Everyone,
A while back I went on a personal exercise to list out every model of USA Production Fender Stratocaster. After doing that, I also did the same thing for the Telecaster. After posting some of the info in a thread in the Tele forum, I was asked to post the entire list.
First off, here are the ground rules:
1. These are only the USA-made production models. There are too many other models from the US Custom Shop, Japan, Mexico, Korea and other sources. They should have their own lists, but I'll leave that to others to compile.
2. I considered a Strat to be a separate model when Fender gave it a new name or a new product number. For example, when they revised the American Deluxe Strats in 2004 they became a new model. You will see multiple versions of several models.
3. Although there were many changes to the original Strat model during it's long run I considered it a single entry. I tried to hit the highlights of the changes, but there are so many sources of that info I chose to concentrate on the other models that have come and gone.
Most importantly, this is just my memory and a bit of research. Please feel free to point out missing models, mistakes and changes. I would like for this to be a living record.
That being said, here is the start of the list:
1. Stratocaster (1954-1981) – The original model. Many iterations and modifications through the years, but in continuous production from 1954. Standard configuration would be 3 pickups, master volume, neck pickup tone control, middle pickup tone control, 3-way switch (allowing for neck, middle or bridge pickup) , angled jack on face of guitar, tremolo unit (hard-tail available), 1 5/8” wide neck (optional sizes available) with a 7 ¼” radius and 21 narrow frets. The neck shape, fingerboard, and construction would evolved almost annually. Available with both the famous tremolo or as a hard-tail. Many cases were offered , starting with a tweed thermometer case, then a tweed rectangular case, then pinkish-brown tolex, then blonde tolex, then black tolex circa and finally black molded plastic (although both the plastic and black tolex were used in 1980-1981)
2. 25th Anniversary Stratocaster (1979) – Special model to commemorate the Strat’s 25th birthday. Originally finished in pearl white with a black “Anniversary” decal on the upper horn; the white finish cracked and was replaced by a silver finish. Officially maple-neck only (return to one-piece neck) but some rosewood examples exist. Black hardware, large headstock but 4-bolt neck with heel truss rod adjuster, trem only. Non-locking Sperzel tuners, standard controls, pickups and 5-way switching, black molded plastic case.
3. “The Strat” (1980-1982) – Stratocaster with upgraded hardware (brass trem bridge, gold-plated Schaller tuners, gold-plated knobs). Featured small headstock (used the Lead series headstock not the actual pre-CBS headstock) new wiring with a master volume, master tone, and third knob was a 2-way switch that provided 4 additional pickup configurations. Featured two regular Strat pickups and a hotter X-1 bridge pickup. Maple or rosewood fingerboard, custom colors (originally Lake Placid Blue and Candy Apple Red, other colors added during run including Stratobursts, etc.). Black plastic molded case.
4. “The Walnut Strat” (1982-82) – Variation on “The Strat” with natural-finish walnut body and neck. All other features the same as “The Strat” but with black plastic parts. Black plastic molded case
5. Standard Stratocaster (version 1 1982) – Also known as the “Dan Smith Strat” these featured a return to 4-bolt necks, smaller (although not historically accurate) headstock, and better body contours. Used the black CBS logo typically found on large headstock Fenders. Features standard Strat controls (master volume, neck tone, middle tone, 5-way switch), added the X-1 bridge pickup, and used white plastic and F-tuners. Shipped with both black tolex case and black plastic molded case.
6. Gold/Gold Stratocaster (1982) – Collector’s version of the 1982 Standard Stratocaster with gold finish and gold hardware. Maple neck only, black plastic molded case.
7. American Vintage ’57 Stratocaster (version 1 1982-1985, 1985-1998) – Recreation of the original 50s Stratocaster. Returned to nitro lacquer finish, single-ply pickguard, pickups wound like originals (based on nice-sounding early 1960s Strat), 3-way switching (with 5-way in the case), original small headstock shape, neck originally a small “C” shape, one-piece maple neck, return to vintage-style trem construction. Tweed case. Produced in Fullerton by CBS-Fender 1982-early 1985, then in Corona by FMIC from October 1985-1998.
8. American Vintage ’62 Stratocaster (version 1 1982-1985, 1985-1998) – Recreation of the original early 60s Stratocaster. Returned to nitro lacquer finish, three-ply pickguard, pickups wound like originals (based on nice-sounding early 1960s Strat), 3-way switching (with 5-way in the case), original small headstock shape, small “C” shaped maple neck with rosewood slab fingerboard (no skunk stripe, truss rod installed under fingerboard), return to vintage-style trem construction. Tweed case. Produced in Fullerton by CBS-Fender 1982-early 1985, then in Corona by FMIC from October 1985-1998.
9. Standard Stratocaster (version 2 1983-1985) – Revised Stratocaster with new features. New neck shape (1.700”wide, flatter 12” radius, truss rod adjuster at headstock), small headstock (unless noted all USA Strats will now have the small headstock) 4-bolt neck with micro-tilt, 3 hotter pickups, new “Free Flyte” top-loading trem (with springs hidden under the pickguard instead of in a cavity in the back), sealed Schaller tuners, master volume, master tone, and output jack on the pickguard. Marblel finish limited production series introduced for 1984. Plastic molded case.
10. Elite Stratocaster (1983-1985) – Upgraded Stratocaster model with all-new pickups without exposed polepieces that utilize a “dummy coil” under the pickguard to reduce hum. New control layout with 3 individual push-buttons for each pickup, master volume, 12-db active mid-boost, and master TBX tone control (two pots in one that rolls off highs or lows). Jack moved to rim of body, new knobs with rubber inserts, sealed Schaller tuners, and Free Flyte trem. Same neck shape as Standard Stratocaster but with Bi-Flex truss rod. Brown plastic flight case.
11. Gold Elite Stratocaster (1983-1985) – The Elite Stratocaster with gold hardware and special finishes including the Stratobursts. The Schaller tuners have pearloid buttons instead of chrome metal. All other features the same as the Elite Stratocaster, including the brown plastic flight case.
12. Walnut Elite Stratocaster (1983-1985) – The Gold Elite Stratocaster with natural finish walnut body and neck with an ebony fingerboard. All other features the same as the Gold Elite Stratocaster, including the brown plastic flight case.