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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 4:55 pm
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SB_123 wrote:
I just discovered this forum. It looks like quite a few people are interested in the specifications of these guitars, so I thought I would share the history and specs of my 1990 strat plus. I purchased it new on May 30, 1990 for $599, including the Fender hardshell case (still have the bill of sale). The factory inspection card is dated 5/2/1990 so it must have just arrived at the guitar store where I bought it. It has an E9xxxxx serial number.

The color is gun metal blue with a maple neck. I remember it standing out to me on the wall of the guitar store and still think it's a beautiful guitar.

It has the Wilkinson nut, which has always worked great for me using 10-46 strings. It also has the Schaller locking tuners, which makes string changes very easy. And it has 3 gold lace sensor pickups.

I've never had a problem with the trem system, and the guitar does a good job of staying in tune. The whammy bar is the screw-in type.

Everything is original except for two items that stopped working about 10 years ago: the neck pickup and the mid/bridge tone control. I replaced them with identical parts. Cosmetically the replacement pickup looks a little different from the originals - the label on the newer pickup is indented a little bit on the pickup, I guess to reduce the likelihood that it will rub off while playing.

The white pick guard and the original pickups have yellowed a little over the years, but I like the look of it.

It's just a great sounding guitar that delivers a wonderful variety of Strat tones. And it's really comfortable to play.

I've babied it over the years. It's still in pristine shape - no dents, dings, or scratches - and I hope to keep it forever. What a great guitar!


I finally got around to taking a couple of pictures of my guitar. She's a beaut!
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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 5:48 am
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Silhouette89 wrote:
I have replaced the american standard two point tremolo with one of those two point vintage tremolos of the classic player strats!


The vintage-style 2-point Classic Player bridge with the bent steel saddles is the actual assembly used on the post-2008 American Standards.


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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:38 am
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I'm not surprised to find this thread running for nearly 4 years now, the Strat Plus was a great guitar design.

I'm fortunate to have owned two, the first, now sold, was an early '93 Midnight Wine completely stock except the LSR nut upgrade.

This one had three Gold Lace Sensors and a Tremsetter. Except for a ding or two on the headstock, it was in mint condition.

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The second one was a complete restoration of a Strat Plus starting with a pretty nice Candy Apple Red body. The body was stripped except for the Bridge Pin inserts and one of those was somehow crooked!

At any rate both inserts were replaced and a new Bridge, Output Jack & Cup, LSR Nut, Schaller Locking Tuners, Fender Strap Knobs and the odd bits were bought and installed.

The Maple neck was mint NOS with a stripped Truss Rod (that project got sent to a pro) and bought separately.

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Originally, I had installed my favorite pickups, a set of Amalfitano SP, custom scatter wound.

Finally, I acquired a vintage set of Ultra Pickups, Pots & Switch, bought a custom pickguard from Chandler, pestered Xhefri for wiring advice :D and voila, she's done!

I know that it's a Partscaster, but using new or NOS exact spec Fender parts should count for something!

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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 8:11 am
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Nice, Love that pickup configuration! And you never pestered me! :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 9:09 am
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Xhefri wrote:
Nice, Love that pickup configuration! And you never pestered me! :lol:

I really like that Pup config as well, play them Sweet or Hot, really versatile and quiet.

Can't thank you enough for walking me through that wiring diagram, those things drive me crazier. :?

Neck/Bridge combination in the switch middle, position 3, is very cool. As is separating the TBX tone pot from the middle pup.

Not to mention (though that always precedes a mention) all the info on your website,http://xhefriguitars.com/index.html or as I call it, the Strat Plus Bible! Studying that answered a Long Ton of questions I had! :)

Do you still, or did you ever, recommend using a linear taper pot for the volume? Seems like I picked that up on one of your posts. My memory banks ain't what they once were. :roll:

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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 11:06 am
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danagos wrote:
Do you still, or did you ever, recommend using a linear taper pot for the volume? Seems like I picked that up on one of your posts. My memory banks ain't what they once were. :roll:

I use at audio pot for the volume controls and linear pots for the tone controls. Maybe someone might correct me if I am wrong, but from what I understand the audio pots are better for a volume control as the fade is slower giving you more control over the volume. I know there is debate on this subject on forums. From what I remember, a linear pot rolls off the volume evenly, however, we don't hear changes in volume evenly, and so linear taper pots will seem to roll off the volume faster as it goes. Audio taper pots were designed to roll off the volume closer to the way we hear it, so that it sounds even. Anyhow this is one theory? :?

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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 7:35 am
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Xhefri wrote:
danagos wrote:
Do you still, or did you ever, recommend using a linear taper pot for the volume? Seems like I picked that up on one of your posts. My memory banks ain't what they once were. :roll:

I use at audio pot for the volume controls and linear pots for the tone controls. Maybe someone might correct me if I am wrong, but from what I understand the audio pots are better for a volume control as the fade is slower giving you more control over the volume. I know there is debate on this subject on forums. From what I remember, a linear pot rolls off the volume evenly, however, we don't hear changes in volume evenly, and so linear taper pots will seem to roll off the volume faster as it goes. Audio taper pots were designed to roll off the volume closer to the way we hear it, so that it sounds even. Anyhow this is one theory? :?

Apologies then, just a touch of my dyslexia showing through. :oops:

I've found a lot of differing opinions about this subject on the internet as well, go figure! :lol:

I don't do volume swells, so how smoothly the volume rolls off is a moot point to me.

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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 11:45 pm
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Love, love my '87 early Strat Plus (Rosewood Board Lake Placid Blue model).


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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:04 am
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I love this thread and all things Strat Plus even with the annoying interruptions.


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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:15 pm
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Just picked up a quilt top 1997 Ultra. Pictures soon to come. These are sure pretty and one does not see the quilts as often as the flame tops. I plan on reworking the whole Ultra page on my website soon. Just finished a remake of the Strat Plus DX page and plan on a whole section on the Plus site dealing with the Firestorms and Aluminum Plus'. Will have a lot more info on there soon!

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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:09 pm
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Xhefri wrote:
a whole section on the Plus site dealing with the Firestorms and Aluminum Pluses


Don't forget to include the Icestorms, dude. :)

Also, feel free to work on a similar page dedicated to the Firestorm/Icestorm Strat Ultras and their custom-built counterparts!


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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:58 pm
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Xhefri wrote:
Just picked up a quilt top 1997 Ultra. Pictures soon to come. These are sure pretty and one does not see the quilts as often as the flame tops. I plan on reworking the whole Ultra page on my website soon. Just finished a remake of the Strat Plus DX page and plan on a whole section on the Plus site dealing with the Firestorms and Aluminum Plus'. Will have a lot more info on there soon!

That's good news, looking forward to seeing the "quilt top" and the new site pages. The DX page is well done.

I was listening to a Fox TV channel baseball game today and the color guy, who rarely has anything worth saying, but loves the sound of his own voice, had a small but valid point of interest and talked endlessly about it for the rest of the game. Essentially, pointing out how clever he thought he was. I had to mute the volume and turn on the radio broadcast.

My point is that there's a fella like that on this forum, indeed posting on this thread. Someone should talk to him about proper behavior and the importance of respect for others as well as himself.

Xhefri, thanks for all your contributions to this forum as well as others, your inspiring website and kindness to me in particular.

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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 8:42 am
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jameswilly is the same annoying troll who spams the forum with the firestorms :evil:


He recently changed his username to loco peligroso and willyjames.


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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 4:50 pm
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I just wish we knew what the point was...wait, no I don't.


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Post subject: Re: Fans of Strat Plus and Strat Ultra
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 7:11 pm
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Here is the new Ultra I just picked up. Serial number says 1997 but the neck stamp is March of 1998, so this is one of the very last Ultras fender cranked out before Fender discontinued the series. This one is in a rare Curly Maple top, instead of the Flame tops (like my Avatar). The guitar is like new, being almost un-played. Seems like one of the other guys on the Forum had one of these a while back. No sure who that was but maybe JasonSD or our buddy in NZ???

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I love the Ebony Fretboards these offer. The abalone dot markers were unique to the Ultra. Too bad Fender stopped making these. This model was just barely under the Custom Shop and the one like it that was very cool was the neck-set Ultra

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I have seen a few other Curly Maple top Strats. Of course, this has the Lace Sensors with the special wiring. If you are on this page, you most likely know! Enjoy! Any of you have any Ultras you want to post?

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