Can i get some opinions on this? Is it better to buy a MIM and do a few upgrades, get an american, or get a deluxe and change the pickups? My tech told me locking tuners aren't really what helps keep the guitar in tune when using tremolo, he said it's mainly having a good setup(nut, tension, etc.) This true? Also what about the squiers? I want a strat for cleans, I use the tremolo quite frequently, but never dive bomb, only vibrato, and small bends/dives. I just want good sound, playability, and want to know the best way to go.

Your Tech is correct. A setup done right makes all the difference.

As for the guitar...It all depends on how much money you want to spend and how much tinkering you are willing to do. Go to a music store and try a bunch out and then and only then will you find the guitar that speaks to you.

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

+1

Guitars are alot like women... beautiful curves, respond positively when you treat them right, and you'll know the one for you when you see it. Keep on trying them until you find the one you "know" is the one for you.

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http://www.somethingwithdigby.com
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."
Aldous Huxley

Yeah, I've played the americans and mims, and while the american sounds great so does the mim. I like the Deluxe, but not the p/ups. I guess like most people I am looking for someone else to make my decision for me, instead of trying them out and deciding for my self. Thanks for the advice guys.

by tinkering do you mean upgrades or setup? (I'm assuming) both?

some mods I would look to do eventually would be: Compund Radius neck, locking tuners(any disadvantages to tone here?), Tusq XL Graph tech nut and string tree, And thinking about cutting the tone/vol controls to just a volume knob. What do u guys know about afterstock saddles? Like the graphtech string saver saddles, or the am del type saddles, are these pointless? Do they save strings or increase sustain respectively? thx

Jordan

Frankly, you're missing the whole point of a Strat.

You'd prolly be better served by something from Jackson, Hamer, BC Rich, etc.

JMO, YMMV, KDTTAH, etc

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

Frankly, that was a douchey way to put it, but thks, and no thanks. and what does a kdttah mean?

Lest it escape you, you asked for opinions, pal.

GFY

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

I know, but the "Frankly, you're missing the point of a strat." comment was very condescending, and then u didn't tell me "the point of the strat", oh wise one. Yes that comment made me quite angry, and I bet you prob knew it might before u wrote it. It did.

I own a BC Rich, I don't like it, except that I can use vibrato bar and stay in tune. I want the Fender cleans. I also want the guitar to be very playable, and stay in tune. I am not looking for vintage, but I do want the best clean sound, appointments and playability I can get my hands on. That's why I want a fender.

I have to agree with Arjay, from the list of parts and mods you are thinking of doing to any Strat you get your hands on, what's the point? I'll bet 98% of the guys who own Strats, be they MIM, MIA, MIK or whatever, probably play them as they bought them - stock. The only change I have ever made to Strats that I own was to swap out the occasional pre-wired pickguard, mainly to go from SSS to SSH. Sounds like you need to play around with some guitars other than Strats to see if you can find what you want without making so many changes. There are other plenty of other guitars out there capable of clean tones, just have to get them down from the wall and play them.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

I did exactly what you're talking about, and ended up with a supremely comfortable and extraordinarily playable guitar that perfectly suits me... And, surprisingly, is nothing at all like a Jackson or BC Rich.

I guess I don't know what "the entire point of a Strat" may be. I guess I always figured it was to be a good guitar that did what you wanted it to.

The only piece left of the original guitar is the neck plate, which I kept so I can still call it a "modded Fender.".

And I have to disagree with CR, too. If guitar forums are any indication, that 98% would be the number of Strats that have been modded.

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Jim Bordner
Gravity Music - www.gravitymusic.com
Composer, producer, Egnater Artist

In my opinion if you are going to buy a guitar and then replace the neck and so many other components. You would be better off finding a custom builder or ordering what you want from Warmoth and assembling your dream guitar, because it doesn't sound like you are gonna find what you want on the rack. It'll come out cheaper that way and you won't have to compromise on what you want. You can get a guitar that looks just like a strat, but it just won't have Fender on the headstock.

However one thing I may add, is that you don't necessarily need all those mods to make a strat playable at all. A good setup is more important than anything. I have a 65 reissue with everything vintage ( Frets, 6 screw bridge, kluson tuners etc). It is setup so well I can dive bomb the trem Hendrix style all night and it returns to pitch. Its all in a good setup. Play around on a bunch of models, even many of the same model, and one may call to you as is.

Just bought a classic series 50s MIM Strat; used the $100 off coupon from GC. I went this route because I wanted the maple 7.25 fretboard with the soft V neck. The pickups are builders grade and the pickguard is flimsy, but the guitar has good bones. My intention from the get-go was to change out the pickups, install a custom pickguard, and modify the control setup to a master volume and master tone. I like the guitar now, but will like it much more after the mods are complete. The advise from here is to think about how much you want to spend, what specs. you desire (neck contour and radius, primarily), and what type of mods you may want to do in the future. There are also many excellent deals to be had on CL - most configurations out there are with the more modern neck shape and radius. Many choices. Best of luck.

well I want be doing any of these modes after I buy them, those are way down the road prob. I will be looking to get a stock guitar, and then saving up for a DRRI or Princeton, and then putting money into modding the strat. And, I know the MIMs and MIAs, are very playable and once I have a good amp I will be satisfied, but I also know that i could still prob sound a little nicer with the standard 69 set of pups, and a few mods, and with a compund radius neck, it just makes it even, more playable. Yes, there are some other guitars that would suit my needs but they cost too much, and I am looking for a good affordable guitar that I can mod whenever I get the money. I would love to be able to buy a Godin passion guitar, but, alas I don't have 3 g's. The strat is good enough as is, but long term I would like to customize and upgrade it 4 me.