Description
Launching in January 1980 at the winter NAMM show, Fender's 'The Strat' was designed by Dan Armstrong and Gregg Wilson as a deluxe 'SuperStrat' model. 'The Strat' was in production until early 1983, displaced by less complex models.
The 'SuperStrat' concept was emerging as players and third-party hardware makers took advantage of the customizability of Fender designs. Upgraded, higher output or active pickups, advanced switching options, and heavy brass hardware were common elements of the trend. Soon after, variations on the Strat body and head design itself appeared, along with a dizzying range of custom finishes.
This Fender 'The Strat' dates to early 1982, and is in good condition with some finish related damage to the colour-matched headstock. Specifically the finish has checked significantly and in that process parts of the decal, the model name and serial number, were lost. In the absence of the serial number, Fender's date code of the time, found on the heel end of the neck, reads "1-15-82" indicating manufacture during the first week of the year. The "15" indicates 1981-1982 while the "82" is an internal factory operator or inspector code.
Sold with its original hard shell case, which contains a previous bill of sale, dated October 15 1988 at Richmond's Trading Post in Toronto. This document indicates that the serial number decal was gone by that time.
Materials and Construction
Starting with Leo Fender's original bolt-together concept and the then-current focus on mass leading to sustain, Fender's 'The Strat' model pairs a dense block of Alder for the body with a Maple neck.
To this it adds a gold-plated, massive 'Brassmaster' trem bridge, which as the name suggests incorporates a heavy brass block at the rear of the bridge, as well as the standard steel spring block. The control knobs and switch tip are also gold-plated brass. The gold-plated tuners are Fender branded Schaller models. The gold plated, F-stamped neck plate uses a plastic gasket to protect the finish from typical crushing damage. The body finish itself is in good condition with expected wear but not a lot of checking.
The electronics are quite different from standard Strats, making use of a two-position rotary switch in place of the lower tone control and a high output X-1 bridge pickup. This provides nine separate pickup combinations. In one position, the rotary switch lets the 5-way switch functions as an ordinary Strat. In the other position, these are the pickup combinations:
- Position 1: Neck + Bridge Pickups (Series) — Fat, punchy tone with more output than a standard Tele middle position.
- Position 2: Neck + Middle + Bridge Pickups (Parallel) — All three pickups on at once for a wide, scooped response.
- Position 3: Neck + Bridge Pickups (Parallel) — Classic dual-pickup "tele-style" chime.
- Position 4: Neck + Middle + Bridge Pickups (Parallel) — Repeats Position 2.
- Position 5: Neck + Middle Pickups (Series) — Warm, high-output humbucking response.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: The Strat
- Instrument Manufacturer: Fender
- Instrument year: 1982
- Instrument Finish: Gloss Black with matching headstock
- Instrument Class: Solidbody Electric Guitars
- Instrument serial number: Not Present, built early 1982 at Fullerton CA
- Country of Origin: USA
- Instrument Condition: Good
- Right-handed
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 10.296 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 4.68 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 25.5 in
- Scale Length Metric: 647.7 mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.621 in
- Nut Width Metric: 41.18 mm
- CITIES Documentation Required: No
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: Yes
- Items in Case: Trem arm, Strap, Sales slip dated October 15 1988
- Case Type: Hard Shell Rectangular Fender branded
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 191022
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |