Publisher's Synopsis
There's something very special about the Fender Stratocaster. It's been around a long time, it's played a huge part in rock history, and it's played by some of the biggest musicians in the music business.
There are some great guitars out there, but none like the Fender Stratocaster. This book is about how the Stratocaster has developed over the years. It has a fascinating history. We've all read about those produced in the 1950s and '60s, and the huge money they are worth - sadly well beyond the pockets of most players/collectors. But Stratocasters manufactured from the early 1970s onwards can still be purchased for reasonable amounts of money. So, that's where this book begins its story of the Stratocaster, in 1971. This isn't a book about the great people that played the guitar, it's about the guitar itself. In this book, the Stratocaster is the star. There have been dozens of models, and this book runs through them all - right up to 2011, over 40 years of Stratocaster history. Strats with aluminium bodies, Strats with 7 strings, Strats connected to synthesisers, Strats with extended necks, and more, they're all in here. Almost every production model made in the USA by Fender between 1971 and 2011, excluding the Custom Shop and short run special orders, has been included. The book goes into detail about the necks, heads, pickups and hardware. It includes sufficient information to allow you to identify most models. It also includes what may be one of the most comprehensive lists of serial numbers available. This includes serial numbers for all Fender and Squier models, not just the Stratocaster, and made not just in the USA but in a range of countries, including Mexico, Japan, Korea, China, Brazil, Taiwan, India, and Indonesia. Written by an enthusiast for other enthusiasts.
