The Standard Series
It is said that the first 1991 Standard Stratocasters, which replaced the homonyms guitars made in Japan, featured bodies and necks realized in the Corona factory. This is only partially true. In fact, according to what declared by John Page, bodies and necks were sent by the US in a raw state to be smoothed and polyester refined in Mexico. Moreover, since the beginning, they were not part of the same lots intended for the American Standard Stratocasters, but were put aside to be sent to Ensenada.
One of the first problems of the MIM Standard Stratocasters was that the neck did not always fit perfectly into the neck pocket of the body, thus sometimes resulting in space between the neck and the body with consequent loss of stability.
The pickups were ceramic and had two thin magnetic bars, differently from the previous Japanese Standard Strats or Korean Stratocasters whose pickups had only one. The tuning machines, the bridge, tighter than that of the American Standard (52 mm mounting and string spacing), and the saddles, which exhibited the double “FENDER” engraving in the same direction, were from Ping (Taiwan) under Fender license. Access to the truss rod was in the headstock area, but, differently from American Standard BiFlex, was adjustable in only one direction and had a black plastic, not wood, insert.
One of the first problems of the MIM Standard Stratocasters was that the neck did not always fit perfectly into the neck pocket of the body, thus sometimes resulting in space between the neck and the body with consequent loss of stability.
The pickups were ceramic and had two thin magnetic bars, differently from the previous Japanese Standard Strats or Korean Stratocasters whose pickups had only one. The tuning machines, the bridge, tighter than that of the American Standard (52 mm mounting and string spacing), and the saddles, which exhibited the double “FENDER” engraving in the same direction, were from Ping (Taiwan) under Fender license. Access to the truss rod was in the headstock area, but, differently from American Standard BiFlex, was adjustable in only one direction and had a black plastic, not wood, insert.
In 2002 the body, until now in poplar, was replaced by an alder one and, in 2006, the tremolo block was reinforced, body cavities shielded and the vintage style frets replaced by medium jumbo ones. The guitar was by now very different from its debut, and at the end of 2008 all these variations were formalized with the introduction of the new Standard Stratocaster (Upgrade), distinguishable by a Black CBS Logo (while the previous ones had a Modern Logo, always in CBS style, but whitish).
Headstock, Whitish Modern Logo and decals of the Standard Stratocaster, first Mexican Series. Note the black plastic truss rod access.
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Headstock, Black CBS style Logo and decals of the upgraded Standard Stratocaster. Still the black plastic truss rod access.
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Tremolo Block of the Standard Stratocaster, reinforced in 2006, as explained in that year's Fender catalog
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A little at a time also other guitars belonging to the Standard Series were presented, including the Standard Fat Strat (or Standard Strat HSS) and the Floyd Rose Standard Stratocaster (modified several times over the years), the Standard Stratocaster Plus Top (and derived), the Roland Ready or the Stratocaster Junior.
The Player Series
In mid 2017, because of the new restrictions imposed by the CITES, Fender replaced rosewood with pau ferro on the Standard and other Mexican series. In 2018 this change was formalized with the introduction of the Player Series, which took the place of all Standard Series guitars.
«The inspiring sound of a Stratocaster is one of the foundations of Fender. Featuring this classic sound—bell-like high end, punchy mids and robust low end, combined with crystal-clear articulation—the Player Stratocaster is packed with authentic Fender feel and style. It’s ready to serve your musical vision, it’s versatile enough to handle any style of music and it’s the perfect platform for creating your own sound», as Fender stated in the catalog.
The main differences between the old Standard and the Player Stratocaster, otherwise identical, consisted in the Alnico pickups of the new guitar made in Mexico, the twenty-two frets and the 2-pivot bridge with vintage saddles.
«The inspiring sound of a Stratocaster is one of the foundations of Fender. Featuring this classic sound—bell-like high end, punchy mids and robust low end, combined with crystal-clear articulation—the Player Stratocaster is packed with authentic Fender feel and style. It’s ready to serve your musical vision, it’s versatile enough to handle any style of music and it’s the perfect platform for creating your own sound», as Fender stated in the catalog.
The main differences between the old Standard and the Player Stratocaster, otherwise identical, consisted in the Alnico pickups of the new guitar made in Mexico, the twenty-two frets and the 2-pivot bridge with vintage saddles.
Antonio Calvosa
