jay
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Posts: 233
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Post by jay on Mar 13, 2013 19:14:05 GMT
The story goes that the Shads had seen the Chirping Crickets LP cover and lusted after a guitar like the one shown in the picture.
The LP was released in the UK in 1958 (exact date n/k).
Cliff orders a strat which arrives in 1959.
Depending upon when Cliff bought the guitar I suppose it could be either a late 1958 or a 1959 regular production line model?
Why then are fans buying CS NOS 1956s instead of 1958's or 1959s? Does anyone know whether there are any differences? I don't mean whether the pick guard is single ply with x number of screw holes or otherwise but other differences?
curious jay
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jay
Member
Posts: 233
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Post by jay on Mar 13, 2013 21:42:25 GMT
hi steve......so do you think this is why people tend to go for CS56s...mainly the neck shape and feel?
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Post by martyn on Mar 20, 2013 10:55:36 GMT
Hi Jay, By scrimping, saving and selling off anything not actually nailed down, I'm buying a nearly new 56NOS this week and apart from the extra special build quality of a Custom Shop strat, I'm convinced the extra thickness of wood in the neck makes a notable difference to its sound that gets me closer to the one I'm always chasing. Aside from the pretty paint, gold hardware and figured maple neck that makes this guitar look the part (I'm certain this helps the brain believe I'm sounding better too), it is their extra special sound which is really the most important factor and this combination of looks, feel and sound is why these models are so desirable and why I'd risk divorce proceedings just to own one because they're not cheap to buy . . .
Now I have small hands and fingers so the extra thickness should in theory not suit me at all, but I've tried a few of these models in shops (and friends' guitars) and in each case they played without any discomfort. With their slightly wider, flatter profiles and medium jumbo frets (all technically wrong for an authentic early period strat), the action is factory set lower than on a period-correct vintage C-profile one but which needs a slightly higher action to prevent choking on the upper frets. This lower and flatter action makes the extra depth of wood less intrusive for my smaller hands - anyone with larger mitts should find these necks even more pleasurable to handle.
The standard issue 56 is factory fitted with Fender '50s vintage pickups although nobody knows exactly what these are as they're not available separately and Fender don't elaborate beyond the description. Coda Music were importing batches of Fiesta Red and gold 56s made to order and fitted with 50s Abigail Ybarra pickups instead (a fellow club member has one and it sounds stunning - these special hand wound pickups aren't available separately either), but Coda have sold out and are importing batches of the new 59s introduced by Fender this year but again theirs are made to order in red with gold hardware, which they normally wouldn't be since Fender have no Fiesta Red gold strats currently listed. The Coda 59s have the correct C-neck profile but I believe theirs are fitted with Abigail Ybarra 60s pickups, which wouldn't be quite period correct. It would be interesting to play both a 56 and a 59 to make a direct audio comparison, though. The pickups would alter their tones slightly, as would the differing necks but I'm betting they'll sound fairly similar.
Mine has locking Sperzels and Fender noiseless pickups so again not period correct but made to order for Mansons in Exeter in this format. Technical advances have been made since the fifties and I personally think these tuners help keep it in tune and the noiseless pickups are useful for interference free recording and do sound great as well. So in a very roundabout answer to your question, I think there are many reasons why folk have gone for the 56NOS but up until this year (I may stand corrected) I don't think it was possible to buy a totally period-correct 59 strat replica new from Fender. If you're not bothered about the colour options, all the independent reviews of these new vintage guitars are applauding their build and sounds and were it not for the colour I'd have been tempted by one (wish I could get past the right colour obsession I seem to have!). Back in the mid-sixties I owned what I now believe was a 58/59 strat in Flamingo Red/Salmon Pink as it was then known, but aside from the right colour for being a Shads guitar clone and having a single ply white pickguard, this had a rosewood neck, which is why we think it was a 58/59 model rather than a later 60/62'ish one that would have had a 3-ply pick guard. They were only made in the US back then so no Mex/Japan/Indonesia etc versions around. Never thought to make a note of its serial number so cannot be certain as to its year of origins.
Sorry to have gabbled on, but hopefully some of the above will have something vaguely to do with your question . . .
Cheers, Martyn
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jay
Member
Posts: 233
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Post by jay on Mar 20, 2013 23:42:52 GMT
Interesting read Martyn.
I have a growing feeling that I'm going to end up with a Fender CS Strat in maybe a year or so and I think it will probably take me that long to decide exactly what I want to go for.
One of the things I would like to know is when HBM switched from the original maple neck Strat to the rosewood one when the Shads were given their matching guitars.
I suppose there is a thread somewhere which mentions which early Shadows tracks employed which guitar.....but I'm reluctant to try a search with my past failure record of finding anything!
jay
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Post by allclaphands on Mar 21, 2013 9:44:00 GMT
Hi Jay You might find this interesting.If you look under the heading on the Home Page of FAQ relating to Hank and the Shadows Then on page 4 under the heading Guitars of The Shadows:Hank by Fenderplucker this lists all the guitars used ect.
Regards Pete
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jay
Member
Posts: 233
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Post by jay on Mar 21, 2013 13:05:08 GMT
Thanks Pete....that was interesting.
jay
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Post by allclaphands on Mar 21, 2013 13:27:40 GMT
Your welcome Jay Pete
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