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Obviously I know little if anything about guitars!

Having said that, have just been in the Music Inn in Nottingham and they have a beautiful 'pre-owned' Fender Stratocaster in black with a big 1970s headstock, rosewood neck and Floyd Rose tremolo. Only £399. Surely that's got to be a bargain?

If I was a guitarist, I'd buy it. I'm tempted even though I only know one chord.


Like the front cover of 'Another String of Hits' come to life right before my eyes. Sort of.

Just thought I'd mention it.

If it's a genuine USA 1970s Strat, then that is a bargain.

Opinions are divided on the Fender production of that period (I had a new 1975 Strat and was bitterly disappointed with it), but even so, they are worth good money on the used market. It could easily fetch £1500.

The fact that it's at the price you mention suggests that it is a MIJ or MIM example from the 2000s rather than an American Fender.

Well, yes, but the fretboard is dark rosewood and the tremolo and other hardware is silver. It definitely has the Fender Stratocaster logo on the headstock.

It's a beautiful looking guitar. Personally, I like the 'weight' that the bigger headstock gives it.

Given all that has been said, then perhaps the one in the local music shop is a '1970s-style' replica, rather than the real deal. Certainly I associated the Floyd Rose tremolo system with the 1980s and 1990s.

The left-handed Strat looks amazing - reverse the pic and you have Hank's guitar to a tee. Has anyone got a customised version of the Black Strat with its Humbuckers - as used on the Paris Olympia album / Eurovision and on TV in 1976...???

drakula63 wrote:It's a beautiful looking guitar. Personally, I like the 'weight' that the bigger headstock gives it.

Given all that has been said, then perhaps the one in the local music shop is a '1970s-style' replica, rather than the real deal. Certainly I associated the Floyd Rose tremolo system with the 1980s and 1990s.

The left-handed Strat looks amazing - reverse the pic and you have Hank's guitar to a tee. Has anyone got a customised version of the Black Strat with its Humbuckers - as used on the Paris Olympia album / Eurovision and on TV in 1976...???

The Fender WRHB (the eventual bridge unit on Hank's black Strat) was actually difficult to find at the time - and is now effectively impossible to source.

However, a few pickup makers are prepared to convert a modern reissue to original spec, at a price. The modern reissue is constructed completely differently from the Seth Lover-designed 1970s originals, which had threaded polepiece magnets, quite unlike the arrangements on Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, etc, pickups.

Or you could try these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281633863972? ... EBIDX%3AIT

These look like the cat's pyjamas, mind you, at that price they should be!

http://www.creamery-pickups.co.uk/custo ... akYrKRVhBc

Simon