strat guitars

Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitars By Mike Furlong

History
The Fender Stratocaster guitar was invented in 1954 by Leo Fender and others in California. Body
The Stratocaster, or Strat as it is sometimes known, is a double cutaway guitar. A cutaway is indentation or scallop in the guitar body, where the neck joins the body. This cutaway provides room for the guitar player's hand to move in when playing notes "high" on the neck. Fender called the body design a "Comfort Contour Body".

Neck
The Stratocaster had a one piece maple neck with twenty-one frets. The pickup nearest the bridge is mounted in a slanted position. The Stratocaster had a three position switch to select the pickups. This interesting sound has become a distinctive characteristic of the Stratocaster guitar. Musicians and later Fender also experimented with other pickup combinations on the Strat, including using double coil or "humbucking" pickups.

Fender used automotive type paints and colors and the Strat is frequently seen in these colors.

Corporate History
CBS went on a buying binge and bought Fender in 1965. Schulz is generally credited with saving Fender by restoring the quality.

Future
Fender prospered.