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FENDER STRATOCASTER
The Ultimate Weapon
Yngwie and the Fender Stratocaster are about as synonymous as you can get in terms of an artists allegiance to one particular instrument.  Yngwie has collection of Stratocasters that totals over 200 with models ranging from early 1950's model to present day Custom Shop instruments. 

Yngwie's favoured period of Stratocasters are those built between 1968 and 1972 and particularly those in a Vintage White colour.  Perhaps Yngwie's best known Strat is a 1971 model nicknamed 'The Duck' (due to a Donald Duck sticker on the headstock).  This is the same guitar seen on the cover of the "Rising Force" album.

Yngwie is quite unique in the heavy metal field to be playing a Stratocaster.  The pairing of guitar and amplifier (see amp section) is quite important as a Strat with a modern hi-gain amp can often sound thin or buzzy.  Yet due to Yngwie's penchant for vintage 50 watt non master volume Marshall's this (coupled with an overdrive box) leads to a very full rich sound which superb clarity and note definition. 

If you are chasing the Yngwie's tone and have a Strat don't pile on the preamp gain, you are aiming for a clear tone - listen to how clean the Yngwie tone actually is on. A lot of Yngwie's tone is in his hands - the fluidity, the sustain, the pairing of Stratocaster and vintage Marshall is a setup that will highlight any flaws in your playing.  But will reward with superb tone if you work at it.

[Click images below to enlarge in new window]

The Duck

Facing The Animal tour Guitars

Fender Yngwie Malmsteen Signature Stratocaster

Yngwie modifies his Stratocasters in a number of areas:

Scalloped Fingerboard - Scalloped fingerboards are carved between the frets to create a playing surface where only the strings themselves are contacted by the players fingers. The players fingers never touch the fingerboard. This offers advantages to the experienced virtuosos: The player experiences drastically reduced friction during string bending and vibrato, and therefore has the potential of increased command of the strings. This can be seen on the 2 pictures above.

Dunlop 6000 frets - Super Jumbo fret wire #6000 replaces all Fender std frets.

DiMarzio Pickups  - "HS-3"  in the bridge position /  "YJM" in the neck and middle position.  
These pickups were designed in conjunction with Yngwie.  New users may initially be shocked by the relatively low output of these pickups in comparison to stock Fender single coils.  The reasoning behind this is to get a clear a signal as possible from guitar to amp and this is where the DOD YJM308 works its magic (see amps and effects page).

Brass Nut - adds a little more presence to open chords and open strings. See in the left picture above.

Disconnected both tone controls - give a little less impendence allowing a little more output from the volume control..

3 bolt Strat neckplates upgraded to 4 bolt (for live instruments) - improved neck stability and sustain.

These modifications (apart from the disconnected tone controls) come as standard on the Fender Yngwie Malmsteen Signature Stratocaster.  However, any good Strat will give a YJM-ish tone.  Remember, Yngwie has always tended to favour vintage instruments over Signature guitars.

UNLEASH THE FURY GUITARS USED

Yngwie used a number of vintage Stratocaster for UTF. His main guitars were his 3 live instruments numbered #1, #2 and #3 in reference to their live wireless transmitter number. #1 and #2 Strats are both 1971 models with the modifications above, #3 is a 1968 Strat with a left handed neck fitted (as can be seen on the cover of BEST OF 94 TO 99). Other guitars used include....

- 1971 Fender Stratocaster.
- 1972 Fender Stratocaster - "The Duck" - Yngwie's famous 1971 Stratocaster.
- 1962 Fender Stratocaster w/ rosewood neck - modified with out of phase pickup wiring, mainly used for harmony lines.
- 1966 Fender Stratocaster w/ rosewood neck.
- 1959 Fender Stratocaster - modified by previous owner to 22 frets!
- Fender YJM Signature Strat - equipped with Fender Noiseless pickups, used for the more bluesy guitar tones heard on 'Cherokee Warrior'.
- Ovation Viper EA36 in white (nylon string)
- Ovation 2002-AC (steel string)
- Carvin AC175 custom made electro acoustic (steel string).
- Fender Precision Bass
- Fender Telecaster Bass
- Fender Jazz Bass (fretless)

ATTACK!! GUITARS USED

Same #1, #2 and #3 guitars used as on 'Unleash The Fury'. Other instruments used include:

- 1971 Fender Stratocaster - "The Duck"
- 1967 Fender Stratocaster w/ maple neck
- 1969 Fender Stratocaster w/ maple neck
- 1962 Fender Stratocaster w / rosewood neck and "out of phase" pickup wiring.
- 1954 Fender Stratocaster w/ maple neck - very rare guitar from first month of Strat production.
- Fender Signature YJM Stratocaster w / rosewood neck and fitted with Roland GK-2A Synth pickup. Used to replicate flute lines on Valley Of Kings with Roland GR-33 unit.
- 1950's Stratocaster in shoreline gold with maple neck.
- 1969 Gibson Les Paul Standard.
- Jerry Jones electric sitar.
- Carvin AC175 Custom made electro acoustic (steel string)
- Alvarez Yairi Luteback acoustic scalloped (steel string)
- Alvarez Yairi custon made doubleneck scalloped (nylon and steel string)
- Ovation Viper EA36 in white (nylon string).
- Ovation 2002-AC (steel string)
- Fender Precision bass
- Fender Telecaster bass
- Fender Jazz bass (fretless)

EARLIER GUITAR PREFERENCES

The "Rising Force Live 85" video saw Yngwie use a couple of Strats that had very early Floyd Rose tremolo systems installed, these were just the trem units with no locking nuts installed. For the Steeler and Alcatrazz albums Yngwie used DiMarzio FS-1 pickups. During the early days of Steeler, Yngwie modified a rosewood necked 1970's Fender Stratocaster with DiMarzio humbuckers, this was apparently at the request of Ron Keel, the humbuckers were replaced by HS-3's shortly after the split from Steeler. I do not know whether Yngwie recorded with this guitar (it doesn't sound like it) but live pics from that time show a dual humbucker equipped Strat.
 

Gibson Flying V
Over the years Yngwie has also used a Gibson Flying V that has been modified by replacing the stock humbuckers with DiMarzio HS-3's, a very early single locking Floyd Rose tremolo system - no top lock nut, and the fingerboard has been scalloped. This guitar was last seen on the Magnum Opus tour.

Gibson Les Paul
In the studio Yngwie occasionally uses a Gibson Les Paul for rhythm tracks, this is generally when a different tone to the Strat is required. Yngwie has a few Les Pauls with his favourites being a Gold top (right) and a tobacco sunburst model. These have been used on 'I'm My Own Enemy' and 'Voodoo' amongst other tracks.

Yngwie also owns several Gibson SG's and a replica of Uli Jon Roth's Sky Guitar.

Ovation Viper
Yngwie's current acoustic guitar of choice is the Ovation Viper Nylon String Electro-Acoustic (left) with the colour varying being between white and black.

A white Viper was used on the Inspiration, Facing The Animal, Alchemy and parts of the the War To End All Wars tour.

A black Viper was used for the live Concerto and G3 / Attack tour dates.

These guitars are equipped with Piezo pickups and live are run into a Boss Compressor/Sustainor pedal direct into the mixing desk, out to the PA and stage monitors.

OVATION 2002-AC
This guitar is Yngwie's latest Ovation. He recieved it just after Attack was recorded. Yngwie showed this guitar off in a recent Young Guitars cover DVD. Up until the introduction of the Ovation Viper Yngwie's acoustic guitars were either Aria [Alcatrazz & early Rising Force], Alvarez or a Gibson Chet Atkins Classical.

Fender Nylon String Stratocaster
'Magnum Opus saw a modified Fender Stratocaster used for all nylon acoustic work. This guitar had a piezo bridge (pickup) and scalloped neck, but the sounds on Magnum Opus show it works and sounds beautiful. It is essentially a Stratocaster minus the DiMarzio pickups and strung with nylon strings.

Coral Sitar
Yngwie has used this actual Coral Sitar for parts on the following tracks:

C'est LaVie (Fire & Ice)
Pyramid Of Cheops (The Seventh Sign)
Time Will Tell (Magnum Opus)
Gates Of Babylon (Inspiration)

Copyright © 2002-2008 The material on this website is written by Andy Craven and assorted other official band webmasters and news channels. All website images other than photographs are owned by Cobaltgraphics LTD. Copying and reproduction of any material on this site is restricted to individual visitors' computer use only. Any public copying, printing, reproduction or distribution of the materials on this site, either online or in printed format is expressly forbidden without written or electronic consent of the original contributor's or author's permission. This site works with approval of Yngwie and his management . If any photographers object to their images being used please contact us so that we can arrange an amicable solution for both parties.

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