straycat, Bro, is it better to have the guitar in your hands (at a music store, buy sell shop or pawn shop) before you buy, or is there a liberal (if you don't like it you can return it) return policy at ebay and CL?

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

not to add any doubt to your finds, but i think the 70's strats were made by CBS and suffered a lack in build quality However im sure somebody will correct me if im wrong or offer advice thats beneficial to you

_________________


A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. ~Leopold Stokowski~

Well I got to try the ultimate studio guitar today. The VG strat.

If I were stocking a studio I'd pick that above all else. Strat, tele, LP, acoustic, mando, res sounds, as well as tuning, baritone and 12string options. I was trying to spot the difference on it between simulated strat and its regular strat sound. I really struggled to do so. A turn of the eq made it nigh on impossible to spot the difference.

Thats what I'd have if i could find one. Tremendous bit of doi it all kit.

_________________
No no and no

Hi Infra Red

I would suggest a new 2009/2010 us deluxe strat too as the first guitar for your purposes. The reason as mentioned is noiseless pickups, tonal variety, build quality closest to Fender custom shop in a production guitar. The most important advice everybody on this forum agrees to is for you and actually play a bunch of them and get the feel. My suggestion fits the bill as per your requirements but you have to include what your hands and ears are telling you too.

Later once you figure it out musically and you are itching to figure out mechanical/technical inards, get some mexi or squier strat and open it up and change parts for fun.

After that if you still think guitars are awesome start getting into gibson es-335, les paul, tele, jazzmaster, EB Baritone, etc.

Hope that helps

Hi Infa Red me yet again as Classic Rock suggested I'd steer clear of 70's Strats in general as a lot of them were dogs.Nikininja's suggestion of the VG Strat is a very good idea iit's a truly versatile guitar.Regarding your question about the 2004 50th Ann. Strat it sounds as good as it looks I have one and it is a dream to play and listen to.If itwere me I'd have a hard time deciding between these two choices as each is an exquisite instrument.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Wow, ok great answers.

So from what I understand I will stay 100% away from 70's Fender Guitars.
Cool, that helps narrow the playing field massively.

Now, I guess I need in investigate this VG Guitar. I imagine you mean the one by Fender right ? Because Roland makes a VG Guitar too. So I want to clarify.

But also I guess the 2004 50th Ann Deluxe Strat gets a thumbs up too according to guitslinger.

Plus, from what I gather the new 2009/2010 guitars are fine too.

So as this may seem like obvious stuff to you guys, this info really helps me. It also narrows the playing field by quit alot. I now know I am going with one of the 3 for sure.

Thanks !! SO I am in investigation mode along with trying to actually play some of these before I buy.

guitslinger, do you know a fair price to pay for that 2004 50th Ann Deluxe Strat ? I don't want to pay too much, but I also don't want to lowball the poor guy. Please let me know as this one may disappear. Even though I may just choose to not get it anyway. Thanks dude.

The 2004 50th Ann Deluxe Strat is set to rocket, so dont expect to get one too cheaply. I've seen a few sales that had a asking price dreamt up by Walt Disney, £1800-£2500. I dont know if they sold for that, but owners are obviously expecting them to raise in value. Whether you want that being used by all kinds of longhaired's using your studio is your business, I wouldnt. I own one, I cant imagine a regular deluxe sounds any different.

_________________
No no and no

Ok, IF (and only IF I were to buy this) how much should I try to talk this guy down ? He currently is asking $2,000. Or should I not try to talk him down cause it is a good deal ? He is local, and I could go buy today if I should. I am thinking $1,500 cash in hand - he might go for it ? Or is that still too much ? Is he asking too much ? Or is it a cool price ? (this is all USD $$) - Also says comes with original brown tweed case, etc..

Fender 50th Anniversary Deluxe Stratocaster - Unplayed -

50th Anniversary Deluxe Stratocaster
Year 2004
USA Model
Case is original 50th anniversary brown tweed hardshell.
Condition is Excellent
Maple Neck
2 tone sunburst
Abalone fret markers
case candy included unopened

(PICS USED TO BE HERE, BUT I REMOVED THEM TO CONSERVE BANDWIDTH)

I mean if they are that great, I would love to have it for myself, maybe I won't let no one else play it then if you think I shouldn't. I'll buy another, or that VG for the studio. If I end up not liking guitar playing or I can't learn, then I could always sell it ? No ?

What do you guys think ?

Also, let me get this straight.

Noiseless pick ups (which I agree I would want) are something only on new guitars 2009/2010 ? Or are they something that is on all Deluxe's ?

Are they on that 2004 50th Ann Deluxe Strat ?

Noiseless pickups have been on deluxe guitars since 1999, I think. Vintage noiseless first then Samarium Cobalt Noiseless (SCN). Introduced on the 2004 deluxe.

As for price I cant really advise on what they fetch where you live. You can pick them up here for around £900/$1450. So based on that your $1500 is a decent price for a good example.
Really all you can do is try it and see what its worth to you.

_________________
No no and no

Well, a touch of bad news. The dude selling that 50th Ann said he won't budge on the $2,000 asking price. I offered $1,500 and he laughed. (kinda made me feel bad - lol)

He told me I wouldn't find one unplayed in that condition for less. Also he mentioned that there has been a overwhelming amount of Chinese made ones that mimic it exactly to a tee and alot of people are getting those for less and they don't know it. Fender has even announced that they can not tell a difference and there is no way to prove otherwise because the Chinese have also matched the serial numbers and pressed them on there. So the only real way to tell is if that same serial number has already been "registered". A guy at Fender said there may be even more Chinese made ones than real ones cause he had seen a case where the same serial number had tried to be verified and/or register 4 times !!

This guy said the only real way to tell (since they did such a good replica of it down to every stamp, every logo, every plate, etc..) is that the Chinese ones necks don't last quite the same, due to that they also don't stay in tune as long as a real one would. But other than that, there is no way of telling by looking at it even in person. They replicated it so precise even with the Tweed Case and case candy, etc.

So he said he wouldn't buy a used one unless it came with a verifiable receipt from a reputable place where you can look it up and find the order papers making sure it came from Fender themselves. He has all that. Purchased from Guitar Center.

Anyway, interesting news, hopefully helps others out there.

I just don't know if it is worth $2,000. He said he bought it for $1,800. And seen one (a real one) go for $3,000 not to long ago brand new from a online dealer.

Any thoughts on this ? Also with the new news that the Deluxe line is being discontinued, that really makes me want a Deluxe now. If I don't get this one, I think I would get a brand new Deluxe Strat.

Infa Red, I haven't been tricked yet with a phony Fender but I've been doing this for some time, because you don't feel confident about it perhaps the better idea would be to buy a new Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster. I don't think that any one who comes to your studio will complain about playing it and your price range is at that guitars price range.

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Now thats a good suggestion. The only thing is with the Clapton is that you have to get used to working the controls. But all the sounds are there, really glassy almost acoustic. Right through to nearly humbucker, with the midboost up.

Infared.
You could just have another look for a deluxe. If you want another 50th anni then you may find one, they do come about. Personaly I dont think their any different from any other deluxe. Except that they may go up in value in another twenty years. The guy you went to buy that one off obviously doesnt know about guitar collecting or how to play that game. You dont buy, stick it under the bed for six years then expect a $200 profit. Give him a couple of weeks to wait, call him and offer him $1600 for the guitar.

_________________
No no and no

Great idea. Funny thing is I was looking at that puppy liking it. But didn't know if it was just "all hype" with a cool name attached to it or not. I love Eric Clapton.... COCAINE !!!! Da na na na......beraaaaahoow,, da da na, Da na na na......beraaaaahoow..... She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie ...... (everyone say it here).

Yea, I am going to look into that right now. Think about it. Kinda wanna make sure it is in the tonality park I am wanting. Now that I think about it, I think I know someone who has a older one. I think from like 2006 or 07. I will ask him if I can hear him play on it again.




Nikininja, are you saying the Eric Clapton is a harder guitar to learn on ? Cause one thing, I have to admit, I need a good "learning guitar".



Ha ha, you are so right. This guy is hilarious now that I think about it. I am definitely gunna do that for now. I am in no rush to get a guitar. Even though at night sometimes I am getting antsy. Just wanting to hurry up and start learning to figure out if I can learn or not. I aint getting no younger, etc.. so I start flippin out. lol

But yea, I will let this guy figure out he can't get that much for it, offer him another offer a little higher than my last, then see.

THANKS GUYS !! great ideas

If its a guitar for you to learn on, then get a American standard. It's widely accepted as the standard that everything else has to meet or exceed. Kind of theres the bar, jump it.
If you want something else in time then the AM STD wont be considered a cop out addition to your studio. If you donate it entirely to that area.

Clapton guitars aren't hard to learn on at all. They have my favourite neckshape and play like butter. However the Vintage noiseless pickups, midboost and TBX control all take a little bit of working to get em performing at their best. Its not just another plug in and away you go guitar. It took me well over a year to really get into controling the tones from the guitar. But now I'm ok with it, I love it. It was a bit hit and miss for awhile. If you watch any recent Clapton video he's constantly on the guitars controls.

Heres a prime lesson EC chose to teach us as to why he's the undisputed taste champion. And how to get a load of different sounds out of one strat and no pedals. Notice its clean and thin, then clean and thick, then driven and thin, then driven and thick for the solo. You only get to see him reach for the controls once (some tasty camera switching).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSvpGZ0sKZU&feature=related

_________________
No no and no