The Fender Stratocaster: A Short History, 4K

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I've wanted to remake my original "Big 5" Short History videos for some time. In addition to higher quality video and audio I now have the connections I need to include great playing clips of vintage guitars throughout it's history. For all these reasons, I tweaked the script, re-recorded and re-edited everything so you'd have the best possible Short History of the Stratocaster. I hope you enjoy it.
All the best,
Keith

[Chiller]

It’s fascinating to me that Leo Fender didn’t play guitar yet created such an iconic instrument.

[EmilioConesa]

I bought my friend’s 1964 Stratocaster in 1975 for $250.
I was 17 years young.
50 years later it’s still my number one.

[rumpelstilzchen]

“My Strat is another arm, it’s part of me. It doesn’t feel like a guitar at all. It’s an implement which is my voice. A Les Paul feels like a guitar and I play differently on that and I sound too much like someone else. With the Strat, instantly it becomes mine so that’s why I’ve welded myself to that. Or it’s welded itself to me, one or the other.” Jeff Beck

[Frankie_Holt]

I’ve probably owned 25-30 Strats over the last 40 years, still have 3 including my first strat, A gift from my parents in 1986 that I judge all other Strats I play on

[mbg]

It is the shape kids think of when drawing an electric guitar. It is the emoji for the word guitar 🎸. It is iconic in the truest sense.

[robnamowicz]

Thanks Keith. The world needs more humble geniuses like Leo Fender. My Stratocaster told me so. The message came through my Super Reverb.

[ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy]

Using automotive paint was a genius move. Use what you have at hand.
Even more importantly, the flashy colours made Fender iconic.

[gregorysmith]

The one thing I love about Leo Fender was that he listened to players and build his guitars to satisfy the players.❤

[litemetal]

Leo made it . Jimi played it. I wanted it. Saved and bought it. I play it every chance I get -still. I love it and I hope my kid gets it after I’m gone. That’s the history of the Stratocaster from here.😅

[timothyanson]

For what it’s worth: There’s a Ginger Rogers movie called Tight Spot from 1954 or 1955 that has a scene or two that includes someone playing a Stratocaster. It’s the earliest film appearance of the Stratocaster that I know about.

[ListenToPowerViolence]

Nothing feels more natural than playing a Strat. Best guitar ever by far.

[Peasmouldia]

As ever, utterly peerless piece of work from 5WW.
Thanks and blessings KW.

[ryangunwitch-black]

I love the Stratocaster SO MUCH. My first Strat changed my playing and my life. ❤

[CalixtoElDiablo]

Excellent job on this, Keith. I absolutely love the “short history” series and this one is a gem. I had several “oh wow” moments during this one; especially around prices!

[paulhancock]

Bought my Squier Strat in 1984 as a wedding present to myself.
Still got it, still play it, it's still gorgeous.

[jordanpratt]

I've been waiting all day to get off of work and watch this.

[calsurflance]

I feel very fortunate to have been friends with Dick Dale, and to have played his one and only 61 Strat. He also insisted I play his custom shop Strat ( The Beauty) He signed and played mine. I will never let that go.
Rest easy Dick!🙏

[edryba]

Hi, Keith!

I am the proud owner of a 1999 Strat. It’s the only Stratocaster I’ve ever owned, and the only one I’ve ever needed! Talk about an all-purpose guitar! You can play ANY style of music with a Strat. It covers all the bases needed to play anything. And as an homage to the original Strats, this one has a maple neck and fingerboard. It just plain feels good in your hands. And I find it interesting that Leo Fender, whose first partner was a man by the name of Fullerton, located his first manufacturing plant in the City of Fullerton, CA. Leo himself was not a guitar player, but always had a huge interest in that instrument. The team he assembled to design the Stratocaster did a near-perfect job on the design of the instrument. Mine was customized for me, with the bridge pickup being a Seymour Duncan “Li’l ‘57” (and NOT the later “Li’l ‘59”), coupled with the change of the standard volume pot to one with a pull-up switch, which will make that pickup either a single-coil or a humbucker. Just that little change gives the player an entire second range of sounds the guitar will make. And my Luthier did an extra little trick - adding a small capacitor in line with the output jack. What that does is make the notoriously “hummy” Fender standard single-coil pickup as noiseless as the Fender “Noiseless” pickup. Not just another Strat - this one is a work of ART!… as was this video. Thanks, Keith!

[JeffMcErlain]

Great video! Thanks for having me as always my friends!!!!

[Atlantean-]

You make the best in depth docs for guitars on YouTube, but it works because your such a great bloke