The Gold on Gold Stratocaster
09/07/08 14:38 Filed in: Fender Guitars
In 1981 as Bill Shultz started to influence the day to day operations of Fender, they needed to come up with something new and the result was in June 1981, the announcement of the Gold on Gold Stratocaster, which was part of the Collector’s Series of guitars issued by Fender and therefore has a serial number of CAXXXXX. (There was however only one other guitar in that series, the Walnut Stratocaster)
The guitar required no retooling as it was based on the Strat and used that guitars one piece maple neck and body, with a regular Stratocaster 3 ply pick guard and pickup assembly, with I believe an X-1 Pickup in the bridge position. This is not mentioned elsewhere that I can find, but every Gold on Gold Stratocaster I have measured has a hot bridge pickup measuring 7.5 ohms, when the other two pickup measure around 5.8 ohms.
The bridge assembly was from the ‘Brassmaster Series’ introduced in 1980, and used a jewelry grade 22k gold plating that was 100 microns thick. It is widely believed that Fender lost money on every guitar sold due to the expensive gold plating.
Like the Strat, it was available with the smaller (incorrect) headstock and with a four bolt neck joint without the ill fated micro-tilt neck adjustment. One colour was offered, Aztec Gold.
Although it is widely believed that Dan Smith turned Fender around with his development of the Standard Stratocaster (aka Dan Smith Stratocaster), I believe the Gold on Gold Stratocaster was his model for the Standard. The only difference between them is the removal of the expensive Brassmaster parts and gold plating. The two models share the same pickup assembly, the same headstock and decal.
From the images above, you will notice the neck sits down in the body, almost flush with the pickguard, this is one obvious change that Dan Smith made on the Standard Stratocaster, which sits about 3 mm higher in the pocket.
It is said that the Dan Smith Stratocasters were made in rather small numbers, it would be safe to assume therefore that the Gold on Gold Stratocaster made between 1981-1983, would be even rarer. One for under the bed? I think so!
Recommended Reading for more information on Fender Stratocasters
The guitar required no retooling as it was based on the Strat and used that guitars one piece maple neck and body, with a regular Stratocaster 3 ply pick guard and pickup assembly, with I believe an X-1 Pickup in the bridge position. This is not mentioned elsewhere that I can find, but every Gold on Gold Stratocaster I have measured has a hot bridge pickup measuring 7.5 ohms, when the other two pickup measure around 5.8 ohms.
The bridge assembly was from the ‘Brassmaster Series’ introduced in 1980, and used a jewelry grade 22k gold plating that was 100 microns thick. It is widely believed that Fender lost money on every guitar sold due to the expensive gold plating.
Like the Strat, it was available with the smaller (incorrect) headstock and with a four bolt neck joint without the ill fated micro-tilt neck adjustment. One colour was offered, Aztec Gold.
Although it is widely believed that Dan Smith turned Fender around with his development of the Standard Stratocaster (aka Dan Smith Stratocaster), I believe the Gold on Gold Stratocaster was his model for the Standard. The only difference between them is the removal of the expensive Brassmaster parts and gold plating. The two models share the same pickup assembly, the same headstock and decal.
From the images above, you will notice the neck sits down in the body, almost flush with the pickguard, this is one obvious change that Dan Smith made on the Standard Stratocaster, which sits about 3 mm higher in the pocket.
It is said that the Dan Smith Stratocasters were made in rather small numbers, it would be safe to assume therefore that the Gold on Gold Stratocaster made between 1981-1983, would be even rarer. One for under the bed? I think so!
Recommended Reading for more information on Fender Stratocasters