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Post subject: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:16 pm
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Alrighty, so this afternoon I picked up a Korean made Lite Ash Strat, natural finish with black cosmetics, which I got in trade for the Lite Ash Tele I picked up a few months back. The Tele was pristine but after 30 years of playing...nope...still just don't like the sound of a Tele. In any case, it was a fair trade...both went for $599 retail back in the day and both are in similar, nearly pristine condition. Very equitable deal.

Over all it's a pretty sweet Strat...as I just wrote in another thread, the jury's still out on the neck, but that's neither here nor there at the moment. What did surprise me though is that this thing actually has a brass trem block on it! And -no- it's not a GFS...that much I'm sure of (I have a GFS brass block in an '03 MIM...definitely NOT the same block). I haven't torn it apart yet, but it actually looks like it's shaped like the American Standard trem blocks with the taper...but brass. Everything else on this guitar is right on the money as far as what was stated in the ad I have from a 2004 Musician's Friend, but the block isn't mentioned in the ad...and one would have thought that to be a selling point.

So, anyone else have one of these? Is that brass block standard on these Lite Ash models? It's not like it's that big a deal...not like I'm going to hunt the guy down if it's not, but I am rather curious as I never saw one of these on a Fender before.

Thanks,
Jim


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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:36 pm
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Are you sure that it isn't the "Copper Infused" cast block as found on the Am Std? :?:

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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:05 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
Are you sure that it isn't the "Copper Infused" cast block as found on the Am Std? :?:



Hhhhmmmm....nope. Not sure about that at all. It looked like brass, so I assumed it was, but I'll have to take a closer look at it. If it helps any, I know the saddles on the bridge have the adjusting screws in the center like on the Squiers (as apposed to offset like the Americans) however they're NOT the same as my Squier Standards which look to be stainless...these are chome or nickle or something. In either case...brass block or copper infused...any idea if that came standard on these? That's kind of what I'm looking for...just wondering if the block has been changed or not.

Jim


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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:52 pm
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Can you post a couple of photos?


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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 6:43 am
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These pictures aren't the best, but maybe you can see the copper color of the block from an '08 Am Std.

Image
Image

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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:34 pm
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Hey...sorry it took me a couple of days to get back to this. My father passed away last Friday and I've been busy with family stuff so today was really the first day I was able to start dealing with this guitar.

While the shape of the block is the same as in shimmilou's pic's there, no...not the same thing. The block in the pic looks like it's cast where as mine is definitely machined. More over, I just compared mine to the GHS brass block in my '03 MIM...the block in the Korean Lite Ash is most definitely a brass block. Also, I checked the spacing...definitely metric spacing as well.

In any case, I did rip her down...gave her a good, thorough cleaning (took me over half an hour just to polish the stinkin' frets because of all the tarnish!), took the neck and pickguard off and took pics of everything (although I need to find a new image hosting site). There's no real identifying marks such as bar codes or date stamps or anything, however a couple of my Japanese Squiers are like that as well. I have to say that the workmanship on this beastie is most impressive. Like my E-Series Squiers, just wonderful craftsmanship to say the least...far superior to my Mexi's. Beautiful one piece ash body, shielded cavities and of course the birdseye maple neck and such. Now that I have her restrung and properly setup, she plays very sweet too. The neck shape doesn't quite have the "wow" factor for me that my Mexi necks do, but it's nice...a bit chunky for a "C" but very playable. I'm not terribly sure if I like the pups...like the neck, they're not "bad" by any means, but they don't quite have the low end punch I like either. Duncan's website says "Compared to the SSL-1, the APS-1 has a rounder sound with a spongier bass response"...and they ain't kiddin' about it. I tend to prefer a much fuller range out of my pups. That said, I've also been jammin' along with some Stevie Ray Vaughn and this thing with those pickups really does have that SRV sound (ala "Pride and Joy").

I also gotta say that between the almost total lack of fret wear...not to mention the dust that shows that this thing's been sitting for -years-...I really don't think she was played much at all. I haven't contacted Fender yet (not that I expect a lot of info on a Korean made model) but my guess is she's probably a 2004...if for no other reason than the ad I have showing this exact same model, right down to the natural finish, is from a Summer 2004 Musician's Friend. Either way, my guess is that she hasn't really been played at all since she was originally purchased new...not that old, but a "closet classic" to be sure.

That all said, I didn't actually take the bridge off, but at this point I strongly suspect that it is the original block. Nothing else on this instrument seems to have been touched so there's no reason to suspect the trem block was changed either. I had never heard of Fender using brass blocks on any Strat's before, import or otherwise, but then again these Lite Ash models do seem to be something of an oddity all the way around so who knows... Until someone can show me otherwise, I'm calling it original :-).

Anyways, thanks for the comments and the attempt to identify...I'm grateful!
Jim


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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 3:09 pm
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Sorry to hear about your father , Jim - my condolences.

I just read briefly through this -it's been a long day and night at work here. I alsp happen to own a strat like that. I'm very happy with it , in most aspects . it really zings :lol: -meaning very good sustain - and , which I have never given a thought , that might be because of the trem block- which I not until now have payed much attention to. I suspect it to be brass . This does not show so good in this dark evening iPhone-pic , but it seems more obvious in real life inspection
ImageImage

I just quickly removed the back cover to see

I have owned this one for about a year , and it is apparently from 2005/06 , according to Fenders dating site ,here. First numbers in serial number are 05.

I love the pups for what they are .Have other guitars to get different sounds :mrgreen:
The body is not one - piece , but 2 - nicely matched
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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 4:15 pm
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PS- you can find out more about it in the 2006 Frontline-catalog p81. Might give you some clues!
http://www.fender.com/support/library/

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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2013 9:05 pm
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That's not a brass block either. This is what one looks like.

Image

Even cast blocks have to be machined some, threaded holes and the surface that mounts to the plate. The GFS and the Lite Ash blocks are probably cast, at least they look like it to me. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 5:16 am
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shimmilou - Yea...that's the exact block I have on my '03 MIM and while I can't really tell from asgeirman's pics there about his guitar, mine is definitely machined like the GFS as well as being identical in color. That said, asgeirman said his is an 05/06 and I'm pretty sure mine is an 04...being Korean imports, perhaps they changed out the blocks between model years. I can see in his pic where his is a 2 piece body and mine is definitely a 1 piece (beautiful chunk of wood too!), so yea...maybe they changed something between years....or maybe mine has been changed (although again I'm absolutely sure it isn't the GFS).


Hhmmm...curiouser and curiouser...



asgeirman - Yep, that pretty much looks like her...although no, I can't really tell much about the block there from those pics. You're correct about the sustain though...mine's pretty impressive as well. I'd put it on par with my GFS steel block...better than the large zinc blocks but not as good as my Callaham (I don't know what those folks at Callaham do differently but the block on my '96 has sustain out the wazzoo!). And yea...I think I can see the "seam" for the two pieces in your pic there...kind of interesting. Again mine is absolutely a 1 piece. Gotta wonder if maybe it has something to do with the availability of ash over in Korea or something.

I do have to say that the more I play her...I think those Duncan's may be starting to grow on me. I was tearing it up down in the studio last night and yea...she's got some "character" to say the least. I don't think she's going to be an all a-rounder...seems to be really good for stuff like Texas Blues and Country and such but I don't think I could see myself using her for Pink Floyd or a lot of the other classic rock I do. On the sound/tone, I'll probably use her for a few tunes at the next gig (Feb 16th) and get a real feel for where she's gonna fit in...but I think she's gonna be a keeper :-).

A couple of quick questions here if I may...

Mine didn't come with a trem bar and I honestly have looked yet but considering the similarity to the American blocks...is your bar screw in or pop in? Just curious...

Also, I don't know if you've ever had your pickguard off but if so...are your pickup cavities shielded? That -really- surprised me on this instrument and she even has an extra ground wire screwed into the cavity for the shielding.

BTW...you haven't by chance weighed yours have you? I haven't put mine on the scale yet but the MF ad I have says these things come in at less than 8 lbs and this thing actually feels pretty beefy! It could be me, but I think she's actually heavier than my Mexi's...

Thanks,
Jim

(p.s. thanks for the kind words about my Dad. He was never a musician himself and he never really got my whole guitar obsession, but he was always very supportive of my music and art).


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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 11:17 am
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lomitus wrote:
asgeirman - Yep, that pretty much looks like her...although no, I can't really tell much about the block there from those pics. You're correct about the sustain though...mine's pretty impressive as well. I'd put it on par with my GFS steel block...better than the large zinc blocks but not as good as my Callaham (I don't know what those folks at Callaham do differently but the block on my '96 has sustain out the wazzoo!). And yea...I think I can see the "seam" for the two pieces in your pic there...kind of interesting. Again mine is absolutely a 1 piece. Gotta wonder if maybe it has something to do with the availability of ash over in Korea or something.

As I experienced the good sustain , I did not think of the block - I just suspected it to be due to the Ash-wood. I've also got an ash-bodied tele ('69 thinline) which also sustains very well. My other strat is a classic 50s in alder. Very good , but not the same amount of sustain . here 's a pic of the backside ,just to find where the body is glued together:
Image
lomitus wrote:
I do have to say that the more I play her...I think those Duncan's may be starting to grow on me. I was tearing it up down in the studio last night and yea...she's got some "character" to say the least. I don't think she's going to be an all a-rounder...seems to be really good for stuff like Texas Blues and Country and such but I don't think I could see myself using her for Pink Floyd or a lot of the other classic rock I do. On the sound/tone, I'll probably use her for a few tunes at the next gig (Feb 16th) and get a real feel for where she's gonna fit in...but I think she's gonna be a keeper :-).

I feel this one sounds very ''stratty'' in every aspects , at least she has those sounds I like by a strat! Texas blues is a blast!
You should PM forum user Arnold Layne about Pink Floyd -sounds. I understand he is very much covering Pink Floyd , and I seem to remember his Lite Ash is his fav

lomitus wrote:
A couple of quick questions here if I may...

Mine didn't come with a trem bar and I honestly have looked yet but considering the similarity to the American blocks...is your bar screw in or pop in? Just curious...

Mine is a screw-in. I did not get the original as I bought her - had to go to a local store where we found one that fitted. I assume it has metric threads - that's why it took some time to find...
lomitus wrote:
Also, I don't know if you've ever had your pickguard off but if so...are your pickup cavities shielded? That -really- surprised me on this instrument and she even has an extra ground wire screwed into the cavity for the shielding.

Sorry , haven't had the pickguard off - just worked fine for me ,so I did not have any need to do it. Last year I've been much more into my teles :shock: (though I thought I was a start-man, mostly) But all your questions are getting me more curious , as well - so maybe i'll take some time in the weekend to take a closer look.... this week is pretty rough in my daily work, not much time for joy :cry:
lomitus wrote:
BTW...you haven't by chance weighed yours have you? I haven't put mine on the scale yet but the MF ad I have says these things come in at less than 8 lbs and this thing actually feels pretty beefy! It could be me, but I think she's actually heavier than my Mexi's...

Just weighed it on my kitchen scale - 7,94 lbs !

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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 2:00 pm
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Hey Dude...much thanks for the info! Yes, if you decide to pull that pickguard, I'd be curious to know what you find there.

On the Floyd stuff, actually I have a great '96 MIM loaded with Duncan Scorther's that covers things nicely on that front 8)

As far as Tele's go, I think I mentioned this above (or somewhere recently), that's how I got this Lite Ash Strat...traded a Lite Ash Tele for it. Nothing wrong with the Tele but just not my thing at all. I used it for a practice and a couple of gigs and spent more time "twiddlin' dials" than playing. With most Strats I can usually dial in the sound I'm looking for pretty quickly but that Tele "quack"...pretty much just drove me nuts.

Anyways, again thanks for the info and lemme know what you find "under the hood" :-)

Peace,
Jim


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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:47 pm
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Funny you should bring that up asgeirman! I do have the same strat, and works quite well for my Floyd! Probably has a lot more to do with my effects rig, but a sweet guitar indeed. I'm about 50/50 use nowadays, being that I built a "black strat" replica for my Floyd stuff, but my lite ash is always on stage with me.
OP how are you liking the neck? You mentioned maybe the jury is out...I really like this neck.

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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 6:01 am
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Arnold Layne wrote:
Funny you should bring that up asgeirman! I do have the same strat, and works quite well for my Floyd! Probably has a lot more to do with my effects rig, but a sweet guitar indeed. I'm about 50/50 use nowadays, being that I built a "black strat" replica for my Floyd stuff, but my lite ash is always on stage with me.
OP how are you liking the neck? You mentioned maybe the jury is out...I really like this neck.



I don't actually dis-like the neck on the Lite Ash, but it's definitely NOT my favorite either. My fav's are my Mexi's (especially my '94) however this Lite Ash feels just a little thicker and almost feels like it has a hint of soft V to it...and I really never cared for the V's. It's not a bad neck at all and it is very playable, but it just doesn't have the "wow" factor for me that my Mexi's do. I do love the look of the Birdseye maple...very pretty wood, and I like the abalone dots too so I dunno...if I can finally get the sound out of her that I'm looking for, doing a bit of a reshape on the neck isn't out of the question.

As far as the pickup's go, I'm almost thinking I'm going to try doing a 3 way swap this weekend. I have Duncan Scorthers that I -really- like in an '03 MIM that I'm trying to sell...I think I'm going to put those in the Lite Ash, then put the Duncan APS-1's in my '94 Mexi and I'll put the original pups back in the '03 to sell her. While I'm at it, I have a spare steel GFS trem block that I think I'm going to put on the '94...it's got the full sized zinc block and the sustain isn't bad, but I -know- I can do a bit better there.

As far as the Floyd stuff goes...I think my '96 with Duncan Scorther's is about the best I've ever used for that. Yea, I use a ton of effects too (for the Floyd at least), but I can really dial in that later Gilmore sound on that one. From what I understand, in the later years Gilmore went back and forth between Duncans and EMG's. I've always loved EMG pickups and these Duncan Scorthers in my '96 come really close to that....very nice sound ala the Pulse tour.

Peace,
Jim


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Post subject: Re: Korean Lite Ash Strat - trem question
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 12:00 am
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Here's mine. A 2004 I bought it in dec 2006. I couldn't stand the bridge pup because I play metal so I put in a Voodoo '57 and wired it for Series/Parallel. Blends great with the middle pickup, and I have grown to love the remaining Seymours :mrgreen:


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