Did Fender Steal SRV's Soul?

[Hard2Hear]

It seems that Fender relies on poster boys who no longer exist here on Earth. I have seen more SRV and Hendrix ads lately and it kinda doesn't agree with me. I mean, I know they used Strats and thats cool and all...but they should be remembered for their music, not the Fender ads.

This IS guitar related..any one played a Hendrix strat?

p.s. this is the 1000th thread in the guitar forum. I wanted to be the one

 

[psmith66]

I don't understand why a company of Fender's stature in the music world would require using the names of Hendrix, Vaughan, Beck, Clapton, etc to promote their stuff. I guess perhaps there must be a "green" market that doesn't understand Fender (and Gibson - Page, Frehley, Perry,....) for its heritage of quality, and therefore simply wants what their "idol" plays/played.

I can see the importance of this type of marketing for "lesser" companys where they need the endorsement of a "star" to provide some indication of credibility.

As long as the quality doesn't wander.

Congrats H2H - maybe they'll give you a prize or a plaque of some kind.

 

[KaBudokan]

This IS guitar related..any one played a Hendrix strat?

I bought one of the Hendrix "Signature Model" strats at GC, for a ferengi type deal. I resold it later that week. GC had it set up so poorly that it sat there for months and months, and the manager finally put it on clearance for $400. I bought it for $500 w/ a hardshell case.

The guitar was GREAT except for the fact that it had the stupid upside-down body. It played amazingly well (once I set it up), and it really did have the Hendrix sound just by plugging in. I also bought a Big Apple Strat for the same price that day, and I decided to keep the Big Apple because of the body on the Hendrix strat. Otherwise I would have kept the Hendrix model hands down.

 

[Tom Hicks]

Has anybody else ever thought it weird that you can buy the gibson les paul (compensated artist endorcee) joe perry (compensated artist endorcee) model?
To me that is sorta like those gals who get married and hyphenate their name,Betty Smith-Jones.
Personally,I'm holding out for the Gibson Les Paul Joe Perry Tom Hicks model.I figure they have to get around to me sooner or later...

Tom

p.s. Hendrix bought the white american standard strat seen in the movie woodstock at Mannys,completely stock.SRV's #1 was also stock (with the addition of those hardware store stick-on letters).Clapton's Blackie was a parts guitar his road tech put together on tour in the mid 70s

 

[vox]

I don't understand why a company of Fender's stature in the music world would require using the names of Hendrix, Vaughan, Beck, Clapton, etc to promote their stuff. I guess perhaps there must be a "green" market that doesn't understand Fender (and Gibson - Page, Frehley, Perry,....) for its heritage of quality, and therefore simply wants what their "idol" plays/played.

These days all the kids are buying Ibanez 7 strings.

 

[Carter Simcoe]

SRV's #1 was also stock (with the addition of those hardware store stick-on letters)

the guitar was not stock, it was a 59 body with a 62 neck. the tremolo was replaced with left handed one and the stock frets were replaced with larger ones.

I do agree with you that signature series guitars are dumb. Dont you think it is odd that so many artists dont even use their signature series guitars on a regular basis???

 

[Tom Hicks]

thanks for the correction about SRV's details about #1 construction.But the main thing is that he or his tech did all that aftermarket.He didn't buy #1 from the custom shop or any kind of "signature".Stevie just liked the thinner 60s neck instead of the stock "clubby" 50s neck.The reverse bridge was a hendrix cop.I remember hearing a rational for it one time.Something about the trem arm hanging off the top (bass side) changing the tone as well as more convenient to grab.I also believe he used gibson jumbo wire to combat the wear from his vigorous,muscular bends.
We didn't discuss his pickups.The "Texas Specials" of today are an attempt to duplicate the uneven winding results of 50s era wire-wrapping machines.From one pickup to the next,you could have a variation of 300-400 winds of copper wire.The ones with more winds are louder (more voltage) and darker in tone.So Stevie swapped out the pickups as well.
The biggest thing that flips out most guitarists is his use of 13s.But he only did that for a short time (had to superglue the callouses back on between sets) before reverting to his more normal 11s.

Tom

 

[Hard2Hear]

I read an interview with SRV's guitar tech a couple years ago in Guitar Player or something. The story waws that SRV wanted gold hardware for #1 when they were on tour somewhere. The tech scoured the local shops and could only come up with a left-handed bridge. SRV let him put it on cause it would be kind of like Jimi, though that wasn't his reason for putting it on in the first place. he just wanted gold.

H2H

 

[rjbutchko]

.

I can see the importance of this type of marketing for "lesser" companys where they need the endorsement of a "star" to provide some indication of credibility.

As long as the quality doesn't wander.

But the Quality HAS wandered. All these "catalog stores" Where you walk in off the street and get some amazing deal on an American Standard or it's ilk are selling sub-standard grade C guitars at a bargain basement price.
I thought I was getting a great deal on my $700 Lone Star strad at Daddy's but within a month, I was having nothing but problems with the neck. I brought it back to have it fixed (the neck gave out on me) and Fender didn't outright refuse to honor my "Lifetime Limited Warranty," but they stalled for over 4 months and I wound up getting my money back (as in-store credit)
To the store's credit, they've been kinda kissing my ass ever since, so I guess some good came of it

never again
Ron