Is there much of a difference. I want an American Vintage Strat because like the 70's mojo. But the have medium frets. Thoughts? Is bending that much different?

I think my Jeff Beck has medium jumbos, at any rate they are higher than my American Standards fretboard. Bends are easy; the only real difference I notice with the two is my preference for sliding up and down the fretboard between some notes. On the Beck there is certainly more of a 'bump' going over a fret, but playing the note itself is just fine.

Hi eschatts,

I believe that the AVRIs all have the vintage size frets, which are about the smallest size, and quite different than medium jumbos. To me, the medium jumbos are the best for easy bending, but some would say that the vintage size frets give better string vibration. Also, the AVRIs have a 7-1/4 inch radius along with the smaller frets, which may make string bending a little harder, while the models with the bigger frets typically have a flatter 9-1/2 inch radius which is easier for string bending.

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If your useing lighter strings, they will go off tune depending on how hard your pressing on the fret board, jumbos like heavy gage, and there on down.

My strat has medium jumbo frets, and when I go back to my old guitar it just feels flat and lifeless. I don't know if lifeless is the right word... but I can get real bite out of the jumbos, I find chords are more distinct as well. Maybe that's just don't to my fender being a fender, and the other not but still it's what I feel. Sliding is more of a bumpy ride though.

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bigger frets are generally easier to play but personaly i like big bad jumbos, i play a lot of blues with lots of bending so if i dont have jumbos i run out of skin on my fingers... the last time i did a refret job the medium jumbos were 0.7mm high when sitting on the board, the jumbos are 1.5mm id imagine the mediums to be somwhere in the 0.5 range... the difference for me felt massive, the bigger frets definalty give a more distinct smooth sound... (a mate of mine has a tele that is about 30 years old, frets are sitting at 0.3 ) sounds amazing but you cant play hendrix on it for more than 5 mins without losing the tops of your fingers...

as for general playing with bigger frets you dont need to push down on the strings as hard to get the note, i play with light strings and dont have any problem with the tuning going out if i play too hard... unless i want to...

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Thing is I really like the natural finish. I think there is only one other model that has the natural finish but it does not look exactly the same. Also it has that weird color pickgaurd. I guess that is easy to change.

Yes, the natural finish is cool, and really says 70s. I actually like the pick guard tint, yellowish sort of color hard to describe, it makes the Strat look aged a bit, and a very unique color, great contrast with the white pup covers and knobs. Hard to see the pick guard tint in the photo, but a beauty still. (MIM "Classic Series 70s" version)

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Beautiful grain on that one!

The reason I like them so much because you always see the Sun Burst ones. Also black is common. So it is just a different look for it. The American Deluxe is a Natural Color, but it is not the same. And I mentioned I don't care for the pick guard.

http://www.fender.com/products/american ... 0119002720

Man is that ever nice! I,am hopeing to get that kind of beauty out of my build, thats so nice, I was thinking tort pickguard though, but ah jees now I,am ah hell!