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Post subject: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2018 9:07 pm
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Hi,
I am really interested in hearing from those who have played and/or own(ed) the most recent models of the Deluxe Roadhouse Strat, and the Deluxe Strat (i.e., the ones with the Vintage Noiseless Pickups, not the previous generation with Texas Specials).

What did you like or dislike about the guitars? How did they play?

Crucially - for me - if you have played both guitars, which one gave you more tonal possibilities? (I am more of a Classic Rock afficionado, and definitely not a metalhead).

Do the preamp and six-position V6 tone switch on the Deluxe Roadhouse provide tones different enough from each other to make that feature worth it? I am asking because several reviewers have mentioned that the differences between some of the six tones are very slight.

I have noticed in viewing videos of the current and older 'generations' of these guitars, the tonal differences between different settings of the V6 preamp on the Deluxe Roadhouse Strat are much more pronounced in the older generation of the DRS, i.e., the ones containing Texas Special pickups.

Do others have this experience?

If you were to buy one of these guitars, which one would it be, and why?

I am looking forward to hearing what people have to say about these two models.

Many thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 12:18 am
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One thing to note, just to get the topic rolling: On the "Dlx Roadhouse Strat® (014-5010-xxx / 014-5012-xxx)", the PCB Assy/Rotary Switch is a combined system. And in case it breaks, that part is AFAIK no longer available.

On versatility (very much IMHO) a regular Stratocaster has plenty - that's sort of proven by its success. :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 1:58 am
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Hi jmattis,
Thanks very much for your reply.

I was wondering if the rotary switch, or the S1 switch are more prone to breaking, but did not think about the possibility of either one of them having been discontinued, so thanks for letting me know.

I actually have three Strats already, so am familiar with them.

Thanks again for your reply.


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 2:50 am
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Looking at both the 2014 (Tx Spcl) and 2016 (Noiseless) service diagrams, the switch appears to be the same (PCB ASSY ROADHOUSE STRAT 7700842000).
Fender wouldn't discontinue a part for a current model...would they?
The master tone control for the 2016 version is also 1meg in line with the other 2016 Deluxe Mex Strats compared with 250k on the 2014.


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 7:44 am
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Had the Deluxe Roadhouse and another guitar with Texas Specials...and couldn't get rid of them quick enough.
What didn't I like about the Roadhouse? Those stinking Texas Specials.
You asked....I answered. :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 10:43 am
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64Galaxie wrote:
(PCB ASSY ROADHOUSE STRAT 7700842000).
Fender wouldn't discontinue a part for a current model...would they?

I'm not sure - that's why the "AFAIK".
But that part number doesn't show up on shop.fender.com search, nor is it on angela.com or darrenriley.com menu; those are usually the sources for the not-found-anywhere-else-fender-parts.
(Stratosphereparts.com does have some loaded Dlx Roadhouse pickguards.)
The wonderful Fender chat service might give a definite answer - on Monday.


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 10:59 am
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Hi 64Galaxie, White Dog, and jmattis,
Thanks for these replies.

White Dog, what was it that you did not like about the Texas Specials? Too hot? Something else?


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 11:53 am
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Yah....way too hot for my taste.
I bought a loaded pick guard with Custom Shop Texas Specials in it to put on a 2006 Hwy. 1 Strat, and I never could find a sound I liked in any position...so I thought it was the guitar. Sold that one, and bought a Deluxe Roadhouse thinking I'd have even more "tonal" options to work with; and THAT guitar let me down---can't blame it on nothing but the pickup's because the Hwy. 1 had a Rosewood fretboard, and the Roadhouse had Maple, Hwy. 1 had nitro finish, Roadhouse had lacquer, two different body woods, etc...the ONE thing that remained the same comparing the two was the Texas Special pickup's.
I also tried a plethora of amps (Tube, Solid State, Modeling--- of all variations of wattage), and some effects pedals. No luck.
Not even sure how Stevie Ray Vaughn makes them sound so darn delicious. :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 4:57 pm
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Stevie Ray Vaughan's Strats all had vintage pickups (except for Charley which had Danelectro lipstick tube pickups). He may have tested prototype Texas Specials but they weren't used on any of his recordings.

TX Spl's weren't designed to sound like the pickups Stevie used. They were designed to kind of sound like what came out of his Tubescreamers when he plugged his vintage pickups into them -- higher output with emphasized midrange.

Texas Specials are sort of "love 'em or hate 'em" pickups.


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 11:46 pm
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Hi White Dog, and strayedstrater,
White Dog, thank you very much for that comprehensive reply. That is very helpful to me.

Although I have not yet played a guitar with the Texas S.'s, from what I have heard online, I really like them. I tend to like 'fat' sounds, and have only got into Fender guitars in the last few years, having been (and still being) a Gibson and Epiphone lover for most of my life.

My local guitar store will be getting a visit from me soon.

Strayedstrater, thanks for the info. on SRV - I, too, had thought that he used T.S.'s, so thanks for the correction.


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 5:06 am
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strayedstrater wrote:
Stevie Ray Vaughan's Strats all had vintage pickups (except for Charley which had Danelectro lipstick tube pickups). He may have tested prototype Texas Specials but they weren't used on any of his recordings.

TX Spl's weren't designed to sound like the pickups Stevie used. They were designed to kind of sound like what came out of his Tubescreamers when he plugged his vintage pickups into them -- higher output with emphasized midrange.

Texas Specials are sort of "love 'em or hate 'em" pickups.
Yes, thank you for the information, I've been misinformed for years. Never bothered to look into it, or read-up on it, and was always told SRV played Texas Specials. That certainly explains my failure to even come close to his sound with the two guitars previously mentioned.
And I absolutely agree on the "love/hate" theory...I hate them, but at the same time, I can understand why others may love them. Thankfully there's something for everyone. 8)


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 7:15 am
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Yeah, there seems to be a common assumption that since the SRV Signature Strat has Texas Specials, that he either used them or they were based on the pickups he actually used.

Fender hadn't had a chance to do a detailed examination of #1 before making the Signature Strat. They designed the Texas Specials based on Stevie's belief that the early '60s pickups in #1 were slightly overwound due to random factory variations, and from having listened to his recordings.

Shortly before his death, he briefly checked out the first 3 prototype Signatures. But after his death they held off on introducing the Signature. Production didn't begin until 2 years later.

A decade later the Custom Shop got a chance to thoroughly examine #1 while preparing to build the exact replica Tribute Strat. And they discovered the pickups were slightly underwound.


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 9:22 am
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jmattis wrote:
One thing to note, just to get the topic rolling: On the "Dlx Roadhouse Strat® (014-5010-xxx / 014-5012-xxx)", the PCB Assy/Rotary Switch is a combined system. And in case it breaks, that part is AFAIK no longer available.

On versatility (very much IMHO) a regular Stratocaster has plenty - that's sort of proven by its success. :wink:



+1

I'd take that on account...


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 11:06 am
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Oh yeah, I forgot to update that - sorry, my memory is getting... wait, I forgot what I was going to write...

Checked the availability of that PCB/Rotary with the wonderful Fender support chat service.
The part is available via Fender authorized shops for warranty/repair, but not sold separately as a spare part.
So, no need to worry - at least as long as the model is in production... :?:


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Post subject: Re: Opinions Please - Deluxe Roadhouse Strat vs Deluxe Strat
Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 11:17 am
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jmattis wrote:
The part is available via Fender authorized shops for warranty/repair, but not sold separately as a spare part.
So, no need to worry - at least as long as the model is in production... :?:
That's one of the things that scares me about the S1 pot/switch and makes me hesitant to buy a Baja Tele, or to use the S1 on a humbucker mod.
Even G&L just used a simple toggle switch on the S-500 to connect the neck and bridge pickups.

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