I had decided to post on the GP about the guitar, but they have the photo limit, ect.
So here is my post with a compilation of data on the guitar:
On November 28th the long awaited (since 2005) Fender Stratocaster formally known as "The Duck", was released by Fender's Custom Shop. Let me just say that I had a deposit on this guitar for awhile and then earlier this year when it became apparent that it would come in around $14K, I decided to pass and sometimes things happen for a reason.
This guitar as it has been recreated is a mixture of highly accurate features and other somewhat 'creative interpretative features.'
I have discussed the guitar at length over at the Metro amp forum and on the breakaway YJM forum, but for Gear Page, where I am an infrequent poster, I will share some special pictures of the guitar, that were made available to me.
First the pictures, courtesy of my good friend Masa from Japan, who is the lucky owner of this particular John Cruz built example. John having built #001 for Yngwie himself.
Notice the intricate relicing work, especially the lacquer, or polyurethane checking, on this 1972 based guitar.
The PLAY LOUD! sticker on the original guitar looked to be cut out print from a magazine, instead of the hand-lettered sticker used here. Of course the obvious differences are the absence of the Donald Duck sticker on the headstock and the Scuderia Ferrari sticker on the rear of the body. Most likely for copyright and licensing issues, these details were left off and necessitating a change of the guitars title, from Duck to PLAY LOUD!
The HS-3 pickups in the neck and bridge position, with the disconnected stock Fender middle pickup, bypassed tone controls are faithfully recreated.
That the headstock has been broken off at least three times that I heard of has been simulated, but not actually broken and repaired ala SRV #1 or the Johnny Winter Firebird.
There is some uncertainty concerning the radius of the fingerboard, from what I had always been led to understand, the 'original' guitar retained a radius close to the original 7.25" factory profile, even after the scalloping and insertion of 6100 frets. The replica appears to have a flatter, more modern 9.5" radius. Yngwie himself scalloped the original guitar, with the first position frets having shallower scallops than higher up the neck. Fender have accurately copied this feature of the guitar. The current YJM signature Stratocaster, post 2007, the MK III version if you will, has the deepest scallops, meant to more closely resemble the stage guitars, #'s 1 and 2.
Of course the brass nut is in place as in the YJM production guitars. Yngwie took delivery of 3 pre-production test mule 2007 spec YJM signature guitars and toured with them last year. Basically the first time on a regular basis that he has played a guitar close to the production specs on stage.
The production signatures of the MK II and up versions have an HS-3 DiMarzio in the bridge position and two 'vintage staggered magnet; YJM's in the middle and neck positions. It does appear that the YJM signature guitars Yngwie uses live have HS-3's in the neck and bridge, the only two pickups he ever uses. This would be different than the 'stock' models, as they have YJM's in the neck and mid positions. Yngwie has Larry Lashbrook of Florida, scallop, fret and generally set up his guitars. So I would expect these guitars to approximate what Yngwie is used to playing. As we all know the accuracy of signature guitars, compared to the originals they are supposed to represent, has for the most part been nowhere near close!
So since this post is about the new replica guitar, I will try to stick to the intended subject, but some explanation is required, hence this long dissertation.
The original Duck, Yngwie retired in the early nineties as it was just too worn out, although he has recorded with it from time to time and says that he still loves the sound of the guitar.
In the past few years, their have been some privately created 'Duck' replica guitars, that were in fact quite accurate in appearance, but were never 'authorized' officially.
This limited production worldwide replica guitar, comes with the requisite flight case and case goodies, similar to the EVH Frankenstein and EC Blackie.
Here are some pictures of the guitar offered for sale in Japan, this one produced by Greg Fesler:
Here is a picture officially released of the PLAY LOUD!:
Here is a scan of the Guitar World article describing the production of the guitar:
Here are the 'unofficial' versions:
Here is the private replica next to the real thing:
These next pictures are of the real Duck:
This is an early production version of the PLAY LOUD!:
These are some shots from Fender's official website showing the production of the #001 guitar intended for Yngwie himself; note the recreation of the micro-tilt neck 3 bolt mounting as on the original, converted as are all Yngwie's original seventies guitars, to 4 bolt mounting.
In fact Yngwie's #1 and 2 guitars feature the brass inserts in the neck and machine screw mounting, reproduced on the 2007 and up MK III YJM signature guitars. The Duck did not have this feature when it was created. The machine screw mounting provides a stable neck to body mounting and is usefull when you throw the guitar over your shoulder or 15 feet into the air!!
Here are the machine screw/brass inserts portrayed:
This is more secure than this mounting method and allowing the 'bullet' truss rod, without the less popular 3 bolt mounting process:
So in conclusion, until I get the opportunity to play this guitar and that may be some time, but I will attempt to, I know I can fly to Japan to play it, but will try to find one closer to home!
I want to love everything about this guitar, as it represents one of the world's most famous Stratocasters, a guitar which truly changed rock music and introduced neo-classical rock and Paganini to our vocabulary's. This is the the guitar that Yngwie flew to the States with after having his playing featured on Mike Varney's soundpage in Guitar Player magazine. Yngwie arriving from Sweden with two pairs of jeans and this fabled Strat.
Maybe some of you have played or even bought this guitar. I would be interested in your opinions.
Thanks
yngwie308
I've seen what he does with his stage guitars but man they sound goooood.
