Transcending the Field of Music with Fender Stratocaster

The Fender Stratocaster or commonly known as "Strat" is an electric guitar model which was designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in the year 1954. From then on, it is being manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation up to the present. The design of the guitar is double-cutaway, having an extended top horn that serves as a balance while standing. The Stratocaster is one of the most common and enduring electric guitar models in the world along with the Gibson Les Paul, the Gibson SG and the Fender Telecaster. It is also being used by many leading guitarists and can be heard on many historic recordings. The Strat can also be considered among the classic industrial designs of all time. Many Strats, especially those that have been used by famous guitarists are exhibited at major museums around the world.

The early Strat models was offered in a 2-color sunburst finish on a solid, deeply contoured ash body. It is a one-piece maple neck having 21 frets, black dot inlays and Kluson machine heads. Then in 1956, Fender started making bodies which are made from solid alder. Meanwhile, its single-ply, 8-screw hole white pickguard was a unique concept that allowed mounting all electronic components in one easily removed assembly except for the recessed jack plate. Today, the Stratocaster has been widely copied model by other electric guitar manufacturers and the term Strat, although a trademark of Fender Musical Instrument Corp., is often used generically to refer to any guitar that has the same general features as the original.