dig it!

i have been playing strats since the 70s. i have owned dozens and dozens of them over the years, from 1957 through modern day custom shop models.

i recently WON this guitar from a contest held by the National Guitar Museum, and it has really impressed me.

this is the MIM model, 70s Classic strat, ash body with maple neck, all stock (for now)

i'm probably gonna upgrade the pickups, since i am a DiMarzio endorser

the "U" shaped neck is just REALLY sweet.

and the 3 bolt neck actually works really well, i just tweaked the neck angle, adjusted the truss rod, and set her up for gigs this afternoon!

here's a gig photo from last week:




awww yeah.

i did a youtube demo of this guitar, you can hear it and see it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmmFBmH5t1Y

loving this guitar. i also bought a CAR American Special strat earlier this year, and i really think that 2010 has been a REALLY good year for Fender. i have played quite a few new Fender guitars, and they have been better than i remember. well done Fender!

GROOVY!

♫ "S'cuse me while I kiss the sky......!" ♫

Oly White......the only way to fly.

+1

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Dude, sweet guitar - and a freebie!! Love the white on white w/maple... bullet truss rod - just killer man!

thanks guys......yeah, that olympic white/maple board/big headstock sure says something.....i think the word is JIMI

funny thing i, i "tech" for a guitarist named Brian Stoltz (Neville Brothers, Funky Meters, Bob Dylan, and more) -- and he has a couple of strats just like this.....a 1984 olympic white Strat that was an endorsement guitar from Fender (then they promptly forgot about him, lol), and a 1985 MIJ olympic white strat with big headstock, '72 reissue, that Brian bought in Japan in 1985 while on tour with the Neville Brothers.

i was tuning up that '85 MIJ Strat a few weeks ago at one of his shows, and was thinking to myself "boy oh boy i wish i had me a big headstock maple neck white strat like Brian's".....

and then a few days later this guitar showed up

EXACTLY like Brian's '85 strat. but from May 2010, it was still factory sealed in the box from Fender. the National Guitar Museum had a contest, and i had entered it a few months ago, but i usually never win those things.

so THIS guitar is mine

i love it...probably gonna upgrade pickups, i was using it at a gig tonite and it was kinda noisy. DiMarzio Area series pickups are gonna go in this one. AND i will probably have it refretted in the near future, as it comes with vintage "skinny" frets standard. i like the BIG ones.

but i LOVE the "U" shaped neck, and it's a very nice, light, and resonant ash body. the basics on this guitar are all GOOD. it just needs a few upgrades and tweaks.....and this will be a lifetime guitar. plus, since it was a GIFT, and it was exactly what i was desiring, i think it would be best if i KEEP it......there's some mojo in this guitar!

I have two guitars configured with DiMarzio's -- both of them with Area 61 (neck), Area 58 (middle), and Virtual Vintage Solo Pro (bridge).

I don't think you'll be disappointed......I love mine.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

hey Arjay!

i love the VV Solo Pro models for the bridge.....it's too bad Dimarzio doesn't make those anymore......they sound almost exactly like a P-90.

i am probably gonna go with Area 67s in neck and middle, and Area 61 in bridge. might go with Area 58 in neck.....still deciding.

my tech contact at Dimarzio recommended the best "all around" set for THIS guitar would be Area 58 neck, Area 67 middle, Area 61 bridge....i might do that....and if the bridge pickup is not fat/warm enough, i will swamp it for a VV model of some sort...

They discontinued the DP414?!?!?

Sacré bleu!

That's one of the meatiest pickups that DiMarzio ever made.

And "P90-ish" is exactly how I'd describe it.

You may still be able to score one on Ebay.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

they still make the VV Solo, but not the VV Solo Pro....

more 70s strat good ness

Excellent. I love the big headstock 70s style. Beautiful!

Thomas

Honk those babies......love it, Bob!

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Welcome to the forum, Bobby.

As a lover of the big Fender headstock, I picked up a Highway One some years ago in order to keep my real '70s Strats safe at home ... you might want to try one out.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Real purty, and the price is right!