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WHAT GUITAR IS BETTER 1989 STRAT PLUS OR 2007 STRAT
STRAT PLUS 56%  56%  [ 14 ]
AMERICAN STANDARD 44%  44%  [ 11 ]
Total votes : 25
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Post subject: DOES ANYONE HAVE A STRAT PLUS????????
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:24 pm
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I CANNOT FIND ANOTHER STRAT PLUS FROM THE 80'S DOES ANYONE HAVE ONE?


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Post subject: Re: DOES ANYONE HAVE A STRAT PLUS????????
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:15 am
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fenderstrat1987 wrote:
I CANNOT FIND ANOTHER STRAT PLUS FROM THE 80'S DOES ANYONE HAVE ONE?


I remember when this guitar came on line.

My preference in that guitar are the Lace Sensors which I had in my Clapton and, I've always preferred the vintage bridge saddles and heavy vintage trem block.

There are many members of the forum who share my feelings about the pickups. As far as comparisons, you're talking 20 years of development in design concepts, and an awful lot of individual preferences.

Doc :wink:


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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 4:50 pm
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I just got it a few weeks ago. It is a legacy from my uncle. What a nice strat......fortunately, it's still original. no modification, no scratch, just aged parts......

But I won't sell it to you..... :D


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Post subject: Re: DOES ANYONE HAVE A STRAT PLUS????????
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 3:55 pm
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fenderstrat1987 wrote:
I CANNOT FIND ANOTHER STRAT PLUS FROM THE 80'S DOES ANYONE HAVE ONE?


I was reminded, after having viewed the Custom Shop video on the Strat Pro, that the =Plus was the first to feature the Wilkinson Roller Nut, which I overlooked mentioning in my prior response.

Doc :oops:

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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:58 am
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A Strat Plus is definitely on my shopping list for the future. When I first started playing more than 15 years ago, they were the top of the line strats: Lace Sensors, Roller Nut, Locking Tuners. Especially the locking tuners are something I miss on the Am. Stds.


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Post subject: strat plus
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:42 am
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I don't think I would trade my 93' ,even for a new American standard. I think Lace pickups are the best you can get, but what do I know :lol:


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Post subject: Re: strat plus
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:01 am
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Bluefinger wrote:
I don't think I would trade my 93' ,even for a new American standard. I think Lace pickups are the best you can get, but what do I know :lol:


What you know is what feels and sounds best to you. That's 100% in my book!

Doc :wink:

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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:28 pm
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I have a '89 Strat Plus. I used it to gig around Houston for quite a few years. It was my primary guitar until I got my Eric Johnson strat last year (The EJ almost makes the Plus feel like a toy). But playing through an old Fender twin I was consistently complimented on my great tone (not my playing unfortunately :? ).

I think that '89 was the first year the Strat Plus was made. If I am not mistaken I think that this was also the first or second year that the American Standards were released. In previous years there were American made re-releases of old strat models but I don't think there were any new models that were made in the USA before '89.

Mine has a Alder[?] body, maple neck, jumbo frets, 3 Gold lace sensors, Wilkenson "Needle-bearing" roller nut, TBX tone control, Schaller locking tuners, adjustable tremolo tension.

A few notes:

Nut: On my guitar you have to thread all 6 strings through the roller nut. This is a little tricky on a dark stage but you get used to it. The next year I think that Fender changed to a nut in which the 3 high strings laid on top of the nut instead of requiring them to thread through it.

Tuners: The locking tuners work very well but there is one drawback. One night my bass player's headstock made contact with my headstock. The tightening "thumbscrew" on the back of one of the tuners spun loose and literally rolled across the stage. Fortunately I found it before the next song but this is a design flaw in my opinion. It only happened once in 19 years but it definitely sucked.

Bridge: The bridge saddles on my '89 broke strings literally every time I played. The next year Fender redesigned the saddles so the arc was not quite so sharp and that probably resolved the issue. I put graphite saddles on long ago.

Tremolo: The adjustable spring on the tremolo unit works well. However, even though this entire strat plus setup was designed to facilitate heavy whammy usage I find my EJ model stays in tune much better.

19 years of abuse later this guitar is still playing like the day I bought it. But I personally prefer the EJ pickups to the lace sensors for my blues/rock playing style.


If I had to choose between a modern American Standard and the Plus I would probably go with the Standard. But if you can save a little more and get an artist series model (like the EJ) or a 50's or 60's reissue it is definitely worth the extra cash. Especially considering that these guitars can be passed down through multiple generations of players and just get better with age.

The only place I've ever seen a guitar like mine is on eBay where I've seen them going for around $500-$600 USD.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 1:41 pm
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[quote="riversitter"]I have a '89 Strat Plus. I used it to gig around Houston for quite a few years. It was my primary guitar until I got my Eric Johnson strat last year (The EJ almost makes the Plus feel like a toy).

"Different strokes for different strokes"...

Doc :wink:

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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:34 pm
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zzdoc wrote:
"Different strokes for different strokes"...

Doc :wink:

Probably a personal preference thing for sure. The lace sensors still have a place in my sound arsenal. :D


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:43 am
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Yes I have an 87 Strat Plus. 87 not 89 was the first year and the first Strat to come out of the new Corona factory. In fact mine is one of the first ones released in California. It is Graffity Yellow and I have modded it only with a Clapton Preamp. I bought it because not only does it play superb I thought the color would be more of a collectors item. The next year GC had a ton of them in this color. Non of which were Strat Plus but American Standards. I also own a 1988 Tele American Standard, again one of the first out of Corona and in a rare gun metal blue. The pickups are just as hot as Texas Specials. I think Fender had something to prove at that time as both these guitars rock. I have not had any problems with the Wilkinson roller. But then again I blocked the bridge so I don't use the Trem. I guess that would be another mod. Neither of which are not reversible. The Lace Sensors in the Strat still work and sound great. But with the Lace Sensors I put in my Tele the neck pickup just up and died one day. I'm glad it did because I put the stock pickups back in and like I said they ROCK.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:00 am
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[quote="Wildhorsestudios"]Yes I have an 87 Strat Plus.

The history on Graffiti Yellow is that it was created with Jeff Beck in mind.

Doc :wink:

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:17 am
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riversitter wrote:
... ... ... See above ... ... ...

Well, that is a very interesting post indeed. There is nothing as good as lots of experience.

Never had my mitts on a Strat Plus, but I noticed that a few months ago we had a spate of posts on this Forum asking how to replace the original roller nut with either an LSR or just an ordinary nut (which latter is very difficult, due to the shaping of the timber).

So it is striking that the nut is something Riversitter has not so far felt the need to change. Wonder if anyone else has any thoughts on that Wilkinson nut? So happens, I have an unused one sitting in my parts box: never had occasion to try it out, as yet...

Cheers - C


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:22 pm
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Wildhorsestudios wrote:
Yes I have an 87 Strat Plus. 87 not 89 was the first year and the first Strat to come out of the new Corona factory. In fact mine is one of the first ones released in California.

Good to know. I stand corrected. :)


Ceri wrote:
Never had my mitts on a Strat Plus, but I noticed that a few months ago we had a spate of posts on this Forum asking how to replace the original roller nut with either an LSR or just an ordinary nut (which latter is very difficult, due to the shaping of the timber).

So it is striking that the nut is something Riversitter has not so far felt the need to change. Wonder if anyone else has any thoughts on that Wilkinson nut?

Personally I much prefer the bone nut on my EJ. However, I think that the combination of the wilkenson nut and the lace sensors, along with the maple neck on my Plus, probably account for the unique crisp bell-like tone of this guitar. Actually, rather than change out the nut I'll probably try to hunt down some '90 style (more rounded) Fender saddles for it to return it to stock (but playable) condition. It always sounded great from day one.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 6:49 am
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I have a 88 Candy Apple Red Strat Plus rosewood board, all original apart from scratchplate. Lovely guitar, wouldn’t part with it. I have no problem with the roller nut, I have played vintage bone nut strats, you would really be pushed to tell the difference. Locking tuners are great. Nicely balanced body and neck, dream to play. I think a good guitar is the sum of the parts, either vintage or modern some are great some are bad, the good ones will rise to the top. I have played some beautiful looking vintage guitars which are absolute dogs. Strat Plus was a good era.


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