Gary’s iconic early custom colour Strat is a fascinating timepiece forever linked to that blazing Fender anniversary performance of Red House

The only other Fender in The Final Encore collection is this modded firecracker of a Tele

If the Fender Stratocaster is such a perfect design, why – wonders Dave Burrluck – is there a whole industry of aftermarket parts and pickups to improve it?

After the fabled ‘Greeny’, this was Gary’s go-to ’Burst

Two new lower-end, similarly priced Stratocasters cater for both vintage and more modern tastes and blur the line between Fender’s USA and Mexican manufacturing. Which one has your name on it?

After some considerable time, the Les Paul Custom returns to Gibson USA’s production line-up in classic 70s style, while the lesser Marauder is celebrated with a limited throwback design. Time to investigate!