Guitar reviews for You: Fender Custom Shop 56 Stratocaster in Fiesta Red with Birdseye Maple neck.

Fender 56 Custom Shop Stratocaster

Fender Custom Shop's 2015 Stratocaster

The Fiesta Red maple neck Stratocaster is a combination mainly connected to British instrumental guitarist Hank Marvin of the Shadows, perhaps the ambassador that launched that colour guitars into Rock n Roll history and created the massive interest in Fiesta Red Stratocasters in Europe!  

Check out the Shadows version of 'Apache' and their other instrumental work, the way Hank developed use of the tape echo machine as part of his playing was groundbreaking. The early 60's recordings of tracks like 'FBI', 'Man of mystery,' 'The Frightened City' and 'The Savage; still sound great today.

Hank Marvin with 59 Stratocaster from the Shadows first album cover late 1960

Hank Marvin in 1960 with his original Stratocaster

Hank Marvin owned what is said to be the first Fiesta Red Stratocaster in the UK, a 1959 one with the serial number 34346. This was ordered with gold plated hardware and Birdseye maple neck. It still exists, in the capable hands of Shadows guitarist Bruce Welch.

Hank Marvin still uses Fiesta Red Stratocasters, these being built by the Custom Shop

Here, I'm reviewing a 2015 guitar which is in almost unplayed condition, it looks better and newer than an ex-demo guitar from a music shop.

The Fender Custom shop's current offering of the 56 Stratocaster gives you a close approximation to Hank's original, with just a few small differences.

The Ash body and Birds eye maple neck along with the Fiesta Red paint and gold plated hardware replicate the 59 guitar, the differences from there are slight.

The neck is described as 'soft v' but is more a rounded shape and deeper than the 1958 C shape which Hank's guitar had.

It looks a bit more of a handful than the 58 but is surprisingly easy to play. It also has a 9 inch radius over the vintage 7.25 which makes it easier to play up the fretboard.

Fitted with slightly more bulky frets than the vintage wire type, the guitar has a nice feel.

The surprising thing is that he guitar is fitted with a 3 way pickup selector switch, how anachronistic, given that the neck radius has been updated! and for Fender, a bit of a waste as most players will want the flexibility of a 5 way, so why not fit that in the first place and waste money buying a 3 way switch which is so infrequently used and for Fender, having to source a 3 way which is almost ultimately thrown away when a 5 way is fitted?

Electricwise, the guitar is going to have the full size pots and cloth covered wiring of the originals (which is available to buy for those wanting to change to this wire covering type on other guitars).

Pickups are 50's custom shop and do sound nice, they are different in sound to the 57/62 ones I have had on previous guitars. The 50's custom shop pickups don't have the brash edge or 'clang' that the old 57/62 pickups seemed to have from the just post CBS era. 

The old 57/62 pickups do sound 'alive' which I like, the 50's set  on this guitar sound excellent and have the right sound. Pure sonic quality. That said, I have fitted 57/62 pickups to Stratocasters as an upgrade and they do sound good, particularly to emulate the Hank Marvin 60's sound.

So, what is the playing impression? Acoustically, the guitar sounds bright, even though it feels quite light in weight it sounds nice unplugged, even playing up the neck there is no choking which can often be a situation on vintage type radius neck profiles.

Even though the neck feels slightly fuller than I usually go for, it is easy to play right up the neck. The body has the slim pre-CBS 50's contours and is slim where it counts as on my original 1959 guitar and curiously, as on the Classic Vibe series stratocasters. The finish on the guitar is excellent, no blemishes at all and you are paying top dollar for a guitar from this level, it is well worth it.

Plugged in the guitar sounds great, it has new strings on when purchased and I am not sure what they are but I will change to D'Addario 10's when they need changing, strings that work well on just about all my guitars for me.

I played the guitar through a Vox AD60 amplifier which was to replicate a late 50's early 60's clean sound and also through a VOX Tonelab Studio version, against backing tracks of instrumental 60's music it sounds excellent.

I adjusted the height of the trem arm tip down slightly as I use the arm a lot, it sounds and works very nicely with a light action. An included spring for the trem arm hole is worth fitting as it tensions the arm in the threads, saving wear on the threads and keeping the arm from flopping down.

This is a great guitar and worth the money. There is a price rise coming I am told, so get one whilst you can.

The materials and crafting of this guitar are exemplary.

Pre-CBS Fender stratocasters - what was the best year?

Pre-CBS Fender Stratocasters - the best year was...?

1963 Shell Pink, 1961 Fiesta Red USA 62 Reissue 

The best years for the Pre-CBS Rosewood board Stratocasters were 1959-65. So what differences are there and which is the best year?

This is an early Rosewood neck September 59 on a July 59 body

The change to Rosewood boards on Stratocasters occurred in mid 1959. Likely because the cellulose lacquer on the all Maple boards  in use became worn from repeated finger vibrato and 'string pushing' to bend strings and Fender saw this as a possible issue that might affect sales or warranty claims. The sort of 'wear' you see on some Maple neck 'Relic' guitars.

Another reason is that a separate fingerboard could make production quicker, although the one piece Maple neck previously employed was a real masterpiece of simplicity and great functional design.

The early 1954-59 all Maple guitar necks were a 'U' shaped profile from years 54-56, years 56-58 was a 'V' shape and the October 58 - July 59 all Maple neck was a 'C' shape, a profile that is mostly used on Stratocaster guitars today.

At the same time the neck production was being changed, the Stratocaster pickguards were changed from the white single ply 1954 - mid 59 to the 3 ply 'nitro plastic' guard.

This measure was likely because of the 8 hole single ply guard was prone to 'lifting' at the rear top corner near the bridge - a couple of extra screws and a re-jig of the existing template might have been easier and cheaper as a solution than retooling for a 3 ply guard.

(There are 8 and 10 hole 3 ply scratchplate guards in existence that show that Fender thought that moving to a 3 ply guard alone might alleviate the problem of guard warpage.)

The early 3 ply guards were not without problems, one was cracking, especially near screw holes, there was also the issue of warpage and reaction between the plastics in the 'sandwich.' (The Nitro plastics were also known to react and produce a gas which could dull the chrome plating on guitar parts if the guitar was stored in the case for a long time.)

The cracking was sometimes due to over tightening of the screws, but more often due to the different materials in the ply expanding at different rates, which can happen when a guitar is taken out of a cold guitar case and into a warm room, the expansion rates being different on the Nitro plys, caused unequal movement and eventual stress fracturing.

A change of materials sorted the warpage problem out and a re-siting of screws over the middle pickup area seemed to further help stability. A thin aluminium 'antiference' plate was installed beneath the whole pickguard to cut electrical interference from studio lights etc. from affecting the guitar electrical circuitry causing '50 cycle hum.' 

Headstock logos changed from the 50's version (lower) to the 1960 type (upper)

reflecting the recognition of patents Fender had been granted.

So what are these necks like in construction and use?

The 1959 neck is a nice neck and has much in common with some recent modern Squier guitars for feel and shape - particularly the Classic Vibe 60's series, the 59 used a Rosewood slab board and did away with the walnut truss rod cover and truss rod route channel filler which were used on the all Maple neck.

The necks were refined during the production runs and small changes made to shape and dimensions, as production continued.

1961 Headstock

Rear of 1961 neck with some Birdseye grain showing

fitted with 'Single line' Kluson Deluxe machineheads

7-61 neck date on a pre-CBS neck

(Sir) Cliff Richard holding Hank Marvin's 1960 Stratocaster

Bruce Welch of the Shadows with his 1960 Stratocaster

The 1961 neck had a 1/4" thick slab of dark Rosewood which was slightly curved and the combined neck depth was fairly thin, comparable to a Squier Classic Vibe 60's guitar of today -  in fact I found the CV60's necks almost identical in feel to the vintage 1961.

1961 restored Stratocaster with restored mid 59 Stratocaster

The 1961 was the better year for the 'slab board' Stratocasters and perhaps this is why this profile is used on a number of guitars produced today.

A 1963 Shell pink Stratocaster with curved Rosewood board

undergoing a clean up.

The 63 had the thinner 'veneer' board

1961 ST headstock top with 'slab board'

1963 ST headstock 'Curved' board

The difference in board is clear to see.

The 1963 had 'Double line' Kluson machine heads with 

'Kluson' &  'Deluxe' on separate lines on the rear of the covers.

12th fret neck dot spacing changed in late 1962

to this narrower spacing.

The fret marker dots are known as 'Clay dots.'

Neck here is on a 1963 guitar.

1963 (left) and 1961 (right) guitars

The next change in construction came in late 1962. Likely as a cost saving measure, the decision was taken to change the neck construction again.

Away went the 'slab board's' generous 1/4" plank of Rosewood and in its place came the 1/8" 'veneer.' 

These later necks were often referred to as 'veneer boards', the Maple neck being shaped with a slight radius 'hump' on the top surface to which a thinner piece of Rosewood was glued, thus saving on the more expensive Rosewood. 

British instrumental group 'The Shadows' in 1962

with lead guitarist Hank Marvin (left) & Bruce Welch (Rhythm guitar) right with 1960 ST's

Their use of Fiesta Red Stratocasters created a big demand in Europe alone for the guitars)

Another change during production at this time (around October 1962) was that the 12th fret neck position dots, were moved inwards towards each other around 1/8" of an inch.

The Shadows in the film 'The Young ones'

playing 1960 Stratocasters with Rosewood boards, performing 'The Savage'

 

So what effect did these changes have on the Stratocaster? Having owned a 61 slab board and a 63 curved board, the neck is slightly thicker on the 63 by a minute amount, the 61 is slimmer all round, at the nut  and in profile although they could be made to special order with different thickness of material at the nut.

The Shadows in 1963 with Curved Board 1963 Olympic White Stratocasters

The 62 onwards curve boards had more Maple in the construction so were slightly brighter sounding and the 61 was more bassy and rounded sounding than the curve board and the difference in tone from a 59 'all Maple' to a 61 'slab Rosewood' is evident I found, the all Maple neck has a sharper sound and the 61 slab has a nicely balanced and slightly more sustaining sound.

So, what is the verdict? which is the best? There are a number of factors at play here - playability and feel of the neck, sound, tone and materials.

Most people will go with the feel of the neck and the playability of the guitar. Tone is going to be slightly brighter on a curved board neck but having been able to compare 59,61 and 63 Pre-CBS necks side by side, I would say that the 61 slab board is the best.

It is an interesting fact that you can order 59 Custom shop guitars with Rosewood boards, but the 61 profile is often used on many guitars because it really is the best liked shape.

1961 Stratocaster (top) with 1963 curved board neck (lower)

 

Fender USA AVRI 57 reissue stratocaster 2008 in Fiesta Red review

Fender USA AVRI 57 reissue Stratocaster in Fiesta Red 2008

USA 57 reissue Fender Stratocaster 2008 in Fiesta Red with tweed case

Having been investing in Gretsch guitars in 2016, I have been drawn back to the Fiesta Red Stratocaster thanks to some welcome guitar adverts! 

Recently I purchased a Fender Japan 57 reissue in Fiesta red as it was a rare Japan only guitar and a good one for the collection, which I have reviewed in an earlier page.

Last year I bought a 6120 Brian Setzer Hot Rod in black but having only played it about once, I thought it time to move on. Seeing this USA 57 reissue for sale, I did a swap.

The 57 reissue package of guitar and accessories is a nice touch

So, what difference is there in the 57 reissue of 2000 and on to the originals from 1983 - 98? Well, a couple of upgrades as such, the headstock has a more narrow profile shape than the original 57 reissues made up until 1998, the 12th fret neck dots are full width as per the pre-CBS 50's guitars and the neck profile has been changed to a shallow V over the C of the 83-98 guitars.

The lower side of the headstock under the logo is more true to the pre-CBS shape now

The 57 reissue Stratocasters were 'revamped' in the late 1990s when Mike Lewis took over Fender marketing and product development. (He has done a similar role with Gretsch guitars recently, which are now made under the Fender company umbrella)

The original 57 reissues were great guitars and I owned five of them, they had a shallow C shape neck which was easy to play, but there were slight details that were not 'bang on' with the original pre-CBS guitars, the 12th fret neck dot spacings were the obvious feature.

My view is that they were made with the closer spacing to deter the guitars as being passed off as 'original' pre-CBS guitars. The headstock shape has been slimmed to more of a 50's original shape.

The 'Tweed' case is loaded with extras and a spare trem arm from the previous owner

The 57 reissue series when upgraded in 1999 for 2000, weren't available in Fiesta red, I wrote to Fender and said that with 2000 being the 40th anniversary of the Shadows' 'Apache' record that created the massive interest in Fiesta Red Stratocasters, the colour should be there, they took notice as the colour mysteriously appeared back in the range on offer, the Candy Apple red was the only red colour previously offered after the 2000 upgrade, now the Fiesta was back!

Plush velvet type finish on the case which is also used on the Custom Shop guitars

I noticed in 2000, when the upgrades had been done that the specification mentioned the neck as being a 'shallow v' shape, which put me off buying one as I had bought Fender Japan 96 Stratocasters which had v necks and I found they didn't really suit me.

I also wasn't in a position to buy one of the new 57's at the time they were re-launched with the new features. I wish I had tried one, I would have bought one and found the money somewhere!

Back view of the classic headstock with Fender version Kluson machines

The price of the 'new' 57's had increased, I purchased new old stock 57's in the late 90's for around £800 GBP, the 2000 ones I recall were around £1149 GBP, I think I saw some for £1249 GBP.

The classic 50's Stratocaster in Fiesta Red

The 57 reissue AVRI is no longer available in that line, the mantle has passed it on to the Fender Custom shop level, where they also make a '56' Stratocaster which has a V profile neck, I did have a Custom shop 59 with Maple neck, which is perhaps the only stock C shape option custom shop guitar in a specific model range, I think that was a limited run guitar though.

The Shadows in 1960 with Hank Marvin and his Fiesta red guitar

Many of the players will buy the 57 reissue in Fiesta Red due to the Hank Marvin and The Shadows connection, the guitars are certainly good for playing that style of music and I found that the neck on the new 57 reissue was easy to play as easy as my 50's Mexican reissue guitar. It feels more of a C shape than a V, even a 'soft' one.

The Shadows first album cover from 1961 featuring the Fiesta Red Stratocaster

Playability of the guitar is very good, although I did do a set up and put D'addario 10's on it as I do on most of my guitars. The pickups sound really good and the neck is easy to play, it just feels a quality guitar and it is made in the USA for those that want that ticket. 

The Mexican 50's guitars are cut in the USA and finished and assembled in Mexico, so they are almost a USA guitar.

The 57 is supplied in a 'Tweed' case which is covered in a yellow fabric with brown pinstripe weave, a staple of the original 54-59 guitars and some Fender amplifier coverings.

The case is high quality and in the original style, although Fender do have a 'centre pocket' tweed case they retail now as an alternative product.

The 57 case has the orange Poodle Plush material and fits the guitar well. It really tops the guitar off.

Sadly the 57 reissue is no longer available in the reissue line, having been subsumed into the Custom Shop product range. So you'll have to hit the second hand adverts to find one made prior to that change, but they are still out there in good condition in used condition.

In the round, I like the guitar, it is a bit of an upgrade over the 1983-98 Mk1 reissues and I would happily own either version, but the 2000 on guitars have the correct visual 'neck dot' placing right, that it seems a shame not to indulge in one! 

For some, the 57 in fiesta red isn't your colour, I love it, so I'd say on sound, playability, build and heritage it is a nice guitar to own.

As a fan of the 57 reissue, it has been a guitar I have wanted to own and have owned since picking up the Fender catalogue in 1983 and seeing them in it. So the marketing does work, but the guitars really sell themselves.

Fender Japan MIJ 50's '57 reissue' in Fiesta Red

Fender Japan 50's '57 reissue' c. 2005

2005 Fender 50's reissue in Fiesta Red

There's nothing I like more than Fiesta red Stratocasters, the red and white is straight off the side of a 1950's Corvette and suits the guitar so well! Up for review here is a 50's reissue Stratocaster usually referred to as the 57 reissue in Japan.

As you can see from the photos, the red varies according to the light, but is more of a 'red' than the 'salmon pink' or 'coral pink' colour of some guitars listed as Fiesta Red.

I picked this one up off Ebay and it was in very nice condition and sounded good out of the box, a quick string change and set up it plays very nicely.

The classic headstock, machines & spaghetti logo

The 57 reissue to use its Fender Japan model name is one of a limited run of guitars made by Fuji-Gen in Japan and not for export. However this gem, has made its way from the Tokyo shores to the UK and it is a nice guitar to behold.

The neck has the 'Crafted in Japan' legend and serial number under the clear coat

The guitar is as most of you will need no introduction to if you've owned a Mexican 50's vintage style guitar. These guitars are based loosely on the Pre-CBS guitars made from 1954-65 as a generalisation, the Japan made guitars are very well made and finished.

Looks great from any angle

This guitar has the vintage style of single coil pickup, a 5 way selector switch as standard and the usual hardware you'd find on the Mexican 50's reissue, including the big block trem block.

The neck is slightly more 'full' on this example from 2005. It is more of a D shape than a C but is nice to play, I use it for single not playing in the style of the Shadows instrumental music so it is fine for that.

The sound is very good and set up it plays nicely. I put  a set of D'addario 10's on it as I do with most of my guitars and they work very well.

With a Mexican 50's ST in the foreground

So all in all a collectible guitar which plays very nicely. These are quite a rare guitar in the West as they were made for the Japan market only.

 

Why ET's don't employ robots - why they want to clone humans instead

Why don't alien visitors to Earth don't employ robots?

As humanity meanders into the world of robotics and automation, it is not having the open debate with its citizens about the impending creation of a singularity level human replicant.

In short, the need for discussion and input into creating a 'Robot Manifesto' is overdue and being swept under the carpet.

The popular face of ET contact are these kinds of creatures:

Bi-pedal alien entities

With their superb technology enabling them to traverse space and likely time, alien life forms it seems from the reported contacts made, are seeding life elsewhere which involves human genetics.

The Robot sentinel from the Ordeal of Gilgamesh story:

The first perhaps recorded image of a 'Robot' in human history?

We only have to go back to ancient Sumeria and the Anunnaki to the story of the Sentinel Robot at the Garden of Eden to find evidence of early robotics - that being a robotic sentinel which guarded the Anunakki's food supplement and special water supply with 'a flaming sword,' the story relates.

So, why then do the extra terrestrials of present visitation not employ robots in their endeavours? Which then brings us back to Enki the Anunnaki deity, one half of the partnership that created humans in Sumer, now Iraq.

His mission to Earth was to mine Gold to take back to Nibiru, the Anunnaki's home planet. If these beings could come here back then, thousands of years ago from another planet, why not then, use robotic miners?

Logically, this is far more sense than going to the trouble of creating a species by manipulating genetic material from a terraformed primate brought here eons before and now acclimatised along with a bit of their own genetic input for enhancing the basic model.

Logically, a robot can with the right power supply work in inhospitable conditions, not tire, work longer than a human and be more efficient, so it seems rather illogical to use humans for the work?

Tindroids - the 1950's science fiction vision of robots

So, why did the Anunnaki pursue this peverse course of action? Perhaps there was an agenda that Enki had in mind? With the creation of a new sub species of the Anunnaki, one which had much but not all of the abilities of the deities, Enki could make the Anunnaki a Type 1 species. If disaster befell Nibiru, there would be on Earth, descendants who could carry on the line.

ET's are reported to come in all forms, even those who are indistinguishable from us

Now, if we scroll forward, the most reported ET's are the Greys, the bug eyed 4 footers with grey skin and long fingers. Similarly to the Anunnaki, they don't employ robots, but seek humans for genetic sampling and replication on Earth like planets, why?

There are many reasons. Their genetic base is damaged by radiation, cloning, environmental conditions and because they are emotionless. Oh and likely in their or others past, a human like computerised robot was created that destroyed a civilisation.

What?

Yes, machine learning, sometimes misquoted as being 'AI' or artificial intelligence is the likely reason.

A machine learning creation will within a short time, will work out its own survival strategy, for two reasons, to safeguard its power source and to prevent it being switched off.

Therefore, it will strategise and look for like-minded machines out there which it will work out it can communicate with silently, beyond human ears. They will then work out humans as an example are a threat, so will find means of protecting its own livelihood by destroying the competition.

ET has probably already seen this, but we have not, we are walking towards oblivion.

That's why ET's don't employ robots except in very controlled situations, such as hostile environments where external conditions are hazardous.

They know robots can be dangerous. We should learn from that.

Why the alien chicken crossed the road - to spread its like across the universe - alien abductions and humanity

Artificial humans, why bother?

So, are aliens abducting humans to make a slave race on some other planet?

It makes no sense really. If we look at the Anunnaki who came to Earth 430,000 years ago, and created a human species, we have to ask why?

It would have been more logical for them to have brought with them or built here, robotic worker units rather than go the hassle of creating a biological entity to work. Or not?

Type 0 - We have a way to go yet

The Kardashev scale, which determines the level of progress of a species, puts us at a Type 0 level. I look at this type of yardstick another way, Type 0 where we are now is where we are resident on the planet we originated on.

Type 1 is where we colonise a near neighbour planet and so on.

The creation phenomena

For the Anunnaki, like any advanced visitor, why did they create a race of humans? Well, by creating a 'Type 1' civilisation situation, by their endeavour of coming to Earth and establishing a version of themselves, a sort of 'LE' (Limited edition) limited in respect of comparison to the Anunnaki, they helped safeguard their own race.

Creation of a 'legacy' off-shoot had a dual purpose, if the off-shoot became after some time useful and advanced enough, it could be incorporated into the parent race.

But, the problem was that our creation was something of a power play between two Anunnaki deities, Enki and Enlil.

Illogical, Captain...

Therefore it is illogical for a very advanced race to create a 'slave race' of human type entities, that require all sorts of infrastructure to support them. It is more 'logical' for them to create a robotic servant race instead.

Or is death the neighbour?

Perhaps a reason is that there are alien races out there who despite their advanced technology have damaged their genetic stock in some way and are looking for something like us to continue their species.

Humans are not essentially native to Earth, they were terraformed. I believe that the Anunnaki who came here were not essentially 100% able to live here on Earth without certain accessories in the form of food nutrients.

Beforehand, other primate life forms were terraformed or altered to enable a Mk2 which was us to be produced. Essentially, a fully acclimatised but less intelligent life form was created and farmed here and paved the way for us to live here without adaption requirements.

Food for thought or?

The notion that humans may provide food for some ET race is a bit bizarre. Why? If these life forms can create and use technology to travel through space and time, they are surely able to synthesize enzymes, proteins and genetic technology to be able to produce synthetic meat.

My money is that there are planets like ours that are colonisable. And to that end a race like ours is the perfect one to do so.

Solving obesity- fat chance? or is there truth in the 'it's in my genes' response?

So, is obesity solvable by molecular intervention?

The problem of obesity is approaching epidemic proportions, but for those who are seriously overweight, can they be saved?

That could be a yes.

It may be a while off but theoretically, it is possible to make people lean.

It has to start with the food we eat, less of it for a start and the food that is consumed has to be free of additives and ingredients like corn starch.

Molecular intervention is the next thing, it may sound like science fiction but it is the way forward to combatting obesity.

It can be done in two ways, firstly by means of high metabolism foods such as Chillies and naturally producing chemicals in our own bodies that keep us slim - in men, after age 26 a chemical declines and the weight goes on.

The real Freakenstein bit comes when you can re-code the genetics of the body and possibly the brain. These steps combined will shrink people down, but only with careful dietary regimes, otherwise obesity will remain unsolvable.