Superstrat

With the increased popularity of heavy metal music during the early 1980s, guitarists began seeking out guitars more suited to the new style, both in terms of looks (more "pointy" aggressive designs) and playability (ease of playing and larger tone that sounds pleasant with hi-gain amplification).

Guitarists such as Ritchie Blackmore, Uli Jon Roth and Dave Murray had used Fender Stratocasters, but each had minor modifications made to their instrument to suit their individual playing style.

Dissatisfied with the performance of then-available original stock model commercial guitars, Blackmore sought to create a hybrid instrument that would suit his acrobatic playing style as seen in Deep Purple concert photos from Manchester in 1974.

[4] While many believe Van Halen's 1977 Frankenstrat to be the first Superstrat, Michael Hampton of Parliament-Funkadelic often used a sunburst Stratocaster with 3 humbucking pickups and a reversed headstock during the band's tours in the mid-to-late 1970s.

Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead had played various Stratocasters through the 1960s and early 70s, most notably an ash 1957 Strat given to him by Graham Nash and heavily modified by Alembic Sound.

The rising popularity of heavy metal music led to a new generation of guitarists that employed fast and complex techniques which demanded thinner and more versatile guitar necks and stable tremolo systems.