My First Guitar – Part 3 Final

This might not be everyone’s experience but as I learned to play my musical interests changed.  A large part of that is due to my music teacher who was passionate about west coast and fusion bands such as Steely Dan, Toto, Larry Carlton, Pat Metheney, Weather Report.

For me, as a teenager learning music theory and the guitar, these bands were a musical narcotic.  The more I looked into their music the more I found, layer after layer, some music jokes, clever and imaginative stretches of music theory.

To the probable immense relief of my neighbours I was getting bored of “banging out” heavy metal/hard rock riffs very loudly and really looking at what was going on musically.

This did have some bad side effects, firstly my “feel” was poor, I was becoming too much of a technician, secondly I had no consideration of performance when playing to an audience and thirdly I needed a better guitar.  I’ll talk about my thoughts on the first two in later blogs.  For now I’m going to finish my storyline on my first guitar.

By this point I had left school, intending to go to college and university.   I was offered unexpectedly a job in investments in a bank.  This gave me some spending money and I thought it would open the door to me becoming a cool, bohemian fusion jazz/west coast muso.

One lunchtime whilst walking through the shopping centre and I stopped in my tracks.  There in the window of the local music shop was a Fender Stratocaster Elite, black, with a white pick guard.  I couldn’t take my eyes off its beautiful curves.  As I stared at it I swore that a light shone from it and an angelic choir sang.  It was a “Waynes World” moment, it was love at first sight. It also looked so out of place, the shop usually sold those large home electronic organs in wooden cabinets with lots of multi coloured switches that were inexplicably popular in the late seventies/early 80s.

I dashed down the street emptied my account of ten years of savings and dashed back to the shop.  I don’t remember playing it first I think I just bought it (please don’t ever do that, very bad idea).

I proudly went back to work (rather late from lunch) with the guitar.

A little about the guitar, some controversy first, us guitarists are a very conservative bunch and this particular guitar was Fender’s “top of the range” and was very innovative.   So of course it didn’t do very well.  I’ll talk about my thoughts on change resistant, conservative guitarists in another blog.  Fender built these from 1983 to 1984 in the USA and also had a Telecaster model (I also have one of these) which is probably the weirdest Tele you’ll ever play.

My strat was different because in had a 3 push button pickup selector (yes you can select neck and bridge only as an option), it was active – having a TBX/MDX circuitry, had a side jack socket (no idea why though) and a custom trem (ok that wasn’t a good trem, ….really not a good trem).

Mine had a alder body finished in black, a white pick guard, chromed Schaller tuners with two string trees, Schaller strap lacks, a 21 fret maple neck and that hopeless freeflyte trem system (I had this locked down).

The routing for the trem and all the electrics is on the front of the guitar which is probably why the trem is so poor.

What does it play like?  Firstly it’s very loud; the output from the TBX treble/bass expander and active MDX mid boost is impressive.  There can be quite a lot of hum on heavy gain despite the use of an internal dummy coil in the 3 Alnico 5 pickups.  There is a battery cover in the back of the guitar, when it’s low on juice you sometimes get whooping or farting sounds from it.  I have to be careful not to leave the jack in as it drains battery power.  I absolutely guarantee that the preamp battery will go at the worst time, so I always carry a spare.  I can’t figure out why there isn’t an on/off option for the actives.

My Strat Elite

However the main thing I like about it is the neck, it’s a joy to play, it’s a little skinny but the action is the best I’ve ever played, still.  My tutor used to borrow this guitar for recording.

Soundwise it’s not quite as bright and brassy as a normal strat, it’s a little thicker.

If you want one, sorry but they’re not too easy to find, the Telecaster model in particular is rather rare.  80s instrument prices are starting to rise and I think that these may become quite collectable in the future.  Regardless of that, they’re a joy to play, don’t forget these were supposed to be at the time the top of Fender’s range.  This instrument was the base template for the fantastic Eric Clapton signature strat that was first made in the late 80s and is still being produced now.  You might be more comfortable with that instrument with its better electrics.

Anyway that was 1985, the job didn’t last (I wanted to study, hated the bank) but the guitar did.  Despite many gigs and rehearsals I’ve kept it in excellent condition and I still have it.

My parents were furious about the money I spent on the guitar but I do enjoy telling them that the guitar has more than doubled its value since then.  If I’d spent the money on a car it’d be long gone now.