' (Part.1)
Haven't been on here for a while & yet, since joining back in 2005 (15-yrs ago), I've never shown ANY of my guitars
As it's late into the night/Early hours of the morning here, I'll just add a few pix, initially **
** (Although I can 'add a few on', later, retrospectively, after I've churned-out some blurb/explanation & maybe a question, too)
I'd been a Fender-owner/player since 4th November 1978, when I bought my first ever Fender, a (then new), 1977 CBS Ash/Blonde Telecaster.
See, back when I was just 17, I'd set my heart out on owning just TWO things.....
A Suzuki GS.750 in Black (with subtle Blue/Gold pinstriping), plus a Left-Handed Fender Stratocaster.
Never did get them, back then, at 17, but my heart ached for both !!!
Nine years later, I bought a BEAUTIFUL & stunning (near-new), Suzuki GS.1000-E, the bigger-brother of the GS.750
(so in fact, surpassed my expectations there !)
However, I stuck by my lovely Ash-Blond CBS Telecaster, for another full 23-years AFTER purchase !
Did NOT diminish my yearning for a full-blooded USA Strat' though....... (BTW, my Tele' was also a full-on USA model)
Hindsight is SUCH a wonderful thing & "if" I could turn back the clock, I would NEVER have P/x'ed my dear ol' Tele' ***
(*** for a brand-new, 'shop-soiled' N.O.S "Olympic-White" 1999 USA Ash-Blonde Stratocaster, but that's another story)
The "Olympic-White" 1999 (described above), was my first-ever "full-blooded" USA Straocaster & I damn well LOVED IT !!!!
Now, moving on to my FOURTH Stratocaster, which "is" the subject of this thread......
I'd always fancied a 'Deluxe', but trouble was, being 'Left-Handed', our choices back then, were limited.
Add to that, the geographical seperation of the Atlantic Ocean, you'll see that choices for the L/H player, were/are VERY limited
Originally I'd asked for the (rarer), 'Honey-Blonde' & Black hardware (plate/dials) "Deluxe", but was told "An awful long wait......Zzzzzzzz"
(Like, as in, Grow a ZZ-Top like beard, x 4 & then some !!!!!!!!)
When I phoned a well-known UK-dealer (who WAS still trading, back then), they told me....... (We CAN get the 'Ash-Cherry-burst')
I wanted to try it out & of course, liked it, noticing a few varying differences from the 'other three' USA Strat's that I already had.....
Cost pretty-much DOUBLE what I'd paid for my 2nd USA (Alder, Black/Maple/Parchment), Strat', so the extra cost WAS notable !!!!!
Wasn't too sure about the S.1 switching system - seemed a bit of a gimmick, to me, but has settled since.
The overall finish was just STUNNING - nothing but "praise" from me, regading ALL of my "Corona" built Strats (No 'Covid.19' puns, please !) Hahaha
Playability wuz pretty-much what I'd expected........ Although THE most noticable (for me) was the deeper-radius neck, so different from my others.
(Cont'd over to next-post.....