Fender Stratocaster Elite

Paid $500.00,used in late 80's. Made sometime time the early 80's. I heard they were made only a few years. It has 21 nice size frets,three push button pickup selectors, volume, tone, and a 12dbl boost. Three single coil pickups, I don't know the history behind these pickups but they look like Lace Sensor type. Active electronics, maple neck with nice wood grain running through it. The guitar is nice, and heavy. Made in the U.S.A. My particular guitar's first owner was a real jerk! Story was he had it stolen for insurance purposes. All serial numbers and decals were removed, and the whole thing had a crappy paind job! When I purchased it from a little music store in town. He had clean it up pretty good. Since then I've repainted it black. Looks pretty good! I also sent picture to Fender they sent me a new decal with serial number for the headstock. came with hard shell case.

I play in a blues-rock band, and it covers all styles very nicely! I play through a 100 watt 2-12 Marshall combo made in the early 70's, uses 4 GTel34 for the power tubes, and sometimes through a Randall 80watt solid state 1-12 great clean sound. For effects, Tube Screamer, Crybaby wah,then a Boss chourus. I can get a cold, cutting Albert Collins tone, to smooth Santana, and of course Clapton rich in mids. Have no dislikes.

Purchased used. Love the neck! Plays so much better than the new strats. The only guitar I have played that feels as nice is the G&Ls. The finish was horrible as I stated earlier, I have seen other Elites that looked very nice though. The only complaint I could come up with the guitar is the bridge. Any strings I used that were bigger than 9's the back of the bridge would pull up from the body. I am playing with 11's now so I had to block up the bridge, that means can't use the whammy bar which I would like to sometimes. But I still love the way it plays.

All I have to say is "its a strat" no worrys!

Fender was very helpful, giving me the info I requested.

I have been playing for 27 years. I have a Sigma guitar, and a Epi Sheraton II. Play through a Marshall 2-12 tube combo, and a solid state Randall. I have tryed to be objective but I really like this guitar!! It's like talking to an old friend. If something happen to it(heaven forbid) I would try to get one that felt as nice if I could even find one. But chances are I would get a G&L It felt quite nice too.

Mine's a '83, solid body (not sure what wood, damn heavy) Strat elite with SSS three lace-sensor looking fender pickups. Features have been covered elsewhere, but mine is a Blackie, with (now) aged parts. I got it second hand with what looked like a Fender Hard case and the original push-in trem in exchange for my Gibson LP Studion Lite. Let me emphasise again tha tthis guitar is heavy, much more so than my gibson, and is one of the main reasons that I won't be keeping this guitar, apart from the tremolo which won't stay in tune, the annoying switching system, glossy neck and the fact that if anything breaks on it, I'm pretty much out of luck because the don't make any on the parts for it anymore. It is in mint condition at the moment, so it looks fine, but if a guitar hurts my back after 10 minutes of playing, it's not a keeper. I give this section a 10 because it DOES have tons of features. I just don't get along with all of them. :)

I don't think that the heaviness of this guitar makes much difference to the overall soundscape but it does sound good, even better (and more versatile ) that an EC Strat, and in fact I believe that this model was the basis for his sig. as he sold three Elites in the recent Christies Auction. Just an assumption. Anyway, This guitar does tons of sounds, from clean to crunch and a good helping of Gary Moore/Santana style smooth overdrive with the mid-boost. I think this guitar would be great for Gilmour/Rea and other versatile guitarists.I've no complaints here, even tho it's a bit noisy with the active TBX control turned down.

The action wasn't bad, but I prefer more manly strings than the 9's it came with. It had a crap nut on it but apart from that it's fine.

This is a rock solid guitar that would last a lifetime, I'm sure.

NA

I've been playing for three years and this isn't quite the holy grail for me. It is a good guitar, though, and if you can get one cheap, snap it up. The main reason I got this one was because I thought it would be easier to sell than a Les Paul. But it's still a great guitar, and I'd still take it over a EC Strat any day (a friend has a CS EC Strat and no way would i trade. except for the price) Overall, great guitar, not for me.

My Strat Elite is a 1983 model, US made, clear poly-finished ash body, maple neck. It weighs a ton. The hardware--whammy, strap buttons--were made by Schaller for Fender.
As far as I know, Ty Tabor (of King's X) is the only famous Strat Elite user.
WHAMMY AND TUNERS: the Freeflite whammy is very different from the standard Strat: it loads from the top (there is no spring cavity on the back), it does NOT float. The action on the whammy is extremely stiff--which I like, personally. I can play open notes and bent strings together and stay in tune. I've figured out how to keep the guitar in tune while using the whammy: (a) I replaced the standard tuners with LSR locking tuners (same as what's standard on high-end Strats), and (b) I use a q-tip to dab WD-40 into the nut slots and over the nut-area of the strings every time I restring.
ELECTRONICS: three single-coil low output (the preamp provides the juice) pickups, with active electronics and a dummy coil (a fourth coil under the pickguard) for noise-cancellation. Each pickup is controlled by a pushbutton switch. The knobs are: master volume, tone/active treble-boost (notched), and active mid-boost. The system is *truly* noiseless--I play in church, surrounded by fluorescent lights, with a major highway outside (CB radios and everything), and the guitar is absolutely silent until I pick a string.
There is nothing I don't like about the features on this guitar: even the stock tuners were okay, I just wanted the locking ones for heavier whammy use (thus the 9 instead of a 10).

Here's where the Strat Elite really shines. I play contemporary Christian music, classic rock, worship music, etc. I'm using a Peavey Studio Pro 112 and a Korg multi-fx.
I need a very flexible guitar. I want to be able to produce acoustic sounds, hard rock lead sounds (ala "Sweet Child of Mine"), Knopfleresque fills, etc.--all out of the same guitar. The Elite can do it all.
Like I said, the system is absolutely silent, which is important in church. It's also incredibly flexible: I can get very shimmery Strat sounds with the standard pickup combinations and the middle knob set in the notch. I can turn up the mid-boost and get a very warm, Gibsonish sound--with distortion, it sounds smooth and buttery, like Carlos Santana's PRS.
Plus I can get pickup combinations not available on a stock Strat: using the neck and bridge pickups together with mid-boost produces a very unique clean sound, like a clean Les Paul, humbuckings in parallel. I can take that setting and dial in the amounts of shimmer/warmth that I want. In that setting, with the treble cranked and the midrange rolled off, the Elite sounds almost like a Telecaster (it just doesn't have the "pop" from the Tele's tin-can bridge.)
With the active electronics and the mid-boost, the Strat Elite kicks the snot out of American Deluxes (Lace Sensors AND the new Noiseless), Beck and Clapton signatures, etc.--there's just more TONE there. I played all three systems plus a PRS CE, back-to-back-to-back-to-back, at Guitar Center. The Elite shimmered like the other strats, only louder (the PRS, because of its pickups and shorter scale, just doesn't have the same treble). The Elite doesn't *quite* match the PRS for clear or distorted warmth--but it's close, and much warmer than the other strats.
The Stratocaster Elite allows me to go from Roy Buchanan tele-tones to Mark Knopfler Strat to Carlos Santana liquid screams--simply by switching the pickups and twisting the knobs.

I bought the guitar used, so I can't really comment on the quality of Fender's setup. The strings were cruddy, but everything was fine once I changed them.

Very solid, very heavy. I still have a Les Paul (in case a string breaks or the Strat's battery dies), but I don't anticipate any trouble. Of course, I'm only playing one twenty-minute set per week, if I were playing more and longer I'd carefully choose a backup.

I'm not really commenting on Fender, but on Guitar Center. They have a 30-day money back satisfaction guarantee. I used every day that was available to me, checking out other guitars, comparing the Elite to Peavey Wolfgangs, other Strats, PRSes, G&Ls, etc. The guys at Guitar Center in Arlington, TX were wonderful, as were most of the GC guys in the two Dallas stores.

I've been playing since 1974 (no, not continuously). I've been playing every Sunday at my church for the last 3 years or so. Prior to purchasing the Elite, I've used Ovation and Alvarez acoustics and a Les Paul Standard. The Strat Elite is the most flexible, playable, best-sounding guitar I've ever played.
If it were stolen, I'd find another one just like it. And I'd pray for the thief to die a horrible death (after accepting Jesus as his savior, of course). [That's a joke, BTW.]

Made in 1985. in Japan Has 21 frets 2 knobs-volume, tone 5-way selector S/S/H Floyd Rose Locking tuners

Suits rock and roll very well. Get punch from the guitar with the flip of a switch, (the coil alternator for the Humbucker? Not a noisy guitar. I recommend putting very bright strings on it. Great blues on 1st pickup Very versatile axe.

Not bad for those of us w/small fingers. Action sets real close. Frets are really easy to move on. The locking mechanism is very tricky and you must be careful when tuning up.

Take this baby everywhere. It's a Fender! Beat the tar out of it and pick it up and play away.

This was my first electric, and I've relied on it for 3 years. It fits needs of all musicians and I recommend it if you're into good old rock and roll.
SugarSun Rocks

Made in USA in the early '80. I bought mine new in 1984 mainly because I wanted a Strat and because it has a totally cool transparent green finish. This is the "Gold Elite" version, having "gold tone" hardware, including the tremolo, the bridge, and the locking tuners directly above the nut. I'm not sure what type of wood it's made from, but it is HEAVY. Much heavier than a friend's Mex Strat. The only backplate is where the 9V battery compartment is. The tremolo handle detaches from the tremolo. 21 frets. It has active pickups powered by a 9V battery and 3 pushbutton switches to select the pickups instead of the standard strat slide switch (see other entries for a more detailed description of the control functions). The input jack is on the side of the guitar rather than on the front. It came with a fur lined hardshell case, shoulder strap with the Fender logo and strap lock buttons, users manual and a Fender polishing rag, all of which I still have.

I'm currently using a Peavey Bandit 112 Amp and the pickups tend to squeal quite a bit when I'm near the amp, although I do realize that the Bandit is a noisy amp in itself. It sounds excellent on the clean channel and I can get all the sounds of a Strat with passive pickups and much more. I play tunes ranging from the Beatles to Sabbath. This guitar is perfect for blues and the Clapton sound. There is nothing I don't like about the sound of this guitar, although for the heavy stuff, I usually whip out my Memphis Les Paul copy "beater" guitar with DiMarzio "The Breed" pickups. I rarely use the Freeflite tremolo. It was set up at the factory as a single action (down only) but it can be setup as a floating type, which I have tried to do fairly unsuccesfully (not much range in the up direction). The instrument also tends to go out of tune when using the tremolo, even with the locking setup.

The finger board is also finished with clear. I'm not sure if I like it or not. The action was a little high for my tastes right out of the case. I have since lowered the action and replaced the nut. I believe the original nut was plastic and it was replaced with one made of something harder, like bone. Other than the nut, the guitar is completely stock. The volume pot soon developed a loud pop when adjusting it, but a can of pot cleaner fixed that. The swivel that the tremolo handle fits into fits loosely and rattles around. I also had a problem with the bridge cutting through the thinner strings during a good bend. A small file remedied that.

The finish is holding up great, but I haven't gigged much with it and I'm very careful with it when I do take it out of the house. The gold hardware is slightly tarnished from time. All the controls work smoothly.

Never had to deal with Fender.

It's been good to me so far. I just love the transparent green color. I have never seen another Elite with this color. And seeing what they are selling for now, not a bad investment either. If it were stolen, I would definitely try to find another one (or loose the Memphis Les Paul copy and spring for a real one).

This is a US made Stratocaster. It has an active pickup circuit turned on by one of the knobs. It is from the early 80"s. I believe it was only made from 1983 to 1985, about the time Fedner passed to new owners. It has three white colored pickups with plain tops, no visible polepieces. They are supposed to be like early Lace Sensors. It had three push buttons for the pickup selections. It has a recessed tremelo with no backplate. The tuners are sealed but have a rough finsih, not like Gotohs. It is a brown sunburst

It has a full, mellow sound, not trebly. I used it with a tube Marshall Artist 15 at a loud gig. It sounded great, but more like a Gibson Les Paul. It is not noisy. It has a fair range of sounds, and seems like it is "anxious" to be played.

I bought it used, but it was in almost new condition. The only thing wrong was some slight scratches, like from polishing a car. The a\tion was kind of high, but I can't blame the factory. The finish on the tuners was rough, but they were Fender tuners. I never could get the tremelo to work properly. The handle fits loosely

It seekms like a very solid guitar that will stand up to a lot of abuse. I live in a salty, hot humid environment. SOme of the guitars I own went south due to corrosion, including a couple of Gibsons. I have not had these problems with the Fender. I have played some 5 hour sessions witht this guitars where everyone was sweating like pigs, it did not affect the guitar poorly.

I talked to a Fender factory rep about it, he was knowledgeable about it. Never tried to get it repaired. It was bought used without warranty

I think it is a terrific guitar especially for what I paid for it. I think I was lucky to buy it before the vintage boom since I see this same guitar is going for $1000. I did not get a factory case with it, the guy did not buy one when it was new. He seemed disgusted with the guitar, and did not get any other interested buyers for several weeks the ad ran. He was happy to get rid of it. I think the tremelo is useless, so I dont use it. The other owner tried to put a stringlock on it but gave up on it.

Pickup features: single coil active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: stratocaster elite
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): blues, rock, jazz
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: too die for clairty and power. great fender clarity through my 2-12 deville
Tone:
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: Strat experts only_ I have been told by several repairmen that the pickups are not lace sensors and are unique to the elite, and have also been told they are a precursor design to lace sensors. What kind of pickups does my strat elite have, and if they are lace sensors, (or orther) what brand and type (gold, silver ,etc) do they closest resemble?

This guitar must be the true unknown ....I've never seen anybody use this beast.. I bought this guitar new in the early 80's and she been my baby ever since...I think it's the most soild sounding Start I've played.I use this guitar every day and the only thing I've replace are the strings. Got a love it......

I realy have no set style like Rock,Blues,Bluegrass any thang that sounds good.... I'm sorry but this guitar does it all and it does it all the time (no dislikes)

Shredder all the way home.......

I've had it a long time ,,and it work fine, all the time

Never had the need (knock on wood)

This is 1983 Strat Elite with a 21 fret rosewood fingerboard. It came with strap lock buttons and its original hard shell case. The Elite differs from a standard Strat in that it has a fairly flat fingerboard radius (similar to a Gibson), flatter neck profile, special active pickups (Fender's precursors of the Lace Sensors), three push buttons for pickup selection, unique tremolo/bridge, 1 volume knob, 1 active boost/treble cut knob, and 1 low-mid boost knob. All kobs are Fender's "no-slip" style (white with black rubber barrel, black numbers and the "F" logo stamped on top). It has a recessed side mounted jack instead of the top mounted oval jack. The only feature that could make this guitar better would be locking tuners, but they weren't very common in 1983.

This is the best sounding strat I have ever heard. The 3 push buttons allow you to select any pickup combination you want (but it's hard to do in the middle of a song versus sliding a lever). The active electronics are pretty quiet. The active boost allows you to give a subtle "push" to your amp. The best feature is the low-mid boost knob. On zero, you get a thin wimpy vintage single coil sound. On 10, you get a fatter humbucker sound that has a real presence. I usually play it somewhere in between. Don't be fooled-it will not sound like a real humbucker loaded Gibson, but it can get much fatter than a regular Strat. The only reason I give it a 9 is because the pickups have a tendancy to squeal when I get too close to the amp. It doesn't do well at high gain settings (but that's why I own a Les Paul too-use the right tool for the right job!). I play it through a mid 80's Fender Twin which is a great combination for clean to mild overdrive sounds. I play classic rock and blues with this guitar, but stick to my Gibsons for the heavier stuff. The only other flaw is that it goes out of tune easily whenever I use the trem, which is not often.

I bought it used, so I had to tweak it myself to my personal taste. It had one high fret that I had to file. But now it is really nicely set up. The finish was absolutely mint when I bought it and I intend to keep it that way. It is also one of the best looking Strats I've ever seen with its transparent redburst finish. The wood underneath has a very nice grain. There were no flaws or defects on this guitar.

This is a very solid guitar. It's also almost as heavy as my Les Paul. Everything is solid and durable. I always gig with backup, but I wouldn't have to with this guitar. I don't usually take this one out though, because I don't want any thing to happen to it.

Who knows? I have heard good and bad things. Since it's an old guitar, I'm not worried. I'm a do-it-yourself repair guy anyway. Parts for the bridge could be a problem if I ever need any.

I have been playing for 5 years and have had this guitar for 2. I am quite honestly a Gibson man, but when I played this guitar, I had to have it because it was the only Fender I've played that I really liked. I couldn't use another Fender. It was also priced right. If you see an Elite for a decent price get it, because I've been told that they are kind of rare and I believe that they will be collectible in the years to come. If it were stolen, I would hunt the *@#$% down and this one back because I don't think I can replace it. If you're a vintage freak, you may not like this guitar because of its modern features. If you want a truly versatile strat, this is it.

This rare american strat was built in 1983 and comes with active pickups only built for this model. 3 individual pickup push-switches deliver all possible strat sounds. Maple neck with flat radius on a well built sunburst body. Noise cancelling dummy coil. General TBX and MDX (mid boost) controls. Freeflite tremolo with fine tuners from Kahler without a back plate. Edge mounted output jack and small backplate for the battery.

Incredible !!! If you only know passive strats you can not imagine what huge variaty of sounds can be produced with only one guitar. The pickups are very quiet because of the dummy coil. You can turn the TBX brighter till it delivers every little detail - you can't hide any more. This strat has high output and an extreme attack. Boosting the mids allows you better soloing and - no other strat can do - sound like a jazzy humbucker with lower punch.

I bought this guitar as it was 15 years old but the action is low without buzz - comparable with modern custom shop models. Two screws were rusty but all controls work smooth and quiet.

The only thing I have to think about this sturdy guitar is changing the battery every few months and - pulling out the cable every time I stop playing.

Never dealt with. It seems not to be possible to buy any replacement part because the pickups, the switches, the tremolo, the active electronics etc. were only produced for this guitar - so I have to be careful.

I never wanted to have a strat but this one got me with the incredible sound (from fat and mellow to bright, detailled and sparkling) and switching possibilities, with its very fast neck and the high output which can drive any amp. I would not buy a modern strat with active electronics because I don't like the limited sound of the lace sensors.