance, such as, original purchase receipt, order documentation, hang tags, or an actual letter of provedance from the first owner (and subsequent owner[s] if that is the case). Currently, non-vintage instruments are new enough that often such paper still exists and can be obtained. Years from now that paper will, in my opinion, add appreciable value to the instrument.

I hope I have provided enough context to set the stage for a discussion of the Fender Stratocaster in the 80s, an exciting decade for the non-vintage Strat collector and the topic of the next article in this series.