The Fender Stratocaster: A Short History

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Let me first say that I am not sponsored by Fender in any way. I make these history videos for educational purposes, my own, and hopefully as a result, yours. I hope you enjoy it. You've been asking for this one...

This is my short history of the Fender Stratocaster,. You might think that "short" here in the title is something of a misnomer, but the history of about 30 years worth of guitars is packed in to this.

I am fully aware that I couldn't fit every single model here (I actually learned of many I'd NEVER heard of during the research) but tried to choose each guitar for its effect on the direction the model took as time went by.

I'm sure I can count on you to add those in the comments. :)

Two books in particular helped in pulling the video together. These are Amazon links and we get a small percentage from Amazon to help support the channel. Thanks

"The Stratocaster Chronicles" by Tom Wheeler

"The Stratocaster Guitar Book" by Tony Bacon

I need to thank Perry McManis for reviewing the script and for his helpful additions/corrections from the deep well of his Stratocaster knowledge base.

Mr. McManis wrote and plays the Strat on the intro/outro music and if you want to know how much delay you can put on a track...he's the guy to listen to. The tune here is "If a Group of Crows is a Murder, Why Isn't a Group of Ravens a Massacre?" You can here it and others at his channel link below.

And I need to thanks Dave Onorato of Dojo Guitar Repair in Atlanta, Georgia. Dave has been helped me from brainstorming to final fact checking scripts and for that I am grateful.

I'd add that some subscribers have commented on the seeming "duality" of the channel. Encouraging minimalism while posting histories of instruments that might, in some, inspire passing (or prolonged) moments of gear lust. This is not my intention. I have come the long way around to learning to think something is beautiful without feeling that I need to own it. It is perhaps a fine distinction but also one I believe we should take more time to ponder.

Thanks for watching.
Keith

[RickBeato]

Just watched the whole thing in my car parked in a parking lot drinking coffee. Fantastic Hypes!! Love it!

[noaht]

"Who'd want a coloured guitar? Especially a red one?"
I looked over and saw my red Strat staring at me.

[twootters]

I miss my '56 Strat. I hope the person who stole it has had the worst life possible a person can have.

[oldgittarist]

Probably one of the greatest pieces of industrial design ever produced, form and function so beautifully integrated. I always return to my Strat and never tire of it. It's a big part of my life story as it is for many of us watching this!

[erickleefeld]

The single greatest electric guitar.

Rock, country, blues, funk, even jazz — it can keep up with them all.

[MiketheNerdRanger]

*THE* electric guitar; I knew what a strat was before I knew what a strat was, and I've recently come to appreciate what it actually is.

[User-y]

Even as someone who works for Fender, this is a great channel and resource for information and history, as we all know there is plenty of misinformation out there, kudos to Keith and FWW.

[erickleefeld]

The shape of the Strat headstock has always reminded me of a treble clef.

[AgentXPQ]

I have one of the 1962 reissues, made in Japan.
I have had it for years, but I still sometimes marvel at the thing. It's such a beautiful, perfectly designed object.

[blacktoothfox]

I just utterly adore this channel. In a YouTube smothered by people talking guitar, this is a rare corner of quiet enthusiasm and love of our craft.
No 'big I am', no egotistical pontification... Just pure refreshing appreciation of the tools of our trade.
10/10 content

[calsurflance]

So glad you mentioned my old friend Dick Dale. (May he rest easy) He played that same gold chartreuse sparkle Strat until the end. Sitting on his living room sofa, we once swapped Strats and I got to play “The Beast”.
I remember the neck was was very thick.
He kidded me about the lite strings on my guitar, as he used very heavy strings. Lol
Long live surf music!🎸

[charleydowd]

Who would’ve thought there was a time in history where the Stratocaster was more expensive than a Les Paul?

[stevenhaskell]

Eric Clapton - Was alive to see Buddy Holly live on TV

Shared a flat with Johnny Cash

Played in The Beatles song “while my guitar Gently Weeps”

Was mates with Jimi Hendrix

[EdVanMeyer]

Hank Marvin was the reason the Fiesta Red guitars were in such demand, he is one of the finest players in the world to have used this iconic guitar. It is the swiss army knife of guitars, it works on anything from jazz to country and just about anything else.

[AJMjazz]

Yes, the Strat is the greatest and most versatile electric guitar ever made. Every Strat I've played has accomplished everything I wanted it to do. I've owned a number of them, and still do.
Great video, Keith!

[danmayes]

Again NICE JOB That was a lot of work. Much appreciated.
Out of curiosity I looked up $248.00 in 1954 to today's money - $2325.54

[mrnobodyinvr]

I've played a Strat all my life, and I never tire of learning a little more, or spending a little time with someone else who loves a good Stratocaster, thanks, very well done, very well worth my time, thanks for taking the time to make such a lovely clip about such a meaningful instrument. \\m// \\m//

[eoghainmurphy]

Thanks for mentioning Rory! He's the reason I picked up a guitar

[NikkoBalbedina]

The Fender Strat: Fixing something that isn’t broken.

[colorcodetrader]

So good I watched this twice. There's just something about a sunburst maple neck Strat. What a beauty.