Two Posts In One

[OldStrummer]

Perhaps I should make this two posts, but it's late and there is an odd synchronicity (at least to me). Please let me explain:

I saw a tweet from Fender asking which was the prettiest Strat you own? Well, I can't decide, and I've wanted to take a picture of my stable, so I did so.



While I downloaded the images from my camera to my computer, and then uploaded them to my SmugMug site, I tuned into AXS TV and watched and listened to "Santana IV." This was a reunion concert of the basic band that played at Woodstock in 1969: Carlos Santana (guitar), Gregg Rolie (keyboards, lead vocals), Neal Schon (guitar, vocals), Michael Carabello (percussion) and Michael Shrieve (drums). This lineup hasn't played together since 1973, and here they were, at the House of Blues at Mandalay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas in 2016.

I sometimes wonder why Santana isn't mentioned more often here. OK, I know he plays PRS guitars, but he's a ten-time Grammy winner and one hell of a guitarist. I drooled not only at his (most likely) Private Stock Les Paul PRS, but I also marveled at Neal Schon's Fender: I couldn't make out the model (I'm really bad at this). It too, appeared to be a Custom Shop model of some sort (I've seen some of his guitars for sale in San Raphael, CA). Twin humbuckers, a unique headstock, and a body that wasn't quite a Strat, and didn't look like a Jaguar. If someone has seen this video, I'd be interested in learning more.

All in all, a quiet evening after a terribly busy day at work, so I'm quite satisfied. I hope everyone in the path of Harvey is faring well.

[CoyotesGator]

Not a slouch in the lot but, that gold Strat is outstanding!



And yeah, Carlos still brings it.

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Agree on the gold but I mean... come on! Those are all gorgeous! Hard to pick just one lol.

[OldStrummer]

It's funny, the gold Strat is the least expensive of the lot and the only import. It's a MIM 50th Anniversary Stratocaster, and plays every bit as nice as the others!.

For the curious, from left to right: 2006 Custom Shop Robin Trower (autographed by Trower on the reverse of the headstock), 2004 MIM 50th Anniversary (with provenance: once owned by Dave Erkin, 1964-65 lead guitarist with Lewis Elliott, leader and bassist, in the one-hit wonder band "J Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers", San Angelo, TX.). 2016 Eric Clapton Artist Series Stratocaster, 1994 40th Anniversary Aluminum-bodied Stratocaster.

(Same shot, different lighting):

[ch willie]

I love them all and would have a difficult time picking a favorite. I really like the red one because if I hadn't gone sunburst, that's the color I'd choose.

[DanTheBluesMan]

I was trying for a while to get one of the 60th anniversary Squier version of your gold guitars. I was going to build my own but I just sold the unused body yesterday so I can get more material for my garage makeover.

[renderit]

Awesome! It's like the candy counter at the old drugstore!

[S. Cane]

Man, that Olympic white! Yummy

[OldStrummer]

Man, that Olympic white! Yummy

Agreed! Now here's the thing: I just now came across the news that Fender Custom Shop has released an "Eric Clapton Journeyman Relic" Strat.



This is a 2017. Mine is a plain ol' 2016 Artist Series. But I checked the vital specs, and note that it has the same Noiseless pickups, the same 9.5" radius, the same blocked tremolo, same five-way selector switch. Okay, the CS is an ash body and mine is alder, which means mine is probably a few ounces heavier. But the CS is MSRP at $5,100 and mine at $1,599. Other than some CS tweaks, I'm hard put to understand why a beat-up (think "pre-washed") guitar is worth three times the one I bought. This is one reason I'm not a fan of "relics."