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Post subject: Jeremy Spencer's 1959 Fender Stratocaster
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 8:08 am
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Did Fender ever manufacture a 1959 Stratocaster with the pick-up selector switch at the lower cutaway area of the pickguard, just below the neck pick-up?

Take a look at this old Fleetwood Mac performance of 'Albatross' featuring Jeremy Spencer playing slide on his '59 sunburst Strat.



The relevant section is between 2:22 & 2:40.

It doesn't appear to be a modification (unless the pickguard has been replaced) since there's no evidence of an empty slot or screw holes just in front of the volume & tone controls where the selector switch is normally located.

It would appear to be a strange place to position the switch, so far away from the rotary controls. However, it is a fairly common practice to position the pick-up selector switch in this area on many Gibson guitars. I've never seen such an arrangement on a Stratocaster before.

I don't believe that Spencer owns this Stratocaster any more. I wonder what became of it? It's certainly an unusual guitar.


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Post subject: Re: Jeremy Spencer's 1959 Fender Stratocaster
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 11:05 am
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I suspect it's modded, with the pickguard replaced. Some people, particularly those who primarily play Gibsons (Les Pauls, SGs, and ESs) have been known to complain about where the switch is normally located. Most people adjust, but some go ahead and mod the guitars. Was that really his guitar, or one provided for him to use on the TV show?

For example, Alex Lifeson of Rush used several modded Strats in the early 1980s (Moving Pictures-Power Windows era) where he moved the switch to the lower horn, and even changed it to a Gibson-style toggle as he didn't use the 2 & 4 settings. He mentioned he did that in an interview because he was hitting the normal blade switch with his picking patterns.


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Post subject: Re: Jeremy Spencer's 1959 Fender Stratocaster
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 1:21 pm
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Spencer's mod would have needed some routing done. Not just a new pick guard.
I'm one of those guys John mentioned. If you look at the guitar on the left in the picture, you see I eliminated the upper tone control, and moved the 5 way over between the volume and lower tone. It works for me.

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Post subject: Re: Jeremy Spencer's 1959 Fender Stratocaster
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 2:12 pm
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It is a mod .


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Post subject: Re: Jeremy Spencer's 1959 Fender Stratocaster
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 1:09 am
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I've often wondered why Fender don't offer the option of a Jaguar style switch .
Although it is recessed on the Jag level with the pickguard, it needn't be on a strat , as the chrome plate would cover the existing blade slot ( with a little dremel work) and you'd get the 7 different tones PLUS nobody would keep hitting the blade accidentley

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Post subject: Re: Jeremy Spencer's 1959 Fender Stratocaster
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 8:40 am
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ted j wrote:
I've often wondered why Fender don't offer the option of a Jaguar style switch .
Although it is recessed on the Jag level with the pickguard, it needn't be on a strat , as the chrome plate would cover the existing blade slot ( with a little dremel work) and you'd get the 7 different tones PLUS nobody would keep hitting the blade accidentley


Careful, this post is bordering on blasphemy. If you see a bunch of guys in monk robes congregating around your house, I would be very concerned! :D
That's pretty much why Warmouth exists. There's things that can't be done to a Strat and carry the Fender name on it. You have to take your wild and crazy ideas else where.

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Post subject: Re: Jeremy Spencer's 1959 Fender Stratocaster
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 11:23 am
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Well, if I was in Fender R+D, that'd be just one of the things I'd implement
Be honest, it's a better idea than the
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Or the completeley backwards supersonic

They all lasted didn't they

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