List of Stratocaster players

This is an alphabetized list of musicians who have made "notable" use of the Fender Stratocaster in live performances or studio recordings. The Fender Stratocaster was designed by Leo Fender and Freddie Tavares with involvement from musicians Rex Gallion and Bill Carson in the early 1950s, and since its commercial introduction in 1954 has become widely used among popular artists in rock, blues, and other genres. [Harv | Bacon | 2000 ] The Squier Stratocaster is produced by Fender as a more affordable alternative to the Fender-branded version.

Due to the immense popularity of this model, musicians are listed here only if their use of this instrument was especially significant — that is, they are players who:
*have long careers and a history of Stratocaster use.
*have a particular guitar that was unique or of historical importance.
*have contributed significantly to the popularization of the instrument through their use of it.

A–E

*Randy Bachman (born 1943), a founding member of both The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bachman favored Stratocasters and custom Strat-style guitars. [Harv | Prown | Newquist | 1997 | p=114-115] Though his bands are mostly known for their simplistic rock-radio anthems, Bachman's soloing often revealed complex melodies and jazz-inflected phrasing. Among his Stratocasters used are a '63 standard and a '71 four-bolt hardtail. He has listed guitar influences as varied as Lenny Breau, Leslie West, Wes Montgomery [cite interview |last=Bachman |first=Randy |subjectlink=Randy Bachman |title=Bachman-Turner Overdrive: King Biscuit |year=1998] and Hank Marvin. [cite web|url= http://www.randysvinyltap.com/main.php?ch=4|title= Randy's Vinyl t
]

*Jeff Beck (born 1944), a Grammy award winning rock guitarist, Beck is known for playing for various bands such as the Yardbirds and his own group The Jeff Beck Group. Beck primarily plays a Stratocaster and also has a signature Strat. [Harv | Chapman | 2003 | pp=25-17] He is noted for his innovative use of the Stratocaster's vibrato system. [Harv | Marten | 2007 | pp=48] Up to 1975 Beck had been, primarily, a Les Paul player. In an interview with Jas Obrecht about switching to the Stratocaster Beck stated "With a Les Paul you just wind up sounding like someone else. With the Strat I finally sound like me." [Harv | Ferguson | 1983 | pp=19]

* Ritchie Blackmore (born 1945), a founding member of both Deep Purple and Rainbow, currently a member of the band Blackmore's Night. [Harv | Kitts | Tolinski | 2002 | p=42] After starting his career using various Hofner and Gibson guitars, Blackmore switched to a Stratocaster in the late 1960s after seeing Jimi Hendrix perform with one. Blackmore's Stratocasters are modified; the middle pickup is lowered and not used (sometimes disconnected completely) and his Stratocaster fingerboards are all scalloped from the 10th fret up. Through the early/mid 1970s Blackmore was notorious for onstage abuse of his guitars sometimes destroying them completely. By the late 1970s the guitarist had found a Stratocaster model he was content with and it has remained his main stage and studio guitar up until it had to be refretted.

* Tommy Bolin (1951–1976), a versatile guitarist who is noted for his influence in genres ranging from acoustic blues to hard rock and jazz fusion. He was the lead guitarist for Zephyr, James Gang and Deep Purple. He also had a successful solo career. Bolin played by ear and was known for his improvisational skill. His primary guitar was a stock 1963 Stratocaster. [cite journal |title=Shooting Star |journal=Guitar World |month=November |year=1988 |last=Jisi |first=Chris |coauthors=Mark Bosch] [cite web | url = http://www.tbolin.com/interviews/guitarplayer_mar77.html | title = Tommy Bolin interview | accessdate = 2007-01-11 | last = Cauffiel | first = Lowell | year = 1977 | month = March | work = Guitar Player ]

* Bill Carson, a country and western guitarist credited by Fender as "the man for whom the Stratocaster was designed." [Harv | Duchossoir | 1994 | p=6]

* Eric Clapton (born 1945), a Grammy-award-winning guitarist who originally played Gibson guitars but has been a Stratocaster enthusiast since 1970. Clapton bought his first Stratocaster that year, Brownie, which was used on Layla. [Harv | Chapman | 2003 | p=153] Blackie, a composite of three different guitars, went into service in 1970 and was regularly played until its retirement in 1985. It was sold at charity auction for $959,500 in 2004. In 1988, Fender introduced the Eric Clapton Stratocaster, the first model in their Signature series. Clapton has been a long-standing client of the Fender Custom Shop.

* Ry Cooder (born 1947), a guitarist, singer and composer who is well-known for his interest in American folk music, his collaborations with other notable musicians, and his work on many film soundtracks. Cooder's bottleneck slide guitar playing, heard on such works as the soundtrack to the 1984 film "Paris, Texas", influenced other guitarists such as Bonnie Raitt and Chris Rea and contributed to the popularity of the Stratocaster as a slide guitar. [Harv | Marten | 2007 | pp=49] He uses a 60's Stratocaster for such playing. [cite web |url=http://rycooder.nl/pages/ry_cooder_Instruments_gear_amps_effects.htm |title=Ry's Hardware |publisher=RyCooder.nl |accessdate=2008-01-08]

* Robert Cray (born 1953), a long-time blues guitarist and singer, Cray plays a '64 Strat and had his own Signature model made in 1990. The signature model, manufactured by the Fender Custom Shop, combines aspects of Cray's '59 Strat and the '64, omits the standard Stratocaster whammy bar, and includes custom pickups. [cite web| url = http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/000870.html| title = Robert Cray Interview | accessdate= 2007-01-13 | work = Modern Guitars Magazine | date = 2005-06-29 ]

* Dick Dale (born 1937), one of the first owners of a Stratocaster; his was given to him personally by Leo Fender in 1955. Considered the pioneer of surf rock. He has been revolutionary in experimenting with the sound of the guitar by using heavy reverb and a unique playing style. [Harv | Kitts | Tolinski | 2002 | p=56]
* The Edge (born 1961), lead guitarist of U2, known for his melodic playing and use of delay, Edge has used the Stratocaster as one of his main guitars throughout his career. [Harv | Kitts | Tolinski | 2002 | p=94]

F–J

* John Frusciante (born March 5, 1970), the guitarist of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Frusciante owns a few pre-70's Strats, and is most known for using them on Californication [ [http://www.johnfrusciante.com/music/californication.php johnfrusciante.com] "Guitars: [...] '55 Fender Strat, '62 Fender Strat,] , as well as on Blood Sugar Sex Magik [ [http://www.johnfrusciante.com/music/SexMagik.php johnfrusciante.com] "known to have been used: Various Fender Stratocasters"] and Mother's Milk [ [http://www.johnfrusciante.com/music/mothers_milk.php johnfrusciante.com] "A Fender Strat (year & Model type unknown)"] .

* Rory Gallagher (1948–1995), an Irish blues rock guitarist, often credited as one of the most influential Irish rock and blues guitarists of all time. Gallagher is well-known for his worn sunburst Stratocaster. He described his battered Stratocaster as "a part of my psychic makeup". "B.B. King has owned over 100 Lucilles, but I only own one Strat, and it hasn't got a name"." Gallagher's Stratocaster has also been reproduced by the Fender Custom shop, to the exact specs of the original one. [http://www.fender.com/customshop/instruments/search.php?partno=0150080800] [cite web | url = http://www.stratcollector.com/newsdesk/archives/000233.html | title = Rory's Fender Strat | accessdate = 2007-01-11 | last = Gallagher | first = Dónal | date = 2004-05-11 | work = Strat Collector] [cite web | url = http://www.stratcollector.com/newsdesk/archives/000343.html | title = Rory Gallagher Interview | accessdate = 2007-01-11 | last = Minhinnett | first = Dave |date=1994 | work = Modern Guitars]

* David Gilmour (born 1946), as a solo artist and guitar player for Pink Floyd, Gilmour is credited for his unique, blues-based compositional approach and expressive soloing. Author Tony Bacon stated "his solo on 'Comfortably Numb' remains for many a definitive Strat moment." [Harv | Bacon | 2006 | pp=108] . Gilmour's guitar of choice is a custom modified Fender Stratocaster. [Harv | Chapman | 2003 | p=161] He is the owner of Strat #0001, which was manufactured in 1954 but was not the first Stratocaster made since Fender does not use sequential serial numbers. [cite web |url=http://web.tampabay.rr.com/richm/ggg9907.htm |title=#0001 of a Kind |publisher=Spare Bricks |last=Mahon |first=Richard |accessdate=2008-01-08] [cite journal |title=Interview with David Gilmour |publisher=Guitar Heroes Magazine |last=Sinclair |first=David |issue=9 |month=May |year=1983] Gilmour's signature black Stratocaster, used frequently in 1970's concerts and on the blockbuster albums "Dark Side of the Moon", "Wish You Were Here", "Animals" and "The Wall", is featured in a new book by his long-time guitar tech Phil Taylor: "Pink Floyd, The Black Strat -- A History of David Gilmour's Black Stratocaster." ["Guitar World", Vol. 29, No. 7 (July, 2008), p. 46.] Gilmour is considered to be one of the more influential Stratocaster players since the instrument's invention. [Harv | Marten | 2007 | pp=44]

* Buddy Guy (born 1936), an American blues guitarist and singer, Guy is well known for playing the Stratocaster throughout his long career. He is also known for his wild showmanship; Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan both pointed to Guy as an influence on both their playing and their stage shows. Fender has issued several different variations (black with white polka dots, red with white polkadots, white with black polkadots, a two-color sunburst and a honey-blonde finish) of a Buddy Guy Signature Stratocaster since the early 1990s; the guitars generally have gold Lace Sensor pickups and modified circuitry. [Harv | Kitts | Tolinski | 2002 | p=30]

* George Harrison (1943-2001), lead guitarist for the Beatles, Harrison got his first Stratocaster in 1965 and used it for the recording of the "Rubber Soul" album. Fender's Don Randall met with the Beatles to try and convince them to use more Fender products. The band bought several different instruments including Harrison's famous rosewood Telecaster. Harrison hand-painted his original Stratocaster with a psychedelic paint job that included the word "Bebopalula" painted above the pickguard and the guitar's nickname, "Rocky", painted on the headstock. He can be seen playing "Rocky" in the "Magical Mystery Tour" film as well as The Concert for Bangla Desh. [Harv | Bacon | 2000 | pp=76-77] [Harv | Bacon | 2006 | pp=76]

* Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970), known for developing blues in a modern context, Hendrix' main stage guitar through most of his short career was a Fender Stratocaster. [Harv | Chapman | 2003 | pp=190, 192] In 1990, the white Stratocaster used by Hendrix at the 1969 Woodstock Festival sold in a Sotheby's auction for $270,000, a record price at the time. Although Hendrix played left-handed, he did not normally use a custom left-handed Stratocaster. Instead, he is noted for playing a conventional right-handed Stratocaster strung backwards because he preferred to use the controls in that position. Like Buddy Holly, Hendrix was responsible for a large increase in the Stratocaster's popularity, especially in his favorite finish, white. In reference to his famed on-stage Stratocaster burning, Hendrix is quoted as saying, "The time I burned my guitar it was like a sacrifice. You sacrifice the things you love. I love my guitar." [Harv | Marten | 2007 | pp=44, 46] In 1997 Fender produced a limited edition Hendrix tribute model Stratocaster. [ [http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/000039.html Seven Fender Stratocaster Models That Pay Tribute to Jimi Hendrix November 13, 2004 - Modern Guitar Magazine] ]

* Buddy Holly (1936–1959), identified as "the first Strat' hero." A statue of Holly in his home town of Lubbock, Texas portrays him playing his Stratocaster, and the guitar is also engraved on his tombstone. [Harv | Duchossoir | 1994 | p=16] Although the initial release of the Stratocaster came in 1954, the guitar did not begin to achieve popularity until Holly appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1957 playing a maple-neck Strat. [cite news |title=Icons in the Beginning |publisher=The Sun-Herald |date=2007-11-11 |last=Sheedy |first=Chris] Holly was also pictured on the cover of The Crickets' 1957 album "The "Chirping" Crickets" with a sunburst Stratocaster, inspiring The Shadows' Hank Marvin to adopt the guitar. [Harv | Marten | 2007 | pp=44]

* Eric Johnson (born 1954), a Grammy-award-winning guitarist from Austin, Texas, Johnson has played Stratocasters regularly during his career and has played many different types of music. [Harv | Kitts | Tolinski | 2002 | pp=44-45]

K–P

* Mark Knopfler (born 1949), known for his work with British band Dire Straits. Fender now produces his Signature Stratocaster. [cite web | url = http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0117800815 | title = Mark Knopfler Stratocaster | accessdate = 2007-01-13 | work = Fender Products ]

* John Lennon (1940–1980), the Beatles' rhythm guitarist, acquired a 1961 Stratocaster during the 1965 sessions for "Help!". It was used on the track Nowhere Man. Lennon also used the guitar during the Sgt. Pepper sessions. A different Strat was used on the Imagine album. [ [http://www.thecanteen.com/lennon7.html lennon7 ] ]

* Alex Lifeson (b. 1953), the Guitarist for Rush since 1968, first recorded with a Stratocaster on the Rush 1977 album "A Farewell to Kings". He used the model as his main guitar for most of the 1980s. [cite web | url = http://www.musictoyz.com/articles/chopalex.php | title = Alex Lifeson | accessdate = 2007-01-11 | work = MusicToyz ] [cite web | url = http://www.rusharchives.com/gear/alex.shtml | title = Rush Gear & Gizmos: Alex Lifeson | accessdate = 2007-01-11 | last = Geiger | first = Jim | work = Rush Archives ]

* Yngwie J. Malmsteen (b. 1963), known for his work in the neo-classical metal genre. Influenced by an array of musicians, Malmsteen is regarded as highly influential for his use of heavy classical-style chord progressions, interesting phrases and arpeggio sweeps. He is known for playing Stratocasters with scalloped fretboards. [Harv | Kitts | Tolinski | 2002 | p=45] [Harv | Bennett | 2002 | p=93]

* Hank Marvin (b. 1941), the lead guitarist of The Shadows, Marvin was the owner of the first Fender Stratocaster in the UK (given to him by Cliff Richard). The guitar was finished in a shade of Fiesta Red, sometimes referred to as 'Salmon Pink'. This guitar, with its tremolo arm, contributed to the Shadows' distinctive sound. [Harv | Bacon | 2006 | pp=70] Guitarists such as Mark Knopfler credit Marvin and the The Shadows, who had "the first Strat that came to England", with influencing their own decisions to buy Stratocasters. [Harv | Marten | 2007 | pp=44]

* John Mayer (b. 1977), a Grammy-award-winning singer/songwriter has enjoyed recent popularity. Mayer has played Stratocasters throughout his career and has had a Fender Artist Series Stratocaster made in both standard and limited edition form.cite web|url=http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0119700800|title= John Mayer Stratocaster|accessdate=2007-07-30|format=HTML|publisher=Fender.com|language=English] cite web|url=http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0119700850|title= Limited Edition John Mayer Stratocaster |accessdate=2007-07-30|format=HTML|publisher=Fender.com|language=English] Mayer's use of the Stratocaster in a wide range of musical genres is noted as a testament to the guitar's versatility. [Harv | Marten | 2007 | pp=49]

* Mike Oldfield (b. 1953), a British guitarist who plays a wide range of guitars and instruments. His "Salmon-pink" strat, bought at the time of his hit "Moonlight Shadow", is his favorite guitar. [cite web | url = http://tubular.net/articles/01_04.shtml | title = Tubular Net | accessdate = 2007-01-12 | last = Maconie | first = Stuart | date = 2001-04-26 | work = Seven More Days That Rocked The World | quote = My favourite one is a salmon-pink Stratocaster, it's the same sort used by Hank Marvin in the Shadows ]

Q–Z

* Bonnie Raitt (born 1949), an American blues/R&B guitarist, singer, and songwriter, plays a 1969 Stratocaster as well as her signature Strat. [cite web| url = http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=4&storycode=12732| title = Information on Bonnie's Strat | accessdate = 2007-01-13| work = Guitar player, Bonnie Riatt Stratocaster]

* Robbie Robertson (born 1943), guitarist and principal songwriter for The Band. Robertson's main guitar choice was a Stratocaster, despite using a Telecaster early in his career. For The Last Waltz Robertson had a Stratocaster bronzed especially for his use in the film. [cite video | people = Robbie Robertson | title = The Last Waltz | medium = DVD commentary track | publisher = MGM/United Artists |date=2002] More recently Robertson made a very rare live appearance at Eric Clapton's 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival using a Stratocaster.

* Kenny Wayne Shepherd (born 1977 Kenneth Wayne Brobst), lead guitarist and lead/backup vocalist for The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Kenny started his playing career at age 16, while attending Caddo Magnet High School, and has performed internationally with many of the great blues legends. [cite web |url = http://www.kennywayneshepherd.net | title = Kenny Wayne Shepherd]

* Richard Thompson (born 1949), an English musician best known for his finger-style guitar playing and songwriting, was a founding member of Fairport Convention before becoming a solo artist. For many years Thompson played a '59 Sunburst Stratocaster, with a maple '55 neck. [cite web | url = http://www.richardthompson-music.com/gearandtunings.asp | title = Gear & tunings | accessdate = 2007-01-14 | work = Richard Thompson official website | date = 2006-12-20] That guitar is currently unserviceable and Thompson now uses a '64 sunburst Stratocaster with a rosewood fingerboard. [cite web | url = http://www.richardthompson-music.com/catch_of_the_day.asp?id=195 | title = MORE Questions and Answers | accessdate = 2007-04-21 | work = Richard Thompson official website | date = 2006-10-13]

* Pete Townshend (born 1945), the guitarist for The Who, used a Stratocaster during the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and has exclusively used a modified version of the Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster since 1989. [cite web | url = http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipment/guitar/equip-fenderstratocaster.html | title = Pete's equipment | accessdate = 2007-01-11 | date = 2004-03-01 | work = Who Tabs ]

* Robin Trower (born 1945), a British rock guitarist known for his work in the band Procol Harum and his successful solo career, has his own Signature Stratocaster made by Fender. "The sight of him onstage with his signature Stratocaster is as characteristic to his fans as his classic songs." [cite web | url = http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/001649.html | title = Robin Trower Interview | accessdate = 2007-01-11 | last = Holland | first = Brian D. | date = 2006-02-23 | work = Modern Guitars]

* Ritchie Valens (1941–1959), a pioneer of rock and roll mostly famous for his Latin Rock song La Bamba, played with a sunburst Strat. [cite web | url =http://www.patricktaylor.com/fender-stratocaster| title = Musicians who played a Stratocaster | accessdate = 2007-03-16 | date = 2006-03-16]

* Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954–1990), known for his Texas blues style guitar playing, was an American blues guitarist who is considered highly influential for his driving guitar style soaked with rhythmic style playing. Vaughan was noted for playing a Stratocaster equipped with a left-handed vibrato system. He was also known for tuning his guitar down a half-step and using heavy strings. [Harv | Kitts | Tolinski | 2002 | p=27] [Harv | Bennett | 2002 | p=188] [Harv | Chapman | 2003 | p=61]

* Ronnie Wood (born 1947), Rolling Stones, a guitarist since 1975. Wood's main stage instruments are 1956 and 1957 Sunburst Strats. He also uses a Telecaster. [ [http://www.slideonron.com/guitars.htm New Page 1 ] ]

* James "J.Y." Young, guitarist of multi-platinum rock band Styx, has been using a Stratocaster as his principal guitar almost exclusively since 1967. [cite web | url = http://www.racerrecords.com/Styx/GPIntJY.html | title = James Young- The Guitar Player Interview | accessdate = 2007-02-21 | date = 1981-07-01 | work = Guitar Player ]

References

References

* Harvard reference
Surname1 = Chapman
Given1 = Richard
Year = 2003
Title = Guitar: Music, History, Players
Publisher = DK publishing
ID = ISBN 0-7894-9700-X.
* Harvard reference
Surname1 = Bacon
Given1 = Tony
Year = 2000
Title = 50 Years of Fender: Half a Century of the Greatest Electric Guitars
Publisher = Balafon
ID = ISBN 0-8793-0621-1.
* Harvard reference
Surname1 = Bacon
Given1 = Tony
Year = 2006
Title = Electric Guitars:The Illustrated Encyclopedia
Publisher = Thunder Bay Press
ID = ISBN 1-5922-3053-9.
* Harvard reference
Surname1 = Bennett
Given1 = Joe
Year = 2002
Title = Guitar Facts
Publisher = Hal Leonard Corporation
ID = ISBN 0-6340-5192-X.
*Harvard reference
Surname1 = Duchossoir
Given1 = A.R.
Year = 1994
Title = The Fender Stratocaster: A complete guide to the history and evolution of the world's most famous guitar
Publisher = Hal Leonard Corporation
ID = ISBN 0-7935-4735-0.
*Harvard reference
Surname1 = Kitts
Given1 = Jeff
Surname2 = Tolinski
Given2 = Brad
Year = 2002
Title = The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time!
Publisher = Hal Leonard Corporation
ID = ISBN 0-6340-4619-5.
*Harvard reference
Surname1 = Marten
Given1 = Neville
Year = 2007
Title = Guitar Heaven
Publisher = HarperCollins
ID = ISBN 0-0613-5944-0.
*Harvard reference
Surname1 = Prown
Given1 = Pete
Surname2 = Newquest
Given2 = H.P.
Year = 1997
Title = Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists
Publisher = Hal Leonard Corporation
ID = ISBN 0-7935-4042-9.
*Harvard reference
Surname1 = Ferguson
Given1 = Jim
Year = 1983
Title = The Guitar Player Book-Revised Third Edition
Publisher = GPI Publications
ID = ISBN 0-394-62490-4.

See also

*List of Telecaster players
*List of guitarists