Stratocaster Study

As an A-level design student, my course requires that I carry out a study of an existing product. I have chosen to study the design and manufacture of the Fender Stratocaster guitar.

I would be grateful if anyone could answer the questionnaire below.

1. Do you consider the Fender Stratocaster as a classic guitar design? (Yes/No)

2. If you answered yes to question 1, why do you consider the Fender Stratocaster as a classic design?

3. Do you own/play a Fender Stratocaster? (Yes/No)

4. What model Stratocaster do you own/play?

5. What made you decide to purchase a Fender Stratocaster, Fenders reputation, seeing other guitarists play Stratocasters, because you consider the Stratocaster as a classic guitar, etc?

6. What comments would you like to make about its, playability (how easy and comfortable is it to play), looks/finish (what do you think of its overall look and the finish applied), reliability (if you think it is reliable or have you noticed any design/manufacture faults), set-up (did its factory set-up satisfy your needs)?

Thank you for your time.

Ok Dude,

First up you should consider that there is huge variation in strats.
The way they play, the way they sound may come down to intricacies such as the individual bits of wood used, how uniform the winding of the pickups was (i.e. hotter Pus in some relative to other especially true of the older hand wound models) which makes them subtly different.

The other thing to consider is an individuals playing style. A guitar that is perfect and loved / cherished by player A may be despised by player B. the strats I have are all very different from each other and different again from my LPs PRS and Jackson.

Do I consider the Strat to be a "Classic' design and why?
Yes as it was the first in its class after LPs and Telecasters which are different beasts entirely.

Do I own /play a fender strat?
yes and yes

I have an early I series 'Jap" strat with "made in the USA" stamped on the back of the neck (1989), A California series Tex mex (bits made in the USA and assembled in Mexico) strat (1998) and a Mexican "standard" Fender strat.(1996).
All of them are different.
Check out my instructors page for more Info.

Why did I buy them:
I don't care about whatever reputation Fender have. I parted with Cash for these axes because I liked the way they play / sound.

1. Do you consider the Fender Stratocaster as a classic guitar design? (Yes/No)

Yup

2. If you answered yes to question 1, why do you consider the Fender Stratocaster as a classic design?

Its synonymous with many figures in rock history

3. Do you own/play a Fender Stratocaster? (Yes/No)

Own one, but dont play it!

4. What model Stratocaster do you own/play?

A deluxe 50th Anniversary model

5. What made you decide to purchase a Fender Stratocaster?

Fenders, like gibsons, are the rollsroyce of guitars. Everyone should sample them at one point in their guitar playing life.

6. What comments would you like to make about it?

Umm.. its nothing compared to my Gibson Les Paul Class 5!!

Dr Simon i understand fully what your first two paragraphs say, i play guitar (Strats and Tele's) im not just a random person chosing to study the strat because they look good. My study of the product includes full details of design and manufacture including variation on wood, magnetic materials used in the pickups, how many turns on the coils, all that stuff you said and more. This questionaire is basically just to boost my marks, primary research as they call it, as in my study i have stated the fender strat is condisered a classic design, as it is by many, but i need people's opinions to quote to justify my statement rather than write it is a classic design because Guitar magazine says so and i cant just make up quotes because i must provide proof of all of my research when i hand it in.

thanks for you feedback though

Originally Posted by: Rob_H i need people's opinions to quote to justify my statement rather than write it is a classic design because Guitar magazine says so.

I think you might be better citing source material or at least a quote form a book by a recognized an an authority rather than asking random people on an internet guitar forum.

I know which I'd prefer to see when I mark papers !

i have quotes like that, from books, and such but taking quotes from books is secondary research because someone else has gathered all the information by researching it themselves ,you are in turn researching their research which is ok to a certain degree but I need to do my own primary research, where i gather the information, analyse it etc and i recon asking guitar players about it is better than asking the mailman or someone who wont have a clue. This isnt just something to fill pages you know, ive done allsorts of research from places like the internet, books, magazines, taking my own strat to pieces to take photographs of how it is put together and how the tremolo assembly is all put together. Maybe you might rather see all quotes from books but the examiners for my course dont, it is required that you carry out this primary research in order to get the higher marks.

thanks again for your input but i know the requirements for my couse and really passing a questionaire around my class just isnt going to suffice. It must be people who at least play guitar. If people post stuff which i think is useless i wont use it but i recon there are lots of people who will have a valuable opinion which will help me out.

1.) classic design? yes.
2.) why? it was one of the first electric guitars ever made. i think thats grounds for calling it a classic.
3.) own? yes / play? yes
4.) model? deluxe powerhouse strat. black. powerhouse pick up system - active pickups. white perloid pickguard. maple neck. and whatever the body is made from. made in mexico.
5.) i really wanted a guitar. i only played fenders. 3 models actually. i was hooked on this one. it sounded and felt much better than the rest. my guitar guy highly suggested fenders anyways. and it was in my price range.
6.) it looks purdy. very versatile. id like more crunch, but i deal. when i change the strings, i get a buzz. but i think that has to do with the truss rod. after changing to 10's (originally 9's) i didnt take it in to get set up. so thats my fault.

your welcome

1. Do you consider the Fender Stratocaster as a classic guitar design?
Yes

2. If you answered yes to question 1, why do you consider the Fender Stratocaster as a classic design? The Fender strat came out back in the day and has been a popular instrument since the sixties...that is why.

3. Do you own/play a Fender Stratocaster?
Yes and Yes

4. What model Stratocaster do you own/play?
I play a Squier by Fender Strat

5. What made you decide to purchase a Fender Stratocaster, Fenders reputation, seeing other guitarists play Stratocasters, because you consider the Stratocaster as a classic guitar, etc? I'd seen it a lot before, but I made up my mind when I went to Marshall Music in East Lansing, Michigan and played it.

6. What comments would you like to make about its, playability (how easy and comfortable is it to play), looks/finish (what do you think of its overall look and the finish applied), reliability (if you think it is reliable or have you noticed any design/manufacture faults), set-up (did its factory set-up satisfy your needs)? The strat is one of the most well-balanced and comfortable guitars to play. As well as being a nice looking guitar. It also has a great tone. The only problems I had were some problems with the truss and I wanted a chunkier sound, both of which I took care of.

1. classic design? Yes
2. why a classic design? Is a donut a classic design. Some things just are.
3. Yes I own and play Fender strats
4. I built my strat from parts scrounged from music stores. They usually have
lots of em cause people like to customize their strats in search for TONE.
5. A used strat is usually a great deal from a price stand point. Sometimes in the classified ads in the paper you can find great old vintage strats for giveaway prices.
6. In the quest for TONE you can modify a strat until you find the sound you're looking for. Being as how a strat is extremely massed produced [1000 a day] it lends itself to being customized because of all the custom parts offered by many different companys. It's easy to work on and nearly indestructable.