Fender Player Stratocaster

KEY FEATURES: Offset solid basswood
body with gloss finish, 648mm [25.5"]
scale bolt-on maple neck and 305mm
[12"] radius maple fingerboard with
gloss finish, 22 medium jumbo frets, 3
x CLF-100 Alnico V single coil pickups,
master volume, PTB circuitry, chrome/
nickel Dual-Fulcrum vibrato and
die-cast tuners FINISH: Gloss Black
[as reviewed], Fullerton Red, Surf
Green, Natural Gloss [with swamp ash
body] CONTACT: Andertons
01483 456777 glguitars.com
at a gLance
KEY FEATURES: Offset solid basswood
body with gloss finish, 648mm [25.5"]
scale bolt-on maple neck and 305mm
[9.5"] radius rosewood fingerboard
with satin finish, 22 narrow frets, 3x
single coil pickups, master volume,
master tone, five-way pickup selector
blade switch, chrome vintage-style
vibrato and locking tuners FINISH:
3-Tone Sunburst [as reviewed], Fiesta
Red, Olympic White, Black, Seafoam
Green CONTACT: String And Things
01273 440442
sterlingbymusicman.com
at a gLance
DECEMBER 2018 TOTAL GUITAR
the tg test
101
What’s the sizzle on the Legacy then?
The basswood body has all the classic 50s contours, and the CLF-100
pickups are designed to take us back to that era too. Loaded with
Alnico V magnets, these pups are the result of research by G&L’s
Paul Gagon. He studied Leo’s old blueprints and some vintage Strats
to voice these things.
The vibrato looks substantial...
That’s Leo Fender’s Dual-Fulcrum design. This much-loved unit
 oats so you can push its arm down to detune the strings or pull it
What’s the USP of this one?
For a kicko , this is the only guitar here spec’d with locking tuners.
Then there’s the rest of the neck. The Cutlass features the V neck
pro le found on mid-50s Fender Stratocasters. If you’ve never
experienced a neck like this, it slots snugly into the V-shaped nook
between your thumb and fore nger like a big maple Tetris piece.
How’s the upper fret access?
Like the Chapman ML-1 Traditional, the Cutlass comes brandishing
a sculpted neck/body join. So, yeah, making your way up to fret
up to stretch ’em. Oh, and that robust-looking vibrato arm is
fashioned from tough but lightweight aluminium.
What else do I need to know?
Well, the late Mr Fender was a relentless guitar tweaker – the Legacy
also has a souped-up brother, the S500 – and the Legacy re ects
that obsession with an expanded tone section. The onboard PTB
[Passive Treble & Bass] circuitry o ers a wider range of tones than
the other guitars in this group test. This is also the only guitar here
with an entirely glossy neck – but not everyone goes for the
satin-coated look.
number 22 is easy as pie. We also particularly like
the fact that the neck is secured to the body with  ve big, wood
screws. That ultra-stable union promises good sustain, as well as
rock-solid tuning.
Does the vibrato float?
A. Nope. This is most de nitely a one-way street. Many players
prefer their vibratos to sit on the guitar’s top when at rest. They
reckon it provides better tone, sustain and tuning stability than a
 oating whammy. Your man, Eddie Van Halen, would certainly
agree with that...
G&L TRIBUTE
LEGACY
Leo’s other great brand...
STERLING BY MUSIC
MAN CT50 CUTLASS
Try the V neck on...
£479
£499
TGR313.gear_test.indd 101 11/8/18 5:17 PM