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Post subject: What's my '84 Stratocaster Elite made of?
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 8:09 pm
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My favorite strat is an oddball '84 Elite finished in candyapple/gold "Stratoburst" (starts candyapple red at the lower bout, turns to gold towards the neck). A lot of people don't care for the bridge or electronics, but I get along just fine with them; this axe plays like butter, sustains all day, and the tone is to die for.

Here's my question: my particular Elite (they're not all like this) tips the scale at over 12lbs! That's heavier than most Les Pauls. What's this thing made of? Did Fender try some whacked experiment with maple bodies in those very last CBS days? Anyone know?


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 9:05 pm
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Location: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA
Hello Elitist,

My body was made of alder I'm pretty sure,
I don't what the exact weight was, nothing
noticable more or less so lets say it was a regular.
Probably between 7 or 8 lbs. or so on a guess.

I did like the bridge but wasn't a big fan of the
electronics and pickups.

Cheers.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 2:01 pm
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Indeed, most Elite series guitars I've played (including my black '84 Telecaster) are of normal weight and appear to be made of alder. My particular Strat specimen, though, is a different matter.

The Elites (both Strats and Teles) often came with unique combinations of hardware and finish options (for example my Strat's the only one I've ever seen with both the candyapple Stratoburst and a locking/fine tuning clamp at the headstock). I've read a few Harmony Central reviews complaining about the Strat Elite's ungodly weight, so at least a few of them, like mine, were made of something heavier than alder. A few were made of walnut, but to the best of my knowledge, these all came in a green finish and were billed as a Stratocaster Elite Walnut.

By all conventional wisdom, a 12 lb guitar should sound pretty aweful, but this one's quite spanky and resonent compared to other conventional Strats I've owned. I'd love to know what kind of wood it is and why the makers chose it.


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Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 5:03 pm
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Alder i do belive.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 5:20 pm
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Iron impregnated alder? Could actually be heavy mineral content within the wood that is adding to the weight.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 5:52 pm
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Hello Elitist,

Another green strat, I gotta find a
photo of one of those.

Just curious, is yours a maple or
rosewood fingerboard?

Mine was 3 tone sunburst w/maple.

Cheers.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:10 pm
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I was wrong about the Walnut Elite Stratocasters being green. In fact they were natural walnut (brown).

My Elite has a rosewood board. I generally prefer maple boards on strats, but this particular one is already so bright-sounding, I think the rosewood's a good match for it.

Now what's this about mineral-impregnated wood? Could it really cause a 50% weight gain? Again, whatever this wood is, I'm curious as to why the makers picked it. The result is a great-sounding guitar, but using a 12 lb piece of wood is an unusual tone recipe.


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Post subject: Green Elite Strat
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:17 am
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I too have a green clearcoat Strat Elite, and it weighs a ton!
I use this guitar all the time, at least until I break a string at a gig. The unfortunate thing is, I am used to it and I now prefer the weight. I have another strat...an odd-ball concoction from Fender that I have yet to pin down exactly what model it is ( early 90's ), but it's on the opposite end of the weight spectrum...too light. The tone is good, but, I do get thrown off by the weight difference. I'm also thrown off by the rosewood fretboard on the spare too...that's another thing I'll stay away from.

I am shopping for a replacement to my heavy elite. The elite will become my backup. Does Fender make a Strat that is close to being as heavy as these elites?

Any help here will speed up my search...Thanks in advance.

SmoldingBob


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 8:43 am
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If it is heavier, might it be possible that it is an ash body u guys?

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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:54 am
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[quote="Mr Bill"]Hello Elitist,Another green strat, I gotta find a
photo of one of those.


Consult A.R. Duchossoir's paperbound book.

Doc. :wink:


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:26 am
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Hey Elitist,

My green elite strat didn't come with the fine tuner/lock @ the nut. According to the dealer I bought this from in 1983(i think), they added this in the 2nd year of production. They ordered one for me and I installed it myself ( it was a gift for helping them sell a couple of the elites to friends). The thing was, all of the elites that came in after I got mine had the lock installed at the factory.

From the other posts, it looks like my search for a new HEAVY strat will probably involve calling and visiting various dealers to see what they have on hand. Maybe I'll find a better light one.

I never had a guitar re-fretted and it scares the living daylights out of me to consider it on my elite. It sucks that I've reached a point where it really needs it, but, I'll cross that bridge when I have a new guitar that I'm just as comfortable with. I'll have to hunt for a re-fret forum.

SmolderingBob


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:08 pm
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The Walnut Elite was made of black walnut and they had gold hardware and the fingerboards were made of ebony. Looking at my old catologs they sold for about 500 dollars more then the other Elite models.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson


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Post subject: Re: What's my '84 Stratocaster Elite made of?
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:20 pm
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Elitists:

I expect that you are all aware that this was the platform upon which Fender developed the Eric Clapton Signature Series Stratocaster.

Doc :wink:


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 1:30 pm
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They were tinkrering with the Strat platform and active electronics MDX and TBX

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:35 pm
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Hello ZZDoc,

Thanks I'll head over to the
bookstore on Sunday

a brief internet search showed
the book retails for 15.95---
Its in my realm of affordability :D

Cheers.


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