1984 Strat - a rare gem from Fender's darkest days?
- Thread starter Deville2Rocket
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yucatown
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I don't see these as being dark days at all. Even though I don't care for the specs of the era, they were the best guitars made at Fender in a very long time. They were turning things around at that time! It only got better under the new ownership, but as far as build quality and such, I would rather have a 1983 Strat over a stock 1978 any day of the week!
It ain't a crappy guitar if you like the feel and tone. I never turn my nose up at any guitar b/c of year, name on the headstock, any reason. I play what interests me and have found some great guitars that others would never own, according to them. If they are set up correctly and play well, then you can make it sound pretty good if you play well enough.
Remember, EVH's Frankenstrat was a P.O.S. put together from some thrown away parts. Had Eddie decided to be an accountant and sell that guitar, someone would have given him $25 if he was lucky or just thrown it away. It was a piece of junk some snot-nosed kid who didn't really know much about what he was doing to it (if you listen to luthiers on how you repair or restore or build a guitar) had put together and played b/c he loved it. Think about it. But b/c he became world famous that guitar is an icon. In reality, it's a piece of crap that someone made sound good. It's dumpster parts that were rejected.
Also, my 1978 strat is supposed to be a piece of crap. But everyone who plays it loves it, especially the neck pup. The bridge pup is a little bright and I haven't done the EJ wiring on it b/c I play mostly the other settings. But man does it have a killer neck and some killer tones. I paid $200 for it in 1983 or 1984. Now people are paying a heck of a lot more money for them now. So is it a POS, or is it a great guitar? I laugh when people call something junk when they haven't played it.
So, enjoy, my friend. Play the hell out of her until 20 years from now someone wants to pay you $2K for it, then you can unload that POS for a lot more, if you decide to.
Bob
Remember, EVH's Frankenstrat was a P.O.S. put together from some thrown away parts. Had Eddie decided to be an accountant and sell that guitar, someone would have given him $25 if he was lucky or just thrown it away. It was a piece of junk some snot-nosed kid who didn't really know much about what he was doing to it (if you listen to luthiers on how you repair or restore or build a guitar) had put together and played b/c he loved it. Think about it. But b/c he became world famous that guitar is an icon. In reality, it's a piece of crap that someone made sound good. It's dumpster parts that were rejected.
Also, my 1978 strat is supposed to be a piece of crap. But everyone who plays it loves it, especially the neck pup. The bridge pup is a little bright and I haven't done the EJ wiring on it b/c I play mostly the other settings. But man does it have a killer neck and some killer tones. I paid $200 for it in 1983 or 1984. Now people are paying a heck of a lot more money for them now. So is it a POS, or is it a great guitar? I laugh when people call something junk when they haven't played it.
So, enjoy, my friend. Play the hell out of her until 20 years from now someone wants to pay you $2K for it, then you can unload that POS for a lot more, if you decide to.
Bob
BEACHBUM
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Maybe this will help. Like every one this guys got his opinions. Just listen to the guitar (5:25). It speaks for itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRVteM3kVsA
The thing to know about these guitars is that the bad rap they have received since their short lived introduction never did have anything to do with the quality of the guitars and had everything to do with the fact that in those days there was a much stronger and more prevalent purist view by players of what a Strat should be. Because of that the changes on the 83/84 "Revised Edition" caused an uproar among Strat purists of the day. It is a testament to the durability of myth, legend and hearsay that those initial reactions have lasted so long. Today of course we have Fender issuing not only Strats, but almost every other model in pick up, wiring, control knob, and bridge configurations conceivable and producing them in Mexico, Korea, Indonesia, and China. Todays players not only accept those changes, they have come to appreciate and expect them and the dollar savings that go along with Fenders current way of doing business. If, back in 1983, Fender had made the kind of changes to their guitars that they have now made there is no doubt in my mind that Strat and Tele purists of the time would have stormed the Fullerton factory and dragged Dan Smith out into the street by his heels. It's refreshing to hear from players who have come to realize that was then and this is now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRVteM3kVsA
The thing to know about these guitars is that the bad rap they have received since their short lived introduction never did have anything to do with the quality of the guitars and had everything to do with the fact that in those days there was a much stronger and more prevalent purist view by players of what a Strat should be. Because of that the changes on the 83/84 "Revised Edition" caused an uproar among Strat purists of the day. It is a testament to the durability of myth, legend and hearsay that those initial reactions have lasted so long. Today of course we have Fender issuing not only Strats, but almost every other model in pick up, wiring, control knob, and bridge configurations conceivable and producing them in Mexico, Korea, Indonesia, and China. Todays players not only accept those changes, they have come to appreciate and expect them and the dollar savings that go along with Fenders current way of doing business. If, back in 1983, Fender had made the kind of changes to their guitars that they have now made there is no doubt in my mind that Strat and Tele purists of the time would have stormed the Fullerton factory and dragged Dan Smith out into the street by his heels. It's refreshing to hear from players who have come to realize that was then and this is now.
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I have a 1984 strat elite: White.
I absolutely love the guitar!
It's a great sounding guitar and I was really happy with the clean sound. With the active pick up it has some balls.
I agree the buttons were a pain....I put in a toggle switch. It's a 12 radius. I always hated that strat cords plug into the front instead of the side. I ve had four fret jobs and the guitar is a winner. I see some people don't agree. That's fine this is America and American made. Made
It's a great sounding guitar and I was really happy with the clean sound. With the active pick up it has some balls.
I agree the buttons were a pain....I put in a toggle switch. It's a 12 radius. I always hated that strat cords plug into the front instead of the side. I ve had four fret jobs and the guitar is a winner. I see some people don't agree. That's fine this is America and American made. Made
DRS
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Way to go 4 1/2 year old thread bumper
Shiny_Beast
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I had a 57 from around the same time, maybe 83, I'm not a strat expert, but very few guitars I've played felt as good as it did. I was under the impression they followed the old school process to the letter. These weren't reissues as we know them today, they were an attempt to build the same old guitars in the same old factories, at least that was how it was pitched to me and the guitar certainly lived up to it.
One day I'm going to try and by the same model back. Now that I think of it it was probably 85/86.
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Way to go 4 1/2 year old thread bumper
LOL! All true... I guess, KaosKid7, that you could've just opened your own thread on this timeless/ageless topic, right? Because the first one probably reached its shelf-life?
M
Member 20177
If it's truly an 84' with a freeflyte bridge I'm guessing somebody modded the original type jack in and added the the second tone control, pickguard layouts are the same as any Strat. Not a hard mod to do. lift the jack plate and see if there is paint inside, that'll tell the story. I had an 83' and actually like the guitar. Mine have a huge "C" neck on it, a buddy's 83' had a sharp "V" neck... maybe other variations? The Freeflytes I fool with had aluminum saddle on them that seemed to indent badly.. I think Graphtek makes a saddle that will fit.. just bag up the old ones and keep with the guitar. I like the pickups in those guitars.
Edit: LOL can't believe I just answered a Dinosaur thread.
Edit: LOL can't believe I just answered a Dinosaur thread.
Motherfuzzer
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Who cares how old the thread is. The information hasn't changed. These guitars don't get a lot of attention either.
I love my two knobber. I bought it new from Guitar Trader in Red Bank NJ in Jan 1984. I was 13.
It is an E3 s/n.
A few things to add to the thread:
These guitars were made in the same factory with the same tools, and by some of the same people as the strats from the early days.
The maple necks are one piece, with a 1 3/4 nut width, mine is anyway. Great for finger picking. It's a C profile, not a V.
Being one tone knob makes it a master tone and master volume, a lot of guys modify their strats to this configuration. I have played mine a lot over the years. I won't say every day cause sometimes life gets in the way, but almost. It is my only electric. The finish/wood in the neck shows almost no wear at all. My tuners have never slipped. Never had to replace any pots or the switch. It stays in tune very well. One nice feature of the Freeflyte bridge, is that underneath is a nut you can tighten to taste to let your whammy bar swing, or stay snug.
So I would say, "Not *****"
I love my two knobber. I bought it new from Guitar Trader in Red Bank NJ in Jan 1984. I was 13.
It is an E3 s/n.
A few things to add to the thread:
These guitars were made in the same factory with the same tools, and by some of the same people as the strats from the early days.
The maple necks are one piece, with a 1 3/4 nut width, mine is anyway. Great for finger picking. It's a C profile, not a V.
Being one tone knob makes it a master tone and master volume, a lot of guys modify their strats to this configuration. I have played mine a lot over the years. I won't say every day cause sometimes life gets in the way, but almost. It is my only electric. The finish/wood in the neck shows almost no wear at all. My tuners have never slipped. Never had to replace any pots or the switch. It stays in tune very well. One nice feature of the Freeflyte bridge, is that underneath is a nut you can tighten to taste to let your whammy bar swing, or stay snug.
So I would say, "Not *****"
I've got an E8 made in Japan model with a kahler spyder trem and I think a basswood body.
I'm pretty sure I bought it in 86 or 87. The pickups were total garbage. Like the worst offshore crap you could get. I changed the bridge pickup immediately. I think it was the pre cursor to the HM strats in the later 80s. 22 frets with a wider than normal heel.
It served me well and it was a good guitar but nothing really to write home about. I'm currently resorting it back to original, except for the pickups of course.
I'm pretty sure I bought it in 86 or 87. The pickups were total garbage. Like the worst offshore crap you could get. I changed the bridge pickup immediately. I think it was the pre cursor to the HM strats in the later 80s. 22 frets with a wider than normal heel.
It served me well and it was a good guitar but nothing really to write home about. I'm currently resorting it back to original, except for the pickups of course.
92lowrider
Member
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- 120
My 87 Strat Plus has E4 Serial Number.
You want to date your guitar, remove the neck and check the hand written date.
Mine has a hand written date of 12/87.
Axe Arsenal
Member
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My '88 American Standard is from May the 9th with E4.. decal, quite some time later than you mentioned (in 2009 ; yeah I know, dino thread).
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