I must admit, Duchossoir's rather bold and immodest subtitle to his work is, upon close examination, an honest depiction of its content. "The Fender Stratocaster" is, arguably, "a complete guide to the history and evolution of the world's most famous guitar." As such, it certainly deserves its half-inch space on any guitar afficianado's bookshelf. In his foreward to the book, Eric Clapton states that the Stratocaster is "about as close to being perfect as any electric guitar can be." I believe that Duchossoir uses Clapton's statement as a challenge in analyzing that instrument's perfection in every conceivable way: from concept, to prototype, to production, and through each evolutionary stage. There is a methodical disection of the Stratocaster's neck, body, pickups, wiring, and hardware accompanied by comprehensive documentation of neck dates, body dates, and other markings. Granted, a book of this analytical nature could be as dry as Texas sand for many readers and, in that sense, diminish its success in the marketplace. Duchossoir overcomes that possible shortcoming by liberally employing copies of original Fender advertising and high quality color photos of iconic Stratocasters throughout the book. This liberal use of eye candy creates a welcome oasis in what might otherwise be considered a rather austere, information-only landscape. The analysis and documentation is exhaustive although impressive, but the photos add aesthetic appeal and contribute to the book's ultimate success. Perhaps, at this stage of your personal journey, you--like Clapton--may becoming more aware that your Stratocaster is both "crude and yet pure." Your wish may be for a more complete understanding of its spirit, of its lineage, of its corporate and mechanical parenting. Or, you may fancy yourself the consumate collector and seek representative examples of that beautiful instrument; objects of art that will make your heart beat faster and take your collection to a new level. In either case, I suggest that you hasten to your bookseller and make Duchossoir your companion in that quest. I assure you, "The Fender Stratocaster" is the most complete guide on the subject as is currently available. Fulfillment is but a credit card swipe away. Dr. Jerry Zack March 2008Read full review
This is the King. All facts and researched just like a PHD thesis.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Excellent as advertised!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
THIS ONE IS A BIBBLE OF THE FENDER STRATOCASTER GUITAR. REALLY GOOD BOOK , LOTS OF DETAIL AND VERY USEFULL INFORMATION, ALL VERY CLEAR AND PRECISE.. BUY IT YOU WONT REGRET IT.
great book, i havent researched yet but i wonder is the a newer edition that covers strats after 1994.
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