Many years ago I bought the Ritchie Blackmore Signature white Fender
Strat with black volume & tone control knobs and black pickups (with
the plastic dummy in the middle space). This model has a bolt on neck
(so the cheaper version at the time I think) and came out in 1997
(again, I think from memory).

Please could anyone tell me what type of pickups were fitted at the time?
I understand the latest 2009 Ritchie Blackmore Strat has Seymour
Duncan. Would people recommend I have the pickups on my 1997 edition
replaced? Otherwise I'm very happy with the guitar.

This is from a 1997 catalog::

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

There was never a set neck version offered on the Richie Blackmore Strat..So you have the real Mcoy..From what i could find out there is no difference between yours and the ones produced today..Was this a store bought Richie Blackmore or a parts caster built to emulate the Blackmore Strat?

Hi, thanks very much for your reply. I bought it second hand in a guitar shop in London in about 2001. On the back of the neck, near the body, it has made in Japan with a serial number - it all seems identical to the photos of the proper store built version so I think it is. The only thing is that the pickups do not have any writing on them, but looking at a scan of the 2009 model, they have Seymour Duncan printed on them (but maybe this a change in how the pickups are made nowadays). Bob

Hi, thanks very much for the picture of RB and the guitar - it certainly seems the same as mine! Bob

There most certainly was: a Custom Artist Series version. From the 2003 Frontline:

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Hi, you're certainly right about the set neck on the 2003 Gold Lace Sensor pickup version. I think the confusion is whether the 1997 (70s style with black pickups and black control knobs) Ritchie Strat was available as a bolt on but also as a more expensive set neck version too? Cheers, Bob.

1997 Richie Blackmore limited edition was a MIJ guitar and it had Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders in it. Also it was a one year guitar. Not like the newer ones that were CS and had the two Lace Golds.

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Look here: http://www.strat-central.com/c2.htm
They report (and show) that the Japanese Custom shop made about 30 more expensive set neck versions back then.

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Look here: http://www.strat-central.com/c2.htm
They report (and show) that the Japanese Custom shop made about 30 more expensive set neck versions back then.[/quote]

Hi again, thanks for that link. I didn't realise there were that many Ritchie Blackmore signature models! Well, mine is probably the cheapest of them all with the bolt on neck. But what worries me a little is that the words Seymour Duncan are not printed on the black pickups of my 1997 Ritchie Blackmore Strat, although on the back of the neck, near the body, it is printed Made in Japan and there's a proper serial number too. Do you think it's a more recent thing for Seymour Duncan to print their name on the top of the pickups? If I took the scratch plate off and took the pickups out, the maker's name might be visible? Thanks, Bob.