Strat Plus

The Strat Plus is a series of electric guitars made by Fender from 1987 to 1999. It is also the name of a specific guitar model made by the same company. The guitars are a variation of the model. There were three models in the Strat Plus series; the Plus, the Plus Deluxe which was introduced in 1989, and the Ultra, introduced in 1990.

The Strat Plus model was introduced in 1987 as an upgraded version of the mid-1980s (first introduced in 1986) featuring three Gold Lace Sensor pickups (used by Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy), Fender/Wilkinson needle-bearing roller nut (changed to the LSR nut in 1993), Sperzel staggered locking machine heads (later models came with Schaller staggered locking tuners), a TBX tone control for the middle and bridge pickups and a Hipshot Tremsetter. The Strat Plus was the highest end production model next to Fender Custom Shop guitars. Models were available with both maple and rosewood fretboards.

The Strat Plus was followed by the Strat Plus Deluxe of 1989, the same guitar except for the addition of an optional white pearloid pickguard (certain Deluxe Pluses came with a brown tortoise shell scratchplate), a Blue Lace Sensor in the neck, a Silver Lace Sensor in the middle, a Red Lace Sensor in the bridge and an optional Fender/Floyd Rose locking bridge.

During the first two years of production, the Strat Plus Deluxe guitar came with a Gold Lace Sensor in the neck position, a Silver Lace Sensor in the middle position and a Blue Lace Sensor in the bridge. According to some knowledgeable people, some of the earliest Strat Plus Deluxe guitars came with a Silver Lace Sensor in the neck position, another Silver Lace Sensor in the middle position and a Blue Lace Sensor in the bridge position as well as a white pick guard as opposed to the pearloid type. It also featured an American 2-point tremolo, with the Deluxe pop-in bridge becoming a common option between 1989 and 1993.

Discontinued in 1999, the Strat Plus and Deluxe Strat Plus guitars were replaced by the Fender American Deluxe Series models that were introduced in 1998.

The Strat Ultra featured an alder body with flamed maple top and back veneers , and Lace Sensor pickups. Depending on the production year, the guitar featured 3-ply white-black-white or aged white pearloid pickguard. Early versions had an American Deluxe 2-point bridge, later versions were delivered with either a Deluxe pop-in bridge or a Fender Deluxe locking tremolo assembly. It was the first post-CBS era Fender guitar to feature an ebony fingerboard with abalone dot position markers (some earlier models came with regular white dots). Introduced in 1990, it was discontinued in 1997.

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