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The History of the Fender Stratocaster: The 1950s

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  • Fender Stratocaster Overview

    An overview of the Fender Stratocaster, the 1954 solid-body electric guitar that became one of the most influential instruments in popular music.

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  • 1954 Fender Stratocaster

    United States

    A year-specific Stratocaster variant representing the model's first production year.

  • Technical line drawing of Fender Stratocaster

    Fender Stratocaster

    Electric guitar

    Introduced by Fender in 1954, the Stratocaster is one of the most influential and widely imitated electric guitars ever made. Its contoured double-cutaway solid body, bolt-on maple neck, three single-coil pickups with a five-way selector, and synchronized vibrato bridge produce a bright, articulate voice that has shaped rock, blues, pop, surf, and country. Players from Buddy Holly and Jimi Hendrix to Eric Clapton and David Gilmour built signature tones on it, and the design has anchored Fender's line for seven decades.