Hi All,
I need some advice, so any help that can be provided I really appreciate.
Essentially, I want to buy a Stratocaster.

I want the Best value for money strat that can classic rock / Blues/ funk etc, I really want a Maple Neck. I played a American Standard the other day, the action was a bit high for my liking so it did not feel too “nice” however sounded okay though.

I really want to be able to capture the Dave Gilmore, Joe walsh, Hendrix, Stevie Ray V, Clapton. Can any one suggest the most versatile start model, series ( I know that this is subjective)

The bellow has now caught my eye:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Fender-Custom-Cl ... 7C294%3A50
I am just wondering what you think of the Fender Customs Classic? And could any hazard a guess at the year/age of this one going on ebay? Looks pretty Nice.

Thanks for your help, again any suggestions, help all greatly appreciated.

Hi Pac

I have a custom classic, unfortunately mine came with scn pickups and s1 switching like a american deluxe.
As far as custom classic's go you will not get better value for money than a custom classic for 1900 AUD. The shear quality of workmanship on those guitars is quite astounding. Looking at mine i see perfectly round fret tops, very comfortable C shape neck, that is quite chunky and fits the hand well. As you can see from that body you get a nicely joined 2 piece affair. The whole thing leads to quite a playing experience. I didnt really start to appreciate the way my guitar felt until about a month after owning it. When i noticed the usual niggles that you compensate for or learn to ignore arent present. Its subtle but exactly what you pay the extra for, and well worth the extra cash too. $1900 aud (£949) is a bargain price for a guitar that regular production models dont compare to. In England their new price went for roughly £2000 / $4000 aud. So its one hell of a bargain at that price.
As always play before you pay. Make sure the Certificate Of Authentication is present and preferably the hang tag too. The serial no on the neck plate should match the COA, if it doesnt walk away. That body finish isnt to my liking but one mans manna is anothers poison. Body colour aside i'd snap it up at that price. Its a hell of a lot of guitar. You wont find a production model like it in that price range from anyone prs and gibson included.

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Heh... I had noticed this one. I like to keep up with the Australian listings. I think that few prospective buyers realise that this is a Custom Shop model, even though you can see the logo on the guitar case. I've noticed that CS models of any sort seem to start off at about $1900 to $2000 on eBay, otherwise nobody bids on them. People are usually looking for bargains, after all. Bids generally start up towards the end of the auction and the guitar will go for $2400-2500 ( a good price if you happen to be in the market for a new guitar, but not too-good-to-pass-up-no-matter-how-many-you-have good). I've seen many on there with starting prices of $2500, then they get re-listed with no reserve after no bids and end up selling for that same amount. I guess nobody likes the starting price to be the maximum they're willing to pay.

Anyway, for some reason this guitar seems a bit overlooked. The photos aren't great and it's a second-hand dealer selling it, so maybe that's stopping people paying much attention. I'd snap it up in a heartbeat if I didn't already have a CS guitar (which cost me considerably more, dammit). Only thing is...do you bide your time and risk the shop selling it to someone else in the next day and taking it off eBay, or do become the first bidder and have someone else who has been waiting in the wings come in and push the price up on you? I'd be inclined to wait until the final hour or so and put $2500 on it so that casual bidders are discouraged...you'd probably still get it for around the $2000 mark. And if you're the only bidder, so much the better!

You probably know all that anyway... nikininja has already summed it up...great guitar, great price if you can secure it. I've been more successful in my Aussie auctions of late, so I reckon it's a good time to buy. Fewer recreational shoppers.

Hi Gents,
Thanks for your comments, very valuable indeed!
I have asked the seller for a “try before I buy” just to see how she plays etc.
Look forward to sharing dialogue with you both when I become a Strat owner hopefully in the near future.. ..

Pac your more than welcome to contribute here even if you dont own a strat mate.
Were like the royal mail, we take anyone.

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Pac, dont ever go by the way a guitar is set up in a store,if you liked the standard you can have it set perfect to your liking as long as the neck shape was comfy for you.That is a nice custom your looking at now if that is the way you want to go.Being an experienced buyer on ebay I would make sure I was there the day the auction ended if I was that badly interested.I never understand people who bid early as all you do is drive the price up the last thing you want is a bidding war with someone who wants the same thing. I wait till the very end and then send in the max I am willing to spend.Also try to find something that ends early in the morning like 2-5 am as traffic is light and dont think it is the end of the world if someone beats you out as there is ALWAYS something to take its place .

Pac, playability and feel is all about setup, which out-of-the shop guitars rarely are.

'Recommend you get the axe which has the vibe / sound / looks / quality you crave and lust for, then get a hot setup, to make it play like you need.