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Post subject: New Strat Suggestions
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:52 am
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I'm a telecaster guy and I'm wanting to add a strat to my collection, any reccomendations on which model would be a good choice?
thanks.


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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:01 am
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Budget? =P


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:45 am
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budget : <= $950.00


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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:47 am
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70's mexican strat?

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Post subject: Re: New Strat Suggestions
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:03 am
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nicinflorida wrote:
I'm a telecaster guy and I'm wanting to add a strat to my collection, any reccomendations on which model would be a good choice?
thanks.


Read the products section online and digest it. Do a great deal of shopping , comparing, and hit as many different dealers as you can. Most dealers carry product that falls within the mid to low end of the price point in terms of volume. Play the American Standards, and the Mexican models. Try to find dealers who carry a range of Artist series guitars, and even Custom Shop versions.

Then pick the one that speaks to you.....but.....order the guitar, and have it opened in your presence. Buying 'off the wall,' to me is buying'used'. When one witnesses these' headbanger balls' which are held unofficially every weekend you can understand my point of view. The first player of a new guitar should be the buyer.

I made a purchase this weekend, and that's the way it was done. I was there when the shipping carton and the case were opened. At better than 2K it damn well better not have been played by anyone else.


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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:32 pm
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You've got a great budget. That's double mine. Your close to some incredible stuff. I had a chance to play the Jeff Beck, which was about $1350 or something at Wild West guitars. The Beck was incredible. There's no resistance to bending at all because its got these incredible tiny ballbearings so no binding can happen, plus the locking tuners and so on. It's got a real rich tone from the custom dual coils. The neck is a nice "C" and you don't have to have giant hands to play a big "v" neck like with the Clapton. Also, the guitar's shaped for easily getting the higher notes. It's within striking distance of your budget. The Jeff Beck is something really different.

On my budget, I got really lucky last weekend and found a great deal at a Guitar Center, which had clearance on the wine transparent and rosewood 60th anniversary Highway One. This is an American guitar and Fender put a huge amount into the Highway One last year with a redesign and big marketing push.

It's not a Beck or a custom shop, but it plays beautifully. It's a mix of vintage tremolo and new pickups with reverse polarity. My wife spotted it because she liked the wine transparent color that shows the wood, and she always spots things on sale. I didn't even see that it was marked down and was playing some Mexican strats. That Highway One's a beautiful guitar. It was ready to go right off the shelf at Guitar Center - even in tune - totally different than the mess over at Best Buy.


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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:58 pm
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Go to Guitar Center or something and try some strats, you might be able to heckle the people that work there for an American strat for how much you have, thats what I did with my tele.

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Post subject: Re: New Strat Suggestions
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:23 pm
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nicinflorida wrote:
I'm a telecaster guy and I'm wanting to add a strat to my collection, any reccomendations on which model would be a good choice?
thanks.


You're getting a variety of opinions but all seemingly on the right path. There's an interesting mix of instruments in your price range which have been mentioned. They are all based on a 'Strat with "modern C-neck" platform.' From there they differentiate into country of origin, finish, electronics, hardware, etc. etc.

Take it from there and shop. Like one of the contributors said...He came upon a find and wasn't looking for it. But the more you understand the line, the more educated your choice will be. I've even had a Squire in my hands which was one helluva guitar. One thing I will point out to you...always....always....run your hands down the sides of the neck to check how the fret ends are finished. I once auditioned a 'John Mayer' which was a dog. The dealers usually have techs who can tweak these things but its nicer from the factory not requiring that kind of adjustment.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:32 am
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Has anyone had the opportunity to play the 50's Classic Player Strat (MIM)??? Any thoughts on this guitar?
Thanks.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:05 am
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I havent played the 50s reissue but I own the 60s players reissue. It is a great guitar. I payed 700 for mine after tax. Great guitar.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:15 am
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nicinflorida wrote:
Has anyone had the opportunity to play the 50's Classic Player Strat (MIM)??? Any thoughts on this guitar?
Thanks.


You have to satisfy yourself by finding and auditioning this guitar. It has vintage characteristics in terms of hardware, V-neck profile, bridge, etc, but the radius is 9.5 as opposed to 7.5, and the frets are medium-jumbo as opposed to thin. The pickups are specially designed to enhance certain characteristics of two different periods.

I haven't seen the trem block on this guitar. The early strats have very thick blocks. The non-USA guitars seem to be fitted with thinner blocks. String gauge is also a key. American guitars seem to be fitted with 10's while the others carry 9's. This is likely a factor in the balance of the trem systems w/lighter metals.

In my hands, this is the kind of Stratocaster I grew up with and my Custom Shop strat has this basic platform, You might not like the feel of a V-neck. The 'modern C-shape' may be more to your liking.

Follow the guidance you have been offered. Read the specs, compare the differences. The more you know and understand about the line, the more you'll be able to note the subtle feature differences between them and make an educated choice.

It's hard to find a salesperson who is really knowledgeable to the extent that people in this forum seem to be, and who will take the time to help you with your choices. Retailers are in the business of making sales. Do your homework, and walk in prepared to know more than they do about the product line.

From me, you have the benefit of a player who, in his teens, played his first Stratocaster in 1958. I've been following this line almost fifty years now and can look at a modification and intrisically sense where this company is going with it. People like us read and own books on the subject.

For example....the routings for the electronics and the pickups on a '50's era Strat was very conservative. That meant the guitar had MORE wood.
That's important. We don't know if this guitar has been routed in that fashion, or if it carries a generic routing used in more than one type of contemporary MIM guitar.

At the end of the day, what ever your choice, the guitar has to speak to YOU.

Keep us posted on your progress.


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Post subject: Re: New Strat Suggestions
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:31 am
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nicinflorida wrote:
I'm a telecaster guy and I'm wanting to add a strat to my collection, any reccomendations on which model would be a good choice?
thanks.


Just a little postscript on this, talking about fine details....50's era Strats have a thinner pickguard fastened with eight screws. Later guitars have
trilaminated pickguards with eleven screws.


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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:44 am
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Food for thought, some Strats have rw/rp middle pups with no hum in the 2 and 4 positions, some have different sized frets, radius boards, etc.

The best advice I'd give you is to get out and try as many as you can.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:46 pm
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stafford5150 wrote:
70's mexican strat?


With a $950 budget I'd start lookin at used Am. Deluxe strats, not $200 mexi-strats.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:49 am
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A used American Deluxe with the noisless pick ups and S1 switching would be of interest to me at that price ($950 range)

Ray


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