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I was in Encore Music on Saturday and saw a Strat. Has a maple fretboard,
which I prefer. Has the narrow head and old logo. The neck and action were
amazing, played itself. The odd thing was... No pole pieces showing, just
white plastic. I thought it was some kind of aftermarket product but, upon
closer inspection, "Fender" was impressed in the plastic! I've never seen
these pickups before. The control knobs were different too. Had the F. No
blade switch. Instead, 3 push-button on/off switches for the pups. (Allows
neck & bridge with no swapping.) Finally, although the bridge assembly
appeared fused to the wood, there was a hole for a bar. The Fender name was
on that too. And it said "elite" on the neck plate.
I'd never seen ANY of this stuff before (I don't get out much. <G>) The guy
there told me that this stuff was only used for 2 years in the early 80s.
Says there's some hum-cancelling deal inside and that the pickups are
active. Also said that the whammy is down-only.
Do we like how it sounds? I didn't have it plugged in. (The wife had already
gone outside to wait.) I really really liked how it felt. Would I like it as
much to hear it?
Thanks for comments, guys.
--
Malcolm <<-- not a signature
"They should know they're the Grateful Dead now." -- Phil
"It's never too late to be up-to-date" -- Dan Hicks
"My clock loses time like there's no tomorrow" -- Malcolm
MalcomO:
It sounds like you ran into one of the "Lace Sensor
pickup/push-button selector" mid-1980s Fenders...they were
endorsed by Eric Clapton and others from circa
1982-1985...I had a friend with one, he played in a
jazz/punk combo back in the day...it sounded great. Not a
"trad" sounding instrument, but mucho interestante in the
toneage department. I believe you should play one through
a Fender amp and hear for yourself. Definately a cool
instrument and highly collectable...if I found one at the
right price< I would include it in my arsenal. I don't
think you have to have a mullet to play this guitar, in
fact you might be able to coax some unique tones out of
it...I know that many believe that trad-vintage-authentic
guitars are a must for surf...but, as you may have
guessed...I believe that the creativity factor will far
outweigh any trad bias.
good luck,
dp
--- MalcolmO <> wrote:
> I was in Encore Music on Saturday and saw a Strat. Has a
> maple fretboard,
> which I prefer. Has the narrow head and old logo. The
> neck and action were
> amazing, played itself. The odd thing was... No pole
> pieces showing, just
> white plastic. I thought it was some kind of aftermarket
> product but, upon
> closer inspection, "Fender" was impressed in the plastic!
> I've never seen
> these pickups before. The control knobs were different
> too. Had the F. No
> blade switch. Instead, 3 push-button on/off switches for
> the pups. (Allows
> neck & bridge with no swapping.) Finally, although the
> bridge assembly
> appeared fused to the wood, there was a hole for a bar.
> The Fender name was
> on that too. And it said "elite" on the neck plate.
>
> I'd never seen ANY of this stuff before (I don't get out
> much. <G>) The guy
> there told me that this stuff was only used for 2 years
> in the early 80s.
> Says there's some hum-cancelling deal inside and that the
> pickups are
> active. Also said that the whammy is down-only.
>
> Do we like how it sounds? I didn't have it plugged in.
> (The wife had already
> gone outside to wait.) I really really liked how it felt.
> Would I like it as
> much to hear it?
>
> Thanks for comments, guys.
> --
> Malcolm <<-- not a signature
> "They should know they're the Grateful Dead now." -- Phil
> "It's never too late to be up-to-date" -- Dan Hicks
> "My clock loses time like there's no tomorrow" -- Malcolm
>
>
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> I believe you should play one through
> a Fender amp and hear for yourself.
Definitely. Gonna take 2 weeks! ARG!
> Definately a cool
> instrument and highly collectable...if I found one at the
> right price< I would include it in my arsenal.
They have 2. The good looking one (natural wood body - beautiful! - rosewood
board) is CAD$795. The good feeling one is CAD$850. I didn't think it
unreasonable. In fact, in a better cash position, I probably would've bought it.
--
Malcolm <<-- not a signature
"They should know they're the Grateful Dead now." -- Phil
"It's never too late to be up-to-date" -- Dan Hicks
"My clock loses time like there's no tomorrow" -- Malcolm
Hey Malcolm,
Where's Encore Music? I see from the phone book they're on the
Danforth, but I can't place it...
I've got a strat (AV 62 re-issue) and don't need another, so don't
worry, I'm not going to scoop your guitar!
I'm just curious about the store...anything else worth checking out
in there?
Rio
--- In , MalcolmO <MalcolmO@c...> wrote:
> > I believe you should play one through
> > a Fender amp and hear for yourself.
>
> Definitely. Gonna take 2 weeks! ARG!
>
> > Definately a cool
> > instrument and highly collectable...if I found one at the
> > right price< I would include it in my arsenal.
>
> They have 2. The good looking one (natural wood body - beautiful! -
rosewood
> board) is CAD$795. The good feeling one is CAD$850. I didn't think
it
> unreasonable. In fact, in a better cash position, I probably
would've bought it.
> --
> Malcolm <<-- not a signature
> "They should know they're the Grateful Dead now." -- Phil
> "It's never too late to be up-to-date" -- Dan Hicks
> "My clock loses time like there's no tomorrow" -- Malcolm
I used to have one of those Elite Strats. I wouldn't recommend it for
surf. It has active electronics, which makes it punchier than a
regular strat, and it loses a little of the cool Strat tone. I owned
it since the 80's and was never very crazy about it. And I'm not sure
how colectible they are, at least yet anyway. I had a difficult time
unloading it on eBay.
--- In , MalcolmO <MalcolmO@c...> wrote:
> > I believe you should play one through
> > a Fender amp and hear for yourself.
>
> Definitely. Gonna take 2 weeks! ARG!
>
> > Definately a cool
> > instrument and highly collectable...if I found one at the
> > right price< I would include it in my arsenal.
>
> They have 2. The good looking one (natural wood body - beautiful! -
rosewood
> board) is CAD$795. The good feeling one is CAD$850. I didn't think it
> unreasonable. In fact, in a better cash position, I probably
would've bought it.
> --
> Malcolm <<-- not a signature
> "They should know they're the Grateful Dead now." -- Phil
> "It's never too late to be up-to-date" -- Dan Hicks
> "My clock loses time like there's no tomorrow" -- Malcolm
Malcolm, there was also an Elite Strat in Songbird shop. I don't
think I've EVER seen one of these in person - I guess they're all in
Toronto!
Strat Elite was made around '82-'83 period, and was a big flop. It
predates all the (much higher quality) Lace Sensor Strat Plus and
Strat Ultra models, which were not produced until '88 or '89. Strat
Elite was done in the dying days of Fender CBS, right before they
sold the company to current owners. Fender was bleeding cash very
badly, and CBS finally got a few people in that understood the Fender
legacy. They capitalized on it by starting production of 1) the
ultimately insanely successful and still ongoing Vintage Reissue line
('57 and '62 Strats); 2) a simple, good sounding Strat Standard; and
3) a modernized Strat intended for newer styles of music - that was
the Strat Elite, and I think it was the top of the line. As you
pointed out, it had active pickups with a dummy coil which acted as a
humbucker, while retaining some of the single coil sounds. It had a
radically redesigned tremolo, as well as the entire tone control
circuit, with the pushbuttons. Also, the shape of the pickguard and
the routing underneath is non-standard, so don't buy it thinking
you'll be able to replace the electronics - you probably won't.
There were some good ideas there, but ultimately it all degraded the
sound of the Strat to something quite generic, from what I
understand. In addition, Fenders made during this era didn't have a
good reputation for quality, though I'm sure there were more than a
few that were fine guitars.
That's all I can remember about it. I hope that helps. Unless you
plan on playing in a real, gigging band, don't worry about the trad
sound, etc. Most of the playing done around the house in unplugged
anyway, so the feel is much more important than the sound, I think.
If you love how you feel, then it's got your name written on it!
Have fun.
Ivan
--- In , MalcolmO <MalcolmO@c...> wrote:
> I was in Encore Music on Saturday and saw a Strat. Has a maple
fretboard,
> which I prefer. Has the narrow head and old logo. The neck and
action were
> amazing, played itself. The odd thing was... No pole pieces
showing, just
> white plastic. I thought it was some kind of aftermarket product
but, upon
> closer inspection, "Fender" was impressed in the plastic! I've
never seen
> these pickups before. The control knobs were different too. Had the
F. No
> blade switch. Instead, 3 push-button on/off switches for the pups.
(Allows
> neck & bridge with no swapping.) Finally, although the bridge
assembly
> appeared fused to the wood, there was a hole for a bar. The Fender
name was
> on that too. And it said "elite" on the neck plate.
>
> I'd never seen ANY of this stuff before (I don't get out much. <G>)
The guy
> there told me that this stuff was only used for 2 years in the
early 80s.
> Says there's some hum-cancelling deal inside and that the pickups
are
> active. Also said that the whammy is down-only.
>
> Do we like how it sounds? I didn't have it plugged in. (The wife
had already
> gone outside to wait.) I really really liked how it felt. Would I
like it as
> much to hear it?
>
> Thanks for comments, guys.
> --
> Malcolm <<-- not a signature
> "They should know they're the Grateful Dead now." -- Phil
> "It's never too late to be up-to-date" -- Dan Hicks
> "My clock loses time like there's no tomorrow" -- Malcolm
Oh, I just remembered one more thing. There was one relatively high-
profile user of the Strat Elite - Ty Tabor of King's X. That was his
main axe until Yamaha made him a signature model - heavily based on
the Strat Elite. He's the only one I know of, though. Black Francis
aka Frank Black (formerly of the Pixies) and Dave Davies of the Kinks
both used a Tele Elite for a while, I think.
--- In , "ipongrac" <ipongrac@g...>
wrote:
> Malcolm, there was also an Elite Strat in Songbird shop. I don't
> think I've EVER seen one of these in person - I guess they're all
in
> Toronto!
>
> Strat Elite was made around '82-'83 period, and was a big flop. It
> predates all the (much higher quality) Lace Sensor Strat Plus and
> Strat Ultra models, which were not produced until '88 or '89.
Strat
> Elite was done in the dying days of Fender CBS, right before they
> sold the company to current owners. Fender was bleeding cash very
> badly, and CBS finally got a few people in that understood the
Fender
> legacy. They capitalized on it by starting production of 1) the
> ultimately insanely successful and still ongoing Vintage Reissue
line
> ('57 and '62 Strats); 2) a simple, good sounding Strat Standard;
and
> 3) a modernized Strat intended for newer styles of music - that was
> the Strat Elite, and I think it was the top of the line. As you
> pointed out, it had active pickups with a dummy coil which acted as
a
> humbucker, while retaining some of the single coil sounds. It had
a
> radically redesigned tremolo, as well as the entire tone control
> circuit, with the pushbuttons. Also, the shape of the pickguard
and
> the routing underneath is non-standard, so don't buy it thinking
> you'll be able to replace the electronics - you probably won't.
> There were some good ideas there, but ultimately it all degraded
the
> sound of the Strat to something quite generic, from what I
> understand. In addition, Fenders made during this era didn't have
a
> good reputation for quality, though I'm sure there were more than a
> few that were fine guitars.
>
> That's all I can remember about it. I hope that helps. Unless you
> plan on playing in a real, gigging band, don't worry about the trad
> sound, etc. Most of the playing done around the house in unplugged
> anyway, so the feel is much more important than the sound, I
think.
> If you love how you feel, then it's got your name written on it!
>
> Have fun.
> Ivan
>
> --- In , MalcolmO <MalcolmO@c...>
wrote:
> > I was in Encore Music on Saturday and saw a Strat. Has a maple
> fretboard,
> > which I prefer. Has the narrow head and old logo. The neck and
> action were
> > amazing, played itself. The odd thing was... No pole pieces
> showing, just
> > white plastic. I thought it was some kind of aftermarket product
> but, upon
> > closer inspection, "Fender" was impressed in the plastic! I've
> never seen
> > these pickups before. The control knobs were different too. Had
the
> F. No
> > blade switch. Instead, 3 push-button on/off switches for the
pups.
> (Allows
> > neck & bridge with no swapping.) Finally, although the bridge
> assembly
> > appeared fused to the wood, there was a hole for a bar. The
Fender
> name was
> > on that too. And it said "elite" on the neck plate.
> >
> > I'd never seen ANY of this stuff before (I don't get out much.
<G>)
> The guy
> > there told me that this stuff was only used for 2 years in the
> early 80s.
> > Says there's some hum-cancelling deal inside and that the pickups
> are
> > active. Also said that the whammy is down-only.
> >
> > Do we like how it sounds? I didn't have it plugged in. (The wife
> had already
> > gone outside to wait.) I really really liked how it felt. Would I
> like it as
> > much to hear it?
> >
> > Thanks for comments, guys.
> > --
> > Malcolm <<-- not a signature
> > "They should know they're the Grateful Dead now." -- Phil
> > "It's never too late to be up-to-date" -- Dan Hicks
> > "My clock loses time like there's no tomorrow" -- Malcolm
> Where's Encore Music? I see from the phone book they're on the
> Danforth, but I can't place it...
It's on Danforth *_RD._*, just before it hits Danforth Ave., just west of
Warden.
> anything else worth checking out
> in there?
'63 Jag for $1795. :) In fact, you'd probably find it a fairly fascinating
place. They always seem to have stuff you've never seen before as well as
the more common popular stuff. I wanted to check if they had tanks but I
didn't have much time there and I'm mostly a Strat-seeking device. :)
--
Malcolm <<-- not a signature
"They should know they're the Grateful Dead now." -- Phil
"It's never too late to be up-to-date" -- Dan Hicks
"My clock loses time like there's no tomorrow" -- Malcolm
> active electronics, which makes it punchier than a
> regular strat, and it loses a little of the cool Strat tone.
Now you have me wondering about the possibility of swapping the neck and
bridge pups with regular Strat ones or Duncans and leaving the middle one
active for those times when you're not playing surf (did I say that?). It
would still have the push buttons for engaging the 2. Hmm... Would cost a
few bucks but might be doable.
Thanks for your comments.
--
Malcolm <<-- not a signature
"They should know they're the Grateful Dead now." -- Phil
"It's never too late to be up-to-date" -- Dan Hicks
"My clock loses time like there's no tomorrow" -- Malcolm
