Comparision is : what is best value for the buck, what is most appealing for the same amount of money, what guitar is going to give me most joy...etc

I'm asking : what is the nicest/juiciest fruit for 1 dollar ? a banana, an apple or a pear

A possible answer could be :

I would pick the banana because I like the yellow color the most, because taste-wise I think they will all be good...

or

I would go for the apple, because I can use this the easiest with other flavors I am combining it with...

Your answer is : you can only compare apples to apples.

But, thanks for the input anyway And yes I am also thinking that modding a signature guitar is not done

Yes, I also have read a lot of threads about guys asking what to buy and then people say "just play them all and buy the one you like".
But I am somebody that is looking at the fridge at yogurt and making my girlfriend choose the taste for me because I like them all and I can't decide which one I should take and there is only place for 1 left in my tummy

I don't really think I can go wrong with any of the 3 choices presented, but some people give helpful feedback like "better resale value" or "I like to play my SRV more", which can help me in my choice.

Only me can decide what I like, of course, but it's nice to hear other opinions

This what you wrote is also helpful : "also the 6 screw vintage bridge has a wider string spacing and isn't as touch sensitive as the 2 point on the standard. the Pau Ferro board will feel a little slicker than rosewood also"
I didn't know that Thanks !

well i will play the part of the girlfriend and just tell you to get the SRV
It might possibly feel funny at first but it will grow on you. and even if you decide you cant stand it down the road, it will hold its value much better since you are buying it used. if you take good care of it you should be able to sell it for closer to what you paid later on. this wont be the case with a new American standard. but a used american standard will hold ok, they seem to drop in value as improved models come out.

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hahaha, super
I wish my girlfriend would tell me that also !
But she says : "why do you need another guitar ???"

yea well, just wait till you get married.... she will flat out tell you no

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As far as quantifying value ( on possible resale ) on these particular instruments....
That should not even enter the decision discussion.
Musical instruments are not Investment Securities, you have severe depreciation as soon as you buy an instrument and walk out the door with it.....
Key word here is instrument, does it sound, play to fit me or not...

What music are you playing and what is your band, it's musical direction and will this enhance my playing or will it hinder.
These are really the questions you should be asking yourself, not us. We cannot make a decision for you as we have neither seen or played the particular models you are refering to.

It's not Apples to Apples, it's musical instrument to musical instrument and in that context, Yes.... You are comparing McIntosh Apples to Golden Delicious Apples to Cortland to Red Delicious to .... See where I'm going....
It's all about taste, feel and impression....
If you are buying one of these guitars because your girlfriend likes that one over the other.... ....Then perhaps you might want to reconsider and take her somewhere nice for a weekend...

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

Yes you are right, resale value should not be the primary concern of making a decision of purchasing an instrument, but it can be decisive when you like all 3 of the instruments

They all have their own benefits, one looks nicer, one's more slick, one will feel just that little more comfortable but the other one will sustain just a little longer ... but they will all sound.
I like playing blues, all of these guitars are just fine for that.

I have at home 3 strats, out of 2 of them, an american special and a classic player 50 I can honestly not say which one I like most... I like 'm both. They both sound different, they both look different ...I can't choose So in this case I could advise myself to go for the one that will have best resale value.

If you have neither seen or played the particular models and resale value or other non-musical facts or tips have no meaning to you, then of course it will be hard to contribute

Choose the SRV mate. They're beautiful Strats. Just change the pickguard and put the monogrammed one somewhere safe. A pearly white one looks nice on that sunburst with all the gold.
Also choose the pear and the Vanilla/blueberry yoghurt
Goodonya ...Mark.

Quite contrarily I have not only seen but played all three.....

The SRV is the least appealing to me for multiple reasons, SRV on the pick guard not the least, upside down/ lefty Trem also. That being said it plays well but it is very much like my 56 NOS to me, so it just isn't a guitar I would want, sounds great but then again it's a sig model...
If I bought an (understated) sig model it would be a Knopfler or an E.J. Strat.

Am. Special, would be an all around, with the most possibility as a play anything go to...
It's the everyday workhorse...period.

Classic Player again same as the above and the Standard falls under this. Only difference being that the Special falls under the two point bridge, different feel and tone/sustain than the vintage 6 point style.

I do not recall that much of a difference between the main models, as far as voicing a decision on which model, that is up to you, I won't say choose this or that, I believe that our role on this Forum is to be objective, not make decisions for people....

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

I'd be sure to play the SRV. I bought an SRV neck cheap from a friend who needed cash. I love the neck except for the high E string nut slot. It's positioned too close to the edge of the neck for my liking so a new nut is in order for me. I like all other aspects of it.

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...I for one, sure would appreciate the return of intelligent conversation, spirit of assistance and the simple yet effective ignoring of those who can't seem to hang with that...
Best regards,
rob

Nah man, you can say whatever you want, we will not shoot you...
You don't have to play a role

I like :
- SRV Strat looks (go srv)
- SRV Sound (go srv ...but fat50s will get you into that ballpark also no ? go both)
- 2 point tremolo (go 2012)
- Smooth neck finish on back (satin) (go 2012)
- chuncky neck (go srv)
- resale value (go srv)
- body nitro/satin finish (go neither...)
- low action (12" radius on srv = lower action ?)

So some things are better on a standard strat, some things better on the srv... a strat completely to my likings will cost me too much... will be most possibly custom.

For testing, big disadvantage is that fender equips the 2012 with 009 strings...
Next step is going to play the srv.

yes ofcourse,
I am going to go play it this evening
Looking forward

I bought it

The neck felt good, not chuncky at all...just good.
(and I don't think I've got big hands ...)
Could play instantly the things I know without adjusting.
(The 2012 felt a little thin neck)

I was still a little sceptic about the sound, i had my fender blues jr with me.
I was thinking I didn't hear so much difference with my american special...
But my fender blues jr was not cranked, it was a little late.

But anyway, sound was not bad, neck was good, good looking guitar, seller looked very chill and allright, friendly dude... so I bought it. I was thinking, if the sound doesn't please me after a while ... I just sell it again. (easy when you know it has good resale value when doubting just that little isn't it ? !! hahaah)

But then I got home and plugged it into my Blackstar HT1-R
(perfect for headset, emulated output is like studio quality)

Clean channel, volume up .... and then I became really happy
What a nice sound damn ... and how responsive... a hammer-on sounds super good and so easy. Clean sound... the sound I wanted, no more doubts about that sound whatsoever.
I made the right choice

Thanks for the help guys.
(oh yeah, I also got the pear and the vanilla yougurt !)

glad it worked out for ya take good care of it.

BUT no pics = Bullshit

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hahaha

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32755343/srv/2 ... 071652.jpg