Vester Stage Series Stratocasters.

1. Intro:

When I started collecting Vester guitars a few years ago, my focus was on the Tradition Series Stratocasters and Telecasters, two guitar models I really like the best.

Not only due to the fact that they were “optically” very good copies of early vintage models but also because of their amazing built quality, playability and value for money.

During my search to complete my Tradition collection, I ran into Vester Stage Series Telecasters and Stratocasters on many occasions.

And although they look a lot like their Tradition sisters and brothers I noticed the fact that Stage Series guitars were clearly a “cost cutting” product with cheaper hardware, like amongst others lower quality tuners, a plywood body and low budget type pick ups. 

2. Stage Stratocaster specifications:

From a distance every Stratocaster, and there are many, looks the same. 

However, during my research I found out that there are two different types/sizes of Stage Series Stratocaster bodies*, something like 10 diverse neck/fretboard/headstock configurations*, 3 kinds of neckplates, 2 strings of serial numbers and at least 15 odd ex-factory applied body colors.

*(left as well as right)
 

Bodies:
In majority the shape of Stage Stratocaster bodies is identical to the Tradition Stratocasters; meaning nice rounded body edges and contours. What I call the correct appearance.



A three tone sunburst Stage Stratocaster body, with nice rounded edges, note the plywood inside the cavities.
The front contour has been completely covered with dark paint to mask the layers of wood.


This is a two tone sunburst massive Alder Tradition Stratocaster body, the contour has been sprayed transparent .
Note the bigger pick-up cavities. These can accomodate a humbucker or P90.


Rear view of the Stage Stratocaster body, a very nice vibrant sunburst.
Again the contour has been fully sprayed with dark paint.


The rear view of the Tradition body shows a bigger tremelo block cavity and the transparent paint of the back contour.
Also note that the screwholes of the tremelo cover are  not offset in comparison with the Stage body.
This body has  more squar-ish edges and is slightly bigger than most Tradition Strat bodies.

Unfortunately some have a  more square-ish and slightly bigger body, see below.

Here is a comparison between a bigger squar-ish and smaller round-ish Vester Stratocaster body.

One thing all Stage Stratocaster bodies have in common is plywood, a very strong, sturdy and heavy type of laminated material. Plywood is commonly used to erect the biggest buildings but as a tonewood it is often criticized as having the resonance of the former Berlin Wall.

With the paint stripped off, the layers of ply become clearly visible (the black PU's are non standard).

The qualities of any type of (tone)wood, however common or exotic, was, is and will always be open to never ending debates, no need to add to that. Let me conclude that (under well defined reservations) I have no problem with plywood. And I am not alone in this stance. I know from many of my fellow “In-Vesters” that they have a high regard for the sheer indestructable capabilities of Stage Series guitars, often being used where they belong: live on Stage.

Necks:
A lot of the most beautiful and first class produced necks (right as well as left) can be found on Stage Stratocasters.

I am talking about (sometimes) spectacular flamed solid maple necks with a soft V shape, or thick slab rosewood fretboard, glued on maple, necks with a flat-ish C shape, both with the best possible finish and jumbo frets.

Two spectacular flamed maple necks on black Stage Stratocasters, note the standard tuners.

I am inclined to say these are a sniff above the just as well wonderful Tradition necks.

On the other hand there are quite some glued on rosewood and maple fretboard necks that are somewhat poorly finished, immediately resulting in compromised playability and a cheaper total appearance of the instrument as such. This type of neck usually has narrow frets.

Left: the thick glossy V shape/skuink stripe solid maple neck. Note the pear shaped walnut plug and the custom tuners.
Right: the thinly sprayed C shaped neck with a glued on maple fretboard. Note the pear shaped truss rod hole and standard tuners.


This is a glossy C shaped maple neck with a 0,5 cm thick glued on slab rosewood fretboard.
Note the Kluson type tuners, a huge improvement on the standard items.

Headstocks:
A large number of variaties here. Some headstocks are the result of the threatening law suit situation with Fender.

From top left to bottom right:
- Glued on rosewood fretboard with the correct headstock.
- Glued on maple fretboard with the correct headstock.
- Solid maple neck with correct headstock.
- Large "CBS Fender" headstock on a maple fretboard neck, note the bullet type truss rod. ( a very rare one)
- "Law suit" type headstock.
- Left handed solid maple neck with correct headstock.
- Left handed  glued on maple fretboard neck with "law suit"  type headstock.
- Large Vester logo only. This is a so called FSR series Strat, which is basically the same as a Stage Series example.
- Headstock sprayed in body color (gun metal grey) with correct headstock.
- Left handed glued on maple fretboard with correct headstock.
- Bird mouth type of headstock with a glued on rosewood fretboard (another very rare one).

Hardware:
When you look at the hardware applied to the Stage Series Stratocasters and compare them to the Tradition Strats, two things immediately catch your eye:
a. bridge saddles are chrome plated instead of nickle plated and they do not have the name Vester imprinted.
b. the tremelo inertia block is notably thinner, lighter and smaller.

The latter is one very important item. The sustain of any Stratocaster is for a greater part dependent on the
critical mass of the block. Leo Fender found this out himself when his first prototype did not have any proper
sustain because it lacked the dead weight  of the tremelo unit.
This also explains the fact why the tonal capacities of a Stage Stratocaster are weaker than his Tradition
brother. Something which is not too complicated to remedie; just install a better block and you will notice the
difference right away.
Personally I like the lighter and brighter tonal spectrum of a "standard" Stage Strat, but that is a matter of taste.
I am not a shredder in any way, I like the more acoustic melodic approach.

Finally the tuners of a Stage Stratocaster are the weakest link of the whole package. My advice:  get a set of proper
keys and it will improve your guitar by a country mile.


Left: chrome plated Stage "Non-Vester" saddles.
Right: nickle plated Tradition "Vester" saddles. Note the small opening on the right. The (too) large tremelo cavity is the cause.
This is one of the few Tradition Stratocaster mishaps. Vester did a far better job with the Stage Stratocasters here.

                     
Left: the small Stage inertia block.                                                    Right: more critical mass + sustain with a Tradition Strat.

Pick ups:
I am not a dyed in the wool technician which means I cannot really dig deep into matters regarding electronics.
But for sure the pick ups of a Stage Strat are less powerful than those of the Tradition Strat,  and from my experience they differ a lot from one guitar to the other.
As with many aspects of guitars and guitar playing there is an awful lot of personal taste involved.
I am quite happy with the sound of the Stage pick ups, they do just fine by me, especially the neck pick up is very pleasant.


A set of Stage Stratocaster pickups.


Tradition pickups.

Pickguards and tremelo covers:

Amongst Stage Strats you will find 2 different shapes/sizes of pickguards (also referred to as scratchplates),
see picture below.

Pickguard A is somewhat bigger and pointed in the upper areas 2 and 3, whilst B is sitting lower in region 1.
The relative distance to the input jack and the positioning into the neck pocket enhances this considerably.
The shape and size of a Tradition Strat pickguard is identical to type B.
Note: a Stage scratchplate has sloping edges whilst its Tradition brother is square .
Fitting Stage or Tradition pick-ups (and vice-versa) in either guitar or scratchplate gives no problems at all.
But beware, complications will start when fitting any non - Vester type of pick-up. This means that you will have to enlarge the pick-up holes of any Vester pickguard. A nasty job with often unsatisfactory results.





Left: Tradition Tremelo cover.                             Right: Stage Tremelo cover.
Note the difference in the positioning of the screws (non-offset versus offset) and string holes (lower on a Stage Strat)
Also note the difference in shape and size of these holes (oval versus oblong). These covers are NOT interchangeable.

Neckplates and serial numbers:

A story (so far) on the general subject of neckplates and serial numbers has already been dealt with quite extensively in the “About Vester” page, I would advise to take a look overthere.

As far as Stage Stratocasters are concerned there are two different strings of serial numbers/plates;

About 60% of the Stage Series guitars have type B serial number/neckplates, the remaining 40% accounts for type A. 

Body colors:

Just when I thought I had seen them all……………………..

That about describes the constantly expanding color palette of the Stage Stratocaster I meet on my daily research trips.

How about amongst others burgundy, cobalt blue metallic, pink and seminole red, all claimed to be original factory applied.

From top to bottom: Burgundy Stage Strat ( New Zealand), Cobalt Blue Metallic (Germany),
Pink  (New Zealand) and Seminole Red (UK)

3. Stages all around the world:

That is absolutely true, you will find Stage Stratocasters globally.

From the Scottish Highlands to South Korea, from Argentina to New Zealand.

And talking about Down Under, I got the impression that Stage Stratocaster are as common

in New Zealand like tulips and windmills in Holland; boy they seem to have sold truckloads overthere.

A major New Zealand second hand trading site is one very good source for Stage Strats afficionados.

Unfortunately as a non “Down Under” resident I am not admitted to communicate with sellers through

that site. I tried but they banned me :(.

If anyone from down there is listening in, I would like to correspond………. 

I found a pic from a guy in New Zealand who’s got 6 six Stage Strats.

 Left to right: 2 tone sunburst, middle blue metallic, pink, candy apple red, dakota red, 3 tone sunburst.




Factory original cream and white colored Stage headstocks with black hardware, found in Japan.


Blue Metal Flake Stage Strat (South Korea)

4. Modders of invention:

Being an affordable guitar, the Stage Stratocaster has also become the platform upon which some creative fellow “In-Vesters” have produced some pretty home made mods, see below.

Top: Eddy van Halen mod.
Middle: Green flower power-ish .
Below: Respray in Sonic  Blue from Denmark. Such a smashing color and one of the most beautiful Stage Strats.
It also has one of the flamiest necks I have ever seen. I give it 10 out of 10.


5. Outro:

I started this story, telling that Vester Tradition guitars were my main goal of collecting.

That remains unchanged. But meeting Stage Series Vesters has been a very pleasant surprising experience.

I simply love them. At this moment (Oct. 2009) of writing I got 2 Stage Teles and 4 Stage Strats with number five (hopefully) soon to join the bunch. My eldest daughter plays one too.

They may have been “cheap” beginners guitars but with a proper set up and better tuners (I prefer split shaft Klusons) they sound a million bucks.

My Olympic White FSR 320 below:

Addendum - List of colors:

Candy Apple Red

Black

Vintage White

Primary Blue

Two tone Sunburst

Three tone Sunburst

Gun Metal Grey

Middle Blue Metallic

Seminole Red

Burgundy

Pink

Blue Metal Flake

Cobalt Blue Metallic

Cream

Fiesta Red

Blonde

Olympic White





Primary blue Stage Stratocaster (New Zealand), by far my favorite custom color.



Candy Apple Red Stage Strat FSR 330



Lefties, black and Fiesta Red.



My dear daughter Roza  with her three tone sunburst Stage Stratocaster.