Heya, I'm pretty new to this site and I was considering about a new Stratocaster, but I wanted to get some advice first.

Right now, the type genre of music I play now would be blues (a little mix of SRV, Jimi, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker), but I like to play funk (Sheldon Reynolds, Charles Smith, Jimmy Nolan) and some jazz. (Russell Malone, Wes Montgomery, George Benson)

I play on a MIJ 87' Squire Strat (E703249), which doesn't sound like a Squire at all.

Anyways, I'm considering getting a CIJ '57 model Strat just cause I love the feel of the 7.25" radius, and it comes with US-Vintages (dunno what year...)

I got a some questions, so I'm sorry for the blocks of text that's going to be coming up!

I personally love midtones, I mean, I rave over them, really. It ties into pickups, right? (I don't think this matters too much, but I pick really close to the neck or on the neck sometimes for that extra low end, but I'm probably dragging this on more than I need to...) I've heard the electronics are decent on CIJ strats are decent, so I'm going to get them replaced, but with what, I dunno about what pickups to get. Like I said earlier, I really like mid-tones, but I like my lows to be tight, creamy, and not overbearing, and with my highs, I like them present without too much quack (I still want some xD), but sharp when I need to cover lead parts. In short, I'm looking for bite in the tone when I funk strum, but when I play individual notes, I like my midtones loud n' proud, my bass smooth and not overbearing, and my trebles present but not too quacky. Is this too much too ask for in pickups and if not, any recommendations? Oh! I also usually let the amp do the majority of the amping, and my knobs are almost always set to 6-8. (If you're playing 10, where can you go from there? xD)

Another thing is, I usually run 12-56s on my electric, cause the feel of it makes it more homey for a guitar imo, you know what I mean? ;D I'm just worried about the neck cause right now, on my '87, when I play the Gb on the 13th of the top E, when I bend to an Ab, the note bums out before I hit it. On higher frets, it doesn't do that though... I'm also thinking of replacing the stock tuners with Gotoh locking vintage tuners and the nut with a bone nut.

I'm on a budget of $1500 (up to $1700) cause I'm only 16 (17 this June), so is any advice I can get? ^^;;

Thanks guys,
Jones Araceli.

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1987 Fender Squier Strat - Lake Placid Blue
1981 Yamaha Eterna Folk Acoustic
2006 Peavey Bandit 112
2007 Roland HP-207 Piano

A set of CS Fat 50's may serve you well. I'd look into them among your options

If you play blues etc, the Texas Specials pickups have really good mids and won't cost you an arm and a leg. The CIJ 57 strats have v necks and have nice meat to them so 12's won't put too much stess onto the neck IMHO.

Hope this helps.

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

I'm the happy owner of a Clapton Strat. The guitar can go from vintage Strat tone to thick mid-range with turn of a knob. It is by far the most versatile guitar I own.

I also own a HWY 1 and it get some really nice tones out it when I turn the tone knobs down to about 4. The PUPs sound really great with a little over drive.

I do know that Fender just came out with the Road Worn Player's Telecaster with a HB in the neck. I have an Andy Summers Style Tele with the same configuration.
Also added the following:
EMG After Burner 20db volume boost circuit; Push (turned off)/Pull (turned on) tone knob.
Mid-range scoop circuits (1-3 Clapton tone/4-7 Treble/8-10).
The neck has a Jazz HB PUP in the neck that has been coil tapped.
The Bridge PUP is a Broadcaster bridge PUP.
5 way switch: pos1. HB, pos2. Neck single coil, pos3. HB & Bridge, pos4. Necks single coil and bridge, and pos5. Bridge pup.

The AB circuit will give you a nice boost without muddying up the sound. I'll turn the tone knob down to thicken up the sound for Clapton's "woman" tone.

I play a lot of post WWII & 60's blues, Cream/Clapton and the Police.

I hope this helps.

e-mail me at parist1@hotmail.com if you have any questions.

With the fretting out problems you describe, are you sure you want to go to a 7.25 radius? I have a 9.5 radius and cant get more than a step up in the double digit frets without fretting out. I use 9's for strings, Maybe the heavier gauge might help out on that, I've never used 12's. I was just wondering myself.

I need to look into more reviews and demos for this one, I've seen a few but they sound pretty good



I've actually played some Texas Specials on my friends guitar, and I gotta say that I sound of the midtones, but it's kinda loosing out on the bass side, but I guess I little amp EQ can fix that... Also, really?! (about the neck) Sweet!




Clapton Strat? Production model or a CS model? Cause I know that MIM and MIA Fenders aren't that consistent with their production series (over research and wasting time at Long & McQuade! ) But even so, it definitely sounds like I should be trying out this guitar, if I have the opportunity However, I've never been a fan of the AlNiCo 3 series, nor the 9.5" and HSS setups :L

As for the Telecaster, it looks good on my end, but if you have the time, could you send me one demo of it? I'm actually kinda curious about how the mid-scoops work



I've played on a 7.25" (electric), 9.5" (electric), 10" and 16" (acoustic) and I gotta say, even though the 7.25" is intended for rhythm play, I prefer it a lot more to the flatter necks. The problem is probably cause by the greater tension in the neck (maybe I should adjust the action?), cause when I had 10-46s, I had no issues with fretting out or bending. Also, with thicker strings, it has a fuller sound, but it's harder for bending, vibratos, and sliding. (Not Even Slinky 12, 16, 24p, 32, 44, 56; it's what I'm using now) (10, 13, 17, 26, 36, 46; what I used to use)

If you heard Crazy Dream by the Los Lonely Boys, the intro has a rough sketch on what I look for in pickups, but that's through a pedal. If anything, running it clean, it'd be nice to have it sound like Belief by JM, but that's a whole different story, esp. with the BK1s out in production and in CS. (But I still don't trust the production lines, and I'm too broke for the CS models ) Moody pickups, heard terms like chimey, bell-like mids, but I don't really know...

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1987 Fender Squier Strat - Lake Placid Blue
1981 Yamaha Eterna Folk Acoustic
2006 Peavey Bandit 112
2007 Roland HP-207 Piano

Guys, sorry for the double post, but I feel really, really dumb right now! xP

I just looked up at what Henry Garza uses and it's actually Texas Specials. I guess what I want is some more bass, and bite in the bass, without it sounding muddy... haaa...

I'm not limited to just Fender pickups though, and if you wanna talk about pickups from other places, then email cause I don't want you guys getting in trouble for talking about pickups from other companies :X (jones.ayyy@hotmail.co.uk)

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1987 Fender Squier Strat - Lake Placid Blue
1981 Yamaha Eterna Folk Acoustic
2006 Peavey Bandit 112
2007 Roland HP-207 Piano

my HW1 has CS69ers in the neck and middle with a seymour duncan JB jr in the bridge.
sweet too. the 69ers are worth a looksee as well.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Clapton Strat? Production model or a CS model? Cause I know that MIM and MIA Fenders aren't that consistent with their production series (over research and wasting time at Long & McQuade! ) But even so, it definitely sounds like I should be trying out this guitar, if I have the opportunity However, I've never been a fan of the AlNiCo 3 series, nor the 9.5" and HSS setups :L

As for the Telecaster, it looks good on my end, but if you have the time, could you send me one demo of it? I'm actually kinda curious about how the mid-scoops work

I own a 2001 production model. Mine has 3 gold Lace Sencers in it instead of Fender Vintage noiseless that the currently.

I'm sorry but I do not have the ability to create and send video. I'm not very tech savy, but I'll talk to a few people I know and see what I can do.