The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of double-cutaway electric guitar designed between 1952 and 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, Rex Gallion, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously manufactured the Stratocaster since 1954.
The guitar's distinctive body shape was revolutionary for the mid-1950s. The heavily contoured back was designed for better comfort while playing. The elongated top horn changes the balance when played standing up with a strap compared to the preceding model, the Fender Telecaster. While the original release of the Stratocaster included a vibrato system, Stratocasters without it ("hardtails") were added to the portfolio in March 1955. The modular nature of the guitar, with its easily removable components, enabled players and luthiers to perform numerous modifications to their own guitars, changing out pickups or necks to fit the needs of the player. All of these design elements were popularized and later became industry standards due to the success of the Stratocaster.
Many prominent rock musicians have been associated with the Stratocaster for use in studio recording and live performances, most notably Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Buddy Holly, George Harrison, Mark Knopfler, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, John Frusciante, Kevin Parker, Yngwie Malmsteen and Jeff Beck.
The Fender Stratocaster is one of the most iconic electric guitar models of all time, and along with the Gibson Les Paul, Gibson SG, and Fender Telecaster, it is one of the most-often emulated electric guitar shapes. It is a patented design, and "Stratocaster" and "Strat" are Fender trademarks. Therefore, imitations by other manufacturers must be shaped slightly differently, and are sometimes called S-Type or ST-type guitars, while the term "Superstrat" typically refers to third-party Stratocaster look-alikes from the 1980s onwards with innovative features such as new types of bridges or pick-up configurations. Some of these features were subsequently also offered on Fender Stratocaster models or those made under the Fender-owned brand, Squier, and the Superstrat term is sometimes also applied to these Fender and Squier models.
The Stratocaster was named by Don Randall and the name inspired by the stratosphere.
Contents
Overall design
The archetypal Stratocaster is a solid-body electric guitar with a contoured asymmetric double-cutaway body with an extended upper horn; the body is usually made from alder or ash. The neck is usually made from maple and attached to the body with screws, and has a distinctive headstock with six tuning pegs mounted inline along a single side; the fingerboard may be maple or another wood, e.g., rosewood, and has at least twenty-one frets.
The Stratocaster's body is front-routed for electronics, which are mounted in a plastic pickguard. Most Stratocasters have three single-coil pickups, a pickup selector switch, one volume control and two tone controls. Bridges generally come in two designs: the more common pivoting "tremolo" bridges, and the less common "hardtail" fixed bridge. Both types of bridge have six individually adjustable saddles whose height and intonation can be set independently. Early models of the Stratocaster came with a removable metal cover plate that fit over the bridge. The plate tended to get in the way of important playing techniques such as palm muting, so many players removed it. By the late 1970s, Fender stopped shipping guitars with the bridge cover plate, though some more modern reissue and custom shop models still have them. The innovative tremolo system is balanced by springs mounted in a rear cavity. The output jack is mounted in a recess in the front of the guitar body. Many different colors have been available. The Stratocaster's scale length is 25.5 inches (648 mm).
Fender released countless variations of the Stratocaster over the years that differed in pickup configuration, types of wood, tuning pegs and modifications to the electronics.
History
1954–1984
The Stratocaster was the first Fender guitar to feature three pickups and a spring tension vibrato system, as well as being the first Fender with a contoured body. The Stratocaster's sleek, contoured body shape (officially referred to by Fender as the "Original Contour Body") differed from the flat, squared edge design of the Telecaster.
The first model offered for sale was the 1954 Fender Stratocaster. The design featured a solid, deeply contoured ash body, a 21-fret one-piece maple neck with black dot inlays, and Kluson SafeTi String post tuning machines. The color was originally a two-color, dark brown-to-golden yellow sunburst pattern, although custom color guitars were produced (An example is Eldon Shamblin's gold Stratocaster, dated June 1954).
In 1956, Fender began using alder for sunburst and most custom-color Stratocaster bodies. Ash needed grain filler and sanding blocks for contour sanding, though it was still used on translucent blonde instruments.
In 1957, the neck shape took a more "V-shaped" feel with deeper body carves on the guitar a noted feature.
In 1959, Fender introduced a thick Brazilian rosewood fretboard to the Stratocaster, now colloquially referred to as a "slab-board". This thicker board lasted until 1962, when the fretboard was made with a thinner 'veneer' of Brazilian Rosewood. Nearly all of the 1960s models of the Stratocaster had a rosewood fretboard, and maple fretboards would not be re-introduced in large numbers until 1970.
In 1960, the available custom colors were standardized with a paint chip chart, many of which were Duco automobile lacquer colors from DuPont available at an additional 5% cost. Inter-departmental DuPont support research provided a flexible basecoat for their wood applications.
A single-ply, eight-screw hole white pickguard (changed to an 11-hole three-ply in late 1959) held all electronic components except the recessed jack plate, facilitating assembly.
The 1963 Fender Stratocaster shows a change in design from the 1950s models including Clay Dot inlays, a 3 tone sunburst finish on an Alder body and Kluson tuners.
1985–present
During the CBS era, particularly the 1970s, the perceived quality of Fender instruments fell. During this time, vintage instruments from the pre-CBS era became popular.
When the Fender company was bought from CBS by a group of investors and employees headed by Bill Schultz in 1985, manufacturing resumed its former high quality, and Fender was able to regain market share and brand reputation. Dan Smith, with the help of John Page, proceeded to work on a reissue of the most popular guitars of Leo Fender's era. Among the guitars and basses selected were two Vintage reissue Stratocaster models, the one-piece maple neck 1957 and a rosewood-fretboard 1962. Fender's Fullerton plant closed its doors in late 1984.
In 1985, Fender's US production of the Vintage reissues resumed into a new 14,000 square feet (1,300 m2) factory at Corona, California, located about 20 miles (32 km) away from Fullerton. Some early reissues from 1986 were crafted with leftover parts from the Fullerton factory. Fender released their first Stratocaster signature guitar for Eric Clapton in 1988.
A popular Fender Reissue Stratocaster was the '57 American Vintage Reissue. The company regarded 1957 as a benchmark year for the Strat. The original specifications were used, with three 57/62 pickups, aged pickup covers and knobs, a tinted 7.25" radius, 21 fret maple neck, an ashtray bridge cover, and three position switch (with five-position switch kit included). The colors included white blonde, two-color sunburst, black, ocean turquoise, surf green, and ice blue metallic. The '57 Vintage Reissue Stratocaster was discontinued in 2012.
As well as the vintage reissues, Fender launched an updated model in 1987: the American Standard Stratocaster. This was tailored to the demands of modern players, notably having a flatter fingerboard, a thinner neck profile and an improved tremolo system. This model line has been continuously improved and remained in production until late 2016. The model line received upgrades in 2000, when it was renamed as the American Series Stratocaster, and again in 2008, when the American Standard name was restored.
In 2017, the American Standard Stratocaster was replaced by the American Professional Stratocaster, with narrow frets, a fatter 'deep C' neck profile and V-Mod pickups. Various other modern American-made Stratocasters have been produced. As of 2019, these include the more affordable American Performer Stratocaster (successor to the Highway One and American Special Stratocasters) and the more expensive American Ultra Stratocaster (successor to the American Elite Stratocaster).
Fender Strat Plus Series
Fender has produced various 'deluxe' modern American Stratocasters with special features.
The Strat Plus was produced from 1987 to 1999 and was equipped with Lace Sensor pickups, a roller nut, locking tuners, a TBX tone control and a Hipshot tremsetter. The Strat Plus Deluxe was introduced in 1989 with pickup and tremolo variations. The Strat Ultra was introduced in 1990, again with pickup variations, and also with an ebony fingerboard.
Fender Custom Classic Series
The Fender Custom Shop produced an entry level, team built Stratocaster that was discontinued in 2008. The Custom Classic Strat was intended to be a combination of the best aspects of vintage and modern Strats. The guitar boasted 3 Modern Classic pickups along with a Custom Classic 2-point tremolo with pop-in tremolo bar. The "C" Shaped neck was maple with either maple or rosewood finger board and 22 jumbo frets. The colors available were three-color sunburst, daphne blue, black, bing cherry transparent, cobalt blue transparent, and honey blonde.
Fender Vintera Series
In 2019 Fender released a range of vintage-inspired guitars including three Stratocaster models. These guitars, entitled 50's, 60's and 70's Vintera Stratocaster respectively, combined different aspects of the Stratocaster models available in each decade. These features include specific neck shapes, exclusive pickups, vintage-style six point synchronized tremolos and vintage colors. A "modified" version of the 60's version was available which included a S-1 switch incorporated in the volume knob, hotter pickups and a "Modern-C"-shaped neck.
In 2023 and 2026 the Vintera II and Vintera III series of guitars were released, again including new Stratocaster models.
Vibrato system
Original Stratocasters were manufactured with five vibrato springs (three in late 1953 prototypes) attached to a milled inertia block and anchored to the back of the body. The novel mechanism pivots on a fulcrum design with a six screw bridge plate, allowing the whole set-up to "float" while transferring the strings' energy directly into the body. Though advertised as "Tremolo" (a change in volume amplitude), vibrato is the correct term for pitch variation. In the floating position, players can move the bridge-mounted vibrato tremolo arm up or down to modulate the pitch of the notes being played. Hank Marvin, Jeff Beck and Ike Turner have used the Stratocaster's floating vibrato extensively in their playing.
Leo Fender insisted Stratocasters leave the factory floating (raised up in the back) while designer Freddie Tavares preferred it tightened flush ("decked") for full bridge plate/body contact resonance. As the bridge floats, the instrument has a tendency to go out of tune during double-stop string bends. Many Stratocaster players opt to tighten the springs (or even increase the number of springs used) so that the bridge is firmly anchored against the guitar body: in this configuration, the vibrato arm can still be used to slacken the strings and therefore lower the pitch, but it cannot be used to raise the pitch (a configuration sometimes also referred to as "dive-only").
As string gauges have changed, players have experimented with the number of springs (often four though Hendrix used five). As the average gauge has decreased over the years, modern Stratocasters are equipped with three springs as a stock option in order to counteract the reduced string tension.
Some players, such as Ronnie Wood, feel that a floating bridge has an excessive propensity to detune guitars. These guitarists inhibit the bridge's movement with a chunk of wood wedged between the bridge block and the inside cutout of the tremolo cavity, and by increasing the tension on the tremolo springs; these procedures lock the bridge in a fixed position. Some Stratocasters have a fixed bridge in place of the vibrato assembly; these are colloquially called "hard-tails". There is considerable debate about the effects on tone and sustain of the material used in the vibrato system's 'inertia bar' and many aftermarket versions are available.
Signature models
Fender has released several models of Stratocaster in collaboration with famous guitarists. They include:
Litigation
Fender secured a trademark on the shape of the headstock of the Stratocaster in 1991, but was denied a trademark on the body shape in a Trademark Trial and Appeal Board decision in 2009 that also included a similar denial for the Fender Precision Bass; a judge noted that the body shape "is so common that it is depicted as a generic electric guitar […] in the 1987 edition of Random House Dictionary of the English Language".
In 2025, Fender pursued legal action against a Chinese company, Yiwu Philharmonic Musical Instruments Co, that imported S-style bodies into Germany through the online platform AliExpress. As that party failed to appear in court, in December 2025 the Düsseldorf regional court (Landgericht Düsseldorf) rendered a default judgment acknowledging the body shape of the Stratocaster as a protected work of applied art. In deviation from previous legal understanding, the body shape would therefore be considered as more than functional, and be recognised as copyrighted in Germany and the European Union.
The court found the instruments in question to have been illegally copying the Stratocaster design, and prohibited the production and sale of such instruments in Germany and the EU. According to the judgement, infractions can lead to penalties of up to 250,000 Euros or prison terms.
In May 2026, it was reported that Fender had, via its legal counsel Bird & Bird, started sending cease and desist letters asking makers and sellers of S-type guitars selling in the European Union to stop and desist in their activities, with demands including the recall and deduction all remaining inventory. This sparked a backlash among the guitar community, with musician Tim Pierce describing it as "brand suicide". Fender has argued the ruling protects "fair competition". One confirmed recipient of a cease-and-desist was PRS Guitars, manufacturer of the popular PRS Silver Sky, a Stratocaster-style guitar that has several notable differences from Fender designs. Another prominent recipient is Yamaha Corporation, whose Pacifica series features some Stratocaster-style designs.
On 22 June 2026, Thomann, the largest music retailer in Europe and owner of the Harley Benton brand of guitars, many of which have Stratocaster-style designs, announced it would be pursuing legal action against Fender in response to the cease and desist campaign. Thomann stated they were taking legal action because they were concerned the matter could "affect the future of diversity, innovation and competition in our industry", arguing that "free use of the Stratocaster as a model for one’s own creations has been and remains the basis for countless further developments from which the entire guitar world has benefited".