Guitar Story #19 Fender Classic Series 70s Stratocaster
Details
- 2004 Fender Classic Series Stratocaster
- Year Purchased: 2020
- Price Paid: $540.00
- Notes: Great 70s Strat vibe for pretty cheap
I really didn’t need another guitar. Especially not another Strat. But The perfect storm of isolation gas, 70s rock biographies and a pending birthday led me to this one. I like 70s Strats. That doesn’t mean I don’t like 50s and 60s Strats. I like those very much. But 70s Strats have a vibe all their own and if you get a good one it can be a really useful and inspiring guitar.
That said, this guitar is not a 70s Strat. It’s a 2004 Fender Classic Series 70s Stratocaster. It does do a pretty good job of capturing the 70s vibe though. Enough to satisfy my hankering for the real deal. It came with some modifications. It has 3 Lindy Fralin Blues Special pickups and the white plastics were swapped for black. I don’t know if it’s the pickups, the body, the neck or what but it’s a pretty special sounding guitar. It’s much more clear and detailed than my other Strat and has more output. I’ve already used this in some recordings and it rivals my Telecaster for squeezing itself into a crowded track.
The overall quality of this guitar is great. It’s much closer to my USA Reissue Tele than my MIM Standard Fender in that department. Fender discontinued this model in 2018 and replaced it with the Vintera 70s Stratocaster but the Classic Series are still out there and deals can still be had. I’m really glad that there are enough of us 70s Strat fans/weirdos out there to keep Fender offering models like these.
