The contoured neck heel adds to one of the legendary changes that Leo Fender made to the Fender Stratocaster. This was Leo Fender’s addition of body contouring. Body contouring is that nice scooped out section of the guitars body that fits against your hip or ribs. Having body contouring makes the Stratocaster hang comfortably against your body. In addition, it eliminates the sharp edges found on such guitars as the Les Paul. It makes the Stratocaster a much more comfortable instrument to play.
2008 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster Alder Body Sunburst – USA Strat Guitar
$358.50
1995 Fender USA Strat Plus Deluxe Body Antique Burst – American Guitar 90s
$338.50
1998 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster guitar body original black
$319.99
Contoured Neck Heel
The 2010-2015 series of the American Deluxe Stratocaster features a contoured neck heel. This is a new area of body contouring. It is found where the new compound radius neck joins to the body of the guitar. This part of the guitar is called the neck heel. A block of wood, called the heel, helps hold the bolts in place that attach the neck to the body of the guitar. Older Strats featured a sharp-edged heel shaped like a square of wood. Well not on the new American Deluxe Series Stratocaster. Fender replaced the sharp-edged heel on earlier Strats with a new beveled design.
The beveled, or contoured, neck heel has the lower corner of the wood block shaved down and rounded to perfectly fit your hand. Fender also rounded the metal mounting plate to match the contour of the neck heel. This new neck heel literally sits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Playing is easier when you slide your hand on top of the neck heel to reach the upper fret ranges. I’ve never played on a guitar that has such an easy playing neck heel area. Some glued-in neck guitars, such as the ES-335, have a nice smooth rounded neck heel. Although the new strats aren’t quite that streamlined they are more streamlined than ever before.
2008 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster Alder Body Sunburst – USA Strat Guitar
$358.50
1995 Fender USA Strat Plus Deluxe Body Antique Burst – American Guitar 90s
$338.50
Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster Body with 2008 American Series Maple Neck
$1495.00
Conclusion
The new contoured neck heel on the American Series Stratocaster is an excellent improvement. An improvement that you never knew you needed until you’ve played it. Every time I play in those upper fret ranges I appreciate how smooth and efficient the new beveled neck heel is. It’s another improvement that you have to take into consideration when making your purchase of a brand new Fender American Stratocaster.
Fender 2002 American Deluxe Stratocaster W/OHSC
$1099.00
2004 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS Electric Guitar ~ ships in OHC
$1220.00
Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster From 2005. Made In USA
$900.00
2005 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS – Sunburst
$1599.00
Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS Electric Guitar Olympic Pearl w/ OHSC
$1259.95
2008 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster Alder Body Sunburst – USA Strat Guitar
$358.50
2021 Fender USA American Deluxe Stratocaster Electric Guitar Maple Neck
$350.00
USED 2005 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster V-Neck (005)
$1274.99
2007 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS Olympic Pearl Excellent with HSC
$1399.00
2010 American Fender Stratocaster Deluxe
$1127.50
Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster 60th Anniversary 2006 Electric Guitar
$1473.00
2004 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS Electric Guitar
$1150.00
2007 Fender American Deluxe V Neck Strat Maple USA Stratocaster Electric Guitar
$612.50
2004 American Fender 50th Anniversary Deluxe Stratocaster Great Condition w/Case
$1650.00
1995 Fender USA Strat Plus Deluxe Body Antique Burst – American Guitar 90s
$338.50
One response to “Countoured Neck Heel On Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster”
Curious to know when exactly did the contour heel first come about,I have a 89 MIJ which features the contour heel too!!