Fender Stratocaster 70th anniversary, yep, I know, it's not a bass, but it's a huge part of history.

[Hellzero]

Interesting reading about it here: https://newatlas.com/music/stratocaster-70-fender-factory/

 

All of this just attests that even if Leo wasn't a musician, he was a true innovator and musician's listener, if not a true genius.

[LeftyJ]

Agreed! Modular, easy to manufacture in large quantities (on a simple production line, with no need for actual skilled luthiers), hugely ergonomic and super comfortable to play, timeless design, and really easy to adjust and modify to the player's preference. And those timeless tones! I've had many guitars, but I always come back to my trusty Squier E-series Strat because it just fits me like a glove. I've had USA-made G&L's, Music Mans (Men?), several high-end Japanese guitars, and they all owe a lot to the classic Fender designs but none of them has managed to keep me away from my Strat for long. It just works! 

[Mykesbass]

Never been the biggest fan, but no denying its importance and its longevity is testament to Leo's skill and acumen.

[Guest]

Leo's final student work, before he moved onto the important stuff

[Lozz196]

Strats are the guitars that I play best. I far prefer the sound of Gibson Les Pauls but I just don’t play them very well. I get on fine with SGs and Teles but the Strat just works better for me. Has to have a humbucker at the bridge tho.

[Downunderwonder]

Isn't a Precision Bass just a beefed up Stratocaster?

[Hellzero]

3 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Isn't a Precision Bass just a beefed up Stratocaster?

Nope, it's the Jazz Bass. 😉

 

The Precision Bass is just a Telecaster Guitar, an Esquire Guitar if you want to be precise and picky, with less strings and longer scale...

[Bolo]

There's a thin string section on the board isn't there?

Edited July 12, 2024 by Bolo

[Hellzero]

7 hours ago, Bolo said:

There's a thin string section on the board isn't there?

Are you Joe Biden?

[Piers_Williamson]

I particularly liked the description of Rosewood fingerboards being added as an option because players didn't like the look of dirty fingerboards.  Clearly Custom Shop wasn't a thing for some time

 

[Geek99]

And you know, using a cloth to clean, was so not a thing back then back before fabric was invented 

[Geek99]

I do like the look of the 70s large headstock models, they remind me of pelicans

Edited July 12, 2024 by Geek99

[StickyDBRmf]

What other guitar would a bassist grab?

[BassTool]

Genius design.👌🏼

 

Amazing that 70 years on its still the choice of millions of guitarists, what a legacy 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[EssexBuccaneer]

22 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Strats are the guitars that I play best. I far prefer the sound of Gibson Les Pauls but I just don’t play them very well. I get on fine with SGs and Teles but the Strat just works better for me. Has to have a humbucker at the bridge tho.

Same. I have a cheapo strat that I’ve tinkered with extensively, the humbucker addition transformed it. 
 

I did consider a fender neck, but the *cost* 😮

[Bolo]

2 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Are you Joe Biden?

Huh? Are you implying you are the orange fatberg?

Edited July 12, 2024 by Bolo

[gafbass02]

I’ve always derided them as just dull and generic, I’ve always liked offsets and played a marauder for ten years live. But then I was gifted a strat, so I was stuck with it. and it’s only blimmin marvellous! Dull as ditchwater to look at, but plays wonderfully and sounds great (humbucker in the bridge though;) 

Edited July 12, 2024 by gafbass02

[Hellzero]

10 hours ago, Bolo said:

There's a thin string section on the board isn't there?

What the hell are you trying to say, Joe?

[Hellzero]

And, by the way, positions 2 and 4 are not out of phase, but due to the distance between the pickups some mid to high mid frequencies get cancelled (because of phase opposition indeed), hence the scooped tone ... exactly like on a Les Paul.

 

If these positions 2 and 4 were really out of phase, there would be close to no sound at all, you know that very thin sound you sometimes hear when 2 pickups are ... out of phase. 😉

[Bassassin]

Really interesting article, thanks @Hellzero for posting that.

 

I bloody love Strats, me. If I could only have one guitar & one bass (perish the thought!), it'd be a Strat & a Jazz. Arguably an HSH Strat with coil splits on the 'buckers is a do-everything guitar.