On October 13, 2006, the New York office of Christie's auction house will offer the 1959 Fiesta Red, custom-built Stratocaster that Fender made for Bill Carson, a Western Swing guitarist and Fender employee whose career with Fender spanned more than 40 years. Carson began his association with Fender as a part-time assembly person and product development field tester and had a significant influence on the evolution of the Stratocaster...
Press release Source: Modern Guitars Magazine On June 1, 2006, a day before his appearance at the Rock 'n' Rio festival in Lisbon, Portugal, guitarist Carlos Santana spoke with Tom Watson, news editor for Modern Guitars Magazine, in an interview that covers a wide variety of topics, including the Paul...
by Brian D. Holland With an extensive repertoire of classic hits and album-oriented rock to his credit, Robin Trower is one of very few authentic '60s and '70s blues-rock guitar heroes still keeping it alive today. He tours the world extensively, entertaining fans with memorable songs, such as ‘Bridge Of Sighs’, ‘Daydream’, ‘I Can’t Wait Much Longer’, ‘Day Of The Eagle’, ‘Too Rolling Stoned’, and with new material that eventually becomes as enduring as the others. The sight of him standing onstage with his signature Fender Stratocaster in front of his Marshall stacks is as characteristic to his fans as his classic songs...
by Brian D. Holland Now 26 years old, Mike Welch started playing guitar when he was eight. This led to his presence at local Boston blues jams by age 11. He played at the opening of Boston's House of Blues when he was 13. Shortly thereafter, he became known as the house prodigy of Dan Aykroyd and the House of Blues management. In fact, it was Aykroyd who tagged him "Monster Mike Welch", primarily because he was so good and so powerful at such a young age. Eventually Mike started gigging on his own, forming the...
by George Gruhn
I still have vivid memories of the time during the early 1990s when Guitar Player magazine published an issue with Stratocasters on the cover and a large title "Stratmania". No sooner did that article appear than prices on Stratocasters plunged approximately 40% and took several years to recover...
by Hugh Ochoa Born Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback, in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1963, Yngwie Malmsteen came from a family of talented musicians with an interest in classical music. In 1970 he developed an interest in the guitar after watching a news item the day that Jimi Hendrix died - September 18, 1970. The footage showed the psychedelic icon burning a guitar on stage and Yngwie was hooked. Even at seven-years-old, he knew he wanted to be a...
by Rick Landers A stampede of both music legends and one hit wonders have played hometown gigs within Austin’s city limits including Janis Joplin, the 13th Floor Elevators, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Fred and His Playboy Band, as well as Texas blues brothers Edgar and Johnny Winter. Born in Austin in 1954, bright-eyed Eric Johnson emerged on the music scene in the late 1960s with a group called Mariani. The band released a psychedelic record with a limited run of 100 copies. Today, a single copy can fetch up to $3,000 from devoted...
by Ray Minhinnett In a cab on my way down to the Chelsea Embankment to meet with Rory Gallagher, my mind drifted back to the first time I had seen Rory Gallagher play live. I had just started to play guitar myself, an old battered single pickup Broadway electric bought for eight Pounds for me by my Gran. The gig was at the weekly Sunday night Jazz n’ Blues Club at the Argus Butterfly Pub in Peterlee County, Durham...
by Richard Friedman and David Davidson Talk about the Ferrari market heating up in 1988, there has never been as much forward movement in Stratocaster values than this year. Last year, a maple neck 1957 Stratocaster went for $15,000 - $17,000. Today, that same guitar has so many new and...
by Brian Holland I’ve listened to recordings of myself after a show. Something might hit me as something I like a lot, and I’ll say to myself, ‘I’ve got to learn that’, because it sounded so good to me that I know I’ll want to do it again. To play...
Interview with Buddy Guy: A week after his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Buddy Guy is back doing what he does best. Playing the blues. Born 1936, Guy migrated from his native Louisana and the Baton Rouge blues scene to Chicago in 1957/1958, taking with him a flair for showmanship inherited from Louisiana's Guitar Slim. In Chicago, Buddy became a member of the Chicago-blues elite that included Muddy Waters, Otis Rush and Magic Sam...
by Tom Watson Apart from the weight of its own history, the Strat abides.Tom Wheeler, page 21, The Stratocaster Chronicles I own precisely twenty-nine books. Not much of a library for someone writing a book review. The number, to a book, is twenty-nine because I counted them this morning. Though...
The demand for good, clean, all-original Strats continues to be strong, particularly for 4-bolt, pre-CBS and Custom Color models. Unfortunately, the supply of these strats is low and it’s getting harder and harder to find the good stuff. Equally tough is that as the supply dwindles, prices go up, with 2004 prices up about 30% from 2003. I would say that the year 2004 saw more first time collectors entering the market than ever before. Many people feel that it’s now or never to get into a vintage strat, knowing that the same guitar may be financially out of reach in another year or two...
Where's ERIC!, the Eric Clapton Fan Club and Magazine, has announced that tickets for the Cream Reunion Concerts will go on sale this Monday, 31 January, at 9AM (GMT - UK Time). The concerts will take place at London's Royal Albert Hall on May 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th, 2005....
The Cooper Owen auction house in London, England, has announced that three Fender Stratocasters believed to have been owned by Jimi Hendrix will be included in a Jimi Hendrix memorabilia auction to be held by Cooper Owen on February 16, 2005, at the Hard Rock Cafe in London. [Note: The...
by Ray Minhinnett
...A decade on, as we all know, the Fender Stratocaster is fifty-years-old and once again, Bob and I have been at the cutting edge of the Strat's anniversary celebrations. An updated documentary will be out on DVD to accompany the concert we produced for Fender featuring David Gilmore, Joe Walsh, Hank Marvin, Theresa Anderson, Gary Moore, Albert Lee, Paul Rogers, Ronnie Wood and The Crickets, amongst others. The concert was filmed in high definition at London's Wembley Arena on September 24, 2004, and is entitled "The Strat Pack". We are currently in the process of the final edit and the film is...
by Rick Messock George Amicay is well known for his work as one of the Fender Custom Shop's Master Builders. While with the Custom Shop, George was involved with some of the most creative and unique Custom Shop guitars Fender has produced to-date. Amicay was born and lives in Orange...
2004 marked the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Fender Stratocaster. Fender celebrated the occasion with reissue models as well as new variety Stratocasters to commemorate the occasion. While this was a great promotional opportunity for Fender, from my perspective as a vintage instrument dealer I have seen little change in the market for pre CBS Fenders which would be attributable to any 50th anniversary effect. It is my opinion that...
by Rick Landers Robin Trower fans can now test drive Fender’s new Robin Trower Signature Series Stratocasters at select Fender dealers. Modern Guitars Magazine recently spoke with Alan Rosen, General Manager for one of the top guitar shops in the San Francisco Bay area, "Bananas-At-Large", about the new limited edition...
by Tom Watson NEW YORK CITY (Manhattan). December 17, 2004. The results are in from Christie's "Rock & Roll and Entertainment Memorabilia" auction held today. The 1964 Gibson SG once owned by George Harrison and played by both Harrison and John Lennon, brought $567,500 (including the buyer's premium), while a...
by RICK LANDERS “...I like chrome balls...” — Paul Olsen Rock illustrator, author, screenwriter and musician, Paul Olsen, pulls out the stops. Robin Trower fans will remember those very cool Trower album cover designs Paul created that will soon adorn a small group of Fender Stratocasters. Paul talks about his...
by RICK LANDERS “Every picture tells a story, don't it?” — Rod Stewart Armed with a galaxy of historic and contemporary rock 'n' roll image archives, photographer Robert Knight has recently signed with the Limelight Agency to offer a stunning collection of his work to the public. Since the tumultuous...
by Tom Watson On Saturday, November 20, 2004, the Cooper Owen auction house will offer a circa 1961 Fender Stratocaster (see image below) once owned and played by Jimi Hendrix. This instrument, lot #195, is part of the Hendrix memorabilia collection represented by Cooper Owen that is on display at...
by RICK LANDERS Craig Hopkins, author of The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan, has written a book to fill the appetites of all SRV fans. His book offers readers a comprehensive account of key milestones in SRV’s short, yet monumental music career. More importantly, Craig provides insights into Stevie’s humanity and...
by Tom Watson “Life's too short to spend it with a crappy guitar.” — Rick Nielsen If the Center for Disease Control were to investigate the epidemiology of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), without question a primary contributing factor would be the work of photographer Stephen Pitkin. Most guitar fans are...
by Tom Watson Most guitar collectors, especially those who collect Fender Stratocasters, will recognize the name Saiichi Sugiyama from his consulting work on both the 1999 and recent 2004 Eric Clapton Christie's Crossroads Auction catalogs. Sugiyama is a library of knowledge and information about both Fender and Gibson guitars. What...
by Hunter H and Tom Watson images by Hunter H Stratocaster tradition: a blessing and a curse There is a very close connection between the stories of rock 'n' roll and the Fender Stratocaster. It's hard to imagine one without the other. But in the case of the Fender Stratocaster,...
by Tom Watson The Cooper Owen auction house of London has announced that as many as 20,000 items of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia will be auctioned by the firm in 2005, with approximately one fifth of the items going on display at the Marquee Club in central London on September 9,...
by Dan Yablonka The large and growing interest in vintage Fender Stratocasters may be due to a variety of reasons, but chief among them is the sought after tone quality many of these early Strats produce. This article discusses the pickups found in vintage Stratocasters. The original Stratocaster pickup configuration...
by Tom Watson The 2004 Summer NAMM Show has arrived in Nashville and Fender has taken the opportunity to unveil its new 50th Anniversary Golden Stratocaster. Based on a 1950s Strat, it features: Aztec Gold finish; gold hardware; gold anodized pickguard; 50s-style maple neck with a soft "V" profile with...
by RIC ZAND-VLIET The Fender Stratocaster is the one guitar that seems to evoke so much passion among collectors and players alike. Should I buy vintage or a reissue? Are three-bolts as good as a four-bolt? Do CBS Strats hold their value? One can only wonder where the market is...
by Tom Watson Fender Stratocaster collector Kevin Schultz is no stranger to dangerous curves. His lifelong labors of love - building and working on show cars, hot rods and offshore racing boats - provide ample proof. But Schultz has extended his fascination with dangerous curves and anodized aluminum to another...
by Tom Watson The Cooper Owen auction house has announced that a 1963 Fender Stratocaster once owned by Jimi Hendrix will be sold at auction on June 30, 2004. The Hendrix Strat is auction lot number 373. The auction will be held online only and bids may be placed through...
by RICK LANDERS Lee Dickson has been Eric Clapton's guitar guru for nearly a quarter of a century. As Clapton's guitar technician, Dickson cares for Eric's instruments at all times, whether on tour or at home in the United Kingdom. Clapton is currently on tour in the United States. Strat...
Text and images by HUGH OCHOA The auction June 24, 2004. The television news crews parked outside of Christie's 49th Street Manhattan location are the first hint that a special event is about to take place. Understatement. What unfolds is the most significant auction of acoustic and electric guitars in...
by Tom Watson Eric Clapton's prized Stratocaster, "Blackie", brought $959,500 in the Christie's Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Auction, becoming the most expensive guitar ever to have been sold at auction. Stevie Ray Vaughan's Stratocaster, "Lenny" received the second highest price ever paid for a Fender Stratocaster at auction, fetching $623,500....
by Patrick Kennedy Message from Richard McDonald, Vice President of Marketing, Fender Musical Instruments Rory's music came along at a time when listeners were concerned whether the players really meant what they were playing. With Rory there was never any question about the conviction of his art. He wore his...
Text and Images by RICK LANDERS A small group of journalists whisper like acolytes among themselves as if they are in the presence of the Lord. But the guitarist and music legend who was referred to as God on a London wall in the 1960s is nowhere to be found....
by Tom Watson Texas-based luthier Michael Stevens recently made the following comments to Strat Collector News regarding two of the instruments included in the upcoming Eric Clapton Crossroads auction to be held at Christie's on June 24, 2004. The two instruments are a Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster...
by KJETIL STORVIK In late 2002, I contacted the Ringve Museum in Trondheim, Norway, with a view toward arranging an electric-guitar exhibition in 2004 to celebrate the Stratocaster’s 50th anniversary. Ringve, being Norway's National Museum of Music and Musical Instruments, responded positively and some preliminary planning was carried out during...
by PATRICK KENNEDY Worldwide his albums have sold millions and his concerts have gone into the pantheon of rock history. Rory Gallagher was born in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, on March 2, 1948, and moved with his family to Cork when he was still a child. His brother Donal can remember...
by DÓNAL GALLAGHER At the tender age of fifteen and while still at school, my brother Rory had joined a semi-professional band, then known as the Fontana Showband. Rory had passed his audition with the six-piece Fontana playing on his "Rosette, Solid Seven" electric guitar, which he was paying for...
by MATT TAPP The 27th Annual Dallas Guitar Show and Music Fest took place April 17-18 at its new location, the cavernous Market Hall complex. This year’s show, bolstered by news media coverage and a musical guest lineup that seemed more in line with a national outdoor festival than a...
[Editor's note: The June 24, 1999, Christie's auction of Eric Clapton's guitars was a highly significant event to collectors and began a new chapter in the history of guitar collecting. So significant that the auction catalog has become a collectible item in its own right. In his article, "Sale of...
by Tom Watson The threshold questions considered in Part One of "How to Buy a Fender Stratocaster" were: What is your budget? and What purpose will the instrument serve? In Part Two we take a look at how to buy a new Fender Stratocaster. New or used? Putting aside the...
by News Staff Dallas, TX - April 17, 2004. Kurt Cobain's Mark IV-style Mosrite Gospel guitar sold for $100,000 USD not including the buyer's premium, at the Icons of 20th Century Music auction held in Dallas, Texas, in conjunction with the 27th Annual Dallas Guitar Show. According to the auctioneer,...
by WOLFGANG EISTERT and Tom Watson Strat Collector News continues a series of articles that examines the collectible Stratocaster market outside of the United States. In addition to his opinion about the state of the market in Germany, contributor Wolfgang Eistert was asked how he would advise a client who...
by STEVE PISANI and Tom Watson Part Three of a three-part series in which experts Allan Clarke (Outside Sales Manager and Custom Product Specialist, Guitar Center's Certified Reserve Collection), Frank Glionna (owner, The Music Gallery, Inc.) and Steve Pisani (Custom Shop Guitar Specialist, Sam Ash Music) share their opinions about...
by TOM WHEELER [Excerpt from The Stratocaster Chronicles: Celebrating 50 Years of the Fender Strat, by Tom Wheeler, copyright 2004 Tom Wheeler/Hal Leonard. The following excerpt is reprinted with permission and may not be further reprinted without written permission from Hal Leonard.] The Stratocaster Chronicles: Celebrating 50 Years of the...
by ADAM NEWMAN and Tom Watson Strat Collector News continues a series of articles that examine the collectible Stratocaster market outside of the United States. In addition to his opinion about the state of the market in the United Kingdom, contributor Adam Newman was asked how he would advise a...
by Tom Watson Buyers can now submit online bids on the 446 lots featured in the April 17, 2004, Icons of 20th Century Music auction to be held at the Dallas Market Hall, Dallas, TX, in conjunction with the 27th Annual Dallas Guitar Show and MusicFest. Since reporting that online...
by Tom Watson On April 29, 2004, Christie's Rockefeller Plaza location will hold a Fine Musical Instruments auction. Although the core of the 145 lot auction is rare violins, several guitars are featured, including a 1954 Fender Stratocaster (see image and info below), a 1950 Gibson ES-350 (see image and...
by Tom Watson I see myself as kind of being like a lone guy on a quest.—Eric Clapton1 Eric Clapton, turns 59 today - on tour, healthy, and with a recently released CD, Me and Mr Johnson, that pays tribute to the music that's played a major role in his...
by Tom Watson Eric Patrick Clapton. Born 1945, Surrey, England. John "CRASH" Matos. Born 1961, South Bronx, New York. Clapton grows up on rock, blues and the electric guitar. CRASH grows up on comics, graffiti and cans of spray paint. Eric Clapton. World-famous musician. CRASH. World-famous painter. Is fame their...
by Tom Watson Over the thirty-four years since his untimely death in 1970 at the age of twenty-seven, the music of Jimi Hendrix has inspired legions of budding guitarists around the world. Though known to have occasionally played other makes and models, Hendrix is most closely associated with the Fender...
Further information about the June 24, 2004, Eric Clapton guitar auction and images of some of the instruments to be sold, including Clapton's famous Fender Stratocaster, "Blackie". Information and images supplied by Christie's. CHRISTIE’S NEW YORK TO OFFER GUITARS FROM ERIC CLAPTON SOLD TO BENEFIT THE CROSSROADS CENTRE IN ANTIGUA...
by Tom Watson Route 66 Guitars has announced that a number of highly collectible celebrity-related instruments, including two noteworthy vintage Fender Stratocasters (photos and information below), will be sold on April 17 and April 18, 2004, at the Icons of 20th Century Music auction to be held at the Dallas...
by Key Iwai and Tom Watson It's no revelation that the Fender Stratocaster has conquered the world. Although an "American icon", the Strat's popularity has spread to practically every corner of the globe, due not so much from its association with Americana, but as the result of having been the...
by Frank Glionna and Tom Watson Part Two of a three-part series in which experts Allan Clarke (Outside Sales Manager and Custom Product Specialist, Guitar Center's Certified Reserve Collection), Frank Glionna (owner, The Music Gallery, Inc.) and Steve Pisani (Custom Shop Guitar Specialist, Sam Ash Music) share their opinions about...
by Tom Watson People are usually surprised when they find out that the Strat Collector News Desk is published from a small farming village in northern Portugal. The village in which we live, Balselhas, is so remote that taxi company dispatchers from the closest big city, Porto, ask us for...
by ALLAN CLARKE and Tom Watson Part One of a three-part series in which experts Allan Clarke (Outside Sales Manager and Custom Product Specialist, Guitar Center's Certified Reserve Collection), Frank Glionna (owner, Music Gallery, Inc.) and Steve Pisani (Custom Shop Guitar Specialist, Sam Ash Music) share their opinions about the...
by Tom Watson According to news source AFP, Eric Clapton has announced his intention to sell 56 guitars at auction on June 24, 2004, to raise money for the drug rehabilitation clinic, Crossroads Centre, located in Antigua, West Indies. The auction will include the famous Clapton Stratocaster known as "Blackie"....
by Tom Wheeler, John Page and Tom Watson Foreword by Tom Watson There was no such thing as a Fender Custom Shop Art Guitar when Pamelina H first met the then Custom Shop manager John Page in 1987. Chances are, there would be no Fender Custom Shop Art Guitars today,...
by DAN YABLONKA Part Three, Custom Colors In Parts One and Two, I discussed the differences in eras by neck shapes, fingerboards, serial numbers and logos, and while the title of the article is about determining the year of your Strat, the topic "du jour" is a little less about...
by Tom Watson The article below is not about collectible Stratocasters, vintage or otherwise. The information is provided in response to a frequently asked question: How in the world do I go about buying the Strat - the Stratocaster that will "do it" for me? With so many models and...
by Tom Watson While automobiles were designed to be driven, coins designed to be spent, and stamps designed for licking, such items have come to be valued and collected for reasons far beyond their original purpose. So has the electric guitar. The buying, selling and trading of vintage Fender Stratocasters...
by Tom Watson You love your Strat...it's an important part of your life...it means more to you than most non-players will ever understand. Sound familiar? It will to many - these sentiments are shared by millions of Stratocaster enthusiasts around the world. But, how many of us experience that relationship...
by Tom Watson I have written about the "Master Built Experience" before, detailing the process from the point of view of the customer, the builder and a Master Dealer. Today, the News Desk is pleased to announce a new feature that will allow readers to follow another Master Built experience,...
by Tom Watson and JASON C. ALLEN No two names associated with the Fender Stratocaster induce as great a level of awe and admiration as those of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In 2002, the Fender Custom Shop created four "Hendrix Clones" after conducting a detailed examination of the...
by Tom Watson Experience Hendrix, the company founded in 1995 by the Hendrix family to oversee the estate assets of Jimi Hendrix who died in 1970, has announced that a national tour of all-star artists performing Jimi Hendrix tribute concerts will launch in February, 2004. Three concert dates and venues...
by Tom Watson Fender has announced a new series of limited-edition instruments from the Custom Shop called the Master Design Series. Each instrument in the series will be designed by one of the Fender Custom Shop Master Builders, and, according to the 2004 Fender Frontline, ". . . could be...
by Tom Watson The Cooper Owen auction house will hold its next Rock Legends auction on February 26, 2004, through the eBay Live Auctions service. The previously scheduled auction, Instruments of Desire, has been incorporated into the February 26th Rock Legends auction. Guitars to be offered in the auction of...
by Staff Below is a second group of photographs taken at the 2004 Winter NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California. All images are by Strat Collector News Desk staff photographer, Brent Peters. Outside the Fender area. Display outside the Fender area. Inside the Fender area. Looking at...
by Staff Below is a series of photographs taken on the opening day of the 2004 Winter NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California. All images are by Strat Collector News Desk staff photographer, Brent Peters. Entrance to the Fender area. Inside the Fender area. Master Builder John...
by Staff The first of the breaking news from the 2004 Winter NAMM Show. For Immediate Release - Fender Musical Instruments Corporation January 15, 2003. Fender® Celebrates 50 Years of Musical Heritage with New Commemorative Model Guitars! THE STRATOCASTER® GUITAR TURNS 50! SCOTTSDALE, AZ - The most popular and influential...
by Tom Watson Everyone who grew up with "rock 'n' roll" during the 50s and 60s in the United States understood its message. Rebellion. The music served as an anthem for millions of teenagers, who, like billions of teenagers before them, thirsted for freedom from the rules of school and...
by Tom Watson The Fender Stratocaster has achieved its enduring success and popularity in large part due to the magic the instrument has created in the hands of stellar performers such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mark Knopfler and Robbie Robertson. To many collectors, the most valuable...
by Tom Watson January 1, 2004 It's finally here, the 50th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster. Strat enthusiasts have much to look forward to this year as FMIC and music industry writers will no doubt favor us with many looks at the Stratocaster's somewhat humble beginnings and its subsequent impact...
Press Release December, 2003 One of the greatest guitarists of all time, Stevie Ray Vaughan, was and forever will be remembered for his soulful music, his revolutionary playing style and for his distinctive, beat-up Fender® Stratocaster® guitar. Affectionately known as “Number Oneâ€, this guitar in Stevie’s hands helped bring Texas...
by Tom Watson A Preview of the Book and an Interview with the Author The Stratocaster Chronicles, a Preview Everyone with a mild or greater interest in the history of the electric guitar is familiar with the name, Tom Wheeler. Wheeler has pursued his labor of love as an electric...
by Tom Watson With less than a week away from 2004, guitar enthusiasts around the world eagerly look ahead to the 50th Anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster. But since we have several weeks to wait until Fender unveils its 2004 anniversary models at the mid-January NAMM Show, perhaps this is...
by Tom Watson Background The decade of the 80s saw a tremendous number of changes in Fender, literally, from the ground up. The decade opened with Fender still under the ownership of CBS. In 1984, Fender-CBS announced that the company was for sale. The following year it was bought by...
Press Release Source: McFarlane Toys Jimi Hendrix to Be Immortalized by McFarlane Toys & Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. Monday October 13, 11:00 am ET Collectible Figure of the 'Greatest Guitarist' Slated for November Release TEMPE, Ariz., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Dubbed the greatest guitarist ever, the legendary music of Jimi Hendrix...
by Tom Watson Winter, 1964. Somewhere in the Midwest. I sit in my room on the verge of being a teenager. Outside, a foot of snow on the street. Inside, I'm wearing out my 45 rpm copy of Wipe Out by the Surfaris trying to learn the solo. While Jim...
Fender Press Release: December 8, 2003 Fender will expand its line of Showmaster guitars this winter with the introduction of three new models. These new Showmaster guitars feature a choice of figured exotic wood or metallic finished carved tops. Both the Showmaster HH Quilt and Showmaster SSS Quilt feature a...
by Tom Watson As Fender Stratocaster fans around the world anxiously await the unveiling of 2004's 50th Anniversary Stratocaster, what better time to take a look back at the instrument that marked the 25th Silver Anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster. In 1979, Fender celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Stratocaster...
by Tom Watson In 1997, Cornell University professor of applied engineering and physics, Harold G. Craighead, and his doctoral student, Dustin W. Carr, created the world's smallest guitar, the "nanoguitar" -- approximately the size of a single cell -- 1/20th the width of a single human hair. Most of the...
by Tom Watson The upcoming January, 2004, Winter NAMM show will most likely see the unveiling of the Fender Custom Shop Stevie Ray Vaughan Tribute Stratocaster. Custom Shop Marketing Manager, Mike Eldred, Design Group Manager, George Blanda, and, Vice President of Marketing, Richard McDonald, met with Jimmie Vaughan in Austin...
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation recently announced that the 2004 American Deluxe Series of guitars will be the first instruments to feature Fender's new Samarium Cobalt Noiseless (SCN) pickups. Many more instrument announcements are expected from now through the Winter NAMM Show in January, 2004. Fender press release: American Deluxe Series...
by Staff Strat Collector has recently added a new service -- a page with various up-to-the-minute news feeds related to the music industry. The new page can be accessed here: Music Industry News. There is a permanent link on the Strat Collector Info page and on the navigation bar at...
by Tom Watson While Cyprinus carpio are known throughout the world as "swimming flowers", "living jewels", or Nishikigoi (Japanese for "brocaded carp"), this beautiful species of fish is best known simply as Koi. Japanese rice farmers began breeding these elegant freshwater pond creatures in the seventeenth century. Today, they serve...
by Staff Below is an excerpt from a recent NAMM announcement regarding the future locations of the Summer NAMM shows. More information is available from the NAMM website (www.namm.com). NAMM ANNOUNCES DECISION TO ROTATE FUTURE SUMMER SESSION LOCATIONS Indianapolis and Austin to Host Summer Trade Show in 2005 and 2006...
by Tom Watson While it's true that a large part of the value of vintage Stratocasters comes from the fact that "they aren't making any more of them", the same cannot be said of non-vintage collectible Strats. These new collectibles achieve their status and value from a variety of factors...
by Tom Watson Anyone familiar with the Art Guitars produced by the Fender Custom Shop knows the work of Pamelina H. (Hovnatanian). Her artwork is reflected on all of the major Art Guitars from the Custom Shop, including the three best known models, the Harley-Davidson, the Playboy, and the Hendrix...
by DAN YABLONKA In Part One, I discussed the changes in Fender Stratocaster necks and fingerboards from 1954 to 1965, and how those changes can help determine the production year of a Strat. I left off at the end of the "Leo" era transition into CBS Musical Instruments. The ability...
by Staff It doesn't have strings, but will hopefully keep your soup warm. This evening (November 5th in the States), Fender-FMIC revealed the first collectible item related to next year's 50th Stratocaster Anniversary. A lunchbox. See for yourself: ANNIVERSARY LUNCHBOX I admit, not just your garden variety Stratocaster Anniversary lunchbox....
by Tom Watson If you're new to the Stratocaster collecting community it won't be long before you're introduced to two collecting myths: that the only purpose served by a collectible Strat is wall decoration and that collectors look but don't touch. Today's nationwide debut CD release of Rockin' the Blues...
by Tom Watson New vintage guitars? That's the goal of the Fender "Time Machine" series. Can't afford an actual 1956 vintage Stratocaster? No problem. You can buy a "new" '56 Strat from any Custom Shop Fender dealer in your choice of color and aging, including one aging variation that no...
by Staff 2004 will mark the 50th Anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster, an event sure to be celebrated by Fender and Strat enthusiasts around the world. Previously celebrated Fender milestones include: 1979, 25th Silver Anniversary (the Stratocaster); 1989, 35th Anniversary (the Stratocaster); 1994, 40th Anniversary (the Stratocaster); and, 1996, 50th...
by DAN YABLONKA This article begins a discussion on how to approach determining the production year of a vintage Fender Stratocaster. Determining the production year of a potentially vintage instrument requires more than basing your opinion on just one piece of information. In the case of the Fender Strat, what...
by Staff GuitarMania I In 2002, the city of Cleveland, Ohio, the United Way Services charitable organization, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, joined forces to produce an "art meets guitar" event known as GuitarMania I. It comes as no surprise that the Fender Stratocaster was choosen to...
by Staff The third article in a series intended as an introductory guide to non-vintage collectible Fender Strats has been added to the Strat Collector Info Desk. The first two discuss Fender Custom Shop Strats. The third article begins a look at non-vintage collectible production line Stratocasters....
by Staff Unfortunately the scenario is nothing new - someone gains access to a decent eBayer's ID, steals some guitar pics off the web and puts up a phony eBay listing hoping to rip off an unsuspecting buyer. The one that came up today hit close to home. The owner...
by Tom Watson Strat Collector is pleased to welcome Dan Yablonka as a featured News Desk contributor! Below you will find his first article -- State of the Strat. Dan is a well known vintage guitar expert and dealer from Laguna Beach, California, just south of Los Angeles in Orange...
by DAN YABLONKA Since its incarnation and public release in the spring of 1954, the Fender Stratocaster, a space age machine then and now, has been one of the best experiences a guitar player could have. Whether you're a Fender guy first or start with a Gibson, and no matter...
by Tom Watson A collector in England has assembled an interesting set of all six of the American Standard 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Fender instruments as pictured below (photo from a 1996 Fender press release). 1996 marked the 50th Anniversary of the Fender company (1946-1996), and in celebration Fender produced...
by Tom Watson The second in a series of articles intended to serve as an introductory guide to non-vintage collectible Stratocasters has been added to the Info Desk. This article is a continuation of Part One of the series covering guitars produced by the Fender Custom Shop. The next article,...
by Staff "Mike C.", an employee of Fender Europe, has compiled his list of the top ten "to die for" Stratocasters. While each entry qualifies as a vintage Strat, it's primarily the guitar's association with a famous musician that earned it a spot on the list. Here's a rundown of...
by Tom Watson Forty-six-year-old James (Jim) V. Roy of New England is reluctant to call himself a photographer, but his image archive documenting the past few years of various Fender events says otherwise. Jim's Internet photo site contains over 5,000 images, many of which depict Fender people and instruments. Link...
by Tom Watson [Editor's Note: the article below has been superceded by an in-depth preview of the book and an interview with Tom Wheeler that can be read by clicking HERE.] The Stratocaster Chronicles, Celebrating 50 Years of the Fender Strat, by Tom Wheeler. Source: www.halleonard.com. The world's most famous...
by Tom Watson Knowledge is power, and in the case of Strat collecting, fun. The Info Desk has been updated and offers a good list of books every Strat collector and enthusiast should consider adding to his or her personal library. Suggested Reading and Reference Books One book that might...
by Staff The Strat Collector Discussion Forums include a section on eBay, and will be updated from time to time with links to eBay auctions featuring instruments of possible interest to the non-vintage Stratocaster collecting community. The first eBay Watch List post was made today. Feel free to contribute other...
by Tom Watson An article intended to serve as an introductory guide to non-vintage collectible Fender Stratocasters has been added to the Info Desk. It contains lists of the Strats genreally considered non-vintage collectibles. Reminder: the Arlington Guitar Show, Arlington, Texas, takes place this coming weekend. Call (918) 288-7888 for...
by Tom Watson While vintage Strats have been the focus of most guitar collectors, there's a growing interest in non-vintage collectible Stratocasters from some seasoned collectors and from many people new to guitar collecting. There are three good reasons for this. 1. Risk Collecting Strats from the 50's and 60's...
by Tom Watson An article by George Gruhn, Factors That Influence the Value of a Collectible Instrument, has been added to the Info Desk. A must read for those interested in collectible guitars. Gruhn identifies nine key factors that affect a collectible instrument's value: maker; model; age; condition; originality; supply...
by Tom Watson The Cooper-Owen auction house, London, England, is currently accepting guitars to be auctioned in their Instruments of Desire event scheduled for February, 2004. They are seeking collectible guitars to sell at the February auction on consignment. A story related to Cooper-Owen and collectible Strats... The gentlemen pictured...
by Tom Watson 1979 marked the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the Fender Stratocaster. To promote the event, Fender produced the first of its "Anniversary" Stratocasters. 10,000 of them. The story is well known. The first 500 or so were finished in a white color that quickly deteriorated and...
by Tom Watson Greetings, and welcome to the Strat Collector News Desk. The Strat Collector News Desk will feature news and information about the world of collectible Fender Stratocasters. We hope you enjoy it....
Also available: Some of the finest vintage and non-vintage collectible instruments and amps to be found. Offered by some of the most highly respected and knowledgeable sellers in the world. Invest with confidence.
If you would like to receive an email notification when a new article has been published on the News Desk, insert your email address below and click "Add". You will NOT receive any form of SPAM or advertising. The notifications are short and contain a brief summary of the new article.
The Strat Collector News Desk is available for syndication via RSS feed. RSS allows your site to automatically display recent Strat Collector News Desk article titles with links to the article via RSS parser.
With an extensive repertoire of classic hits and album-oriented rock to his credit, Robin Trower is one of very few authentic '60s and '70s blues-rock guitar heroes still keeping it alive today. He tours the world extensively, entertaining fans with memorable songs, such as ‘Bridge Of Sighs’, ‘Daydream’, ‘I Can’t Wait Much Longer’, ‘Day Of The Eagle’, ‘Too Rolling Stoned’, and with new material that eventually becomes as enduring as the others. The sight of him standing onstage with his signature Fender Stratocaster in front of his Marshall stacks is as characteristic to his fans as his classic songs...
Now 26 years old, Mike Welch started playing guitar when he was eight. This led to his presence at local Boston blues jams by age 11. He played at the opening of Boston's House of Blues when he was 13. Shortly thereafter, he became known as the house prodigy of Dan Aykroyd and the House of Blues management. In fact, it was Aykroyd who tagged him "Monster Mike Welch", primarily because he was so good and so powerful at such a young age. Eventually Mike started gigging on his own, forming the...
Born Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback, in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1963, Yngwie Malmsteen came from a family of talented musicians with an interest in classical music. In 1970 he developed an interest in the guitar after watching a news item the day that Jimi Hendrix died - September 18, 1970. The footage showed the psychedelic icon burning a guitar on stage and Yngwie was hooked. Even at seven-years-old, he knew he wanted to be a...
A stampede of both music legends and one hit wonders have played hometown gigs within Austin’s city limits including Janis Joplin, the 13th Floor Elevators, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Fred and His Playboy Band, as well as Texas blues brothers Edgar and Johnny Winter. Born in Austin in 1954, bright-eyed Eric Johnson emerged on the music scene in the late 1960s with a group called Mariani. The band released a psychedelic record with a limited run of 100 copies. Today, a single copy can fetch up to $3,000 from devoted...
In a cab on my way down to the Chelsea Embankment to meet with Rory Gallagher, my mind drifted back to the first time I had seen Rory Gallagher play live. I had just started to play guitar myself, an old battered single pickup Broadway electric bought for eight Pounds for me by my Gran. The gig was at the weekly Sunday night Jazz n’ Blues Club at the Argus Butterfly Pub in Peterlee County, Durham...