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Post subject: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 5:29 am
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If my count is correct there are currently 18 Signature Strats in production. According to Fender, those on this list are among "... the world’s greatest and most influential guitarists ... " http://www.fender.com/series/artist/

Now I realize that getting a signature model involves a whole lot more than being among the world's greatest and most influential, but leaving business matters aside, which Strat player would you like to see with a Signature model?

Cheers!
BM

    Current Signature Models
    Jeff Beck
    Ritchie Blackmore
    Eric Clapton
    Robert Cray
    Dick Dale
    Rory Gallagher
    David Gilmore
    Buddy Guy
    Eric Johnson
    Michael Landau
    Yngwie Malmsteen
    John Mayer
    Dave Murray
    Jim Root
    Kenny Wayne Shepherd
    Robin Trower
    Stevie Ray Vaughan
    Jimmie Vaughan

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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 7:18 am
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Bonnie Raitt was the only female Strat player to be honoured with a signature model. Discontinued in 2000.

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Just a thought :roll: - I guess most of you folks (including myself) wanted seeing more female guitarists endorsing an Artist Series Stratocaster guitar. :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 7:44 am
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Doyle Bramhall II (especially based on his red Strat with the red pearloid pickguard)
Buddy Whittington
Charlie Sexton (especially his white Strat with silver mother of pearl pickguard and lipstick pickups)
Duke Robillard

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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 8:46 am
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After some 26 years of following this lot, here are my thoughts. Signature Strats have been described as 'snapshot' versions of the artist's stage gear. Buddy Guy's Artist series MIA model was discontinued. What remains is the MIM 'domino' guitar, with unimpressive electronics, because he wanted a guitar at a price point his audience could afford. Presently, his go to guitar is the blond '89 with passive VN's. The Gilmour project was brought to fruition only because 'he was now assured that a definitive, high quality replica...could be achieved at a cost that was affordable to both fans and guitar players.' ['The Black Strat' pg 144]. Bearing in mind the price points of the Tribute series guitars to date, IMHO if the company cannot produce a 'dimed' replica of an artist's stage guitar, at an affordable price point to the customer base, I would not encourage any further efforts.

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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 8:55 am
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Since My first guitar in the 60's I have never bought into the signature craze that come about many years into playing. Just a marketing plan. Quality guitars don't need a name attached!

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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 8:56 am
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I'm against them for one reason: Mojo does not rub off onto the player.

When I see someone playing a tribute guitar, I am willing to bet on him or her never amounting to much.

I can see children's guitars being modeled after their heroes, but once you hit adulthood, you should be ready to be a leader, not a follower.


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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 10:30 am
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Although it's not a Strat, I have the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster. I bought it because I really like the guitar itself. I have never listened to Dinosaur Jr or J. Mascis.

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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 10:40 am
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cvilleira wrote:
Since My first guitar in the 60's I have never bought into the signature craze that come about many years into playing. Just a marketing plan. Quality guitars don't need a name attached!


+1

The only name I insist on having affixed to my guitars is Leo's.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 10:51 am
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Some signature series guitars offer options not available from any other range.

I have a Jim adkins thinline tele. Fender offer nothing else like it, it is relatively cheap and I had no idea who the guy was, after finding out I have no interest in listening to him. But he designed a pukka guitar.


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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 10:59 am
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I have little more than a passing interest in Eric Johnson as a player so it's pretty sure I'm not out to emulate him in any way. But a friend has the maple 'board EJ sig which I've noodled on, and that guitar has several small details to it that make it an excellently spec'd Strat, to my tastes. That one would be amongst my top three if I was guitar shopping tomorrow.

It's always seemed to me the Artist Series divides into two halves. The models that are there to satisfy fan desire to own a guitar that pays tribute to their hero. And those that offer a feature set that is different enough to standard to be worth having in the catalogue for its own sake.

In the latter category, I'd have thought the piezo bridge combined with the Clapton neck carve would make a Pete Townshend Strat an interesting future project, though I'm not sure how much demand there'd be for those specs.

The tribute type models don't interest me much, but for the sheer oddness of it a Ry Cooder replica Strat might be fun.

Cheers - C

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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 11:14 am
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Ceri wrote:
It's always seemed to me the Artist Series divides into two halves. The models that are there to satisfy fan desire to own a guitar that pays tribute to their hero. And those that offer a feature set that is different enough to standard to be worth having in the catalogue for its own sake. Cheers - C

In keeping with this thought, the Clapton Stratocaster has pretty much held its own in that regard since its inception in 1988. With minor variations in woods, electronics, and assembly[ Factory/Custom Shop/Masterbuilt] it has pretty much been an accurate copy of the stage guitar. It was conceived as a replacement fo the iconic 'Blackie' hybrid and, with that in mind, I would have preferred a deeper offset waist relief and more rounded vintage contours on that guitar's body. I have no doubt that those touches might be requested on a Masterbuilt order but I would rather the guitar had been conceived as such. I have a prototype which was built in the Custom Shop in '87, and I understand that the earlier retail models were also built there before the operation was moved to the factory. But the contours are the same as my '89, and do not reflect the preference I've already addressed.

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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 12:30 pm
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moochy13 wrote:
Some signature series guitars offer options not available from any other range.

This is true. I was tempted to get a Jim Root Jazzmaster, but wish it didn't have the Jim Root name attached to it. It's just not someone I'd listen to. But I love guitars that don't have more features than what I'd use. And I like the Jazzmaster shape. If it had been sold as a non-signature, I'd be all over it.
Another signature series I can see sell despite of the name, and not because of it, are the YJMs. You can't get scalloped frets otherwise, without going full Custom Shop.

But nine out of ten signature guitars are pretty much visual differences, and not enough physical differences that it matters. They sell to fanbois because of the name.


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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 12:45 pm
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My gripe is the majority of Fender Strat endorsees are male. Bonnie Raitt was the only known female Artist Signature endorsee having a Strat bearing her name.

Personally I would see more female Strat players endorsing a signature model.


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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 1:52 pm
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chromeface wrote:
My gripe is the majority of Fender Strat endorsees are male. Bonnie Raitt was the only known female Artist Signature endorsee having a Strat bearing her name.

Personally I would see more female Strat players endorsing a signature model.


The Raitt Signature guitar should have been finished in same fashion as her stage guitar, but I expect they were intent on a cosmetic finish which would appeal to women of all ages. As far as more females are concerned, I expect that will happen when and if Fender finds one whose popularity stands to yield a profit. There's a litany of female players we can run through but FMIC thru Fender and Squier have only signed a small number.

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Post subject: Re: Signature Strats
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 3:09 pm
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chromeface wrote:
My gripe is the majority of Fender Strat endorsees are male. Bonnie Raitt was the only known female Artist Signature endorsee having a Strat bearing her name.

Personally I would see more female Strat players endorsing a signature model.


Who and where are those female Strat players?

Arjay

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