I was born the same year as the Fender Stratocaster. This in and of itself is of no great import, and yet I’m happy it turned out that way. Because of all the electric guitars I’ve mitted over the years, the Strat is the one that continually does it for me. I think it’s unquestionably the most versatile and elegant electric ever produced, made to be modded, fits your body like a glove, and screams when you want it to, no questions asked.
In the video below, some great players talk about this iconic instrument, and somewhere in there Ron Emory of True Sounds Of Liberty says, “The neat thing about a Stratocaster is you can make a Stratocaster kinda sound like any other guitar, but you can’t make any other guitar sound like a Stratocaster”. Couldn’t agree more, that echoes my own experience with this brilliant bit of low-glitz, ergonomic, workhorse engineering. You can play any style of music on a Strat, and never be more than 2 seconds from dialing in the perfect tone for the tune.
As the Fender Stratocaster Turns 60 in 2014, we gathered comments from artists such as Jeff Beck, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Stephen Stills, Jim Root, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Raphael Saadiq, Nile Rodgers, Buddy Guy, Don Felder. Yngwie Malmsteen, Billy Corgan, Eric Johnson and more.
via The Fender Stratocaster Turns 60 – YouTube.
I have loads of respect for Les Paul’s enormous contributions to the world of electric guitars, and for Gibson’s in general. I love the look and sound of a good Gretsch. I’ve not been hands-on with Ricks much, but they have stood the test of time, as well. But Leo Fender… what can you say about a guy who built the simplest, sexiest, most bitchin’ electric guitar ever, a no-frills workingman’s battleaxe that originally sold for less than $300, has been only moderately improved in six decades, and (along with Leo’s other masterpieces, the Telecaster and Precision Bass) more or less defined rock & roll, blues, country, and pop music as we know it? The man is in a class all by himself, really.
So yeah, the Strat and I turn 60 this year, and if I were inclined to do that “bucket list” thing, having a 1954 Strat sitting in a stand close by, ready to make music with me, would probably be #1. Maybe one of these days. Until then, I’m happy with the one I got.
