First year 1954 custom colour Strat at Emerald City

matt_sefton

You don’t see one of these every day - beautiful guitar!

https://youtu.be/jFuOK4lKVek

tony99

lovely that

roberty

Great photography/videography too. Looks incredible

roberty

I want his t shirt https://robertswesternworldstore.com/product/roberts-western-world-black-t-shirt/

the_other_ed

Holy Grail Strat... Dude should treat it with more respect. Pisses me off that that gorgeous Stratocaster that has survived probably longer than any of us have, now has attached to its history a video of itself with this idiot.

duotone

Really look forward to watching this.
So is there where PRS took their colour inspiration from, for their ‘stone blue’ SE Silver Sky? https://prsguitars.com/electrics/model/se_silver_sky_2022

lustycourtier

the_other_ed said:

Holy Grail Strat... Dude should treat it with more respect. Pisses me off that that gorgeous Stratocaster that has survived probably longer than any of us have, now has attached to its history a video of itself with this idiot.

Huh? The passionate knowledgeable guy or the incredible player? 

CavemanGrogg

I watched it, and honestly thought, ''thank Christ Fender sorted that out, changed that....''.  I'm not the biggest fan of vintage instruments, I'm really no the target audience for these guitars, thankfully, which saves on the wallet no end.

impmann

I remember a time when we thought that custom colour pre CBS Strats were rare, but we thought it was common for pre-CBS Strats to be routed for humbuckers and locking tremolos.

These days it *actually* appears that these custom colour Strats have been neatly preserved in nicely worn condition but all the routed and modified pre-CBS ones are rare instead.

Who knew?

idiotwindow

Emerald City videos have great production values and they have probably been responsible for some of the other dealers having to up their game in recent years but I find them a bit of a struggle to get through – at least in the intro sections fronted by the younger guy. Far too much  talk of "killer guitars", etc. I'm not sure what the term for it might be but it comes across as a peculiar West Coast American version of something like our mockney. Their longer roadtrip type videos are virtually unwatchable for me – they look great but all the "dude" "bro" and contrived backslapping is a bit too much for me.

RaymondLin

Looks like a SilverSky but in worse condition.

guitars4you

impmann said:

I remember a time when we thought that custom colour pre CBS Strats were rare, but we thought it was common for pre-CBS Strats to be routed for humbuckers and locking tremolos.

These days it *actually* appears that these custom colour Strats have been neatly preserved in nicely worn condition but all the routed and modified pre-CBS ones are rare instead.

Who knew?

I started full time in 1978 and had 2/3 years before that working Sat + school holidays - I recall a few 'used/pre-CBS models going through our hands - None were original - The common trait during the mid/late 70's and early 80's was

Change the switch to 5 way
Add a DiMarzio SDS1 in the bridge position
Many had were stripped to natural
Many had Mighty Mite style brass saddles
Most had a brass top nut 
I even recall one fitted with 3 separate on/off mini toggle switches aka a Hendrix/Roger Mayer mod and Knopfler

Yet you tell me when have you ever, seen such a guitar for sale in any store and/or any Reverb/E-bay site etc - I've not even seen one at many of the guitar shows I exhibit at - These have all disappeared 

I have no issue with 'player grade' examples and indeed re-fin examples - So if they have been 'converted' to such then not an issue - But I dare say many are now 'original' again

impmann

guitars4you said:

impmann said:

I remember a time when we thought that custom colour pre CBS Strats were rare, but we thought it was common for pre-CBS Strats to be routed for humbuckers and locking tremolos.

These days it *actually* appears that these custom colour Strats have been neatly preserved in nicely worn condition but all the routed and modified pre-CBS ones are rare instead.

Who knew?

I started full time in 1978 and had 2/3 years before that working Sat + school holidays - I recall a few 'used/pre-CBS models going through our hands - None were original - The common trait during the mid/late 70's and early 80's was

Change the switch to 5 way
Add a DiMarzio SDS1 in the bridge position
Many had were stripped to natural
Many had Mighty Mite style brass saddles
Most had a brass top nut 
I even recall one fitted with 3 separate on/off mini toggle switches aka a Hendrix/Roger Mayer mod and Knopfler

Yet you tell me when have you ever, seen such a guitar for sale in any store and/or any Reverb/E-bay site etc - I've not even seen one at many of the guitar shows I exhibit at - These have all disappeared 

I have no issue with 'player grade' examples and indeed re-fin examples - So if they have been 'converted' to such then not an issue - But I dare say many are now 'original' again

That was my point.... back in the late 80s/early 90s there were quite a few in that sort of condition still floating around but they've all vanished and all of a sudden we are seeing "all original" custom colour Strats that just weren't around back then, yet none of the routed and modded ones... 

MentalSharps

idiotwindow said:

I find them a bit of a struggle to get through – at least in the intro sections fronted by the younger guy. Far too much  talk of "killer guitars", etc. I'm not sure what the term for it might be but it comes across as a peculiar West Coast American version of something like our mockney. 

Sadly old bean it's not possible to completely remove the riff raff from their own music, instead one must steel oneself to such infractions of common decency as colloquial language and mannerisms!

Jokes aside, personally I prefer warts and all presentations that allow people involved to be their authentic selves rather than generic media trained / friendly presentation. It's great for a cultural form like music, to be able to experience the full spectrum that the culture spreads. 

idiotwindow

MentalSharps said:

idiotwindow said:

I find them a bit of a struggle to get through – at least in the intro sections fronted by the younger guy. Far too much  talk of "killer guitars", etc. I'm not sure what the term for it might be but it comes across as a peculiar West Coast American version of something like our mockney. 

Jokes aside, personally I prefer warts and all presentations that allow people involved to be their authentic selves rather than generic media trained / friendly presentation. It's great for a cultural form like music, to be able to experience the full spectrum that the culture spreads. 

Yes, of course, but I rather doubt that we are seeing an authentic self. Which was my point – it's all a bit contrived and phoney. (Probably like the guitars.) 

AK99

Quite a player that guy demoing the Strat. Class

Gassage

People often forget that Gilmour's 0001 was actually custom color.

CaseOfAce

impmann said:

guitars4you said:

impmann said:

I remember a time when we thought that custom colour pre CBS Strats were rare, but we thought it was common for pre-CBS Strats to be routed for humbuckers and locking tremolos.

These days it *actually* appears that these custom colour Strats have been neatly preserved in nicely worn condition but all the routed and modified pre-CBS ones are rare instead.

Who knew?

I started full time in 1978 and had 2/3 years before that working Sat + school holidays - I recall a few 'used/pre-CBS models going through our hands - None were original - The common trait during the mid/late 70's and early 80's was

Change the switch to 5 way
Add a DiMarzio SDS1 in the bridge position
Many had were stripped to natural
Many had Mighty Mite style brass saddles
Most had a brass top nut 
I even recall one fitted with 3 separate on/off mini toggle switches aka a Hendrix/Roger Mayer mod and Knopfler

Yet you tell me when have you ever, seen such a guitar for sale in any store and/or any Reverb/E-bay site etc - I've not even seen one at many of the guitar shows I exhibit at - These have all disappeared 

I have no issue with 'player grade' examples and indeed re-fin examples - So if they have been 'converted' to such then not an issue - But I dare say many are now 'original' again

That was my point.... back in the late 80s/early 90s there were quite a few in that sort of condition still floating around but they've all vanished and all of a sudden we are seeing "all original" custom colour Strats that just weren't around back then, yet none of the routed and modded ones... 

Not to mention sticking Floyd Roses  on 'em and installing Nady transmitters etc...! 
Van Halen - he caused a fair bit of damage when he arrived on the scene didn't he?!

I love seeing guitars being played liked that - I'm a big fan of the Phil X / Fretted Americana vids for the same reason. 
To me they were built to be used - not handled with velvet gloves and stuck in a glass case.

impmann

Gassage said:

People often forget that Gilmour's 0001 was actually custom color.

Yup... and built/rebuilt by Seymour Duncan ;-) (Obvs depending on who you believe...)

JJMan

Is it me or do the knobs not look original. I always thought the '54 had the Top Hat types?

Strat54

idiotwindow said:

Emerald City videos have great production values and they have probably been responsible for some of the other dealers having to up their game in recent years but I find them a bit of a struggle to get through – at least in the intro sections fronted by the younger guy. Far too much  talk of "killer guitars", etc. I'm not sure what the term for it might be but it comes across as a peculiar West Coast American version of something like our mockney. Their longer roadtrip type videos are virtually unwatchable for me – they look great but all the "dude" "bro" and contrived backslapping is a bit too much for me.

Young Trevor Boone is the business owner along with his father Jay. He's just enthusiastic.