The Fender Stratocaster Handbook: How To Buy, Maintain, Set Up, Troubleshoot, and Modify Your Strat

by Paul Balmer, Hank Marvin (Foreword)

There are six million out there--from Eric Claptons million-dollar "Blackie" to your treasured hand-me-down--and still the world cant get enough of the Fender Stratocaster, the legendary electric guitar-of-choice for players and dreamers from pioneers like Buddy Holly to todays garage-band heroes.

This is the worlds first hands-on, how-to manual for the Strat, taking the mystery out of maintaining and modifying what is really a relatively simple instrument (two boards, some wires, some pickups). It shows you how to make the most of your Stratocaster--and how to make it truly your own.

With clear text and colorful illustrations, this guidebook takes readers through the basics of selecting and buying Strats; maintenance and repairs such as tuning, setting intonation, tremolo alignment, fret repairs, bridge and nut adjustments, electrics troubleshooting; spur-of-the-moment stageside fixes; and some basic performance enhancements like adding "hot rod" Fender and aftermarket pickups, locking-tremolo nuts, and more.

Genres: Music, Reference

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[East Bay J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I told my folks I was saving to buy a Fender Stratocaster and their response was to send me The Stratocaster Handbook. My folks are pretty cool.

Balmer's catch all guide to Fender's Stratocaster is a very useful volume, in my opinion. There is a great deal of historical information on Fender and the Stratocaster as well as case studies of several styles of Strat. There is also a chapter on famous Strat players and their Strats, with a section each for Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton, Hank Marvin, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan and, believe it or not, Eric Clapton. Three sections on Eric Clapton is absolutely ridiculous. What about Ritchie Blackmoore? Dick Dale? Eddie Hazel?

Of great use is the included information on setting up a Strat. While not a heavily technical manual, any Strat owner should be able to set up their guitar correctly using the information given in this book.

Balmer is English, so he uses funny words like, "valve" (tube), "fingerboard" (pickguard), "plectrum" (pick) and "spanner" (wrench), to name a few, but don't let that throw you. The Stratocaster Handbook is top notch.

[Terry Belben · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must

[Isaac Bishara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Own it, consult it, learn it, love it, live it...nuff said!

[Paolo Filippelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding work