Suggestions for Finding a Discontinued Strat (70's RI)

mAx___ · **Joined:** Tue May 05, 2009 3:58 pm **Posts:** 102

Hey, I'm trying to find a sunburst American Vintage 70's Reissue with a maple fretboard but -very unfortunately- the guitar in that specific colour has been discontinued by Fender...

So, other than scouting eBay and craigslist every two hours, is there any website of sorts I could just let Fender dealers know what I'm looking for so the ones that may still have one in stock or used can contact me?

Like an eHarmony for guitars

The guitar must be really good because the ones who bought it are definitely NOT selling it. I tried eBay US, Italy, UK, France, Canada, Germany...all of them. Not one showing up for sale...

Thanks in advance,
mAx

Simon M · **Posted:** Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:49 pm

Have you tried dealers in Australia? I know that they're still for sale here, as the fender Australia website still lists this as a colour option.

http://www.fender.com.au/electricguitar ... 0strat.php

There are other models, too, that the American website no longer lists but that are still currently available here (the Korean made Koa and Lite Ash Special Edition Strats/Teles, and the "Surf Fever" and "Woody" Sonoran acoustics, for example).

I'm not sure where you're posting from, but you may well be able to get one from Australia.

Good luck!

mAx___ · **Joined:** Tue May 05, 2009 3:58 pm **Posts:** 102

Great finding, Simon! I'll start looking for a dealer that would ship it back to the US

Cheers,
M.

mAx___ · **Joined:** Tue May 05, 2009 3:58 pm **Posts:** 102

Ouch...I replied too quick...just realised it is the mexican Classic Series I can get in sunburst, not the American Vintage Strat.

Thanks anyway...

Blertles · **Posted:** Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:11 pm

mAx___ wrote:

Ouch...I replied too quick...just realised it is the mexican Classic Series I can get in sunburst, not the American Vintage Strat.

Thanks anyway...

Whats wrong with a mexican? vintage re-issues arent that period correct... I find more value from a MIM because the specs arent too different. Otherwise, I would go for either a customshop or CIJ. Fender Japan have lots of large headsstock re-issued strats. a '68, '69, '70, '71 and '72.

The below is a MIJ '70 re-issue. Otherwise an AVRI 70's re-issue vs. MIM 70's Classic series- they pretty much focus on the period, rather than a specific year (like '57 or'62) which is why I think an MIM will be more value.

mAx___ · **Joined:** Tue May 05, 2009 3:58 pm **Posts:** 102

Blertles,

Personally, I think MIM Strats have lower quality standards than MIA. Last year I bought the most expensive guitar made in Mexico, the Ritchie Blackmore model, and returned it after just one week. Putting it side by side to my Malmsteen Strat was just too painful for the price. The finish, the weight, the imperfections. I decided I would only buy American after that.

On the other hand, your info about the Japanese Strats is very interesting. I heard they're almost as good as the MIA. I like the fact that they have so many large headstock models, I hope they're not discontinued too!

I'm looking for two specific guitars, a period accurate '70 and a '71. I will definitely start looking into those CIJs right now.

Thanks,
M.

mAx___ · **Joined:** Tue May 05, 2009 3:58 pm **Posts:** 102

I'm out of luck apparently. They don't make the '71 Reissue anymore. Used sunbursts RI are nowhere to be found.

So...next question:

If I get the AVRI 70's in Olympic White, what would be the best way of painting it a vintage accurate 3-tone sunburst? Is there any shops that specialise in custom Strat paint jobs? I'm running out of options here...

Thanks,
mAx

Blertles · **Posted:** Wed Mar 24, 2010 1:49 pm

mAx___ wrote:

I'm out of luck apparently. They don't make the '71 Reissue anymore. Used sunbursts RI are nowhere to be found.

So...next question:

If I get the AVRI 70's in Olympic White, what would be the best way of painting it a vintage accurate 3-tone sunburst? Is there any shops that specialise in custom Strat paint jobs? I'm running out of options here...

Thanks,
mAx

Warmoth.com is your friend- :wink:

Yogi · **Joined:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:32 pm **Posts:** 701

Why don't you look for an actually 70s instrument? Sometimes you can find them for not much more than an AVRI. There is a guy around here who has several ranging from 1600-2200 from '74-77.

Yogi · **Joined:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:32 pm **Posts:** 701

mAx___ wrote:

Blertles,

Personally, I think MIM Strats have lower quality standards than MIA. Last year I bought the most expensive guitar made in Mexico, the Ritchie Blackmore model, and returned it after just one week. Putting it side by side to my Malmsteen Strat was just too painful for the price. The finish, the weight, the imperfections. I decided I would only buy American after that.

On the other hand, your info about the Japanese Strats is very interesting. I heard they're almost as good as the MIA. I like the fact that they have so many large headstock models, I hope they're not discontinued too!

I'm looking for two specific guitars, a period accurate '70 and a '71. I will definitely start looking into those CIJs right now.

Thanks,
M.

I also I wouldn't put off a whole country of origin b/c of one guitar. If you search long enough you will find horror stories of people buying MIA too. In fact over on Strat-talk a guy has a page long of issues he had with a brand new HWY1. There are very fine MIM guitars and bad ones too, but that is the same for any country. I have played my fair share of crappy MIAs as well. First American I bought and sold within the same month

metropolis74 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:45 pm

mAx___ wrote:

I'm out of luck apparently. They don't make the '71 Reissue anymore. Used sunbursts RI are nowhere to be found.

So...next question:

If I get the AVRI 70's in Olympic White, what would be the best way of painting it a vintage accurate 3-tone sunburst? Is there any shops that specialise in custom Strat paint jobs? I'm running out of options here...

Thanks,
mAx

You can't "paint" a sunburst over a white or any other solid color body. It will have to be stripped and refinished for a sunburst. There is a lot of work and time involved. Time = money. There are plenty of luthiers that can refin a guitar, but it might be better just to get a REAL 70's Strat after all of the additional costs add up.

mAx___ · **Joined:** Tue May 05, 2009 3:58 pm **Posts:** 102

My original idea all along about this guitar that I've been looking for was to try and get as close as possible to the main Strat Ritchie Blackmore used during the recording of Machine Head in Dec. 1971.

I've been asking questions on the Custom Shop forum about getting a '69 Time Machine with a special order one-piece maple neck to make it look as much as possible as the one Ritchie was using at the time. I called CS dealers for quotes (still waiting on that), etc.

Well, somebody beat me up to it, big time. This guy in Japan has a collection of guitars to die for, including three Custom Shop-made "Machine Head" Stratocasters. One of them by John Cruz.

Here's the link to the one that's EXACTLY like I want. Here's his whole collection. Beautiful.

Can't wait for those quotes, anybody has an approximate idea of how much the guitar in the first link could cost?

Andorra	EN	ES	FR
Belgium	EN	DE	FR
Croatia	EN
Czech Republic	EN
Estonia	EN
France	EN	FR
Germany	EN	DE
Italy	EN	IT
Latvia	EN
Lithuania	EN
Malta	EN
Netherlands	EN
Poland	EN
Romania	EN
Slovakia	EN
Sweden	EN
United Kingdom	EN

Austria	EN	DE
Bulgaria	EN
Cyprus	EN
Denmark	EN
Finland	EN
Greece	EN
Hungary	EN
Ireland	EN
Liechtenstein	EN	DE
Luxembourg	EN	DE	FR
Monaco	EN	FR
Norway	EN
Portugal	EN
Slovenia	EN
Spain	EN	ES
Switzerland	EN	DE	FR	IT

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