I have a 09 Gibson ES-339. It is beautiful, but I hardly play it. I put it on Craigslist for sale and I was offered an '04 50th Anniversary American Deluxe Strat in the off-white color with the gold pickguard - plus $500 cash.
The Strat is described as mint condition and so is my ES-339. White is not normally my favorite color.

So today I went to a shop and played a brand new American Deluxe strat Ash in Tobacco burst. I played it through a Hotrod Deluxe amp. Anyway to say I'm in love would be an understatement. The S-1 is cool as hell, and it sounded beautiful.

I know the pickups are different in the 2010 American Deluxe vs. the 2004 model. Does anyone know if there is a great deal of difference in the sound, and what the tonal differences would be? I may hold out for cash and just buy the new American Deluxe. Looking for advice.

thanks
~Kong

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Are you more of a Strat person? Is that why you're selling the 339? With today's economy you're not gonna get what you want for the 339... a trade + cash might work for you but it really depends on what you're looking to get for the 339.

The '10 Dlx has the N3 which I personally don't like. I got my Dlx about 2 months ago and have been very happy with it, but I would never get rid of my 335 If I had some extra cash I might even pick up a 339, those are some sweet guitars!

If your 339 is a plain top - talking $2000 MAP, $3000 on a figured.
That '04 dlx probably went for a grand new. The numbers don't add up in your favor.

1st of all, there is NO WAY I would trade a 339 for a Dlx Strat; I have a 336f that is killer, and would have gladly gotten a 339f except they had the wrong COA. Those 57 HBs in a semi-hollow body are sweet!

IF it were me I would keep the 339, and buy a new Amercian Standard for about $1000. You aren't happy with the 339 and do seem to like the deluxe though, so you may want to look if you can still find a new 'discontinued' older model Dlx for $1100ish...Guitar Center Sam Ash Et. AL. were dumping 'em all spring/summer if you have one close by.

I had an '07 Dlx - it was nice, the new model N3 Dlx I tried underwhelmed me tone-wise - the Am Stndrd sounds much better to me then both.

I sold the 339 outright. I had bought it from MF in January. It was discounted because it was a customer return, but the thing was/is perfect. I ended up making a few dollars on it via the sale. It was just sitting under my bed and I thought it was a sin for such a beautiful instrument to sit un-played.

I've still got serious G.A.S. for a new American deluxe Strat, but I'm going to hold off for a while, I needed that cash to pay off some bills. I'll never forgive myself for not jumping on the Fender Friday deal last year, $899 for the Deluxe Ash in Tobacco burst w/ maple fretboard. Next year at bonus / tax time, I'll be looking. I've got my finished project strat to play with for a while anyway.

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Kong, I can tell you as a semi-professional hobbyist "buyer/seller/restorer" and pro musician..and.. keeper of more guitars and basses that I can realistically afford (no wife ha ha), that this is a good climate to find a killer deal..and buy.

Keep your eyes open...a USA of the vintage you are considering can be had in the 600 dollar range. Cash is KING these days. Be patient and the deal will come.

EDIT: Had to mention..I love the way the flood project turned out. I am currently in the process of rescuing a 2002 USA Standard. It was basically in 3 pieces..someone did a Pete Townshend on it. I have repaired my share of destructive merciless butchering floyd rose and humbucker routes to vintage USA models..but never attempted the rescuing of a 3 piece guitar (well separate pieces where it was not supposed to be separated). A learning process..frustrating at times..but rewarding in the end. I have a post here about it asking how to repair the body..seems there are cracks forming in the nitro finish (sea foam green best describes the color) where I made repairs. Which means..you guessed it..taking it back down again..re-doing the repair, and refinishing. I should buy stock in reranch..are they public yet? lol

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I'm almost out of stuff to sell.

Your not going to find to many Am Delux for 600 dollars.

if it was a custom deluxe, maybe but not for an off the rack dlx.
Patience needed to find the right deal.
Keep searching,
It may be a buyers market, but if you have the right equipment for sale, than someone will pay what you are asking for.

I bought my mint condition 2001 Cst DLx 56 NOS sunburst for $1,800.
I would not even consider selling it for less than $3,000. Negotiations not an option, firm price or I wait..

I made a mistake of selling my 59 LP Custom (2pu) black beauty back in 93, I needed cash but had other options, impatience was my demise in that deal..

Never mind my reply..I FAILED to notice that it was a deluxe being sought after. I was referring to an American standard.

Which leads me to a question. Is the deluxe really that much better of a guitar then a standard? Other then the awkward looking neck plate..and perhaps the pups...is there really that much of a difference or improvement that warrants the kind of prices some are asking for deluxe Strats and parts?

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I'm almost out of stuff to sell.

not better, but different. The STD is great, the deluxe IMO is also great
not better but parallel greatness.

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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 figured that much. But what is the justification for the prices of Deluxe Strats and parts vs American Standard? Or perhaps I should rephrase..is there really any legitimate justification..other then as lame as this seems...supply and demand?

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I'm almost out of stuff to sell.

Locking tuners, I think they have abetter feel about them.

Locking tuners are nice..sure...but does it justify the guitar/parts to ask a price 3-4 times more then an American standard? I mean you can add locking tuners to any guitar and it does not bring the current value from 600 bucks, to thousands.

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I'm almost out of stuff to sell.

You can buy a used Am for 600-700 or a used Delux for 900 to 1000. Theres more upgrades to the delux than tuners, pick ups, the trem, the quality I think is better also. I think the Am Delux is worth the money they ask for them. The next stop up is a Custom Shop with a very substantial price increase. I have owned both the Am Std and Am delux and this is just my opinion. Sold them all and only buy CS guitars now.

Strictly speaking, it's just an '04 model. That was the anniversary year of the Strat but what you describe is not an anniversary model. The real anniversary models where both sunburst/maple necks just like the original. All Strats from '04 had the commemorative neck plate but were not 50th Anniversary reissue models. Just don't want you thinking you're trading for something it isn't.

Edit: All American models from '04. Although a few '04s did sneak through without the special plate.

Thanks for the info, for some reason I though the price difference was substantially more...a few hundred seems reasonable, although to be honest I have never tried out a deluxe. Have tried a few CS models, nice but a bit out of my price range.

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I'm almost out of stuff to sell.