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Post subject: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 3:57 am
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i everyone. I greatly need much advice from all you Strat gurus here.

I'm searching for my first guitar since the spring of 2011, when I had to sell my 70's Fender Strat. I've been perusing Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, and eBay for the past couple weeks.

I definitely want to be different this time around. I'm looking into a few non-Fender companies that manufacture Strat copies.

For example, Billie Joe of Green Day plays a Fernandes Strat copy. No one seems to know the name of the model, though.

Which non-Fender models can best mimic the bright, cutting tone of a traditional Fender Strat?

Right now, I'm leaning towards getting one of the following:

1) G&L Legacy

2) Fernandes Retrorocket

3) ESP Navigator

However, I don't know which one is able to deliver the Fender Strat's signature sound.

Which non-Fender companies offer the finest Fender Strat copies?

I look forward to all your recommendations. Thanks guys.


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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 4:12 am
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Why not the real thing ? Fender


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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:05 am
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stratele52 wrote:
Why not the real thing ? Fender


None can beat a good real Fender Strat!


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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:15 am
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Ahemm... Squier..? :lol:



To be serious: Maybe the Fender forum is the wrong place to ask about similar sounding copies.
Anyways, there is a reason why the Strat made its reputation... And although the (early) Fernandes's, Tokais, Kasugas, Grecos etc. could be really good guitars as such, they're not the real McFender.
If you want to be 'different', search for your own style & sound as well as just brands, looks, appearances.


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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 8:34 am
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stratele52 wrote:
Why not the real thing ? Fender


Well, I'm on a slightly tight budget. And like I said, I got interested in Strat copies when I saw Billie Joe playing one.

It's worth noting that I played a Squier once, and I wasn't able to get that quack.


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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 9:01 am
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Jericho-79 wrote:
... I played a Squier once, and I wasn't able to get that quack.


That is perhaps the main reason for a "proper" Strat. The big thing about a Fender Strat is you can swap things around to get to exactly where you want to be as and when budgets become available.

While other manufacturers make Strat Like Objects they seldom have that functionality and swapping items around doesn't always work when they almost, but don't quite, fit the same.

The Fender Strat is such an iconic shape that anything but a Fender logo on the headstock always looks wrong to me. There are, I am sure, a great many good double cutaway guitars out there (perhaps not at basement budget though).

Consider why cheap Strat copies are cheap and ask yourself if you really want to waste your money.

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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 9:16 am
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Jericho-79 wrote:
stratele52 wrote:
Why not the real thing ? Fender


Well, I'm on a slightly tight budget. And like I said, I got interested in Strat copies when I saw Billie Joe playing one.

It's worth noting that I played a Squier once, and I wasn't able to get that quack.



Wrong answer
For same price, than a Fender you can't get a better guitar from any brand.

Squier Classic Vibe are great for the price , I do A/B test with one and an a American Standard, trust me.
Buy a second hand .


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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:44 am
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For a Strat need on a low budget, I agree with the Squier recommendation. Squiers are some of the best guitars for the dollar... The "delta" between real Fenders and Squiers is shockingly not as large as you'd think.

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Last edited by 01GT eibach on Sat Feb 17, 2018 2:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:11 am
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See Andertons "Sound like....on a budget" video series. With a shop full of other guitars to choose from there is a reason they go for Squier.

https://youtu.be/mii8XS2QSSE

https://youtu.be/SWVNUw6iBoQ

That said, I am surprised how expensive a Classic Vibe is new and certainly in 2nd hand MiM territory.

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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 1:13 pm
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I agree with the Squier choice
One thing though, try out lots of them, I have played Squiers (but not owned) over the years , some complete dogs, others like silk
A Silver series .....................red, rosewood board, with really nice action, frets good, pickups sounded good
An early Squier blonde Strat , maple board REALLY nice feel to the neck, pickups sounded awesome
A black banged up Telecaster in a small music shop , nearly bought it and would have put a Bigsby on it

I have also owned an Encore Strat copy , bought it for £45, it was second hand and had a big ding in the top horn edge ...........I filled and sanded that, routed it for a Floyd and was owed a favour from a friend who had a garage, so he sprayed it black sparkle and I put in the Floyd copy and EMG pickups...........it sounded and played awesome but was really heavy (the current Encore's, designed by and having Trev Wilkinson parts are good )

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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:12 pm
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Well...
If money is the issue, then you aren't going to be getting the G&L Legacy, unless you're talking about the Indonesian "Tribute" version... in which case, you can save a few bucks and get the Indonesian Squier.

Seriously though... I totally understand not wanting to spend $1500+ for a US made Strat. You could drop to $1,000 for an American Special, but the Texas Specials are pretty hot and it's not really a classic "Strat" tone (though it DOES "quack")
In your shoes, I'd be looking at an MIM "Standard" Strat in the $600 range.

Keep in mind that though Billie Joe may play a Fernandes, many artist "noted" guitars, including SRV's #1, EC's "Blackie", anything EVH played for the first 20 years, are all effectively "Partscasters" that the artists or their techs have assembled.

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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:11 am
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Japan handmade Tokai ST and AST series are worth testing. Finishing and quality are nearest to Fender am. products.


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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 2:33 am
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Rockhill wrote:
Japan handmade Tokai ST and AST series

Just clarifying; they are man&machine made, just like any factory made guitars these days.


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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 3:10 am
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Rockhill wrote:
Japan handmade Tokai ST and AST series are worth testing. Finishing and quality are nearest to Fender am. products.


But they aren't inexpensive. Depending on your nation's exchange rate vs the Yen and Dollar, and your nation's import taxes and duties, they may be less expensive than Fender guitars. But in the US they cost a lot more than Mexican Fenders.

And in some countries you can walk into a store and try them before you buy. Not in the US.

Japanese stores that are Fender dealers won't even ship brand new Tokais to the US. Only used ones.

They're wonderful guitars. Stevie Ray Vaughan was an endorser, and the Strat on the Texas Flood album cover was a Tokai (the Tokai headstock logo in the photo was removed in the painting).

But not the inexpensive alternative to Fender that the original poster is looking for.


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Post subject: Re: Which non-Fenders best imitate the Strat sound?
Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 3:08 am
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jmattis wrote:
Rockhill wrote:
Japan handmade Tokai ST and AST series

Just clarifying; they are man&machine made, just like any factory made guitars these days.


You´re right. Machines does the work nowadays. Retailer´s adverticement, Handmade in Japan, separates these from cheaper ones. Still all are some kind of machine made ones.


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