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Pete’s Gear: Fender Stratocaster with P-90 pickups

For one song in each of two consecutive shows in July 2002 (Baba O’Riley at Tweeter Center For the Performing Arts, Mansfield, Massachusetts, 26 July, 2002; and I Can’t Explain at Tweeter Center at the Waterfront, Camden, N.J., 27 July, 2002), Pete Townshend used a black Fender Stratocaster guitar equipped with two P-90-style pickups, rather than the usual Gold Lace Sensor pickups found in the Eric Clapton model guitars. This guitar was also customised with the Fishman Powerbridge and additional blend control knob, although the traditional controls consisted of only two knobs (presumably volume and tone), rather than the traditional three, and a traditional Fender-style “blade” pickup selector.

In 2004, Pete’s brother Simon has been playing this guitar for Who gigs.

In 2003, Fender introduced a two-control-knob, P-90-style pickup-equipped model, the Strat-o-Sonic DVII, which features two DE-9000 Black Dove soapbar-style single-coil pickups, which appear to be the same as in Pete’s model, and a Gibson-style pickup toggle switch, rather than the traditional Fender “blade”-style selector.

On stage, Camden, N.J., with the P-90-loaded Stratocaster.

On stage, 27 July, 2002, Camden, N.J., with the P-90-loaded Stratocaster.

On stage, Camden, N.J., showing off the P-90-loaded Stratocaster.

On stage, 27 July, 2002, Camden, N.J., showing off the P-90-loaded Stratocaster.

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Thanks to Sal DiMartino for assistance with this page.

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This page last updated 6 August, 2004