Who Popularised The Red Fender Stratocaster?
Alongside the sunburst Gibson Les Paul and the TV yellow Telecaster, the red Fender Stratocaster is perhaps the most famous guitar look in history, and illustrates the importance of aesthetics in motivating a guitarist to practice and perform.
The concept of a signature guitar or a signature finish is nothing new; the late jazz guitarist Les Paul helped innovate the design of the guitar that bore his name, whilst Slash popularised the “goldtop” finish that became his staple.
When it comes to Fenders, however, the most popular colour of them all is candy apple red, but who popularised it, how did it become the norm, and how did a colour inspire a generation of guitarists?
Who First Used A Red Fender Stratocaster?
Probably the first truly famous red Fender Stratocaster belonged to guitarist Hank Marvin, then of Cliff Richard and The Shadows, and it came about in the most unusual of circumstances.
At the time, Mr Marvin was playing a bent Antoria guitar from Japan, but lead singer Harry Rodger Webb (better known as Cliff Richard) was a bigger star than his backing and wanted to get him the guitar his idol Buddy Holly played, albeit not in its famous cigarette sunburst finish.
At the time, there was a ban on imports of American instruments, which only just lifted in 1959, around the time Hank Marvin received his Fiesta Red (or Flamingo Pink depending on who you ask) Stratocaster with a maple neck and gold hardware.
The colour was chosen because it was the most expensive in the catalogue, but it turned out to be perfect for a world of rock and roll that was transitioning from the black and white era of the 1950s into the technicolour 1960s.
How Did A Red Stratocaster Inspire Generations Of Guitarists?
Many guitarists who were born in the 1940s and 50s and started playing in the 1960s saw Hank Marvin’s red guitar and wanted exactly what he had.
Pete Townsend of The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Gary Moore of Thin Lizzy, Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Alex Lifeson of Rush, Mark Knofler of Dire Straits and countless others had red Stratocasters, who inspired future generations.
Looks are not everything with guitars, but they are often the striking image that inspires guitarists to pick up an instrument and stick with it, and when choosing a guitar, you should also pick one that speaks to you.
