40TH ANNIVERSARY OF the STRATOCASTER
In 1994, to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Stratocaster, Fender fitted all factory-built American Standard and Plus Series Stratocaster models produced throughout 1994 with a commemorative medallion located on the ball of the headstock and a neck plate with “1994 Fender STRATOCASTER 40 Years ...and still rockin!” engraved. These regular production guitars should not be confused with the official anniversary Stratocasters released by Fender in the same year.
In 1994 Fender also produced some American Standard and Strat Plus guitars with an aluminum body, which were available in three finishes: Blue Metal Burst, Violet Metal Burst, and Stars and Stripes. Although they were limited edition guitars, they were not the official anniversary models.
In 1994 Fender also produced some American Standard and Strat Plus guitars with an aluminum body, which were available in three finishes: Blue Metal Burst, Violet Metal Burst, and Stars and Stripes. Although they were limited edition guitars, they were not the official anniversary models.
THE 1954 40TH ANNIVERSARY STRATOCASTER
Despite some rumors of possible involvement of the Custom Shop in the production of the 1954 40th Anniversary Stratocaster, this guitar was crafted in the Fender factory in 1994. Probably it is sometimes mistaken for a Custom Shop model because each of the 1954 units was serialized in the style of 0001 of 1954 on the back of the headstock, like some Custom Shop limited edition instruments, or due to nitrocellulose finish, that was not a standard factory process in those days.
During the research and development process some early Stratocasters were examined, including the Stratocaster #0100 owned by Richard Smith, an internationally known collector and expert on the history of electric guitars and curator of the Leo Fender Gallery at the Fullerton Museum Center, also well-known because the author of the book “Fender: The Sound Heard 'Round the World.”
However, the 1954 40th Anniversary Strat was not a replica of the very first Strats, but it doesn’t mean that Fender got it wrong because designing a precise reproduction of the 1954 Stratocasters was not the plan. Some features of the original guitar were reproduced, like the 2-Color Sunburst nitrocellulose lacquer finish, the 7.25” radius fretboard, the 21 vintage-style frets, and the early type of truss rod adjustment located at the heel end of the neck, but others were not vintage-correct, such as the modern shaped volume and tone knobs, pickup covers, and the switch tip.
During the research and development process some early Stratocasters were examined, including the Stratocaster #0100 owned by Richard Smith, an internationally known collector and expert on the history of electric guitars and curator of the Leo Fender Gallery at the Fullerton Museum Center, also well-known because the author of the book “Fender: The Sound Heard 'Round the World.”
However, the 1954 40th Anniversary Strat was not a replica of the very first Strats, but it doesn’t mean that Fender got it wrong because designing a precise reproduction of the 1954 Stratocasters was not the plan. Some features of the original guitar were reproduced, like the 2-Color Sunburst nitrocellulose lacquer finish, the 7.25” radius fretboard, the 21 vintage-style frets, and the early type of truss rod adjustment located at the heel end of the neck, but others were not vintage-correct, such as the modern shaped volume and tone knobs, pickup covers, and the switch tip.

Two 1994 advertisements featuring Eric Gales (or Yngwie Malmsteen) with a picture of Jimi Hendrix. Although Eric and Yngwie are pictured holding a Strat under their arm it’s not the anniversary model, but at least a small image of the 1954 Limited Edition does appear at the bottom of these 1994 adverts. The tagline reads, “A legend. A master. And a 40 year-old guitar.”
Furthermore, the neck was designed to be slimmer than the original and its soft “V” profile was not period-accurate, and also the shape of the headstock was slightly different from that of the early original Stratocasters.
Other features included a 1-ply 8-hole white pickguard, a 3-way switch, a round string retainer, a vintage-style bridge and tuning machines, three ‘54 Strat single-coil pickups with staggered and beveled pole pieces, and a commemorative neck plate stamped with “Fender 40th ANNIVERSARY STRATOCASTER 1994”.
Other features included a 1-ply 8-hole white pickguard, a 3-way switch, a round string retainer, a vintage-style bridge and tuning machines, three ‘54 Strat single-coil pickups with staggered and beveled pole pieces, and a commemorative neck plate stamped with “Fender 40th ANNIVERSARY STRATOCASTER 1994”.
The holes in the tremolo spring cover plate were round like those on the original Strats, but every 1954 40th Anniversary Stratocaster was equipped with a back plate stamped with the number 1954, rather than the serial number as it was on the earliest 1954 Stratocasters.
A vintage-style strap, a cable, an owner's information sheet, copies of the 1954 catalog and the original advertisement for the Stratocaster, and a reproduction of the original letter to dealers from Don Randall were included in the package.
A vintage-style strap, a cable, an owner's information sheet, copies of the 1954 catalog and the original advertisement for the Stratocaster, and a reproduction of the original letter to dealers from Don Randall were included in the package.
THE DIAMOND DEALER 40TH ANNIVERSARY STRATOCASTER
To celebrate the 1994 anniversary, the Fender Custom Shop manufactured 150 Diamond Dealer 40th Anniversary Stratocaster, which was essentially a team-built model, although the term wasn’t in use at the time.
The Diamond Dealer 40th Anniversary Stratocaster featured a highly flamed two-piece book-matched maple top on a lightweight swamp ash body, gold leaf Fender and “40th” logos on the front of the headstock, abalone fret-markers, and gold-plated hardware.
To ensure the guitar looks great, the pickguard was given the 22-karat gold treatment, a pair of gold-plated Schaller security locks for the matching strap buttons was included in the package, and the set of three Custom ‘50s pickups, winded by Abigail Ybarra, sported gold-plated pickup pole pieces. |
Unlike the 50 guitars destined for export, the 100 guitars earmarked for distribution within the home market gained a solid Gold Custom Shop V logo with an inset diamond in the center.
J.W. Black, John Page, and Pamelina Hovnatanian were involved in the development of the model, but a select group of external specialists also contributed to the design and production of the Diamond Dealer Anniversary Stratocaster.
Pamelina worked as an independent contractor in her home studio in Sunland, California. When she was just 10 years old, she published her first illustration for Vampirella magazine, and she began her professional career at the age of 13. She illustrated and designed just about everything: portraits, cycles and helmets, musician and concert logos, tattoos, and guitars.
J.W. Black, John Page, and Pamelina Hovnatanian were involved in the development of the model, but a select group of external specialists also contributed to the design and production of the Diamond Dealer Anniversary Stratocaster.
Pamelina worked as an independent contractor in her home studio in Sunland, California. When she was just 10 years old, she published her first illustration for Vampirella magazine, and she began her professional career at the age of 13. She illustrated and designed just about everything: portraits, cycles and helmets, musician and concert logos, tattoos, and guitars.
She first met John Page at the 1987 NAMM show at Anaheim, where she showed him a guitar she had painted for herself. At that time, John was on the lookout for new ways to bring talent into the Custom Shop, and she came along at the right time: “People approached me all the time, but other artists’ work just hadn’t grabbed me the way hers did. Her images were lively and vivid, with a real spark and kind of whimsical, humorous thing. I could tell that she had a lot of talent, but I could also tell that she was someone I could just turn loose.”
Since then, Pamelina has worked on some of the Custom Shop’s most memorable guitars: the Regina Del Mare, the Harley Davidson, the Playboy, and the Jimi Hendrix Monterey Strats, to name a few. |
All the gold-plated pickguard had been engraved by Ron Chacey on a design of Pamelina H., while a wonderful inlay at the twelfth fret depicting a parchment with the dates “1954-1994” had been carved by Larry Sifel.
All the 40th Anniversary Diamond Dealer Strats were supplied with a 14-karat Custom Shop ring inscribed on the inside with the serial number of the guitar that it was paired up with and inset with a diamond at the center of the V logo design. The ring was designed by Pamelina and made by a guy named Art, who worked at Florians Fine Jewelry in the state of Illinois.
All the 40th Anniversary Diamond Dealer Strats were supplied with a 14-karat Custom Shop ring inscribed on the inside with the serial number of the guitar that it was paired up with and inset with a diamond at the center of the V logo design. The ring was designed by Pamelina and made by a guy named Art, who worked at Florians Fine Jewelry in the state of Illinois.
The production process involved various team members working on the same instrument (necks were hand-selected and matched to the bodies by a young John Cruz and Duane Boulanger) supervised by J.W. Black.
OTHER CUSTOM SHOP MODELS
Around the same time that the Custom Shop was manufacturing the Diamond Dealer model, some different 40th Anniversary Stratocasters were being created at the shop.
23 Limited Edition 40th Anniversary Stratocaster were made in 1994, all with a Candy Apple Red finish. These guitars featured a figured maple neck and gold hardware, and were recognizable for a commemorative inlay at the twelfth fret.
23 Limited Edition 40th Anniversary Stratocaster were made in 1994, all with a Candy Apple Red finish. These guitars featured a figured maple neck and gold hardware, and were recognizable for a commemorative inlay at the twelfth fret.
Forty 40th Anniversary Concert Edition Stratocaster in ruby red lacquer finish and gold-plated hardware were commissioned by Ray Minhinnett, who came up with the anniversary model’s name as a promotional vehicle to promote the TV Film Curves, Contours and Body Horns and that went into pre-production in 1993.
They featured a two-piece swamp ash body, a highly figured one-piece maple neck, a commemorative neck plate with the words “To Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster” and back plate sporting the words “Curves, Contours and Body Horns The Concert and Documentary Schemeglobal Productions”, while on the ball of headstock the words “40th Anniversary Concert Edition” stood out.
All the 40th Anniversary Concert Edition Stratocaster were fitted with three single-coil pickups, even though the unit number 02 of 40 requested by Ray as his personal instrument was equipped with Gold Lace Sensor pickups. The pickguard of this guitar, that was given to Ray by Bill Schultz during the filming of the TV documentary in California, was signed by legendary artists and prominent Fender folks, including Bill Schultz.
They featured a two-piece swamp ash body, a highly figured one-piece maple neck, a commemorative neck plate with the words “To Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster” and back plate sporting the words “Curves, Contours and Body Horns The Concert and Documentary Schemeglobal Productions”, while on the ball of headstock the words “40th Anniversary Concert Edition” stood out.
All the 40th Anniversary Concert Edition Stratocaster were fitted with three single-coil pickups, even though the unit number 02 of 40 requested by Ray as his personal instrument was equipped with Gold Lace Sensor pickups. The pickguard of this guitar, that was given to Ray by Bill Schultz during the filming of the TV documentary in California, was signed by legendary artists and prominent Fender folks, including Bill Schultz.
Fender Japan anniversary models
To celebrate the anniversary, Fender Japan released the 1954 40th Anniversary Stratocaster (ST54-150AS), intended for the Japanese market only. It featured an ash body with a vintage blonde finish, a one-piece figured maple neck with 21 frets and 7.25” radius, gold hardware, Di Marzio Blue Velvet staggered poles pickups and a commemorative neck plate engraved with the words “Fender 40th ANNIVERSARY STRATOCASTER 1994”.
At the same time, Fujigen also produced other 1994 anniversary Stratocasters, all characterized by a foto flame maple neck: the ST54-70AS, the ST57-65AS and the ST62-65AS.
At the same time, Fujigen also produced other 1994 anniversary Stratocasters, all characterized by a foto flame maple neck: the ST54-70AS, the ST57-65AS and the ST62-65AS.
Antonio Calvosa
MAIN SOURCES
- Anniversary Strat by Gary Davies
- The Dream Factory by Tom Wheleer by Tom Wheleer
- Fender Frontlines and catalogs
- Guitars inspection and photos
- Special thanks to John Page and Pamelina H.
- Anniversary Strat by Gary Davies
- The Dream Factory by Tom Wheleer by Tom Wheleer
- Fender Frontlines and catalogs
- Guitars inspection and photos
- Special thanks to John Page and Pamelina H.