Superstrat

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Ibanez JEM guitar features pointed body shape with deep cutaways, HSH pickups, locking tremolo and 24-fret flat slim neck

Superstrat (sometimes spelled as super strat or super-strat) is a name for an electric guitar design that resembles a Fender Stratocaster but with differences that set it clearly apart from a standard Stratocaster, usually to cater to a different playing style. Differences typically (but not mandatory) include more pointed, aggressive-looking body and neck shapes, different tonewoods, increased number of frets, usage of humbucking pickups and Floyd Rose tremolo system^[1][2][3].

There is no formal definition for a superstrat^[3], the categorisation is still largely left to popular opinion and depends greatly on the artist(s) associated with a particular model and how it is marketed. Superstrats are generally suited for heavy metal music played with distortion under high gain.

[edit] History

[edit] Genesis, custom modifications

Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstrat, red painted version

With an emerging revolution in heavy metal music during the early 1980s, guitarists began seeking out guitars more suited to the new style, both in terms of looks (more "pointy" aggressive designs) and playability (ease of playing and fatter tone that sounds good with hi-gain amplification). Guitarists such as Ritchie Blackmore, Uli Jon Roth and Dave Murray had used Fender Stratocasters, but each had made modifications to his instrument to suit his individual playing style.

Eddie Van Halen was the first to gain fame using a guitar with superstrat characteristics. He had assembled the Linn Ellsworth Stratocaster body with a thin 22 fret neck (also from Linn Ellsworth), with a Gibson PAF Humbucker in the bridge slot. This Frankenstrat, which was pictured on Van Halen's debut album Van Halen, was later repainted with a top coat of red paint and has had different humbucker pickups during the years, some of them custom wound.^[4]

Many other guitarists and luthiers also applied similar custom modifications to their instruments. Many sources cite Grover Jackson as one of the first and most influential guitar makers who crafted custom shop guitars with all the features of superstrats since as early as 1981^[2][3][5][6]. Later all these improvements were integrated in factory-produced Jackson Soloist model.

[edit] Mass production

Since about 1983-1984, many companies such as Kramer^[7], Jackson^[7], Charvel^[7], Yamaha, Aria^[7], Ibanez^[7] and Hamer started mass production of superstrat design guitars due to growing marketing demand. Rising popularity of heavy metal music led to a whole new generation of guitar virtuosos that employed fast and complex techniques which demanded thinner and more versatile guitar necks and stable tremolo systems. It's debatable who was the first to mass-produce the superstrat, mostly because the lack of precise definition. Following examples are usually cited by guitar historians:

• Kramer Baretta (1983-1991) — an early guitar with Floyd Rose, one slanted humbucker, but more traditional neck and body contours. Baretta has a close connection to Van Halen's Frankenstrat - it was designed to be marketed as Van Halen's signature model, but, in the outcome, Eddie had never endorsed the Baretta in terms of playing it on stage.^[8]
• Dean Bel Aire (1983-1984) — an early SSH guitar dubbed "superstrat"^[9] (however, it's still with bolt-on neck, 22 frets and vintage tremolo).
• Jackson Soloist (officially produced since August 28, 1984^[10]) — SSH guitar with neck-through body, 24 frets and Floyd Rose/Kahler bridge — the fullest pack of Superstrat features to date in mass-produced guitar, considered by many the first "real" superstrat.

During the rest of 1980s, due to huge marketing success, most guitar companies had at least one model of superstrat in mass production.

[edit] Answer from major guitar manufacturers

Superstrat trend could not pass unnoticed by two major guitar manufacturers, Fender and Gibson.

Fender suffered complications after being controlled by CBS in late 1970s and early 1980s. It was only in 1985 when Fender employees raised funds and purchased the company back from CBS, in a campaign initiated by then CBS Musical Instruments division president William Schultz. Due to these complications, Fender's answer to superstrats was generally unsuccessful and somewhat delayed.^[2]

• Fender Contemporary Stratocaster Japan[1] (1984-1987)
• Fender Performer[2] (1985-1986)
• Fender HM Strat[3] (1988-1992)
• Fender Prodigy[4] (1991-1993)
• Fender Showmaster (1998-)

Gibson traditionally competed against the Stratocaster design by offering radically different flagship designs, such as Les Paul and SG that used very different body shapes, tonewoods, humbucker pickup construction, fixed bridge, yielding a sound radically different from Stratocaster's. However, the marketing hype was so high that Gibson also tried to join in with several models. As with Fender, these models weren't particularly successful commercially and came somewhat late^[6]:

• Gibson WRC (1985-1986)
• Gibson U-2 (1987-1992)
• Gibson Q series
• Gibson M-III (1991-1994)

[edit] End of superstrat era

In early and mid-1990s, heavy metal and particularly shredding suffered popularity decline, in favor of grunge, nu metal, alternative metal and other styles. Popularity of superstrats also declined, in favor of guitars more suited to these new styles^[3]. Lots of companies that relied on superstrats as major part of their target market suffered heavy losses and went out of business or were bought by larger corporations:

• Guild went out of solid-body guitars business in 1988^[3]. Only hollow-body instruments are still manufactured under Guild brand after its acquisition by Fender in 1995^[11].
• Hamer was acquired by Kaman Music Corporation in 1988^[12], which in turn was acquired by Fender in 2008. As of 2008, Hamer reduced their superstrat selection to just one model, the Californian^[13].
• Dean was sold to Tropical Music in 1990. Superstrat production was resumed by its new owner in Korea^[3].
• Kramer went bankrupt in 1990^[3] and was sold to Gibson since the early 1990s.
• Jackson and Charvel brands were bought by Fender in 2002^[14].

[edit] Modern times

Ibanez RG7321BK is a modern 7-string superstrat

Despite all these changes, as of 2008, a lot of guitar manufacturers continue to produce superstrats. Some superstrats evolved to be used in new popular rock styles, for example, Ibanez produced several 7-string guitars (such as Ibanez K7, a Korn signature guitar series), catered for playing nu metal / alternative metal with additional low A string, followed by 8-string models such as the Meshuggah-endorsed RG2228GK featuring an extra high A string.

[edit] Comparison

[edit] Similar designs, names and trademarks

Stratocaster design was a subject of copy and slight enhancements since its introduction in 1950s. Many manufacturers produced guitars very similar to Stratocasters, usually referred to as Strat copies (it can't be legally called "Stratocaster copy", because "Stratocaster" was trademarked by Fender. Conversely, the superstrat design changed a lot of things (radical body shapes with sleek offset pointed cutaways, active or passive electronics, flatter 24-fret necks, locking tremolo bridges, a wide variety of humbucking and single-coil pickup configurations and enhanced pickup switching) hence superstrats are usually not considered "Strat copies" but a separate category of guitars.

There is a design similar to superstrat concept named Fat Strat. The term was introduced by Fender itself in 1997-1998^[15] and it is a Fender trademark. Generally, Fat Strat only specifically refers to a Stratocaster with a hot humbucking pickup in the bridge position while a superstrat will typically have other traits such as a 24-fret neck and a locking tremolo. A Fat Strat is usually closer to a traditional Stratocaster in those respects.

Note that "superstrat" is a subjective concept of adapting the Stratocaster design to be more suited for certain genres of music, and are not necessarily higher-end or more capable Stratocasters. The Fender Showmaster series, for example, is made by Fender itself but marketed as a separate guitar line. The Fender American Deluxe Series exhibits many of the traits normally associated with a superstrat, such as the addition of HSH pickup routing, humbucking pickups and locking bridge options, but is not generally considered to be a superstrat, rather a high-end Stratocaster model. Fender produces Stratocaster pickguards specially routed for HSH pickups.

[edit] See also

• Fat Strat
• Strat copy

[edit] References

1. ^ Marshall, Gary (2004). The Cut the Crap! Guide to the Guitar. Artemis Music Ltd, p117. ISBN 1904411231. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Bacon, Tony (2000). 50 Years of Fender. Backbeat Books, p94. ISBN 0879306211. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Wright, Michael (March & July 2002). "Stratospheric Variations: A History of offset double-cut guitars". Vintage Guitar Magazine. 
4. ^ Trynka, Paul (1995). The Electric Guitar: An Illustrated History, p104. ISBN 0811808637. 
5. ^ Jackson Soloist Custom.
6. ^ ^{a b} Bacon, Tony (2002). 50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul: Half a Century of the Greatest Electric Guitars. Backbeat Books, p92-93. ISBN 0879307110. 
7. ^ ^{a b c d e} Bennett, Andy; Dawe, Kevin (2001). Guitar Cultures. Berg Publishers, p126. ISBN 1859734340. 
8. ^ The Kramer Baretta. — history and collector's guide at VintageKramer.com
9. ^ Fjestad, Zachary R. (2006). Blue Book of Electric Guitars. Blue Book Publications, p225, p228. ISBN 1886768641. 
10. ^ Jim Shine. Jackson Soloists 1984-1988. — includes copies of Jackson factory logs from Jackson Museum
11. ^ Guild Official Site: Guild History.
12. ^ M. Wright; A. Large, S. Matthes, P. Fung (June 2000). "The History of Hamer, Part One". Vintage Guitars Magazine. 
13. ^ Hamer Californian
14. ^ Charvel Official Site: The Charvel Story.
15. ^ Bacon, Tony (2000). 50 Years of Fender. Backbeat Books, p123. ISBN 0879306211.