All about Fender Strats: 小芬的故事

被我拋棄的七個老情人

我看吉他論壇的許多朋友, 最喜歡的Fender吉他大概就是 Stratocaster, 很多人暱稱為"小芬"

我過去也收集過不少"小芬", 奇怪的是似乎沒有什麼緣份, 最後才碰到二個比較喜歡的"小芬". 一個是日本姑娘. 一個是假小芬.

過去買過不少"小芬", 出乎大家意料之外, 我並不是那麼喜歡而分手. 讓我慢慢說出這些愛情史給大家聽.

第一把小芬是1996年Fender 50週年出的限量發行紀念琴, 在eBay 買的, 非常漂亮, 琴面是漸色的火汶班加上金色配件, 明亮耀目, 可是彈起來似乎沒有特別的喜歡, 她是個長的很正的"淑女型", 但一起玩時似乎太平淡不夠活潑﹐覺得沒有太大樂趣, 變成不是那麼喜歡彈她, 後來把她拿去換了2006年的 Jazzmaster, 價格而言相當合算﹐彈奏音色也符合我的沖浪樂曲。

 不能說她不好, 也不是不喜歡她, 而是沒有嘗試去了解她.



第二把小芬是1997?年的 Lonestar, 也是在 eBay 買的, 記得 PU 是比較熱的那種, 買了不久試彈不喜歡﹐馬上拿去換PRS 去了.  這把好像是相親的姑娘, 或網上認識的女孩初見面後, 覺得像是老實人碰見“潑辣姑娘”招架不住。 見一次面馬上急煞車分手, ﹐還好換琴時價格還不錯﹐把她當個踏腳石了。



第三個小芬是個日本姑娘, 1996年Ventures日本生產的紀念琴, 由Ventures 的主奏吉他手Gerry McGee 設計用三個 Lace-Sensor PU.  開始時不會調, 聲音很泥很不喜歡, 就不理她了, 後來調對以後, 發現聲音不錯, 從清晰音到高度Distorted 音色都不錯, 才慢慢喜歡. 這好像是"國際新娘", 開始有溝通問題, 無法聯絡感情, 日久後習慣對方後才慢慢相互了解, 覺得對方還不錯... 這把是隨著1996年Ventures 的Jazzmaster 和Jazz Bass 一起嫁過來的﹐即使不喜歡也不沒有想到要把她休掉。 後來有位買家出不錯價格, 但堅持三把一起才買. 只有讓她走了.



第四個小芬是1976年的老琴, 所以叫她"老芬"吧, 去紐約買;投機者主奏Nokie 的私人HItchHiker 吉他順便很便宜買到的.  帶回來後發現, 音色雜雜的, 送去清理一番, 但彈起來還是一點也不喜歡, 手感音色都不中意, 就把她打入冷宮, 她變成"深宮怨婦",   幾個月前以三倍價格賣給德國人. 我覺得這把琴只是年代老, 並沒有老琴該有的甜美音色, 虛長幾歲﹐依老賣老而已(好像在說沙漠叔自己), 所以各位買中古老琴一定要試音色手感, 不要迷信"年份"



第五個小芬是在 Craigslist 買的二手琴, 是2005年出的1956年Custom Shop Relic Stratocaster, 按1956年的規格忠實的複製﹐連油漆上都做點龜裂仿古, 我對Relic沒有特別喜歡或不喜歡 (價格反而高, 收藏性更高), 但喜歡的是找到了1956年的古典音色.  可是手感沒有Grosh的RCS假小芬好, 有個機會去換把好琴, 算算很花的來. 就是把她休了.

 

第六個小芬就是在 Craigslist 買的一把拼湊的二手吉他。是1965年的琴身重新塗裝﹐1965年的拾音器﹐1972年的琴頸拼湊的琴。 因為塗裝成暗色﹐他把拾音器蓋子換成黑色﹐不過原裝蓋子還留著﹐琴橋也是。音色和彈奏應該還是 65 / 72 Strat 的味道。

這種身份不明, 玩起來又不對味的姑娘, 還是早早分手.

 

 第七個小芬就是在 Craigslist 買的一把二手吉他57 Vintage reissue.  沒有日本小芬姑娘歌聲美妙善解人意. 相比之下不能都留, 只好和她說再見了.

 
 
第八個小芬是向朋友買的一把日本製的 Hank Marvin Signature Stratocater 二手吉他, 非常適合我喜歡彈奏的投機者The Ventures 和影子樂隊The Shadows 的曲風. 而且是和其他隊友相同的節慶紅色 Fiesta Red (影子樂隊的專用色).

買過好幾把 Fender Strats 但都先後賣掉或換掉, 只剩下唯一的這把日本製天天用的日本小芬.




第九把Don Grosh Retro Classic Strat 雖然不是真正的Fender品牌,  她是我目前最喜歡的小芬. 每次彈她都覺得她的琴頸摸起來真舒服.
 

上面的1-7把小芬全部不在身邊. 我現在拿的是日本製的Hank Marvin Signature Strat 和 Grosh的仿照品 RCS 假小芬.
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1996 Trio of Ventures Tribute (已賣掉)

投機者紀念系列

1996年Fender為投機者推出一個紀念系列有Jazzmaster, Stratocaster 和 Jazz Bass, 是用黑色的塗裝設計用投機者團員的建議. Don 負責 Jazzmaster 的設計, Bob 負責Jazz Bass 的設計, Gerry 負責 Stratocaster 的設計.

紀念系列海報: Bob, Gerry, Leon & Don


Trio of Ventures Tribute (已賣掉)

Fender 1976 Vintage Strat (已賣)

“可遇不可求”

我買的最便宜的吉他一次卻是去外州, 有次在論壇上有人賣 Nokie 的HitchHiker吉他, 是 Nokie 的備用吉他 (S/N#002號), 一直想收集就去聯絡﹐看了許多照片談好價格, 開了8小時車去, 檢查完馬上買了. 賣家是一個80多歲的老頭, 他看我如此爽快, 又去房裡拿了一把1976年的Fender Strat 是他30多年前買的﹐ 問我要不要買, 我問他多少錢, 他說$750元, 我差的沒昏過去, 顯然老先生不知道行情, 還是認為另外一把賺的不錯回饋我一下, 我當然馬上買了. 這把琴市價是$2500 左右

這位老先生現在和我還保持聯絡, 聖誕節我們還互送禮物.

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Fender 50th Anniversary Strat (Sold)

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Fender Custom Shop Time Machine Relic Stratocaster

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This awesome reproduction was created by the Custom Shop, Features of the '56 Relic Strat include an alder body depending on finish, and the original 10/56 shaped maple neck. Its Relic finish treatment gives it the look of a well-played axe. Includes a Fender deluxe hardshell case.

Fender Custom Shop '56 Stratocaster Relic Electric Guitar Features:
• Alder body
• Original specification pickups
• 5-way switch control (Fender factory installed)
• Chrome hardware
• '56 neck profile
• Single-ply white pickguard

http://www.kellyindustries.com/guitars/fender_stratocaster_56_relic.html

The '56 Fender Relic Strat is one of the Fender TimeMachine guitars. If you don't have an extra 10 or 20 thousand to spend on the real one then this is the next best thing to it. It uses a process to age the guitar until it looks 'used and abused'. On this '56 Relic you'll find deeper scratches, nicks, and worn parts and plastic. The TimeMachine series was introduced in 1999 and consists of mainly the Relic, NOS (New Old Stock), and the Closet Classic guitars. They found that the instruments made years ago had a certain magic that was difficult to define. Over the years the Strat body and neck shape slowly changed. Fender recreated the body and neck to the same specs that they where in '56. The '56 Strat was one of the more hard to replicate because the materials used during that time kept changing. But for the most this is a very close version of what was sold back then. The word 'Relic' is actually a process that ages the guitar to make it appear to be older than it actually is. The plastic parts are brittle though :)

For the most worn look the 'Relic' version is what you want, the next less amount of aging occurs on the 'Closet Classic' guitars. These guitars have some parts that show wear and a lightly oxidized finish with aged plastic parts; similar to if the guitar had been played but was kept in the closet for a number of years. For a non-aged or non-relic'd Fender get the NOS (New Old Stock) version. This version doesn't have any aging used on any parts and is like you would have purchased it new in 1956.

The body is made of two pieces of Alder or Ash glued and tooled. The type of wood used on the guitar depends upon the finish. It was created using the original tooling lathes and production techniques of the day. It comes in the original 'Thin-skin' finish in 2-color sunburst, black, vintage blonde, and fiesta red. The actual finish is nitrocellulose lacquer and not polyurethane. The nitrocellulose ages much differently than polyurethane does. The pickguard is a single ply Parchment type. The bridge is an American Vintage Synchronized tremolo just like what was used on the originals.

The 25.5 inch scale length neck is made from maple and has a neck date of 10/56 :) The necks profile is a 'V' type or what is also called the 'boat neck' shape. The fretboard is also Maple and has 21 vintage style frets which are too high or wide. The radius of the neck is 7.25 inches which makes it more of a chord guitar or bring the strings up a little for more bending room. The nut with is the normal 1.67 inches. The tuners are Fender/Gotoh vintage style.

The pickups are custom 1950s single coil Strat types with the normal Master volume and two tone controls. One of the tone controls is for the Neck pickup and the other is for the Middle. The bridge pickup doesn't have a tone control which has been standard for years. This one has a 3-way pickup selector which was on the originals. (Mine is a 5-way switch Fender factory installed) The wiring actually uses the same type of wire and routing as well. This has been done to keep the guitar as close as possible to

Features

• Alder body (ash for the vintage blonde) with nitrocellulose lacquer finish
• Aged to look like it's been played for years
• Original 50's Single Coil Pickups
• Chrome hardware
• Maple Neck with
• 1956 'boat neck profile
• Single-ply white pickguard
• American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
• Fender/Gotoh Vintage Style Tuners
• Comes with Vintage Tweed Case (Orange Interior)

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Fender 古董吉他零件拼湊琴﹕

1965 Fender Strat Project: 1965年琴身 + 1965年拾音器+ 1972年琴頸

[這把吉他我請師傅把她弄回1965的線路﹐拿掉 Booster﹐改回65年的古典音色﹐現在彈起來悅耳多了﹐已經有人出高幾百元買這把琴﹐我還在考慮中﹐告訴他讓我玩玩她幾個月再說﹐如果日久生情就不賣了]

看到芝加哥郊區附近有人在賣一把拼湊的吉他﹐是他1970買來改裝復原的。是1965年的琴身重新塗裝﹐1965年的拾音器﹐1972年的琴頸拼湊的琴。因為塗裝成暗色﹐他把拾音器蓋子換成黑色﹐不過原裝蓋子還留著﹐琴橋也是。音色和彈奏應該還是 65 / 72 Strat 的味道。

他想換 Les Paul 的吉他。正好我有一把 Les Paul Standard Plus 一直想賣, 就和他聯絡。這個人是郊區蠻有名的吉他手叫特德金 (Tadd King)﹐在芝加哥的風味節慶 (Taste of Chicago)表演過。我向我的吉他師傅瑞克打聽﹐知道這個人很實在﹐而且那把琴在80年代瑞克幫他整修的﹐他說和他換絕對划算。有瑞克的背書我就放心交易了﹐就帶琴去找特德金。他住的地方離芝加哥市區很遠﹐不過正好和老頭沖浪隊的主奏 Walt 同地區﹐我星期三就一起拜訪。

特德試了我的琴﹐很喜歡。不過說還有兩個人也會帶不同的 Les Pauls 去考慮換﹐他再回我話。昨天特德決定換我的琴﹐我們約在大家半路的瑞克店見面。換完瑞克告訴我你撿到便宜了﹐玩膩後把吉他拆開賣零件都可賺不少錢。 昨天去 eBay 看﹐1965年的拾音器有人已經標超過$1000美金。1965年的琴身重新塗裝﹐1965年的拾音器﹐1972年的琴頸, 和其他零件琴橋和搖手應該可以賣超過美金$2500。1965年完全原裝狀況好的 Stratocaster 在市場叫價美金$12000 以上。

琴身上有一個蛇頭的圖案看來很酷﹐但是沙漠嫂很不喜歡。

下面是一些照片﹕



































[Tadd King 真有禮貌﹐星期五買了當晚後就拿去 Sandwich, IL 表演﹐星期六發郵件給我說昨晚用她表演﹐音色棒透了﹐他的團友稱讚不已﹐我很高興我的 Les Paul Standard plus 找對主人了]。

"Vince:

Played the LP all night last night at my gig. Wow, it really sounded great and played nice too. I got a lot of complements on the overall tone.

Stay in touch.

Tadd"

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