I find it interesting that, in designing the now discontinued Powerhouse Strat, whose midboost circuit was reduced to 12db, the company opted for a battery box routed into the back of the guitar as opposed to requiring the removal of the trem cover. Guitar Center has also done a recent FSR incorporating the 25db midboost and VN pickups, also using a battery box. Apparently, this was not a thought when the Clapton guitar was conceived some 25 years ago, and remains so to this day.

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"Another day in paradise!"

They're 2 versions of the FSR you're talking about, MIA and MIM. The MIA FSR Standard TBX/MDX has been discontinued yesteryear.






In the case of the MIM you'll get an HSS configuration with two Vintage Noiseless pickups and an Atomic DH-1 humbucker with zebra bobbins.

Nicely researched, as usual... I've played them both. Late last year, in fact. I'm sure there are still a few hanging around at full price.

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"Another day in paradise!"

For the first time in 17 years I've had a battery run out completely - never realised it stops the guitar from producing any sound.

Hmm! That's a new one for me. I always thought it just effected the boost circuit. My experience with battery power loss was having the gain drop as the pot was turned clockwise to 10. I suppose there was still a small charge on board. The VG is wired to play in or out of the synth circuit.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Yeah, same here. I've had that in the past but this time it's gone completely flat. Haven't got any spares at the moment so Googled it to make sure and it seems to be the case that the guitar 'dies' if the battery does.

I've wondered this myself. I had a Tele built with a pre-amp and went with the plastic access panel approach. After a day I instantly decided that I wanted a battery box. Having said that I kind feel like one of the reasons didn't go with the "box" was that looks very un-Fender like. I mean the Elite Stratocaster has a plastic access panel, but Fender didn't go that direction with the Clapton Strat. Could Clapton have had something to do with it?

That's a reasonable speculation. Routing the trem cavity for a 9v makes mores sense cosmetically then adding a rout for the box as they did on the Powerhouse. Those access panels on the backs of the LP's and the PRS's, for example, take something away from the look of the guitar. They get away with it because the backs are always black. You do a hardtail Strat with a lovely Sienna or Aged Cherry Sunburst finish on a good piece of Ash with a beautiful grain pattern....they do an equally lovely job on the back, and then you rout it for a battery box????....Uff!!!. Makes it worth tucking the battery into the control cavity under the scratchplate after all.

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"Another day in paradise!"

The ST54-LS has the battery compartment in the back of the body.

[[/quote]
The Powerhouse Strat had such a cover and it was located in two places during the life of its production run.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Did you know? Fender Japan made a Ventures Stratocaster for Nokie Edwards in 1995. This guitar featured Gold LS and Eric Clapton electronics.



The shortlived Ventures series included a Jazz Bass and a Jazzmaster among others.

All these retro-flavoured beauties were finished in Charcoal Burst and sported an ash body, gold hardware, pearloid pickguards and black plastic parts. Bound tuxedo necks and matching headstocks were the icing to the cake. Discontinued in 1997.

Northern Swamp Ash.