I'm a Les Paul guy but am thinking I want to get a start in addition. I've been looking at the 2012 American Standard Strat. This appears to be pretty new so there aren't many reviews out there. Obviously, my first question is should I spring for the made in America? The MIM are half as much, but if they are way less quality that doesn't make much sense. Second question is regarding the whammy bar. Do you really go out of tune every time you use the whammy bar? The last question is regarding tone. Is it way different than Gibson LP tone? Thanks.

Mine dont. Not ever and I'm an absolute sadist to that trem bar. Sometimes it's like I hate it.
A well set up trem doesn't go out.
My les paul however, I can't look at that funny without it going out of tune.

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No no and no

I'd go for the made in the US one if you can afford it, but the MIM would be pretty good too. As regards the whammy; yes you can go out of tune but you shouldn't go out much if the system is set up well. Usually a well set up system means if you're slightly out you can bend the string or use the bar again and you tend to pop back into tune. Bearing in mind the Fender whammy is not designed for HM style extreme divebombs.

The system works well when it's well set up. Les Paul's are great guitars but so are strats! they complement one another well in someone's collection.

Tone wise their's a big difference, LP is thicker, heavier, the strat is more twangy, clearer, more articulate. To me the strat is so much more comfortable to play because of the way the body is cut away, it hugs your body.

Hope you get one, you won't regret it a lot of LP guys end up on strats. Good to have both, if you can afford them. Biggest regret i have is selling a beauty of a Gibson Les Paul custom, sunburst with Seymour Duncans!

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Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

Definitely worth having both the LP & the Strat. As far as MIM vs. MIA, I don't think you can go wrong either way. I've had my MIM for 5 years & I enjoy it thoroughly. The 2012 MIAs come stock w/custom shop fat '50s pups, big +.

If you going to come over the Dark side I would suggest going with the Clapton Strat. That way you can still get LP like tones, but be able get Strat tones and feel. Also the necks are the best on the market in my humble oppinion.

Having said that, I will say this: I prefer the older ones with Lace Sencers over the current models. The neck finish feels better to me and the pickups are brighter than the current pickups.

To answer your questions:
1. Single coil pups are going to give you more verisitility and color. I own a LP and I never play it. In fact I'm planning on selling it. The tone is night and day. I've often felt that HBs hide bad playing. Strats make you work harder to sound better. The 2 point bridge is better for stability, esp with 5 springs, but I don't use the vibrato and block it.

2. The new American Std. is a great guitar. They play and sound wonderful.

Good luck!

If the funds permit, I'd really take a look at an Eric Johnson strat. Being a Gibson guy, you'll feel right at home with the 12'' radius neck. The pickups are also a bit less twangy than the standard strat pickups.

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EJ Strat
Mexican Tele
Twin Reverb
JCM2000
Hummingbird Pro

Good change, the fender sound its unique, the gibson les paul seems without personality...


Greetings

Using the whammy bar shouldn't put your guitar out of tune if you string it up properly and you're not trying to do dive bombs on it.... Just my opinion. Oh, and secondly, you'll find the American neck to be thicker, so if you're a Les Paul guy, you'll feel more at home on an American Standard versus Mexican.

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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Play all the Strats as you can within your price range. Your hands and ears will guide you. MIM Vs. MIA too long of a debate there. The electronics are definatley better on the MIA, Tremolo is 2 point Vs. 6 point, and the necks on the American Standards have a bi-flex truss rod.

With that being said, I own a few different Strats. Every one is a little different and brings something more to the table.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

if money permits, go with MIA. Its not that the MIM's are bad guitars, but the MIA's are better and the build quality is more consistant.

Go through enough MIM's and you may find one that compares to the MIA's but the search for your ideal strat may come easier with MIA.