Ah, the Fender Stratocaster. One of the earliest electric guitar models, it was thrown into the spotlight after being adopted by many a famous rock star. It is the quintessential electric guitar because, for one, it is arguably the most classic design, and two, because it's been copied SO MUCH!
Developed by Leo Fender in the early 50's, the guitar sported many revolutionary features, including the ubiquitous guitar shape and the single-coil pickups. Just one feature that was copied exponentially from the moment the guitar was created was the spring-tensioned tremolo bridge, known to non-guitarists as "the whammy bar thing that changes the pitch".
The guitar's 3 single-coil pickups allowed for numerous tone-changes simply by flicking the 5-way blade, which allowed for versatility. Even today, a Fender can be used for practically any genre ever created: blues, rock, soft rock, pop, country, progressive, indie, even head-bashing metal (with some pickup changes). By simply changing the pickups to those of a heavier output or by modifying small things such as the type of bridge, a Strat can be made to play anything you can think of. This versatility is what makes the Fender Strat so quintessential. It can be found all over the music scene.
Ask a random stranger on the street about what first comes into their mind when you say the word "electric guitar". Generally, most people will say "Fender" or "Strat". Just this fact alone is evidence of how big the Stratocaster really is. The guitar has been adapted so much that it can be made to be perfect. And really, what more could you ask for?
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