Elite advert (1983 catalog)
Toward the middle of 1983 Fender decided to divide Stratocaster’s production in two lines, one economic and one premium, excluding the Vintage and other special models. In May 1983 a new Fender with a revolutionary electronics joined the Standard Stratocaster second version (the economic with only two knobs one): Elite Stratocaster (not to be confused with the 2016 American Elite Series).
Born under the supervision of Dan Smith, John Page and the evergreen Freddie Tavares, it had a lot in common with its “poor” cousin, the two knobs Standard Stratocaster: big frets and flat fretboard, Biflex Truss Rod, and the unfortunate Freeflyte Tremolo, although apparently more massive.
However, it was able to get a variety of sounds never heard before, as the slogans with which it was presented recited: «From the classic Fender sound to a fat humbacking sound», «Best of both worlds» and «Your favourite Fender - and non-Fender - sounds». This was possible thanks to an active preamp circuit associated with the MDX boost which, acting on medium frequencies, allowed to get sounds that ranged from the classic Fender sound to the one which “should have” imitated the humbucker, and to the new TBX tone control system shortly after applied also on the American Standard, Strat Plus and Clapton Stratocaster. TBX allowed to cut treble and bass by turning the tone knob, differently from the classic tone pot which cut only treble. However, the exaltation of the mids deriving from the attenuation of the other two frequencies let suppose that it was an active system; instead it was passive, as it cut and it did not amplify. Hence the different interpretations of the acronym: Treble Bass eXpander and Treble Bass Cuts (X).
Three buttons controlled the numerous combinations of its three pickups, whose Alnico II poles were hidden by the covers. In order to reduce the buzz Elite Stratocaster was equipped with a hum cancelling system, in whose core there was a dummy coil, halfway between the bridge pickup and the central one.
The string tree Ezy Glider and the side-mounted jack input socket appeared for the first time on this guitar.
Born under the supervision of Dan Smith, John Page and the evergreen Freddie Tavares, it had a lot in common with its “poor” cousin, the two knobs Standard Stratocaster: big frets and flat fretboard, Biflex Truss Rod, and the unfortunate Freeflyte Tremolo, although apparently more massive.
However, it was able to get a variety of sounds never heard before, as the slogans with which it was presented recited: «From the classic Fender sound to a fat humbacking sound», «Best of both worlds» and «Your favourite Fender - and non-Fender - sounds». This was possible thanks to an active preamp circuit associated with the MDX boost which, acting on medium frequencies, allowed to get sounds that ranged from the classic Fender sound to the one which “should have” imitated the humbucker, and to the new TBX tone control system shortly after applied also on the American Standard, Strat Plus and Clapton Stratocaster. TBX allowed to cut treble and bass by turning the tone knob, differently from the classic tone pot which cut only treble. However, the exaltation of the mids deriving from the attenuation of the other two frequencies let suppose that it was an active system; instead it was passive, as it cut and it did not amplify. Hence the different interpretations of the acronym: Treble Bass eXpander and Treble Bass Cuts (X).
Three buttons controlled the numerous combinations of its three pickups, whose Alnico II poles were hidden by the covers. In order to reduce the buzz Elite Stratocaster was equipped with a hum cancelling system, in whose core there was a dummy coil, halfway between the bridge pickup and the central one.
The string tree Ezy Glider and the side-mounted jack input socket appeared for the first time on this guitar.
Stratocaster Elite
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Elite advert (1983 catalog)
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It was available in the two variants Gold Elite Stratocaster, which, differently from the basic model, had a gold plated hardware and pearloid tuning machine buttons, and Walnut Elite Stratocaster, that, besides having a golden hardware, had both the neck and the body in walnut and the fretboard in ebony.
It must be said that, at the end of 1983, Fender Japan also produced a small number of Elite Stratocasters, equipped with twenty-two frets, for the Japanese domestic market.
It must be said that, at the end of 1983, Fender Japan also produced a small number of Elite Stratocasters, equipped with twenty-two frets, for the Japanese domestic market.
Antonio Calvosa
La Gold Elite Stratocaster (hendrixguitar.com)
La Walnut Elite Stratocaster
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