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The fire still burns...'56 Strat

Rich R

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Even after all these years, sometimes our primal passions still overcome any rational considerations--like retirement, college tuition, etc. My best friend has (finally!) decided to get his bad self a well-deserved 1924 Lloyd Loar Gibson F-5, and is raising the Big Green. Of course, I just wanted to help! Sooo...I made my contribution to the cause, and gave this little piece of Heaven a good home:

https://richrussell.smugmug.com/1956-Fender-Stratocaster/

Friends, in Stratlandia, there is NOTHING that can touch an all-original, 100%, maple neck, Ash body, Bakelitely piece of Fullerton Poundcake--enjoy! :spabout
 

hogy

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Friends, in Stratlandia, there is NOTHING that can touch an all-original, 100%, maple neck, Ash body, Bakelitely piece of Fullerton Poundcake--enjoy! :spabout


That's an alder body, as it should be by 8/56.
 

Rich R

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No, it's Ash, just look at the grain--it's easy to recognize. There are even some early '57s that have ash bodies.
 

hogy

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No, it's Ash, just look at the grain--it's easy to recognize. There are even some early '57s that have ash bodies.

It absolutely, positively is alder. I'd bet my own '56 Strat on it.
 

CDaughtry

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Hogy's right. Killer 56! My favorite Fender neck!:yah
 

Tarcisioo

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Oct 5, 2014
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Well, of course ash is a beautiful wood for strats, but Brownie was alder, so I would take alder anyways!

Killer guitar, specially for the hardtail. That's my dream guitar and I would choose to own one like her than, let's say, a burst if prices didn't matter in this world :laugh2:
 

Wilko

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Beautiful Alder strat.

Dwight Yoakam's best recordings featuring signature Tele tone were all done by Pete Anderson using a hardtail strat!!!
 

jb_abides

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A 'Wise Elder' in repose! :salude

i-8ndWmnc-X4.jpg
 

jrgtr42

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Mar 24, 2005
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Very cool...
though honestly, I wouldn't mid seeing pics of the Loar your friend is adopting.
 

blauserk

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Mar 12, 2002
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i-g6dLptD-XL.jpg


Nice! It has one of the telltales for late 1956 Strats--the worm route in the bridge pickup route "turns the corner" into the route up the middle between the pickups. I've seen that in a bunch of guitars of this era. (I have a Strat with 9/56 body and 10/56 neck.)
 

Rich R

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Jun 4, 2002
Messages
4,999
It absolutely, positively is alder. I'd bet my own '56 Strat on it.

You're right, my mistake. It's strangely grainy for Alder. Anyhoo, just wanted to update: Like I said, I bought it in a package from my friend, but it's now been several months, and much A/Bing and shootouts have taken place. I can honestly say this is the best sounding/playing vintage Strat I've ever come across, to the point where I've been selling off many of my others. I just can't see playing them over this one--I will never, ever, part with this one.

My vintage journey actually started w a blonde '58 I got when I was eighteen, and I completely bonded with it. I was going to take it to my grave (that's when they cost $300-400...)Very sadly, it was stolen three years later, and I'm not sure I've ever gotten over that loss. Since then, I've been fortunate to have owned many incredible classic electric guitars, but with this one, I feel like I've finally come home. In fact, writing that just now, it's name just came to me:
Journey's End. :salude
 
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