Description
Stunning π 1983 Fender USA Stratocaster with OHSC, $2499!
The 1983 USA Fender Stratocaster Standard is a notable model in the history of the Fender Stratocaster, representing a period of transition for the company. Produced during the early 1980s, this guitar embodies the classic Stratocaster design while also featuring some unique attributes specific to that era. With its maple fretboard, the 1983 Stratocaster Standard offers the bright, articulate tone that has made the Stratocaster a favorite among guitarists for decades.
Key Features
Body and Construction:
- Body Material: Typically made from alder, this body material is known for its balanced tone, offering a blend of warmth and clarity with good resonance and sustain.
Neck and Fingerboard:
- Neck Material: The neck is made from maple, known for its stability and bright tonal qualities. Maple necks are prized for their smooth feel and ability to produce a clear, articulate sound.
- Fingerboard: The 1983 model features a maple fingerboard, which enhances the guitar’s brightness and snap, contributing to the classic Stratocaster tone.
- Neck Profile: The neck typically features a “C”-shaped profile, which is comfortable for a wide range of hand sizes and playing styles. This profile is designed to offer a balance between playability and support, making it easy to navigate the fretboard.
- Scale Length: The standard 25.5-inch scale length contributes to the guitar’s bright, snappy tone, making it ideal for both rhythm and lead playing.
- Frets: The guitar comes with 21 frets, which was standard for Stratocasters of that time. The frets are medium-jumbo, allowing for smooth playability and easy bending.
Hardware:
- Bridge: One of the distinctive features of the 1983 Stratocaster Standard is its Freeflyte top-mount tremolo system, which was unique to Fender guitars produced during this period. Unlike traditional Stratocaster tremolos, the Freeflyte system did not require a rear cavity and was designed to offer improved tuning stability and a smoother tremolo action.
- Tuners: The guitar is equipped with Fender’s sealed, self-lubricating tuners, which provide reliable tuning stability and smooth operation. These tuners were designed to offer precise tuning adjustments, crucial for maintaining intonation during performances.
- Pickguard: The 1983 Stratocaster typically features a one-piece pickguard and control cover assembly, which was another distinctive design element of this era. This pickguard design contributes to the guitar’s streamlined appearance.
Electronics:
- Pickups: The guitar is equipped with three single-coil pickups, which are known for their bright, articulate sound and versatility. These pickups deliver the classic Stratocaster tones, ranging from crisp, clean highs to warm, bluesy mids and punchy lows.
- Controls: The 1983 model features a slightly different control layout compared to earlier models. It includes a master volume knob, a master tone knob, and a pickup selector switch. This simplified control scheme was part of Fender’s effort to modernize the Stratocaster’s design during this period.
- Pickup Selector: The guitar comes with a 5-way pickup selector switch, allowing for versatile tone-shaping options. Players can choose between different combinations of the three pickups to achieve a wide range of sounds, from sparkling cleans to gritty overdriven tones.
Sound Characteristics
Bright and Articulate: The maple fingerboard, combined with the single-coil pickups, gives the 1983 Stratocaster Standard a bright and clear tone that cuts through the mix. This makes it an excellent choice for styles that require clarity and precision, such as rock, blues, and pop.
Versatile Tone: The combination of three single-coil pickups and the 5-way selector switch provides a versatile range of tones. Whether you need sparkling clean sounds, gritty overdrives, or something in between, this Stratocaster can deliver.
Classic Stratocaster Sound: Despite some of its unique features, the 1983 Stratocaster Standard retains the classic Stratocaster sound that has been a staple in popular music for decades. It is capable of producing the legendary “quack” in the 2nd and 4th pickup positions, a hallmark of the Stratocaster’s tone.