Kyle

An Unconquerable Hero. A Strapping Paragon of Manhood.

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May 2013
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Fender Stratocaster - Made in Japan (1989?)

Posted on May 19, 2013   

This is one of the legendary "E" serial number made in Japan Fender Strats from the late eighties. The serial number dates it to 1989, as near as I can figure. I purchased it in 1993 from a man named Mel for $250. This was my first real Stratocaster and I have played the hell out of it. It has been gigged for over twenty years and seen many bar room stages and frat house basements. This instrument shows all of the signs of the use and abuse I've put it through. This is no "relic" job, this is the result of unrestrained rock and complete disregard for the care and feeding of the instrument. The wonderful thing about Strats is that they absorb all of the abuse you give them and end up just being better. The frets are shot. The nut needs replaced. The pots are dirty and scratchy. It still stays perfectly in tune and still sounds amazing.

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  • This is what happens when you don't use strap-locks. Notice how thick they applied the finish. It's like frosting on a cake. Conventional wisdom says this should kill the tone of the guitar, but I'll take this ugly beast over any nitro painted highway 1 series any day of the week.
  • The bridge pickup is an original Seymour Duncan Hot Rails. The neck and middle pickups are DiMarzio, of indeterminate type.
  • This is a good view of the Kahler floating trem system. You don't see these too much anymore and it's a shame really. IMO, superior to Floyd Rose systems in a few respects. First, the saddles have brass rollers built in to reduce friction and string breakage. Second, notice the ball ends are still in use? I hate having to cut the ball ends off with the Floyd system. The Kahler stays in tune just as well as Floyd and can divebomb all the same.
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