In the halls of musical instruments this is an exceeding rare and historically significant electric guitar! Prime examples such as these command five digit figures on todayâs vintage market. Originally introduced in 1954 by the Fender Guitar Company, it was quickly embraced by players ranging from western swing to Jazz. But as the 1950s wore on a new musical form, Rock and Roll made the Fender Stratocaster the icon of the genre. It immediately was a commercial success and soon overtook their heritage competitors in popularity in sales. It was lighter weight, faster playing and more modern. By time the 1960s rolled around the custom colors and sparkle finishes endeared the Strat to surf and beach bands.The guitar introduced into the popular market several features that were innovative for electric guitars in the mid-1950s. The distinctive body shape, which has become commonplace among electric guitars, was revolutionary for the time period, and for the first time a mass-market electric guitar did not significantly resemble earlier acoustic models. The double cutaway, elongated horns, and heavily contoured back were all designed for better balance and comfort to play while standing up and slung off the shoulder with a strap. The three-pickup design offered players increased versatility and choice in tone quality over earlier one- and two-pickup electric guitars, and a responsive and simplified vibrato arm integrated into the bridge plate, which marked a significant design improvement over other vibrato systems, such as those manufactured by Bigsby. All of these design elements were popularized and later became an industry standard due to the success of the Stratocaster. The Fender Stratocaster is one of the most iconic electric guitar models of all time.Famous players include Buddy Holly, Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Buddy Guy and more
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