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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 10:28 pm
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"Strats are known to go out of tune".. POPPYCOCK!! ONLY if NOT SET UP RIGHT !!!!
Do you see the PROS on STAGE go out of tune during a show??? No...

Go to YOU TUBE...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7luUzgDwwcs

Set up your 2 Pt tremolo EXACTLY as he shows.. then Fuggetaboutit.... it WORKS!! Also see the OTHER Strat Videos he has, you'll know as much as any PRO SHOP does afterwards... this guy knows his stuff!!


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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:25 am
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raynsac wrote:
Well, I'm happy to report... I took the Deluxe back. The store wasn't happy or should I say the salesman. I ended up with a PRS SE Custom 24 (not the same store).

Does it sound the same? No. But the neck is very comfortable for my crooked fingers, the frets are very nice but the best part... It stays in tune! After the strings settled in they hold very nicely. The trem has no effect on the tuning either.

Better news? It was about half the price and I didn't have to pay anyone to "set it up". Still, it's disappointing paying that much for a guitar is no guarantee that it will perform without laying out more cash.

As sort of a side note... My daughter recently won a Fender Squire Strat HSS from work (best sales associate). She doesn't play and gave it to me. I put it away and never played it until.... Until I had all of these problems with my Deluxe. I have to say there was very little difference between the squire and deluxe. Pickups weren't quite as hot and the tuners weren't quite as nice but either they're building these guys really well or the American versions not so good...I'm not sure which. For now I'm saying so long to my dreams of owning a Strat. My last one, which I lost to theft, was a 70's Ash. I paid just over 400.

Out of desperation I broke out my 25/50 Les Paul with intentions of using it with the band. After 30 minutes I remember why I put it away...LOL. It hurts! But it does sound great.

Thanks to everyone who had suggestions on what to do with my guitar...


That Lester is a rare guitar, worth a mint! The last one made went to one of the Gibson builders who bought the factory from Gibson after Gibson moved to Nashville and started The Heritage Guitar company in 1985. Marv Lamb is the guys name. He still works there....

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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:46 pm
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"Strats are known to go out of tune . . . POPPYCOCK!"

I should have said, "Strats are known to more likely go out of tune than some of the alternatives." This in no way suggest that one can not have a stable performance.

While i think the setup video is a great addition, I'm not so sure the pros are not aware of or have not run into tuning problems wth the Strats. This is different than saying you can't make a Strat better for stage use. Locking trems, blocked trems, hardtails, spring modifications, nut alternatives, multiple guitars available, and a tech in the wings (somewhere near the on stage or back stage tuner) all help.

Even environment can play a part when a whammy bar is added. To say a Strat can be set up to be more stable is true, but it is a stretch to think that a stock Strat holds the tuning any better or longer during a pros pyrotechnics performance.

There are many versions and considerations for this great guitar. One size does not fit all. That of course is true for other axes.

If a Strat works for you great. I love mine too.


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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 1:36 pm
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My Strats have never gone out of tune once I learned how to break in the strings....

However, I must point out, I don't use the tremolo either. I keep it flush to the body and five springs on it...

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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 7:29 pm
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Hankster1958 is sure to be one of many that is fortunate to have his guitar Strat (or otherwise for others) stay in tune for some decent length of time. We should all be so fortunate (so far I'm one of the lucky ones).

DetroitBlues, I certainly agree about stretching your strings. Works for me. Your extra attention to the springs and lack of tremelo use are obvious factors in your case. I'd be interested in knowing if there's a preferred rule of thumb for adding or removing springs, especially with a string gauge change and moderate use of a tremelo.

Every guitar has it's own requirements . . . but, the style of playing also must be a consideration for keeping the Strat in tune. I know a pro who has decades of Strat experience and major music chain work who suspects dive bombing to be the culprit of many an out of tune axe. Don't shoot me . . . I'm just the messenger. Even I know with the right gear and under the right circumstances many accomplishments are possible.

I once had 12 strings to keep in tune, but then I didn't have a tremelo.

After my setup, I hope to join the club of in tune Strats as you both are. I believe that is possible.

Thanks for both opinions.


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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:14 pm
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Gents,
I’ve tried an advice by Fender Strat Brat and restringed my Am Deluxe with 10s Fender Bullets and installed the original tremolo back. Yes, got better but not perfectly – 2th and 3th strings get flat for about 2…3 cents after bending that is critical for my ears. Before with 9s strings a flat reached 5…6 cents after bending. Think I will come back to GOTOH again. The only one negative thing is GOTOH has a less sustain compared with Deluxe trem block. So I'm confused. But the problem is in tremolo... for sure :( ...


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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 1:02 am
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Well, I'm about to plunk down the bucks for an American Deluxe HSS. Hope I don't have the problems I'm reading here. Seems like if a large percentage of owners had these problems you'd hear more about it.

I've got an 8 year old MIM Powerhouse Strat. It stays in tune pretty good. I don't do power dives but I do get a little rambunctious with it occasionally without much problem.

Here are a couple of things you might want to look for on Youtube, I've apparently lost the links:

There's an Italian luthier who shows how to tune your Strat by diving it all the way down, tuning, repeating with each string until all are in tune. Then no matter how out of tune you get just push the bar all the way down and it comes back in tune. I have friends who swear this works. If you find the video please post a link here.
edit: I found the link for this one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0Oyc6slYRc

There's another Youtube video, and I really wish I had kept the link to this one, that shows Jimi Hendrix talking to the audience between songs at a Band of Gypsies concert. He's saying the usual anti-war stuff but while he talks he's tuning his guitar. He's tuning because it's WAY OUT OF TUNE! All that stuff he did with the bar, well I'm amazed that he could finish a song halfway decent after doing that considering how far out of tune it is in this video. Again, if you see it please please post it here for us. I miss hearing this incredible man speak. You can get recordings of him playing, and he was on talk shows but to see & hear him just speaking his mind is very cool.

Good luck with your tuning problems, and wish me luck with my new axe!
Ken

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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 3:48 pm
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Did you ever get this fixed??

I played an MIA Deluxe today and it was amazing, stayed in tune for whammy usage, but didn't do 2-tone bends... now I'm worried and thinking about not buying it at all for two reasons:

a) the tuning issue as seen here. Don't want to have to change to a gotoh bridge (the cost!!)
b) when switching to the humbucker the volume increased considerably - not good for gigging - pup changes are just going to add money.


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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:30 pm
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I realize this is kind of an old post, thought I'd chime in anyway. I also posted under the education section originally as "unsure". I ordered a 2014 American Deluxe HSS online, something I didn't think I'd ever do, and fortunately staying in tune hasn't been a huge problem and I do use the trem. For the most part my biggest issue is with what I consider to much string buzz. Only had this guitar for one month and still have time to send it back but I've purposely kept it setup exactly how it was delivered, which other than the string buzz is pretty good. I've played the crap out of it like it is in hopes of when I do start adjusting I will be surprised at what is available setup wise. New strings coming, 9 to a 10 hi e, see what happens.
Been a Gibson man my whole life and even though this is an expensive item it seems to be adding to my playing, love the tones, feel and looks (Sunset Metallic). For heavy diving I go to my SG with a Kahler. One of the cool things about strats is there's a ton of things you can do with them.
Gonna keep mine, I'll be naming him soon.

'14 American Deluxe HSS
'76 Les Paul
'69 SG


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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 11:39 pm
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BleedInE wrote:
(...) I ordered a 2014 American Deluxe HSS online
(...) For the most part my biggest issue is with what I consider to much string buzz.
(...) I've purposely kept it setup exactly how it was delivered
(...) New strings coming, 9 to a 10 hi e, see what happens

I know a couple of online shops that do a setup before sending a guitar to the customer. Even with those shops, the setup may change during or after transport. Most online shops send guitars with the factory setup - even more situations where that is prone for changes.

So, you are satisfied with the setup, but not the fact that the guitar is buzzing. Have you taken the critical measurements (= do you know how the guitar is set up), or are you just going by feel and guessing?

Trying to do a setup by changing string gauge ain't IMHO very effective.

So, from comments to the advice part:
After you've decided what string gauge you want to play, take the guitar to a luthier for a setup. If you know what kind of setup you like, ask for that. If you don't, ask him/her to get rid of the buzz & setup by factory specs. Then play, read the Stratocaster Setup Guide and tweak what you need to. If you document your starting point and those tweak changes, you can always go back.
Anyways, during the lifetime of that guitar, it will need multiple setups. Ain't no Fender thing, Gibbies are just the same.


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Post subject: Re: Disappointed in new American Deluxe Stratocaster
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 8:27 pm
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Thanks for post jm , I'll make small adjustments and take my time, should be no problem. Beauty of these instrument's among other things, lots of ways to customize or tweak. I'm enjoying the hell out of it as is, Rock On...


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