The Master Built Strats that we’ve had have been very popular and always sell well. I think these have a better chance of being future collectibles. As a range of guitars, they are not so limited in numbers and more people are aware of their build quality and pedigree. They are readily available to those prepared to wait for an order, and when used ones come onto the market they sell quickly - always a good sign. The problem is getting a good, steady supply, and I think it is inevitable that high-end pieces will continue to increase. Custom Colors are also very popular, with Fiesta Red, Sonic Blue and Olympic White being among the favourites. Hendrix is known to have owned and played approximately 32 Strats, as guitarists fondly call them. Tying for distant second place are two Gibson models, the Flying V and the SG, of which Hendrix owned two each. In the pages of Fender: The Sound Heard 'Round the World, you will watch this complex, dedicated man gain success as a true innovator of the new. You will also follow the team of energetic, creative people who steered Fender to fame, men like Don Randall of Fender Sales, Forrest White and George Fullerton of Fender Electric Instruments, and Dale Hyatt and Tommy Walker, two of Randall's growing cadre of savvy, high-powered salesmen spreading Leo's ideas worldwide. Introduced in 1954 and now recognized as the best electric guitar ever designed, Leo Fender's Stratocaster is one of the 20th century's most influential inventions. You could say that the vintage-guitar market in the England is similar to that in the States, only smaller. In the time I’ve been selling guitars, values of vintage American makes have risen at a very steady rate. The buzz was Kramer and Jackson in that mid-’80s era. But when George Blanda and Dan Smith came up with the American Standard, it seemed to be the right thing at the right time. However, with prices on the increase, most sixties guitars are too expensive, leaving only Fender Duo Sonics, Mustangs or Gibson Melody Makers within their budget. "From a technical standpoint, it was a genius invention because it's absolutely practical -- it moulds into the body perfectly. As soon as you hold one, it embraces you," said Smith, an acclaimed jazz recording artist. Encore Bass Guitar.
