By: Bill McRea
The very first guitar I ever played was a Candy Apple Red Fender
Stratocaster. It was love at first touch. I wanted that guitar
SO bad. I grew up listening to Eric Clapton, David Gilmore and
Jimmy Hendrix, and during my college years I was a huge fan of
Stevie Ray Vaughn. The Fender Stratocaster was the guitar of
choice for these incredible guitar players and many more.
My tasted in guitars evolved as I learned, and I discovered that
every guitar had their own personality in my hands. Some were
sassy and bright, others were bad and loud, and still others
just wanted to sing the blues. One of the coolest parts about
owning a music store was being able to play thousands of
different guitars of all makes and styles.
But my roots have always been with the Fender Strat. The secret
to the amazing tone for the Strat lies in the traditional single
could pickups, two piece body and the types of tone woods used
to make the guitar. Fender offers the same pickups played by
Jimmy Hendrix, or Eric Clapton. Fenders custom shop '69 pickups
will do the trick, or if you're into Stevie Ray Vaughn you need
Fenders Tex-Mex specials.
Probably the best way to play the same guitar as your guitar
heroes is to purchase their signature model. Fender has
signature models available for Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Robert
Cray, Robin Trower, Rory Gallagher, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Buddy
Guy, Yngwie Malmsteen, Eric Johnson and more.
Rather a "c" or "v" neck dressed up in maple or rosewood,
nothing feels like a Stratocaster and nothing plays or sounds
the same. In everyone's life a little rain must fall, and in
every guitarist life a Stratocaster must be played.
Strat's are best known for their warm unique tone, but not all
Strat's are created equally. The tonal range will depend on the
tone woods used in the neck and body as well as the type and
configuration of pickups. When selecting a Strat to purchase
take your time and research the various online forums to learn
everything about the model you want to purchase. You may even
want to visit your local retailer and play a few, just to get a
better feel for the playability of the model you desire.
Sometimes you may find that what you think you want and what you
really like are quite different. Once you are convinced of what
you HAVE TO HAVE, you should check out the various online
retailers. In most cases you will find better prices on line
then at your local store.
Buying your Strat will be one of the best days of your life. So
enjoy every moment and remember that you are not purchasing just
a guitar, you are purchasing something from your dreams.
About the author:
Bill McRea is the publisher of http://www.guitarwarehouse.com
and http://www.fender-guitar-shop.com . Both sites offer guitar
products, free information and guitar lessons.
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