While I don't own a deluxe, I've played a few in GC, and in particular a 2009 deluxe V-neck. When my local GC came out with the new 2010 deluxes, I eagerly went and tried out a new V-neck with the compound radius.

Now, I only played this thing for a few minutes, but I immediately felt that the neck from the 12 fret down was fatter and thicker than the 2009. And I distinctly disliked it.

Again, none of this is based off of extended playing, but from my fleeting experience, I found the 2009 necks easier and more comfortable to play.

And for my money, the soft V-necks in Fender's cannon are the best.

Yeah that's kind of what I go through when playing my Deluxe, but it only gets annoying when doing bends in the higher frets, that's when I really notice the size of the neck and I have a hard time adjusting... plus there's the effort involved in doing the bends which I hope to resolve by adding more springs. Gonna try to take it to a tech to see what can be done about the setup. I can never play .09s, way too thin for me, I used to play .11s but since I dont play often I settled for .10s.

I really like this Strat, the tone, the neck and how smooth it is, the only issue is this bending problem, mainly at higher frets.

I don't know. I would think it a matter of the more you play it, the more you will get used to it.

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'08 Fender Am. Std. Jazz bass, maple fretboard, charcoal frost metallic finish
'10 Squier VM Jazz bass, maple fretboard, natural finish
Ampeg BA115
'09 MIM standard Strat, maple fretboard, sunburst finish
Fender Super Champ XD

Do all the American series (Special,Std. and Deluxe) use the
"modern C" shaped necks and were they always made that way?
Maybe they used "U" necks and "V" necks on some of them at different
times and/or for special runs?
I dunno,....... Fender's website doesn't list neck shapes for them.
Even necks of the same series will vary slightly from one to another.
Do you use the same brand and guage of strings on each?
Inquiring minds want to know.............

I'm really not sure what neck profile I have on the Deluxe...

I've been using D'Addarios for a long time but recently started to try different brands, and so far I really like the Fender set I tried believe it or not and they last!

Update: I tried to get a setup at a couple local stores only to be told I would have to leave my guitar with them for 2 weeks! I did get a lot of good info tho.. it looks like I can't have both, a usable tremolo and be able to do the bends adding more springs will not help if the bridge is to float 1/8" if I go with what Fender recommends, which I kinda prefer to having it completely flushed.

The action was also a bit high for my liking at the higher frets, probably cause I'm using 10-52. I was told to adjust the neck using the micro-tilt, I did last nite and it really helped, very nice low action.

So I started to do some serious bends, felt a bit better, but still needed more effort... so I break the E string! Put a new one in, do some more bends, take a break, go back and play a bit more and break another E string! Both broke at the tuner, Deluxe has locking tuners. Both times I was doing a 1 1/2 step bend, I think at the 12th fret, what do you think is going on here? Am I asking the guitar to do too much??

hey cedar blues,
first off, i may be rude in the sense that i only read your 1st sentence on an 80s es 335, but i just have to agree with you.
my friend sometime last year purchased a very well played naturally reliced 1980s es 335 with PAF's.
the action is unbelievable low, and frets are very small. the tone is totally amazing. he payed 800-900 dollars cant remember.
anyways, he has a gibson les paul custom shop, 2 strats mia, one of them special mohagony. other electrics.
but this one is his best purchase.

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

I have seen this statement many times over the years and everytime I read it, I think its ridiculous.

That is a great price if he got it last year! Those things are going for $2k+, just saw an 87 blonde (mine is an 89 blonde) at the local GC that they just got on a trade, they're asking $2200 I think. I got mine used back in 92 for $800, it was in great shape, still is, but the frets are worn.

My buddy had 2 cherry red 335, 89 or 90 and one from 96 maybe, the newer one was nowhere near as good, he sold it, it was a gift anyways... if anyone finds a 335 from the 80s I highly recommend getting one before the prices get really high, it is by far my favorite guitar!

I have never seen or heard this statement but I'm experiencing it ever since I got back to playing a Strat a couple of months ago... I can't say the same about going from a Strat to a Gibson, it was so easy and it felt like I needed heavier strings actually, and I was playing .11s at the time.

Maybe its me, maybe I just have strong hands, (25 years of construction work) but bending strings is not an issue for me in the LEAST. I can bend with any one them including my pinky.

I prefer the longer scale length. Expecially for quick picking. Gibson length just seem sloppy when you crank up the speed a bit.

But hey. WTF do I know? This is just a personal observation!

maybe you do... but it also depends on your playing style and what size strings you use. I have no problem with full step bends, it's the 1 1/2 or 2 full steps bends that are bothering me.

Another update... I took my Strat to an old friend who also works on guitars, he added a couple of springs for a total of 5, did a great setup, nice low action! Everything feels much better, specially the bends! It still feels a bit harder to do anything more than a full step but overall it feels wonderful! Guess I have to accept it the way it is and learn to play it...

Not sure why the other tech didn't think the extra springs would help, cuz it sure did! I now have a great sounding Strat and great action! I should reconsider getting a CS Strat now

Why ridiculous? On a guitar with a longer scale length, there is going to be more tension in the strings than one with a shorter scale length, assuming everything else is equal.

I understand this. However, to say it's harder to play? I disagree. Different yes. Harder? I dont find this to be the case. My PRS has a 25" scale length, so to you it must be in between the two?

Your milage may vary. (And I think it does) [/url]