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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:49 am
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Location: 16 Miles North Of The Red River
Fender Amplifier History:
My first amp was a solid state Gibson G-20, which wasn't bad (especially since I paid $20 and half of a six-pack of beer for it), but I wanted a good Fender Tube amp...

I play harmonica as much as I play guitar (especially back then) and I had read that Kim Wilson (harpist/vocalist for the Fabulous Thunderbirds) used Bassman amplifiers. Not knowing that there were various types of amps named "Bassman", I found and immediately bought a 1972 silverface Bassman Ten...this enabled me to use it for my harp, guitar and bass excursions. I really couldn't play bass (and still can't very well), but it was nice to have whenever a bassist showed up.

Although they're not highly touted or collectable, I think those silverface Bassmans with the master volume get a bad rap...they're good sounding amps that always sounded and performed well (if you just overlook the fact that it's not a blackface or a tweed). I lost that amp in the second Great Mortgage Payment Guitar and Amp Collection Massacre of 1999. I wish I had that one back, except for the weight...good Lord, that thing was heavy.

Later, after spending some time down in Austin, I noticed all the guitaristos were using blackface Twin Reverb amps...not being able to afford a blackface, I bought a silverface/master volume Twin Reverb. I had it serviced, retubed and biased. Although it sounded pretty decent for guitar, it was horrible for harp. I really didn't like the amp. About the only thing it was good for was blowing out the eardrums of everybody in the room. I sold it to a Japanese collector after I bought my next amp. 

By now, I was more versed in what I wanted in an amp. I knew to try it out with both a harp mic and a guitar before pulling the trigger...about that time, Fender reissued the 1959 Bassman and the 1963 Vibroverb. I had developed my addiction to vibrato/tremolo/whatever-you-call-that-modulation effect-on-Fender-amplifiers, so I tried the Vibroverb out on a whim...and it blew me away! The list cost was $900, but my favorite guitar shop had stocked around twenty of those amps and was offering them for $500. That 1963 Re-issue Vibroverb is my main amp to this day (twenty years later), with very few mods (new speakers because the originals blew out and I branded the back with an armadillo). Interestingly enough, I rarely see those amps out there, but everybody who sees or hears them says they're great...I wonder where all of them went?

The last Fender amp I bought (thus far) was a silverface Champ. It was a great little amp, but it just couldn't keep up with a drummer or other guitarists (and at the time I didn't have a studio or PA to mic it) so I sold it to a guy who did a lot of session work around D/FW and wanted such a beast...this also coincided with some money woes, so the cash was helpful. I kinda wish I had it back, but (obviously) not enough to go out and find another one, otherwise I would have already bought one.

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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 1:11 pm
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My first Fender guitar was a 1971 Tele Custom I bought new at Keeney's Guitar Studio in CR a couple weeks after I got back from Vietnam. I sold that guitar in 1979 to cover two house payments.

My first Fender amp was a 1964 (debut year) Super Reverb that I bought from a guy who used to play in the George Jone's band, but who was kicked out because he was a drunk. I bought the amp in 1982 for $275 and gigged with it through 1994, then quit lugging it around. I sold in on eBay 5-6 years ago for $2,408.

In 1994 I got back on the Fender train with a brand new American Standard Tele and a couple of MIM Strats. I played through a Fender Stage combo, decided it was too loud in overdrive, so I traded it in on a Fender Roc-Pro 100W head and Fender GC-412 cabinet.

I currently own a fairly large stable of regular Fender Teles and Strats, plus a Telecoustic, a Toronado GT, a FSR Tele setneck, a Strat Showmaster flametop and a few Tele Squiers.

Most of my Fender amps are listed below in my signature.

I've always been a Fender lover and a Fender player.

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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 1:30 pm
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Location: Halls of ikea
I go all the way back to 2009, AM Strat yep she looked at me..... I looked at her...we both looked at my wife...edging toward the door, put down a deposit, couple of days later she was mine all mine thanks to my awesome better half.


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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:22 pm
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Location: South Florida
1971 - My first Fender was a sunburst Mustang that I special ordered from the old Fullerton factory at Rivers Guitar Center in New Britain, CT.


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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:54 pm
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Location: ʎɹʇunoɔ ǝsoɹ pןıʍ
All of my first Fenders were used guitars and we never bothered with knowing what year they were made back then. It wasn't an issue for us in my little home town. Frequently we would trade a guitar with a friend and no money exchanged hands. We only cared about trying something new and the year and value was secondary. I had some Strat copies before I ever owned a real Fender. The first copy I had was made by Kent which was also the first guitar I ever bought with my own money at the age of 13 in the mid 70's. My first Fender was a twelve string acoustic a few years later, then a Tele with a standard burst finish and a rosewood board, a couple of Strats after that, all used. Guitars came and went. You didn't research them like people do now, you just played them. I think the first guitar I ever bought that was brand new would have been an acoustic in the late 70's, a Yamaha classical acoustic which I later traded for a dirt bike. The first Fender I ever bought brand new would have been in the late 80's. American Telecaster Plus Deluxe, either an '88 or an '89.

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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 11:33 am
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Got my first Fender in 1994, a Squier Stratocaster.
Traded it in for a Fender Standard Stratocaster in 1998.
Got my '92 SRV Signature Stratocaster in 2003.
Picked up my '78 Stratocaster in 2009.
Bought an '07 Vintage Hot Rod two days ago.

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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:18 pm
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I starting playing in the mid 80's, I had an ibanez (something) and a columbus Les Paul Copy, Then I spotted a 62 re-issue Japaneze Tele, trade both in for that baby, one thing led to another and gave the guitar up for a few years.
Came back and got an American Tele with Ash body, I parted commpany with this thinking I wanted to go acoustic - big mistake
Now have a Mex Strat in Sunburst playing through Fender Mustang Amp, I think I have finally found the perfect set up for me. I think the strat is the best guitar I have ever had.

Its always been fender for me and always will be


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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:37 pm
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I always had junk for guitars as a kid. My first Fender and the one I own today is a black 1996 MIM Strat. It has an aged yellowish tint to the pickguard and the neck which I believe was done in factory. I get some pretty sweet tones from a Blues Junior and am in the market for a new MIM Tele. Arctic White on maple seems like a good color. :D


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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:12 pm
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Location: Palm Beach County FL
This is the 50th Anniversary year of the Jaguar. That's the year my bandmate Gary bought an Olympic White model with matching headstock and a Fender Dual Showman amp. I bought his '58 Strat ( which I knew practically from the day he acquired it) and his Concert Amp. I will not dwell on the ultimate fates of these two gems safe to say that they served me well through the 60's until the guitar went to CBS-Fender for a refinish in 1969. Some 25 years later I came to learn that they had swapped out the body instead of refinishing it. This confirmed by two independent vintage guitar specialists. About 10+ years ago I swapped out the Concert for Line 6 Axys. Stupid is as stupid does on both occasions based upon what we've come to know now which we didn't know then. Gary no longer has the Jag, but covets a Tele thinline of his.

Current Fender guitars are 4 Stratocasters: '89 Clapton; '08 Gilmour, '08 Deluxe VG; '10 '57VHR...four very individual and thoroughly enjoyable instruments. Also to pass through my hands in the past twenty years have been a '93 TelePlus Natural Finish; a '97 Clapton 'Blackie'; a '97 American Standard Natural Finish; and a Buddy Guy Polka Dot, year of first issue.

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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 2:05 pm
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I started playing Fender guitars in 1989, when I was 18yrs old. I went to Manchey Music, York,PA, 10 minutes before it closed and scored myself an '84 MIJ '62 Tele Custom (3-C-SB). I was really big into The Police, so this was THE guitar for me.

In '93 I traded the Tele for an old stripped '87 Strat Plus. One of the best guitars I have ever played. I must have played four or five guitars in the store (Music 6,000, Olympia, WA), before I picked it up and fell inlove. There was no other guitar I wanted.

Right around '99 I sold the Strat Plus for very stupid reasons. Having missed my Strat Plus I ordered a '00 Candy Green EC Strat.

After my '02 Deployment to Iraq I purchased a Muddy Water's Tele from Mary's Music, in Clarksville, TN and a black '77 hard tail Strat online from Chris Guitars (Great guy and very fair).

During Fender's 50th Anniversary of the Stratocaster, I played and purchased a great 50th Anniversary Am. Series Strat. Really sweet 2-color-sunburst. Love the CS '54 pickups.

In '07, the weekend I saw the Police Reunion Concert, I purchased a black Hwy1 Strat from Monmouth Music, Redbank, NJ.

In '08 I joined a jam band on bass and purchased a MIM Jazz Bass and a '51 P-Bass at Classic Axe, in Gainsville, VA.

I've had a Tele and a Strat built for me by Phil Jacoby, at Philtone Guitars (a great luthier and a man puts a lot of time and energy into setting up, repairing and building guitars. He is as wise as he is generous, though he'd never admit to it. I owe him a lot).

My latest purchase is a Stripped down and beat up old '79 Strat with rosewood fret board. I feel the same way about it that I felt with my onl '87 Strat Plus.

Well I think that's about it for now.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 2:04 pm
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i have a strat copy. i dont actually own a fender because they always felt wrong. the guitar i have now (main one) is a strat made here in australia it is a jheavy relic style so it feels like i have had it for years. that is my non existent fender history.

you fellas are so lucky to own fenders, life sucks if you are a left hander living in australia. the guitars are available but you have to pay so much more ($400-$500 more) and then you have to wait months.


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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 8:08 pm
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ForFoxSake wrote:
I learned to play guitar on my dads 1957 Stratocaster. Sunburst with original case. I was familiar with this guitar from the mid 60's. My first personal Fender was a 1969 Precision natural color rosewood and tortoiseshell. very road worn. The next Fender was a bullet bass USA long scale model I had for a time. Sunburst. Next a 98 USA precision in Candy Apple red/rosewood and a Mexican Precision 89 I think in Wine red/rosewood. A Squire Jagmaster Japan model Sunburst and a white Squire affinity Strat for a short time. Rosewood both. I have had 2 teles, a Blackout 3 PU tele and a cream color one (maple board) these both Mexican made teles. Now I own a 2010 American Jazz Deluxe 5 string "Sunburst again" and a deluxe players strat Sunburst of course. I have and love a Les Paul too so it's not all about Fenders.

What's your Fender history?


I hadn't even thought about amps. 2x12 blackface bassman tube head setup year unknown and a BXR 300 bass amp. Had a silverface champ for a while. Couple practice amps. Musicman HD130 Head. I also had a G&L tribute strat.

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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 8:29 pm
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I feel kindsa sad knowing my history is like a second compared to y'alls....
hmmmm
well, in November, I got an American-Made Telecaster,
For Christmas I got a Hot Rod DeluxeIII
And a black Fender guitar pick necklace...
oh, and my dad has a Squire P-Bass and a Rumble15 amp to go with it..
Tessa♥

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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 9:27 pm
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Location: Magnolia, Texas (just north of Houston)
Fender history only:

My dad bought me a Fender-like Stratocaster in 1986. From what I remember it was built just like a MIM Fender except no name on the headstock.

First FMIC guitar I bought was a 1987 Squier HM III Midnight Wine. I had it for a very long time, repaired it many times. Finally let loose of it in 2005.

First Fender guitar is a 2007 Highway 1 SSS, Sunburst. Converted to a HSS. Still have it.

Next Fender purchace was a G-dec 15, no longer in my collection.

Next FMIC guitar was a 2009 Squier Classic Vibe 60 Stratocaster, Sunburst. No longer in my collection.

Next guitar was an 2011 American Special SSS, Candy Apple Red. No longer in my collection.

Next Fender product was a Mustang V head and cabinet

Next Fender is an 1989 Avalon Acoustic. Still have it.

Next guitar was 2011 Blacktop HH, black. No longer in my collection.

Next guitar is a 1989 Squier HSS, black. Still in my collection

Next guitar is a 2011 American Standard HSS, sunburst. Still have it.

My latest Fender is a 2011 Blacktop HH Floyd Rose, black. Still have it. Converting it to a HSH.

There have been other guitars that have passed in and out of my collection throughout the years: Gibson V HH, Jackson V HH, Mako Strat HSS, Samik Electric Acoustic, Charvell Charvette HH, BC Rich Warlock HH, ESP LTD QT 100 HM HSS

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2012 American Deluxe
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Post subject: Re: What's Your Fender history?
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 1:19 am
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trwells wrote:
I feel kindsa sad knowing my history is like a second compared to y'alls..

Tessa, if all goes well as expected, in about 50 years you'll have a similar tale to tell. :wink:

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