Hello everyone, looking for some insights from those of you with experience. I'm 61 years old and have been playing acoustic nylon and steel string guitars for about 40 years, but I've never even picked up an electric guitar. Now, I want to start playing a Stratocaster and fortunately I'm able at this stage to afford a fairly good one. But I don't even know what questions to ask at this point. Since Fender has so many models to choose from, I have many questions:

1. At what level (price/model) do you cross over into the better quality guitars? I want one I can keep forever without wishing I'd spent more...at the same time, I don't think I need to spend $6,000...maybe $1,500-$2,000 max. I prefer to buy new rather than used to get the latest technology and to get the longest life out of it without repairs. I will play mostly hard rock and blues and want the greatest variety of sounds I can get.

2. It appears that the lower-end models have solid bodies and the higher-end models have hollow bodies? How much does the body type make a difference in sound and varieties of sound you can get from the guitar?

3. Maple neck or rosewood neck?

4. Which pickups? I see some of the high-end ones come with 3 pinpoints or 1 humbuckes and 2 pinpoints...what are the unique sounds and advantages of each set up?

5. Amps? This is exclusively for my enjoyment at home; no plans for any stage work. Again, I'm looking for the widest variety of sounds/effects I can get to do copies of Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Joe Walsh, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Pink Floyd, Guns & Roses, AC-DC, Van Halen, Metallica, ZZ Top, etc.

6. What else do I need to know before selecting my dream Strat?

Thank you all, I'm really looking forward to this new chapter in my life!

Keep Austin Weird!

Welcome...and are you going to get a ton of advice after which it all boils down to getting out to the shops and playing them. I would start out by looking at the products section and assessing the guitars which list in the price range you are talking about. Read the specs carefully. These guitars differ in pickup configurations {single coils and/or humbuckers}, wiring, neck radii, fret numbers and finger board types, tuning keys, and the like. Once you've done that, go out and play a few, and come back with your questions.

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"Another day in paradise!"

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Thanks, that's a good start. I went to GC and a couple of other shops and played a bunch of them. But I don't know yet how to get all the different sounds from them and ended up more confused than when I went in. None of them really "spoke" to me. I think the best thing to do is to keep going back until I start to develop some tastes. Being familiar with a variety of acoustic guitar brands and their different setups, I kind of already know what I like there and it has taken 3 different guitars to satisfy my cravings. Was hoping to fill in the electric guitar lust with just one guitar...maybe I'll need to save for a couple more in the future.

Keep the suggestions coming, I'm wide open to learning all about these monsters.

Well, if you are looking for the "Strat" sound then I would suggest you stay away from the Semi-Hollows. As has been said already, personal preference will rule in the end. Good luck and let us know what you decide.

Welcome; I'll go ahead and throw my $0.02 in on this; hopefully this will help as well as I've been through a whole bunch of differnt guitars over the years while dealing with on-again/off-again left hand injury issues.



I would start with the American Standard - the new models now have CS pickups and they are a good all-around Strat. From there, as meteomasfeo says play them all. The American Deluxes have a lot of "modern" features, but then again a lot of classic rock and blues music was cut on vintage-spec guitars. Try them all; you may find that you prefer the feel of an American Vintage series Strat. Also, while GC is a great place to try them all, you may want to shop around as GC often doesn't come down from MAP ("Minimum Advertised Prices) pricing but indpendent dealers may be more willing to play ball a bit.

If you're looking at say American Standards through the American Vintage series you're looking at MAPs ranging from $1,200 to $2,300 - the American Vintage models were revamped in August and the new ones had both a significant list price increase and a change in MAP from 30% off list to 20% off list. So you really don't have to spend Custom Shop dollars to get a really nice Fender.



Actually that isn't true; the only Fender production line model with a chambered body is the Fender Select Strat which is currently priced just under the American Vintage models. The rest are all solid bodies. They could be ash or alder depending on the model, and that will have a slight difference in tone. The bigger differences will come from hardware like the type of trem bridge and the pickups.



Completely personal preference. Many of the maple fingerboard models have lacquered fingerboards, which will be quite a difference in feel. I've always been a rosewood board fan, but lately I've been appreciating the maple fingerboard models (probably because I've been primarly playing my maple board Tele for the past 4 months).



The smaller pickups are called single coils. Three single coils is the way Leo designed them back in the day, and that is the tone you want for post-Cream Clapton, Jimi, SRV, Dave Gilmour (Pink Floyd), and certain Walsh and ZZ Top tunes.

Cream-era Clapton, most Led Zeppelin, a lot of Joe Walsh (particularly early live James Gang and solo Walsh), Guns & Roses, AC/DC, Van Halen, Metallica, and most ZZ Top tunes are humbucker-driven. However, Zeppelin, Walsh, G&R, and ZZ Top are most definitely Les Paul-driven tones; that will not be the same as a humbucker loaded Strat (which is definitely most Van Halen through OU812).

Some folks love HSS Strats; personally I've never been able to really dial one in and I prefer to have separate single coil guitars and separate humbucker guitars - but that is just me. That being said HSS Strats will cover the most ground for classic rock.



I also agree that a good tube amp of 30 watts or less would work. If you're playing at bedroom/basement levels be prepared to use pedals to get your tones as most of the classic rock you mention is recorded with the amps all the way up - and even a 15-watt tube amp will blow you out of a 10'x12' room when its cranked all the way up. I'm using a Blues Jr. right now with pedals and it's "serviceable"; I used to have a Mesa/Boogie Lonestar Special (a 2-channel amp where each channel could be set to 5 watts/15 watts/30 watts) which was nice, but I eventually had to sell it prior to a cross-country move.



All I can add is to keep trying everything, try out a bunch of Strats and a bunch of amps. If you get a chance try out some used CS - sometime you can get them for $2K or less. If you have some serious curiosity also try out the boutique builders (Anderson, Suhr, Grosh, etc.) - I've tried them as well, but I'm one of those guys who always comes back to Fender.

Welcome! If I were you, I would buy a used Fender(solid body) Stratocaster made in Mexico. Now, as for the amp since you are new to all this(guitar&amp). I would buy a Fender Mustang III amp. This amp will cost ya $299.99 new. With this amp you will get modeling amp sounds and will be good training for your ears. The vintage fender amp sounds are very authentic and perfect for the stratocaster. Good Luck To You!

Lots of good advice so far, and perhaps more confusion for you as well...

And, I'm probably going to add to it...

Firstly, since you're new to electrics, consider it a journey rather than a destination. You will evolve early-on and may have different thoughts once you've played one for a while.

Being in just the place you are a month ago, (except that I have never played at all... any instrument !), but, I had always wanted to learn the Guitar, and so, having semi-retired, I decided that the Guitar was going to be my next chapter...

I went into the Guitar store (an independent) with absolutely no pre-concieved notion of what I was looking for. I knew the Strat of course, but also the Tele, the Les Paul, Melody Maker, ES-335 and others.

Like you, I wanted to spend some money. In my case, it was for a sense of motivation - owning a 'premium' guitar motivates me to become worthy of it as well as having just enough of an economic impact that I couldn't simply quit in 2 weeks because my fingers hurt or the practice was burdensome.

I spent hours in the store, held each model (though I had no idea what I was doing) and actually had to have the salesman play them for me.

Well, the sticker shock of the Gibsons made me concentrate on the Fenders. The Standard Strats sounded OK, but they felt less well-built somehow. The American Vintage series felt like fine instruments. I narowed it down to an Am. Vin. '57.

The store went lower than MAP and basically threw in an 20W Orange Crush practice amp (transitorized). It's main advantage was that it had a headphone jack because I live in a Condo. I can already see that the amp is the weak link, and as I progress, I'll certainly upgrade.

Then, 2 weeks later, a friend gave me an MIM Tele deluxe series 'Nashville' in near-new condition. It is a very nice sounding guitar and being a novice, is actually easier to play. But, that a double-edged sword of sorts.

Compared to my Am. Vintage Strat, the Tele is sloppy (yet it is a Deluxe Series). It's definitely nowhere near the same quality as my Strat and it's less forgiving. That means I must be extra careful not to become sloppy on it. Fret the note right on the Strat and it rewards you, fret it wrong and it calls you out, while the Tele will let me get away with more. I love the Tele, but the difference is enormous.

Now this may seem contradictory, but as mentioned, check CL and such for a used MIM Strat. This will get you started and allow you to upgrade later for minimal cost.

I'm only 3 years younger than you and I would not buy a Custom Shop or such. I'm not into the Signatures or the Relics or Selects - I can see a lot of Marketing strategy behind their existance. And, I don't have enough years left to get the value out of them, nor will it appreciate much in my lifetime.

The Am. Vintage was the right price range, but more importantly seemed to be the Demarcation Line between standard and 'premium' Fender products. I'm not convinced you truly get more (or at least not a lot more) by paying more than an Am. Vintage.

My Strat has a Maple Fretboard while the Tele is Rosewood. I'm likely not experienced enough to know, but they are both OK for me. My small hands do seem to appreciate the Tele's 'C' neck over the Strat's 'V' neck, but they are both very playable.

Also as mentioned, pay as much attention to the Amp as the guitar, though this too can be upgraded with time.

But, anyway, HAVE FUN !! Spend LOTS of time trying and playing the different models before you decide !

cheers!

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'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
'12 FSR Telecaster HH
'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele

If you only want to buy one guitar, get something American made. The Mexican guitars are very good, but i suspect it will gnaw away at you knowing you could have got something American made. Buy the guitar first, then when you want an amp take your guitar with you to try them. That way you know exactly how it will sound when you get it home. As you say, i think there are diminishing returns as you pay more and more-unless you go all out with your wallet.

Just wait....you ain't heard noth'in yet BTW: The Clapton model is a very versatile guitar but if volume is your concern fuggeddabbouddit because the guitar contains a 25db midboost circuit that's just killer. You'll get your blues tone for sure as well as an eviction notice. In the matter of necks, the production standard is the 'modern C', but neck profiles often vary w/ the generation year that the guitar may be representing or the the design inspiration for a particular model: e.g Strat Classic Player; '51 Telecaster. In the end, you have to play them. Part of the difficulty is that the entire line is vast and the buyers for the big box stores are not likely to have a representative selection. Guitar Centers with Platinum Rooms are going to show very high end guitars there. It's worth a look. The other hassle is that GC and Sam Ash display their high end guitars up near the ceiling to keep them out of the hands of the weekend 'headbanger ball' attendees and its a pain having these guys wheeling their ladder around the store. I find that whole situation a deal breaker. Try to find small 'brick and mortar' boutique vendors if you can.

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"Another day in paradise!"

THANK YOU ALL! This is very helpful advice, please keep the suggestions coming. I'm fortunate to be in Austin where I have a huge selection of new and pre-owned strats available to check out, and the dealers are all demo-friendly.

so I guess my $0.02 - I've been playing for many years, I've owned dozens of guitars, amps, etc... (currently have about 16 in my closet, only 4 are acoustics.) so my opinion would be based on about 40 years worth of playing, performing, horse trading,, etc..

so let's take a look at your questions...

1. At what level (price/model) do you cross over into the better quality guitars? I want one I can keep forever without wishing I'd spent more...at the same time, I don't think I need to spend $6,000...maybe $1,500-$2,000 max. I prefer to buy new rather than used to get the latest technology and to get the longest life out of it without repairs. I will play mostly hard rock and blues and want the greatest variety of sounds I can get.

Imports are going to be more affordable (the ones made Mexico, Korea, China etc) and in many ways, at first you may not see much of a difference. If you opted to start with say a MIM strat, eventually you'd pickup a USA Standard, and it is just going to feel different. The fret finish, the resonance of the instrument, and how it just responds to touch will not be quite the same. Regarding repairs, beyond the initial proper setup when you buy one new, most guitars are just gonna work, time after time. They are not quite as suspect to the elements as acoustics are

USA Standards are around a grand, I don't think you need to go much further than something in that range if you're definitely set on a strat.

That said, check out the Gibson offerings in this price range.

2. It appears that the lower-end models have solid bodies and the higher-end models have hollow bodies? How much does the body type make a difference in sound and varieties of sound you can get from the guitar?

Unless you're looking at soemthing that is listed as a chambered body, most Strats, and Teles are solid body. There's always a raging debate going on inthe gibson forums about the effects of chambering, and weight relief. I've never really gotten the "religious arguments" on this. Unless you're looking at a semi hollow (like an ES335 or similar), the chambering or body interior is only going to slightly alter the primary tone of the instrument IMO

3. Maple neck or rosewood neck?
they are quite significant in difference, and depending on the fret size the guitar is fitted with, it's all about feel here. I prefer rosewood for my Strats, Tele's on the other hand I think HAVE to be maple. The only answer for you is what you're hands will tell you. your acoustic probably has ebony or rosewood, but since the action and tension on an acoustic is so different from an electric, the only way you're gonna know is to try them both.

4. Which pickups? I see some of the high-end ones come with 3 pinpoints or 1 humbuckes and 2 pinpoints...what are the unique sounds and advantages of each set up?

Classic Strat vibe, 3 single coils, nuff said?

5. Amps? This is exclusively for my enjoyment at home; no plans for any stage work. Again, I'm looking for the widest variety of sounds/effects I can get to do copies of Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Joe Walsh, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Pink Floyd, Guns & Roses, AC-DC, Van Halen, Metallica, ZZ Top, etc.

Depends largely on what you want to invest. As said previously, to go nuts-to-the-wall for the axe, but not pay a lot of attention to the amp choice will probably have you amp shopping within a year. A tube amp is going to give you the better touch response, and they will over all sound better, just be aware there are some quirks to tube amps that are just realities of the design. Tube amps will require some servicing, how often depends on how they are used (frequency of use, the average volume they are played at, and how often them are transported and moved from one place to another.) But don't buy into the hype that you are going to be changing tubes once a year, with what you're setting out to do, I would be surprised if after 5 years, you were even close to "tube burn out". However it's not unusual for a tube with a few hundred hours of use to go micro-phonic and start making unpleasant noises. Just happens. The only real point to consider here is how versatile the amp is, how many channels does it have, what's on board (Reverb, some DSP Effects etc..) Like the guitar, try out all the amps in your price range, ask a lot of questions as you go along. There's PLENTY to choose from

6. What else do I need to know before selecting my dream Strat?
Nothing more than trying em out, and making an informed choice. With the money you are looking to invest, I would again advise to check out some Gibsons. You may find you like the sound, feel, of a Paul or an SG, they are all great guitars. Strats are very versatile, but in the right hands, any axe is going to sound great

Good luck on your journey! you're in for a whole lotta fun!

/KB

good luck!

my 2 cents.... don't try to find your dream guitar right away. It'll take some time to play various styles and try many guitars before knowing what you want to play and what suits you best!

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2010 Gibson Les Paul Studio (Silverburst)
2007 Fender CD-60 (Sunburst)
G.A.S-ing for a Fender Stratocaster HSS with floyd rose

ghilltx, if I were in your situation, I'd hunt for a used Strat - that special and individual one, which has its 'scars of honor', background and that unique combination of colors, woods and hardware that appeals to me. As far as I understand, the second hand Strat prices in the US are enviably low, excluding those collector items...

Then I'd spend the rest on a good tube amp, maybe even a custom made. For a European, maybe a little US-advertising is allowed: Austin amps is right in your 'hood, and they even have a 2W (plenty noise for home & even small stages with a good 10-12" speaker) tube head...
Reading the list of who you want to sound like, a pedalboard is the way to go. Add in toys like a tuner, EQ, overdrive, delay and echo/reverb. It will keep you busy for years...

[& Howdy for yawl longhorns, have a longneck for me...]

Hello, you can try a Strat Classic Player 50 or 60? They are excellent guitars

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Sorry for my english, not good, i am of the country of Molière, Hugo, Zola ...