Fender Big Apple Stratocaster Questions

[Lewguitar]

Re: Fender Big Apple Stratocaster Questions

Actually, the coils are standard, but the magnet on the neck pickup is reverse polarity.

Nice score, Lew. Those are great guitars.

Thanks Evan, If I love it, I'll buy another one and put some Phat Cats in it!

BTW, did you get a chance to listen to the recording we made on the Tips and Clips page of my Strat with Surfers?

Lew

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Fender Big Apple Stratocaster Questions

so the '59 is like the one on the Showmaster series....actually I think the pickup config is exactly the same...

Very true.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Fender Big Apple Stratocaster Questions

Very true.

Why did Fender go with all those guitars with the same pickup configuration? Just their thing? I bet it was a pain to generate that large an order for '59RP's and PG+'s at one time lol.

 

[Stratcat]

Re: Fender Big Apple Stratocaster Questions

Nice score Lew, IMO, these Big Apple Strats play and sound great. Mine ended up with a PGn and a CC in the bridge.

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Fender Big Apple Stratocaster Questions

Why did Fender go with all those guitars with the same pickup configuration? Just their thing? I bet it was a pain to generate that large an order for '59RP's and PG+'s at one time lol.

That particular pickup compliment (PG+/59RP) and switching system is a Fender-thing. Michael Frank-Braun developed it for the Big Apple Strat project. And if you've played it, you know how cool it is.

When it came time to develop the Korean-built Showmaster series, I suggested to Fender's Guitar Marketing Manager at the time that they use the Big Apple (later known as Hot Rod Double Fat Strat) pickup and switching system, because it's so cool.

He took my advice.

It wasn't a pain to build that many pickups. Sometimes it was a challenge to absorb such huge orders from the Cort factory (where the Korean Showmasters are made) without a forecast and still hit our four week delivery.

But if you have to pick your problems, that's the one you want to have.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Fender Big Apple Stratocaster Questions

That particular pickup compliment (PG+/59RP) and switching system is a Fender-thing. Michael Frank-Braun developed it for the Big Apple Strat project. And if you've played it, you know how cool it is.

When it came time to develop the Korean-built Showmaster series, I suggested to Fender's Guitar Marketing Manager at the time that they use the Big Apple (later known as Hot Rod Double Fat Strat) pickup and switching system, because it's so cool.

He took my advice.

It wasn't a pain to build that many pickups. Sometimes it was a challenge to absorb such huge orders from the Cort factory (where the Korean Showmasters are made) without a forecast and still hit our four week delivery.

But if you have to pick your problems, that's the one you want to have.

Thanks for the insight. Very smart decision, recommending the '59rp/PG+ combo and 5-way switching, by the way. Thanks for that!

So those are made at the Cort factory in south korea? Can you tell us more about this factory and the whole "road to the big apple strat / showmaster" thing? That's some cool info!