Fender 7 string prototype stratocaster.

[Drew]

Man, there was a time where I would have murdered babies for a seven string stratocaster with singlecoils. I've moved on, sadly, but these are still cool instruments.

That said, a couple questions on this...

i briefly owned a michael stevens built proto but the reverse headstock and bridge position made both the whammy and proper intonation for a low a impossible.


s1 switching system

How does the reverse headstock impact intonation? Plenty of reversed headstock guitars intonate perfectly, what matters is the distance from the bridge to the nut, no?

Also, was the S1 system added later? I didn't think Alex Gregory had any continuing relationship with Fender after the mid-80s?

 

[crik]

the issue with intonation was based on the fact that with the low a, there wasn't enough travel for the lowest string saddle to intonate.

also? the added string length tension introduced by a .070 low a added considerable tension to the bridge.

here's the breakdown on the batch of 6 7 string fender stratocasters. the last 4 represented the final refinement/revision of the maestro's design. these refinements included a flatter radius board (23") which is obviously scalloped. that sealed the deal for me. the vibrato bridge is proprietary and floats on 2 springs with upward pull of a 4th on the open g string. it also features the ability to either top load (for less tension) or run the high string through the block.

they were custom shop orders but r&d model shop did the most of the work because they had the programs. all told there were about 6 of these made over the last 5 or 6 years.

Man, there was a time where I would have murdered babies for a seven string stratocaster with singlecoils. I've moved on, sadly, but these are still cool instruments.

That said, a couple questions on this...




How does the reverse headstock impact intonation? Plenty of reversed headstock guitars intonate perfectly, what matters is the distance from the bridge to the nut, no?

Also, was the S1 system added later? I didn't think Alex Gregory had any continuing relationship with Fender after the mid-80s?

 

[Esp Griffyn]

Nice guitar. I didn't realise anyone actually listened to Maestro Alex Gregory though, I thought he was like a bad joke or a meme or something.

 

[Possessed]

The best looking Fender i have ever seen! i am also a big fan of scalloped fingerboard. Huge Congrats!

 

[Suho]

Truly beautiful. I don't want to even think about the cost of one, assuming one was available. I think there are a good number of players who seriously do want a seven stringed strat- traditional style- including me. (Fender... are you listening?)

 

[hairychris]

Nice guitar. I didn't realise anyone actually listened to Maestro Alex Gregory though, I thought he was like a bad joke or a meme or something.

He is. But is real.

BIO



Also needs to hire a decent web designer.

 

[Drew]

the issue with intonation was based on the fact that with the low a, there wasn't enough travel for the lowest string saddle to intonate.

also? the added string length tension introduced by a .070 low a added considerable tension to the bridge.

here's the breakdown on the batch of 6 7 string fender stratocasters. the last 4 represented the final refinement/revision of the maestro's design. these refinements included a flatter radius board (23") which is obviously scalloped. that sealed the deal for me. the vibrato bridge is proprietary and floats on 2 springs with upward pull of a 4th on the open g string. it also features the ability to either top load (for less tension) or run the high string through the block.

they were custom shop orders but r&d model shop did the most of the work because they had the programs. all told there were about 6 of these made over the last 5 or 6 years.

Ok, that makes more sense, because the headstock orientation should have zero impact on intonation. The bridge positioning really just not getting on with a low A in 25.5", totally different story.

Interesting guitar. So this is just a regular (heh) custom shop order, and not an endorsee guitar or anything?

 

[crik]

endorsee guitar.

one of four scalloped board maestro sig models built for alex.

i bought it directly from alex.

the order went through the custom shop but was built in the fender r&d model shop.

Ok, that makes more sense, because the headstock orientation should have zero impact on intonation. The bridge positioning really just not getting on with a low A in 25.5", totally different story.

Interesting guitar. So this is just a regular (heh) custom shop order, and not an endorsee guitar or anything?

 

[Drew]

endorsee guitar.

one of four scalloped board maestro sig models built for alex.

i bought it directly from alex.

the order went through the custom shop but was built in the fender r&d model shop.

I didn't think Alex Gregory was an endorsee? I thought they talked in the 80s, but I thought nothing came of it?

Artists | Fender®

 

[crik]

I didn't think Alex Gregory was an endorsee? I thought they talked in the 80s, but I thought nothing came of it?

Artists | Fender®

 

[Drew]

Yeah, like I said, I know they'd talked in the 80s - that's a price list dated 1988. I'm just saying, this is clearly a guitar that dates from after 2010 or so, whenever they introduced the S1 switching, and I didn't think he was currently on the endorser list? That'd make this a custom shop order with his signature on the headstock, not a prototype or an endorser guitar, right?

I tried to check wikipedia for confirmation of what happened there, and it turns out the page has been deleted.

EDIT - mind you, a pair of custom shop seven string Strats is nothing to lift your nose at, exactly, no matter what their backstory.

 

[crik]

here's an idea.

call any custom shop dealer. try ordering a guitar with the same specs. report back with the results.

i purchased the guitar directly from my friend alex. i don't need wikipedia. i deal directly with alex.

it was built for him, to his specs.

the official fender line:

"These are made by Fender. They were Custom shop orders but R&D model shop did the most of the work because we had the programs. All told there were about 6 of these made over the last 5 or 6 years."

Yeah, like I said, I know they'd talked in the 80s - that's a price list dated 1988. I'm just saying, this is clearly a guitar that dates from after 2010 or so, whenever they introduced the S1 switching, and I didn't think he was currently on the endorser list? That'd make this a custom shop order with his signature on the headstock, not a prototype or an endorser guitar, right?

I tried to check wikipedia for confirmation of what happened there, and it turns out the page has been deleted.

EDIT - mind you, a pair of custom shop seven string Strats is nothing to lift your nose at, exactly, no matter what their backstory.

 

[Nightside]

I don't think he was trying to be insulting. The only thing most people know about Alex Gregory and Fender are the original 80s prototypes that never went into production. When you say these are prototypes we assume you mean from the original 80s run. Drew is just trying to find out if these really are from the 80s batch of guitars or if they were recently made (which would be pretty big news for a lot of us).

If these are indeed from a recent collaboration between Fender and the Maestro, that would give a lot of us hope for Fender finally producing seven string stratocasters for mortal humans.

 

[technomancer]

There's a Fender Artist News item from 2010

Maestro Alex Gregory | Fender News & Tech Talk | Fender Guitar

The interesting thing about these is the 4 point trem, since there really isn't a high-quality 7 string vintage trem out there currently. I do wonder why he chose 4 point instead of the traditional 6 point for the design.

Other than the trem, as I already pointed out, there's nothing about these you couldn't have built at several other places with the same quality for similar or less cost.

 

[Drew]

I don't think he was trying to be insulting. The only thing most people know about Alex Gregory and Fender are the original 80s prototypes that never went into production. When you say these are prototypes we assume you mean from the original 80s run. Drew is just trying to find out if these really are from the 80s batch of guitars or if they were recently made (which would be pretty big news for a lot of us).

If these are indeed from a recent collaboration between Fender and the Maestro, that would give a lot of us hope for Fender finally producing seven string stratocasters for mortal humans.

Yeah, this, exactly, dude. I'm not trying to be insulting and they're damned cool guitars you own, whatever their story. It's just I'm wondering what their genesis is - if they ARE recent custom shop orders then possumkiller is right, that opens up a lot of possibilities for guys on this board.

There's a Fender Artist News item from 2010

Maestro Alex Gregory | Fender News & Tech Talk | Fender Guitar

The interesting thing about these is the 4 point trem, since there really isn't a high-quality 7 string vintage trem out there currently. I do wonder why he chose 4 point instead of the traditional 6 point for the design.

Other than the trem, as I already pointed out, there's nothing about these you couldn't have built at several other places with the same quality for similar or less cost.

Good find, techno - I tried searching their site but got nothing. Interesting that he refers to a couple '05 Custom Shop guitars here - are these the ones you bought, crik, or is this something else?

 

[crik]

please forgive my misinterpretation.

the written word on a bbs is incomplete.

four of the guitars were started 2 years ago and completed this past summer, hence the s1 system.

the orders were run through the custom shop but the builds were done in the r&d model shop, most likely by the senior design engineer.

this much i can tell you. i have a number of custom built 7s (been playing 7 string since 1989) and the build quality on this guitar is flawless. the fact that is has:

no string tree
scalloped board
24 frets
a fully functioning non floyd vibrato bridge​

(and was made for alex?)

made throwing down for this a no brainer.

Yeah, this, exactly, dude. I'm not trying to be insulting and they're damned cool guitars you own, whatever their story. It's just I'm wondering what their genesis is - if they ARE recent custom shop orders then possumkiller is right, that opens up a lot of possibilities for guys on this board.



Good find, techno - I tried searching their site but got nothing. Interesting that he refers to a couple '05 Custom Shop guitars here - are these the ones you bought, crik, or is this something else?

 

[Nightside]

That article mentions a few custom shop versions being built over the years. So is it possible to order a seven string strat from the custom shop? Basically I just want like a regular '57 relic type with an extra string.

 

[Xaios]

I know before I even clicked this thread that Alex Gregory's name would come up. I didn't anticipate it in the first post, though.

All other considerations aside though, I must admit, those guitars are gorgeous.

 

[Uno Mas]

That is one spectacular looking guitar! Congrats!

 

[GenghisCoyne]

something is really off about the tone of this entire thread...