“People think Seventies Fenders are bad, but that’s not correct”: Yngwie Malmsteen explains why players shouldn’t be quick to disregard early ’70s-era CBS Strats

Yngwie Malmsteen’s fiery fingers may be most synonymous with his ‘Duck’ guitar, an iconic Fender Stratocaster that nonetheless was made during what many view as the Strat’s low point, the CBS era. 

Many players are quick to discredit the quality of the guitars Fender produced under the ownership of CBS, which owned the Fender marquee from 1965 to 1985. The move to a more mass-production model of guitar-making, alongside a factory change, ultimately hindered the firm’s reputation. 

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