Try and Love Again Eric Clapton

1957 Fender Stratocaster
1957 Fender Stratocaster (Epitome credit: Maddie Patch/Well Strung Guitars)

When I was a kid, my showtime feeling of 'I actually demand to own 1 of those electric guitars!' was when I looked at a photo of a Stratocaster. It was sexy and curvy, and the crawling was beyond control. I thought, 'That's what I want to hold.'

Fender just hit it out of the park when they made the first Strat. Sonically, I've e'er liked '54 and '55 Strats the most. I love the sound of ash-body Strats and I've plant the heavier, thicker necks provide more sustain.

For some guys, like Eric Johnson, '54 is the year. One good thing most vintage guitars is that they're all snowflakes – each one is special and unlike. You lot take to notice the one that scratches the itch, man! It'south all virtually the quest.

Even though the '54 Strat is a wonderful musical instrument out of the box, things are a little more refined a few years downwards the line in '57. It's a bit like the Tele: by the time you get to '53, it'south more refined and consistent.

In that location are three Stratocaster years that seem to always stick out: '54 (because information technology's the first yr), '57 and '62.

I love the '57 V-neck. Fender used '57 as their flagship maple-neck reissue Strat in the early '80s, alongside the reissue rosewood-'board '62. They weren't perfect, but the '57 and '62 reissues were far superior to the regular Stratocasters they were making at the time. They were the foundation of what kept Fender in business.

1957 Fender Stratocaster

1957 Fender Stratocaster (Paradigm credit: Maddie Patch/Well Strung Guitars)

'57 Strats stand for a perfect tempest. By then, Fender had started to stage out the Bakelite parts and they had switched to using alder [from mid-'56], which was cheaper, more than plentiful and lighter.

'57 sunbursts take one of the sweeter looks. There'south a beautiful burnt amber tone to them that I similar. If they needed to cover something upwards, they might blow a footling more than around the edge, but past and then Fender had gotten to a betoken where they were able to become the lacquer actually sparse.

'57 Strats represent a perfect storm

David Davidson

If you await at a '54, the paint is thicker on the body and neck. Also, the '54 neck profile is fuller with more than of a U shape, which was a bit of a hindrance for some players.

I've seen V-necks as early as '55, albeit with a subtler, softer Five, but by tardily '56 they really started getting that harder 5-neck shape into play. The V neck tended to be very pronounced in early 1957, and by belatedly 1957 they had changed to the more than standard C shape you see on a '58.

A lot of people really beloved the '56/'57 V cervix because you can place your pollex beneath or above it – information technology gives you that eye point for hand positioning that a lot of pros really similar.

The maple V neck is something that really stuck for Clapton, every bit per his famed guitars Brownie and Blackie. When an creative person is using a tool, they might want to make that tool their ain, and he really did like the experience of a V neck.

'57 sunbursts accept one of the sweeter looks

David Davidson

The Stratocaster has a bang-up woody tone, especially that neck pickup. Due to the Strat's design, you tin observe those sweet in-between spots and become an out-of-stage tone.

Clapton popularized that sound early on – that's why everyone rushed to get 5-fashion switches installed – and then Fender themselves somewhen inverse the switch [in 1977].

In the early days, Fender would requite guitars to local musicians to play and give feedback on straight. It was a instance of, 'What would you alter? Is the cervix besides big or too pocket-sized? Is the abdomen cut deep enough? Is the arm cut deep enough?' Back and then, Fender were always looking for improvements.

I dearest the '57 Five-neck

David Davidson

There was fierce competition between Gibson and Fender. Unfortunately, Gibsons were sometimes seen equally onetime man's guitars, while Fenders were seen every bit toys, and that was probably something Leo Fender didn't like. He was constantly tinkering, and then he fancied the guitars up while trying to get the perfect look.

I believe Leo thought a three-tone sunburst would exist fancy – similar putting binding on Custom Esquire and Tele bodies, or on Jaguar and Jazzmaster necks subsequently on – but a lot things went wrong with the terminate when they went to the 3-tone sunburst in '58. I call back they had it right in '57.

1957 Fender Stratocaster

1957 Fender Stratocaster (Image credit: Maddie Patch/Well Strung Guitars)

These guitars are actually special and were made at a very specific time in American history. Most of the people who built these guitars in the 50s were part of that generation who put the same effort into their jobs equally they did during World State of war Ii.

People were happier because they had more free time and they went to work with a little more optimism. They enjoyed their jobs and took a lot of pride in their workmanship.

It'southward important to proceed educating the younger generations nigh what a wonderful time this was in American guitar making.

David Davidson of Well Strung Guitars

David Davidson of Well Strung Guitars (Epitome credit: Well Strung Guitars)

David Davidson ownsWell Strung Guitars in Farmingdale, New York.

Rod Brakes is a music writer with an expertise in all things guitar-related. Having spent many years at the coalface as a guitar dealer and tech, Rod's more contempo work every bit a journalist covering artists, industry pros and gear includes writing hundreds of articles and features for the likes of Guitarist, Total Guitar, Guitar Earth, Guitar Role player and MusicRadar, likewise every bit contributions for specialist books, blogs and social media. He is too a lifelong musician.

jonesartimessill.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.guitarplayer.com/gear/heres-why-people-love-the-1957-fender-stratocaster

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