Ritchie Blackmore Stratocaster

The Ritchie Blackmore Stratocaster is one of the Fender Stratocaster signature series electric guitars. It follows the same specifications of the Stratocaster used by Ritchie Blackmore when he was in the British rock bands Deep Purple, Rainbow and his current group Blackmore's Night.

[edit] Specification

70's style large headstock
Lacquer finished
6 nickel/chrome plated locking nuts
Printed black 'Fender Stratocaster' logo with printed black 'Ritchie Blackmore' Signature

There have been three Ritchie Blackmore Stratocasters in the series since Fender first asked Blackmore for an endorsement:

the Ritchie Blackmore Signature Set Neck has two Gold Lace Sensor pickups in the neck and bridge position, with no middle pickup. The 22-fret neck is set into the body, similar to Gibson guitars. The scalloped neck with rosewood fingerboard remains the same. Some models had an optional Roland GK-2 guitar synthesizer pickup included. The tremolo on this version is the modern "two-point" tremolo/bridge unit, as opposed to the vintage six-screw bridge. This is the most recent version of the Blackmore Stratocaster. Currently it is not in production in the United States or Japan; the guitar was made in both countries. The guitar can be ordered through Fender's U.S. Custom Shop, however.

The Ritchie Blackmore Signature Stratocaster (first version) had two Seymour Duncan Quarter-Pounder pickups in the neck and bridge position, with no middle pickup as in the version above. This guitar has a bolt-on neck as opposed to the set neck of the guitar mentioned above. The neck also features 22 frets, as does the set-neck version. This was the first of Blackmore's signature Strats to be produced, and was made in the U.S. Custom Shop at Fender and at the Fender manufacturer in Japan. This version also is no longer being made. Some models had an ash body, and some were basswood.

The Ritchie Blackmore Limited Edition Stratocaster (note the absence of the "Signature") was made in Japan and first produced in 1997. It features a 21-fret scalloped bolt-on neck and two Seymour Duncan Quarter-Pounder pickups. The guitar also has a "dummy coil," in the middle position, giving the appearance of a normal triple-pickup Stratocaster. The dummy coil serves to cancel the power line hum endemic to most single-coil pickups. (Blackmore does not use the middle pickup on the Stratocaster.) This guitar was produced before Blackmore became a fan of AGI Lace Sensor single-coil pickups. In all other respects it is the same as the other editions, although on some models the body is made of basswood.