The Schecter Guitar Research repair shop was opened in 1976 by David Schecter in Van Nuys, California. This is where it all began for the future guitar manufacturing company. The repair shop manufactured replacement guitar parts and eventually supplied everything you would need to build a guitar but did not build any of their own guitars at that time. Their main customers were custom repair shops and the two big guitar-manufacturing companies, Gibson and Fender.
Finally in 1979, Schecter started making their own guitars to sell to the public. The designs were based on Fender guitar designs and were very expensive to purchase because of the high quality parts and the small amount they made available. Also around this time, Pete Townshend from The Who got a Schecter guitar from his guitar tech and immediately liked it. In fact he liked the sound so much that it ended up being his main touring guitar.
Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits was the next high profile artist to discover the Schecter guitar. He ended up with many Schecter guitars over the years and one even sold at an auction for $50,000 in 2004.
In 1983, Schecter ran out of resources and could no longer meet the demand for their guitar. Schecter ended up selling the company to a group of Texas investors who were well aware of the great reputation of the Schecter name and the top quality of their guitars. Knowing this, the new owners expected to make a profit by expanding the operation and moving the company to Dallas, Texas. This unfortunately turned out to be a bad move because most of the original employees wouldn't move to Texas and this eventually led to poor design and quality decisions by the new staff. The guitars that were being produced at this time were being mass-produced and getting a bad reputation for their poor quality.
Even though they were going through this rough time, Schecter did manage to get an amazing guitarist by the name of Yngwie Malmsteen to endorse their guitars. They also released several new models including the Telecaster style guitar that Pete Townshend was using called the Saturn. Their other popular model was the Scorcher, which was based on the Stratocaster design. Even with these new designs and making their guitars more affordable, sales were very poor due to the lack of quality.
In 1987, the company was unloaded to a Japanese entrepreneur by the name of Hisatake Shibuya. Hisatake was no stranger to music and guitars; he also owned ESP Guitars and the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He moved Schecter back to California and soon brought the reputation of the company back to the way it used to be. The company went back to their old ways of producing high quality, high priced custom guitars. The guitars were also made in fewer numbers and made available to a smaller amount of dealers.
In 1996, Hisatake hired Michael Ciravolo as president of Schecter. Michael was an experienced musician and had been an employee at a guitar shop owned by Hisatake. Ciravolo ended up bringing in some high profile musicians to endorse Schecter guitars including Robert DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots) and Sean Yseult (White Zombie).
Michael Ciravolo also disliked the Fender style designs, so he developed new designs in the Avenger, Hellcat and Tempest models. He also wanted to produce a more affordable guitar and opened up a factory in Inchon, South Korea to build them. This time though, Michael made sure that they were high quality guitars as well as being mass-produced. The parts were made in the South Korean factory and then shipped to their U.S. shop for the guitars to be assembled. This led to the creation of the famous Diamond Series Schecter Guitars.
The Schecter Guitar Company is still going strong today and is loved by mostly the Heavy Metal, Hard Rock and Alternative styles of music. Some of the most famous guitarists past and present that have used Schecter guitars are Pete Townshend (The Who), Prince, Yngwie Malmsteen, Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits), Shaun Morgan (Seether), Robert DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots), Jerry Horton (Papa Roach), Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold), Paul Raven (Killing Joke and Ministry) and Sean Yseult (White Zombie).
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How much could I sell a 1996 Fender Stratocaster guitar 50th anniversary?
I got this guitar from my dads work so I have no idea how much money was paid for it and what it really is. But it has a sticker on the back that says 50 years blah blah blah 1946 to 1996 and I'm not even sure if that means it was from 1996 and its made in mexico. Also is there anyway for me to figure out what the guitar is by looking at the serial number?
Hi
By the serial numbers, i can tell the year and where it was made.
As for a real 50th anniversary, they sell from $1100 and up. A mexican model sells on E-bat for $450.
The 50th anniversary is a model made in 1996 and celebrating the 50th anniversary of Fender.
1996 Fender Stratocaster 50th Anniversary Metalflake Red
like, is it an actual stratocaster thats really good and what exactly dose mim stand for? made in mexico or somethin?
Yes MIM does stand for 'made in Mexico.' It is essentially just like the American made Stratocasters only with cheaper electronics and is assembled in Mexico. The MIM Fenders from the 1990s were of very good quality and most play and sound great. I've owned several Fenders made in Mexico and have always been satisfied with them. Due keep in mind however, that each individual guitar is different. Every guitar is made from a different piece of wood and is put together and wired by different people, this can have a profound effect on how a guitar plays and sounds. I've played some American made Fenders that were just junk. So the best advice I can give is to play and listen to a guitar before you purchase it. Every guitar player is different and hears things differently, so you have to go with what plays the best and sounds the best to you.
The Fender Highway One Stratocaster is a quality instrument made in the USA that won't bankrupt you.
Fixed between the American Standard series and the MIM Standard series, Fender's USA-made Highway One Strat is a unique guitar that is definitely worthwhile of the name "Fender." What makes this particular Stratocaster unique?
We reviewed a Highway One Strat that came in a classy Flat Black finish. In order to trim costs, Fender elected a light nitro satin finish for this series. In addition to being more budget-friendly, it has a unique look that we really liked.
Features
It features an alder body, large frets, a 70's style headstock, vintage vibrato, C-shaped neck, maple or rosewood fingerboard, 3 single-coil pickups (Alnico 3 magnets), and a "Greasebucket" tone control circuit. The instrument ships with a deluxe gig bag as well.
Performance
Although it's got some noticeable differences from the American Standard series, it was clear from the first chord that this is a top-notch USA-made instrument. The nitro satin finish is nice and one that some people might actually prefer over the American Standard's glossy finish. More than a cost-cutting strategy, though, the lighter finish will let the guitar's alder body resonate more freely over time.
The pickups were hot and punchy, and the Greasebucket circuit (which allows you to turn down the highs without increasing the bass) is a nice addition. We could get tones from classic rock crunch to Texas blues with little effort.
The C-shaped neck also gave the instrument its own flavor. It's a little big for some folks, but we really dug the combination of the larger neck and large frets. It really facilitated sweep arpeggios and similar "shredding" technique. The neck construction quality was consummate, as was the maple fretboard we chose.
The guitar's big frets also give the guitar a feel that sets it apart from the American Standard and Standard series. Our thought was that it made the guitar very easy to play.
The Bottom Line
Plainly, we genuinely liked the Fender Highway One Stratocaster. It's a quality instrument made in the USA that won't bankrupt you. It's not just a "budget" American Strat. It has a life of its own, from the large frets to the satin finish to the C-shaped neck. It takes a notable place in the Fender guitar lineup.
Want to find the cheapest prices on a used or new Fender Highway One Stratocaster [http://www.raysguitarshop.com/reviews/fender-highway-one-stratocaster/]? Then head on over to Ray's Guitar Shop [http://www.raysguitarshop.com/], which offers the lowest prices on all used and new guitars (acoustic and electric). It doesn't matter if you want a Fender Telecaster, a Gibson SG, or a PRS Custom 24, they can help you find the perfect instrument for you.
fender stratocaster question bridge?
I have a telecaster fender its a mim one that i REALLY like the sound of
this one is unusual in that the STRINGS dont GO THROUGH the body they are attached on TOP so the body has less holes in it
And for some reason i think this makes it sound better
heres my question
ARE THERE EVER ANY STRATS THAT HAVE THAT KIND OF STRING MOUNTING MEANING WITHOUT THE WAMMY AND NOT THROUGH THE BODY?
IM MEANING not a squire model
Hello! What you are referring to is what is commonly called a “hardtail bridge” Stratocaster, meaning the bridge is attached solid to the guitar body. This has the advantage of better tuning stability, plus a closer coupling of the strings to the body for more resonance and sustain. Fender does not make too many of these guitars, although the Billy Corgan (see http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=0115002805 ) and Robert Cray (see http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0139100324 ) models are current examples. Even with the hardtail arrangement, the strings still pass through the body, which has always been the strategy for the Fender Stratocaster. Best regards, Dana
How to date your Mexican made Fender Stratocaster guitar mim
