FENDER STRATOCASTER

During the early 1950s, Leo Fender and his production team heard complaints from guitar players that the sharp edge on the successful Telecaster model was a bit uncomfortable. So they started designing a new guitar with more comfort in mind. In 1954 they launched the Fender Stratocaster, priced at $249.50 (or $229.50 without the tremelo unit) plus $39.50 for a case.

The Fender Stratocaster had a smooth, contoured body based on the shape of the popular Fender Precision Bass. It's been said the design also owed a lot to the style of contemporary automobiles that featured big tailfins. The Strat also had three single-coil pickups, along with a bridge, tailpiece and vibrato system all in one. Fender didn't invent the tremolo/vibrato—they based it on the device being manufactured by Bigsby. In addition to the tremolo unit, the Strat bridge had six saddles that allowed the action of each string to be adjusted independently.

Guitarists soon discovered the three-way pickup selector switch could be balanced between positions, producing a distinct, jazzy sound. This option proved to be so popular that Fender changed the three-way switch to a five-way switch.

The Fender Strat is probably the most successful guitar ever made. How many great guitarists have played it? Too many to list here. Fender has sold millions of them, not including all the copies and rip-offs made by competitors.