1983 Fender Stratocaster "Bowling Ball" Ltd. If the name didn't imply, the Fender Strat Plus was originally released in 1987 as an upgraded American Standard Stratocaster, in particular boasting Lace Sensor Gold pickups, locking tuners, a roller nut, and Fender's TBX tone control system. The Strat Plus Series was introduced by Fender in 1987 and was the highest-end production model next to Fender’s Custom Shop guitars. These guitarists inhibit the bridge's movement with a chunk of wood wedged between the bridge block and the inside cutout of the tremolo cavity, and by increasing the tension on the tremolo springs; these procedures lock the bridge in a fixed position. Originally two- or three-tone sunburst; many other colors subsequently produced. [3] Pivoting "tremolo" bridges are common, balanced by springs mounted in a rear cavity, and the bridge has six individually adjustable saddles whose height and intonation can be set independently. From a … Neck Finish: Satin Urethane 5. Late 1960s Stratocaster with large "CBS" headstock. Many of the earlier Plus’ came with plain pickguards, like on these 2 mint Plus’: 1990 Midnight Wine Plus with rosewood, (left) and a 1993 Lipstick Red Plus with maple neck (right). The neck is usually made from maple and attached to the body with screws (often referred to as "bolts") and has a distinctive headstock with six tuning pegs mounted inline along a single side; the fingerboard may be maple or another wood, e.g. Disclaimer. Action on this one is low and it plays beautifully. The colors available were three-color sunburst, daphne blue, black, bing cherry transparent, cobalt blue transparent, and honey blonde.[30]. During the years 1954 and 1979, nearly a quarter of those Fender Stratocasters manufactured were made in 1979 in a single year. Like many of the later USA Strats, these necks have the micro-tilt adjustment, which is an Allen screw under the Fender neck plate that pressed against a truss-rod grommet on the backside of the neck. You can see a nice Sonic Blue below on this page. The company regarded 1957 as a benchmark year for the Strat. In 1957, the neck shape took a more "V-shaped" feel with deeper body carves on the guitar a noted feature. The Deluxe Stratocaster HSS Plus Top guitar with IOS Connectivity lets you expand the sonic possibilities of the world's greatest electric guitar by plugging it straight into iOS devices such as your Show More The Strat Plus Series was introduced by Fender in 1987 and was the highest-end production model next to Fender’s Custom Shop guitars. Modern "American Vintage Reissue 1962" Stratocaster. Once set up correctly, and after getting the guitar in tune, they stay in tune. What about the Aqua Blue Plus above? 1970s Stratocaster with large "CBS" headstock, "bullet" truss rod and die-cast bridge. The very first “roller nuts” were a Wilkinson type. These are very versatile guitars from country all the way up to hard rock tones. Next time you see a “Strat Plus” on eBay with string trees, you’ll know it’s time to look elsewhere (it’s probably an American Standard with after-market Lace Sensors). The Fender Stratocaster, colloquitally known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton and Freddie Tavares. Let’s take a closeup look at the features of the Standard Plus. In December 1965 the Stratocaster was given a broader headstock with altered decals to match the size of the Jazzmaster and the Jaguar. Fender Products Catalog 2006, Page 32, Fender Musical Instruments Company. The photo (upper left) of the nut with the “E4” serial number is off the Strat Plus DX. Most Stratocasters have three single-coil pickups, a pickup selector switch, one volume control and two tone controls. This is a fabulous example of Fender's coolest Limited Run of "Bowling Ball" finishes. However, the essential character of the design has remained constant. Ash needed grain filler and sanding blocks for contour sanding, though it was still used on translucent blonde instruments.[11]. For more Strat Plus and similar model information, please visit www.xhefriguitars.com. The novel mechanism pivots on a fulcrum design with a six screw bridge plate, allowing the whole set-up to "float" while transferring the strings energy directly into the body. When the Corona plant was started up, only the Vintage Reissue Stratocaster models were produced between late 1985 through 1986. There is considerable debate about the effects on tone and sustain of the material used in the vibrato system's 'inertia bar' and many aftermarket versions are available. When the Fender company was bought from CBS by a group of investors and employees headed by Bill Schultz in 1985,[25] manufacturing resumed its former high quality, and Fender was able to regain market share and brand reputation. All have the skunk-stripe down the back, with a nice C neck profile, as well as the Bi-flex truss rod, which was a good improvment over the older straight truss rods. These are really slick as you just loosen the nut, pull the string through till it is tight, tighten the nut, cut off the excess, and tune. The Fender American Deluxe Strat Plus makes it easier than ever to mod the sound of your Strat to suit any musical situation. As of 2019, these include the more affordable American Performer Stratocaster (successor to the Highway One and American Special Stratocasters) and the more expensive American Ultra Stratocaster. The first model offered for sale was the 1954 Fender Stratocaster. The inspiring sound of a Stratocaster is one of the foundations of Fender. Fender Products Catalog 2006, page 54, Fender Musical Instruments Company. Many Stratocaster players opt to tighten the springs (or even increase the number of springs used) so that the bridge is firmly anchored against the guitar body: in this configuration, the vibrato arm can still be used to slacken the strings and therefore lower the pitch, but it cannot be used to raise the pitch (a configuration sometimes referred to as "dive-only"). They decided to manufacture two Vintage reissue Stratocaster models, a maple-fretboard 1957 and a rosewood-fretboa… [4], There have been minor changes to the design over the years and models with features that differ from the archetypical design. From the looks of it, the guitar appears to be an early 90s Strat Plus. Its Dead Mint & 100% UNTOUCHED & quite exceptional. Free shipping to your door or pick up at your local Guitar Center store. In 1956, Fender began using alder for sunburst and most custom-color Stratocaster bodies. Don Lace Sr., founder of Lace Music Company/Actodyne General Inc.,had been experimenting with various windings and magnets based on his already well received Gold Lace Sensor pickups. The patented Lace Micro Matrix Combs replace traditional bobbins, yielding a wider tonal range and better string balance than traditional pickups. Where are the string trees? All the Plus Series had similar features. Some players, such as Eric Clapton and Ronnie Wood, feel that the floating bridge has an excessive propensity to detune guitars. The painted headstock is atypical - this guitar came from a "factory special run". The Plus Series consisted of the Plus, the Plus Deluxe, and then later, in 1990, the Ultra. However in newer guitars, since the middle pickup is almost always wired in reverse (and with its magnets having opposite polarity), this configuration creates a spaced humbucking pair, which significantly reduces 50/60 cycle hum. Body Finish: Polyurethane 3. The Stratocaster Plus Series, by Jeff Reich*. In the early 1960s, the instrument was also championed by Hank Marvin, guitarist for the Shadows, a band that originally backed Cliff Richard and then produced instrumentals of its own. 1997 was the first year for this beautiful color, which is very similar to the Dalphne Blue of vintage Stratocasters. It's like having three guitars in one. Fret Size: Medium Jumbo 11. Various other companies have produced their own Strat-style bodies known as Superstrats. Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear. This gives you the versatility of tilting the neck instead of the old method of resorting to shims. The archetypical Stratocaster is a solid-body electric guitar with a contoured asymmetric double-cutaway body with an extended upper horn; the body is usually made from alder or ash. Fender introduced a five-way selector in 1977, making such pickup combinations more stable.[19]. The standard Plus usually came with 3 Gold Lace Sensor pickups. The Wilkinson nuts were inferior to later LSR Roller nuts (above) that started to appear mid-1993. The roller nut eliminates the need for them. There was also the Buddy Guy Signature Strat that likewise used Gold Laces. On the Strat above you can see the 1996 anniversary sticker on the back of the headstock and can tell the pickups have been change over to the Hot Gold Lace. And there was the Eric Clapton Signature Strat with 3 Gold Lace pickups and a 25db mid-range boost. The 1963 Fender Stratocaster [12] shows an advancement in design from the 1950s models including a 'veneer' Brazilian rosewood board with Clay Dot inlays, a 3 tone sunburst finish on an Alder body and Kluson tuners. In July of 1989 Fender ventured out into a new Stratocaster line based on the popular Strat Plus series—the Deluxe Stratocaster Plus. Also, you will notice that around 1993 the serial numbers moved from the front to the back of the headstock. The Plus Series was a very good attempt to reclaim Fender USA’s floundering reputation, as quality had drasically gone down hill under CBS ownership. The Stratocaster's double cutaways allowed players easier access to higher positions on the neck. After 1965, the Fender company, under the control of CBS Instruments, saw a drop in sales of the Fender Stratocaster to customers. Fast & Free shipping on many items! This setting's characteristic tone is not caused by any electronic phenomenon—early Stratocasters used identical pickups for all positions. Number of Frets: 21 10. Firm at $529 cash only, no trades. You can pay considerably more for a new Strat depending on its point of origin and appointments, but this is a proper Strat that should give years of pleasure. Various other modern American-made Stratocasters have been produced. The world's greatest electric guitar gets added functionality. Nut Material: Synthetic Bo… The rather tongue in cheek New Kids On The Block header was surely used in conjunction with the five guitars as play on the then globally massive boy band of the same name. Do you have any idea how lucky Alamo Music Center is to have Mr. Cooper Greenberg on our team? 1990 Fender Strat Plus Deluxe, only available for 2 days at this price, if not sold this time, i have decided to keep and sell next year. Leo Fender's drawing board was creaking under the weight of innovation in the 1950s. You have a great tone and great balance and overall a fantastic feel for any style of music. During this time, vintage instruments from the pre-CBS era became popular. The Gold Lace Pickups were also used on several signature model guitars, as seen on the Jeff Beck model above. And then I have owned Sea Foam Green, Surf Green and several other colors. There is an Allen screw under the Fender neck plate that allows for neck tilt instead of using shims. The color of the Midnight Wine Plus’ varied as some have more of a purple color. Crisp, and quiet, they really do perform like a 1950s pickup, but with no hum. Guitars that duplicate the Stratocaster by other manufacturers are sometimes called S-Type or ST-type guitars. During the CBS era, particularly the 1970s, the perceived quality of Fender instruments fell. The three Gold Lace Sensors really put out that ’50s vintage sound. Early 1960s Stratocaster with rosewood fingerboard and three-ply pickguard. This thicker board lasted until 1962, when the fretboard was made with a thinner 'veneer' of Brazilan Rosewood. These increased 1970s production levels saw a gradual departure from the high quality instruments of the 1960s and the introduction of Japanese manufacturers into the market. If a string breaks while playing, the Tremsetter will compensate and the guitar will stay in tune. The bridge was a Custom Classic 2-point tremolo with pop-in tremolo bar. [26] Some early reissues from 1986 were crafted with leftover parts from the Fullerton factory. The most obvious giveaway is the three Gold Lace Sensor pickups (famously used by Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Buddy Guy) and the Fender/Wilkinson needle-bearing roller nut – which was used on this specific model until around 1993. The Strat Plus Series introduced in 1987 started with the Plus, then in July of 1989 the Plus Deluxe,followed in January of 1990 the Ultra arrived with Fender ending production in 1998. The Plus necks were made from maple with either a rosewood or maple cap and usually had 22 medium-jumbo frets. The Stratocaster's sleek, contoured body shape (officially referred to by Fender as the "Original Contour Body" ) differed from the flat, squared edge design of the Telecaster. Shop the widest selection of Fender Strats at the guaranteed lowest price. All were 22 fret, had locking tuners, roller nut and Lace Sensor pickups. In 1959, Fender introduced a thick Brazilian rosewood fretboard to the Stratocaster, now colloquially referred to as a "slab-board". Here is a little Fender inconsistency for you. Post-1987 "American Standard" Stratocaster with two-point tremolo system and truss-rod adjustment at nut; fingerboard is maple, but rosewood is equally common. The other photo (above right) shows the Wilkinson nuts that had all the strings feed through a upper “roller” pin that the string rested on, while it went down under a 2nd pin. The "C" Shaped neck was maple with either maple or rosewood finger board and 22 jumbo frets. The Stratocaster's double cutaways allowed players easier access to higher positions on the neck.[8]. Since Leo Fender initially introduced it in 1954, the traditional Fender Stratocaster has been known to have three single-coil pickups, and in the six-plus decades since … Being a Strat Plus if has all the other Plus features: 3 Gold Lace Sensor pickups that mimic those 1950s Strat tones, TBX tone control, Wilkinson roller nut, and Schaller locking tuners. Learn more about Fender electric basses. Many of the 1988 and later models will have a serial number that says one thing and the date in the neck pocket in the body or on the butt end of neck that says something different. 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