Stratocaster Electric Guitar: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This electric guitar was made by Fender Musical Instrument Corp. in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1995. It is a reissue of the 1957 design with a two-tone sunburst finish. The Stratocaster is arguably the most successful and influential electric guitar ever produced. It is easily identified by its double cutaways, contoured body, and three pickups. It also features Fender's vibrato or tremolo system that allows players to raise or lower the pitch of the strings. In the hands of Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, and many other musicians, the "Strat" has become an American icon.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1995
• maker: Fender Musical Instruments Corp.
• Object Name: guitar
• Measurements: overall: 12 1/2 in x 38 1/2 in; 31.75 cm x 97.79 cm
• place made: United States: Arizona, Scottsdale
• ID Number: 1995.0186.01
• accession number: 1995.0186
• catalog number: 1995.0186.01
• Credit Line: Gift of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.