Chris Duarte

In this user-uploaded photo from Duarte's website, Chris Duarte is seen with his Xotic XS-1 guitar.

Mentioned in this January 14, 2009 Premier Guitar interview.

Are you still playing all of this stuff with a Strat?

I am, actually. Sometimes I do like taking out my Les Paul, but I do most of it on a Strat.

What kind of Strat are you playing right now?

The Strat that I’ve had for many, many years is a 1963. I lost my first one—it was ripped off in New York right around when I was going to sign the record deal—and it’s still the best Strat I’ve ever heard. I could still pick it out, just the sound of it, if anybody pulled out a bootleg tape. It had a great sound. But then I got another one, a 1963 Strat, serial number 71699, and that’s the one I’ve had for all these years… since 1993, I believe.

I basically just played that ‘63 into the ground. There’s not enough rosewood left on it to do another fret job. I’m such a physical player that I wear frets down, and I have to get a fret job at least every year, or every other year. I play the biggest frets you can get because I like the tone on them. And if you’re from Texas, tone is real important to you. [laughs]

You’re probably nearing the natural end of that neck’s life.

[laughs] Yeah, right. I’ve also got an American Standard, but now I’m playing an Xotic. Xotic Guitars stepped in, and they said, “We’ll help replicate your Strat and use your exact measurements, but it has to be one of our guitars.” The measurements were really the most important to me… how the neck felt. So, they took measurements of everything and built me a guitar, and I’ve been playing those ever since. Of course they can’t use the exact Strat shape—it looks a little smaller— and the headstock isn’t the traditional Fender headstock, but I’ve gotten used to the guitar, and now it’s the one I’m most comfortable on. And to tell you the truth, I don’t even know the model number on the thing.

I should mention that I’m also having a guitar made for me by this guy in Japan, a really exclusive luthier that just started making guitars. They’re called Getoh Guitars, and the luthier, Ko, just produces Strat copies, specializing in certain years. He’s making me a ‘63 copy that’s supposed to be just like mine. He took all the measurements of my guitar, and he does everything: he makes the bridge, the pickguard, the body, the pickups, and they just sound great. They truly sound like an old, pre-CBS Strat. I’m excited to pick it up when I head back over to Japan in January.

Mentioned in this January 14, 2009 Premier Guitar interview.

I’ve also got an American Standard, but now I’m playing an Xotic.