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Hear two vintage “holy grail” Fender Stratocasters—a 1957 and 1961—in this head-to-head shootout by session and touring guitarist Mason Stoops.
After pulling both guitars from Guitar Center Hollywood’s Platinum & Vintage Room, Stoops heads down the street to Sunset Sound to play them in an iconic studio environment and through an amazing Fender Vibroverb amp.
“To me, the Stratocaster is the grandfather of modern electric guitar,” says Stoops. “And the Vibroverb is a superlative example of the Fender black panel clean sound. It delivers a massive wall of clean tone—thanks, in part, to its 15" JBL speaker—and it breaks up in a very specific way.”
1957 Fender Stratocaster Typical Specs
- Ash body
- One-piece maple neck
- Strong V neck profile
- 21 small frets
- Three Alnico III single-coil pickups
1961 Fender Stratocaster Typical Specs
- Alder body
- Two-piece slab rosewood neck/rosewood fretboard
- Slim C neck profile
- 21 small frets
- Three Alnico V single-coil pickups
A Tale of Two Fender Stratocasters
Stoops frames this Stratocaster shootout as a chance to hear two eras with their own distinct sonic personalities.
“The early ash body and maple neck of the 1957 Strat—combined with these pickups—produces a woody, midrange-y tone that makes me think of Buddy Holly, Hank Marvin and the Shadows," he says, “as well as the incredible single-note sound that led to surf guitar. It’s a more ‘guitar forward’ sound. The 1961 Stratocaster is smoother and more mid-scooped, and is reminiscent of a time when Strats were less pokey. The ’60s models started blending in and becoming part of a song, and they were perhaps easier to record.”
Dive deeper into the history of the Strat in 1954-1965|The Evolution of the Fender Stratocaster and 1965-1985|The Fender Stratocaster During the CBS Era.
The Sounds of 1957 and 1961 Fender Stratocaster Pickups
Instead of talking about which pickups are “better,” Stoops keeps returning to response—how each guitar invites a different kind of touch.
With the ’57, the neck pickup hits him as instantly familiar and emotionally specific. “There’s just this immediate nostalgic quality in the 1957 single-coils,” he says. “The sound is familiar, full, warm and somehow still cuts through. It’s a tone I often chased as a young player. The bridge pickup tone is almost too fun. It should be illegal. The 1961 pickups kind of showcase the player more than the guitar. The sound can sit in a mix gracefully, then step forward when it’s time for a lead line.”
Interested in adding a new Strat to the collection? Check out How to Buy the Best Stratocaster and How to Buy a Vintage Fender Stratocaster.
Discover Your Own Vintage Story
“Holding a vintage guitar in your hands is the closest thing to time traveling I can think of,” says Stoops.
If you’re curious about what a great vintage Strat (or any other classic guitar) feels like in your own hands, explore Guitar Center’s Used and Vintage inventory. And if you’re ever in Los Angeles, Guitar Center Hollywood’s Platinum & Vintage Room is a destination all its own.