The Black Strat joins the family...

[RoKKeR]

Picked up this beauty yesterday! It's a '77 Strat with the original pickups, bridge, the whole nine yards. A Guitar Center in Maryland took it up off the streets and verified it's authenticity, so I just couldn't resist after a long summer of work.

I've been looking for this guitar for quite some time now and it's super exciting to finally have an original 70's Strat like Edge's in such good condition! The sound is phenomenal... my Streets, Pride, Bad, etc. tones all sound great and I'm sure I'll tinker with them to fit the guitar as I get more time with it. Haven't even had time to throw new strings on!

Just thought I'd share... pretty jazzed up about this!

Two quirks are the chip/dent just above the middle pickup outside of the pick guard... yes it's a distraction but the color makes it blend in fairly well. (guitar is 40 years old and outside of that there are no major cosmetic blemishes) The bridge is also lacking a spot for a whammy bar... something to think about replacing but I can't think of any time Edge (or myself for that matter) uses one other than on Streets and sometimes Pride. Either way, it was just too good to pass up!

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

No tremolo?

Don't worry about a couple of chips or scratches. Edge's Strats are not show-room new.

 

[edgebrazil]

Beautiful Guitar!

 

[dazzledbylight]

"the black strat" in the most recent posts caught my eye

oooo aaaahhhh enjoy!

 

[Izzy.nyc]

Eff the chips. When you pick an older guitar like that you can almost feel the tlc that went into production. The chips dents and scratches add some nice character, and nowadays they charge extra for the "road worn" look. Like Abercrombie and Fitch but for guitars. But I digress. Sweet pickup, pardon the pun.


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[RoKKeR]

Thanks guys! Yeah I've already gotten over the dents/scratches/wear and tear and have come to like them, actually.

Threw some D'Addario's on it the other day and it sounds so bright, even passed through Pod Farm 2. Love this thing.

 

[mirrorballman]

Congrats on the guitar, looks great. Those headstocks are just

On a different note - it has always amazed me that while most people will argue that CBS era Fender's suffer a lot in quality (especially in the 70's) compared to pre or post era Fenders, most of Edge's Strats or Teles are from that era. I am aware these guitars lacked quality checks so they could turn out either way (I've tested a handful myself over the years and was never really impressed) but still, I find it interesting that Edge digs them more than i.e. 50's or 60's strats.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Congrats on the guitar, looks great. Those headstocks are just

On a different note - it has always amazed me that while most people will argue that CBS era Fender's suffer a lot in quality (especially in the 70's) compared to pre or post era Fenders, most of Edge's Strats or Teles are from that era. I am aware these guitars lacked quality checks so they could turn out either way (I've tested a handful myself over the years and was never really impressed) but still, I find it interesting that Edge digs them more than i.e. 50's or 60's strats.

Most `70's Strats (Fenders in general) are not great. There was a dip in quality.

As for Edge, he found the diamonds in the rough. There inconsistencies with wood. This is why some are of reasonable weight and some are a boat anchor.

Why a `70's Strat? That was the one on the wall in the shop they day he went looking for one. He found a good one and figured he liked that era of Strat. He had a `70's tobacco Strat in the early days of U2 and hated it - Hence the guitar shopping in NY on holiday that netted him the Explorer.

I'd suspect Dallas would be able to tell us if there were other reasons. But I also suspect that he passes up on buying loads of 70's Strats due to production irregularities.

 

[Izzy.nyc]

Not great compared to similar guitars of the same era? I've often wondered that, since I've heard the same about the LPs from that era. I'd love to have a 70s era guitar, simply because thw wood tended to be older and not hastily grown.


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[Edge_Orchestra]

That is the thing, 1970's era was not a good time for Gibson, Gretsch or Fender. Hence opening the door for cheaper Japanese made knock-offs of that era.

 

[chrisn1]

I managed to get a 1978 Black "Edge" Strat in Lefthanded (I'm a cursed southpaw) and mine is heavy but sounds and plays like a dream' it's covered in dings and scratches but it just adds to the overall worn vibe' I know all about the bad rep these 70's Strats have got but I must have also picked up a rough diamond as well' I love it and it's the guitar that got me into The Edge and U2 in the first place after seeing "Under a Blood red Sky" it's taken me 20 odd years to get a lefty version and it's definitely a Keeper!!!!