I have a strat copy but I really want to get a Fender, I've played other people's and it really is just quality you can feel. Obviously I plan to go and try out the guitars before I buy one but my nearest big store is 4-5 hours away so I want to go in with a good idea of what I want to try because of time restrictions.

I was looking at the Deluxe Lonestar but nearly every review I've read on it is pretty negative which is why I wanted to put this pretty open discussion out there so people who know about strats can maybe give me some good advice.

I want a versatile stratocaster, main genre if I had to name one would probably be blues rock, but I would also like it to be able to handle more rock 'n' roll type stuff as well as play some good blues. I'm not really going to use it for metal or anything too heavy. Basically I'm looking for a decent range of tones that I can use for different styles. The other thing is my budget; much as I'd like a top of the range model I don't really want to exceed bout £550ish (I think that's about $860).

Can anyone recommed me a model I might be interested in buying? Thanks.

Hi Diesel McGunner,

From your description and budget, the American Special might be just what you need (link below). American made, Texas Special pups, very nice for blues and rock. It would be very hard for any guitar to beat this combination of features and price. If you prefer the smaller headstock style, the next step up would be the American Standard (more $), with its two-point bridge, although I like the TS pups better than the Am Std pups. The price listed on the Fender site is not the actual selling price, just multiply by .7 to get a rough idea of the actual price at a store.

http://www.fender.com/products/americanspecial/models.php?prodNo=0115602

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.