LET'S DISPEL A MYTH
The first of the many “Anniversary” Stratocasters, limited edition instruments so called because born to commemorate Stratocaster’s, Fender’s or Custom Shop’s birth, was unveiled during the CBS era, in 1979.
Since then, the Anniversary Stratocasters made to celebrate a special date for FMIC have been numerous.
However, these models have often generated discussion and controversy as Fender, besides producing the Anniversary guitars, used to recall the anniversary with stickers, medallions or commemorative neck plates applied on all its instruments, thus often leading consumers to believe that a simple Stratocaster made in one of the anniversary years is an Anniversary model. Actually the real Anniversary strats are much less than those that can be found in the various musical markets.
Since then, the Anniversary Stratocasters made to celebrate a special date for FMIC have been numerous.
However, these models have often generated discussion and controversy as Fender, besides producing the Anniversary guitars, used to recall the anniversary with stickers, medallions or commemorative neck plates applied on all its instruments, thus often leading consumers to believe that a simple Stratocaster made in one of the anniversary years is an Anniversary model. Actually the real Anniversary strats are much less than those that can be found in the various musical markets.
In 1994, for example, all the “factory” Stratocasters exhibited on the headstock a commemorative medallion and had a neck plate bearing the engraving "1994 Fender STRATOCASTER 40 Years ...and still rockin!". On the 1996 Fender anniversary the Stratocasters featured a celebratory sticker on the back of the headstock "Fender 1946-1996 50 Years of Excellence". But neither of these were Anniversary models. In the same way that, all those Fender instruments which in 2004, 2006 or 2014 had only the commemorative neck plate or medallions, or the 2002 Squiers, with their neck plate reminiscent of the twentieth anniversary, were not Anniversary models.
The Custom Shop also celebrated its thirty years (2017) and the thirty years of the Signature (2018) with some special logos, but in this case too they were not Anniversary models. In the next chapters some of the main real Anniversary Stratocasters made by Fender will be introduced :
The Custom Shop also celebrated its thirty years (2017) and the thirty years of the Signature (2018) with some special logos, but in this case too they were not Anniversary models. In the next chapters some of the main real Anniversary Stratocasters made by Fender will be introduced :
Antonio Calvosa
In 1994 all the Stratocaster had a commemorative medallion on the headstock
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Commemorative neck plate of the 1994 factory stratocasters
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Fender Commemorative sticker of 1996
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2002 was the 20th anniversary of Squier; all Squier Stratocasters had this commemorative neck plate
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In 2004 all factory Fender Stratocasters had the 50th anniversary commemorative neck plate
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2006, the "diamond" anniversary: all Fender factory instruments had this commemorative medallion on the back of the headstock
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2014: after 60 years from its birth the Stratocaster is still one of the most important electric Spanish guitar; all factory stratocasters had this special neck plate
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2017 was the 30th anniversary of the birth of Fender Custom Shop: all Custom Shop instruments made during this year had this special logo
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2018 was the 30th anniversary from the first Fender signature guitar; the Custom Shop recalled this event with a special logo applied on all its custom artist models
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The headstock of the "factory" Stratocasters made in 2021, the 75th Fender's anniversary
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The back of the headstock of a regular Stratocaster made in 2024
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