It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:42 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 19 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Strat recc's for beginner?
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 6:28 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 10:42 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Outback Queensland, Australia
Hallo - my first post here, please don't flame me too badly for my daft n00b questions, but after a bit of searching I couldn't find an existing thread on what I wanted to ask! :oops:

Anyway, I'm an utter learner on guitar, currently playing an acoustic but very much wanting to move onto an electric once I get going. I'd love a Strat and would like some advice please on what would be the best model for a learner.

I'm looking for a nice compromise on quality and price, and whilst I don't exactly need to rummage through the discount bins I do realise of course that neither do I need to shop the top rack just yet! I do however want a guitar that I won't be looking to upgrade as soon as I get going, one that isn't too clever to be learning on with features I'd never understand nor use, but then again isn't so simple and basic that I'd outgrow it once I've the fundamentals learnt.

The range of Strats is pretty mind-boggling for someone unfamiliar with electric guitars in general, but after doing a bit of reading so far I'd figured maybe a Fat Strat or similar would be around the right mark? I've found a couple of American-built ones at the right price for me in excellent condition, and they seem a great mid-range guitar.

If it helps I'd be playing a wide range of music, mostly rock I guess but allsorts really, nothing inparticular. I don't have massive hands, so if there are any styles there with perhaps thinner necks or would otherwise be more suitable for me I'd love to hear of them, or even just what specifications to look out for in a model would really help.

Thanks for your time and help, all comments and suggestions are very welcome! I live wayyy out in the Queensland outback, Australia, so unfortunately can't head into a music store to see some for myself or for in-person advice. :(

Pretty much everything I'm learning has to come from the interweb one way or another, so any help you could give would really be appreciated! 8)


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 6:41 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:47 pm
Posts: 4294
Location: Somewhere near Seattle
Welcome to the board.

I've been to Australia. It was very drunk there and the people were very nice.

The Highway One HSS strat would be a great choice for you. It's really a very nice guitar. The Mexican made Lone Star strat has great pups with a cool texas bluesy tone. The Mexican Deluxe Fat Strat or Deluxe Power Strat would be good choices also. The Power strat has a cool piezo pup under the bridge so you can get acoustic tones from it.

Those are the ones I'd be looking at if I were looking for a mid range strat.

One little hint: Since your in the Outback and have to buy online, make sure whoever you purchase from has a good return policy. You don't want to get stuck with a guitar you find is uncomfortable for any reason. Good Luck!

_________________
"is that a real poncho...i mean
Is that a mexican poncho
Or is that a sears poncho?
Hmmm...no foolin ...." FZ


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 12:15 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:04 am
Posts: 464
Location: Hungary
Welcome on this forum! Cheers :wink:


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 12:35 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:53 pm
Posts: 232
Also be very weary of any guitaers coming from China. Not necessarily made in china, fender makes a KOA strat tha is made in China and it's pretty nice. I mean being shipped from China. And hey the Jimmi Vaughan strat is nice and a good price


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 1:18 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2007 12:29 am
Posts: 336
Location: Puget Sound
I'd get a hard tailed stratocaster simply because you won't be needing a Tremelo For a while and it can just be a hassle for beginners learning to tune the guitar; You could get a Telecaster; no Trem bar and a nice easy player.
Don't quit your acoustic though; it's a very good way to develope finger strength.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:28 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 10:42 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Outback Queensland, Australia
Well... I've chosen one!!! Have layby'd me a MIM Standard HSS in Midnight Wine, Alder body with Maple fretboard, and yep, no tremolo as per advice..! :D

I went to Brisbane over the weekend, getting back last night, and whilst there visited Allans Music in Queen St Mall.. absolutely went gaga over all the incredible guitars there, but fell in love with this baby. It'll be awhile before I pay her off and get back down there to choose and amp and pick it up, but in the meantime I'll be getting stuck into my acoustic so that I can actually play her come pick-up time!

Whilst there I also bought a fantastic book on the history of Fender, some great reading that makes me wish even more that I could have bought mine outright and brought her home, even if I'll only be learning my plink-a-plink easy songs on it for awhile! :oops:


Thanks everyone for your advice - I'll be posting some boasting pics when I finally pay her off, but for now here's a stock pic..

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:31 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:47 pm
Posts: 4294
Location: Somewhere near Seattle
Very pretty axe. I like that wine and maple neck combo. It pops. Enjoy!

_________________
"is that a real poncho...i mean
Is that a mexican poncho
Or is that a sears poncho?
Hmmm...no foolin ...." FZ


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:36 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:28 pm
Posts: 1956
Welcome to the forum and I must say you have great taste in electric guitars... A strat with a maple neck... what else is there?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:39 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 10:42 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Outback Queensland, Australia
Thanks for the compliments! Yes, I love the maple neck and how striking the colour mix is.. I've seen those with the Rosewood fretboard online and it just doesn't seem right to me, not with a white pickguard.

Image

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:06 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 10:42 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Outback Queensland, Australia
Hang on - I do have pics! - I took these instore of the one on the rack. Mine isn't the display one though, the guy found me one still in factory wrapping in it's box out back to put aside for me! :D

Image
Image

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:26 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 4:57 am
Posts: 13164
Location: Peckham: where the snow leopards roam
FrankieP wrote:
Hang on - I do have pics! - I took these instore of the one on the rack. Mine isn't the display one though, the guy found me one still in factory wrapping in it's box out back to put aside for me! :D


Hey, Frankie: ideal choice of axe! Like Strataholic says, maple necks - are there any others?

BTW, if your's is as per your pic, then in fact you do have a tremolo: you'll find the whammy bar amongst the case-candy waiting to be dropped into that little hole at the bottom of the bridge. To respectfully differ from dna9656 I suspect there might quickly come a time when you're glad you have that trem there, to mess with...

Now when you are ready, just come back and ask for advice on which amp to buy. I believe we all know what most of the answers will be, but the doctors here are generally ready to repeat a diagnosis...

G'day - C


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:24 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 11, 2008 7:28 pm
Posts: 106
Location: Kaneohe, Hawaii
The pics cant really show the true color but I seen one and the color is stunning up close. Nice guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 6:23 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 10:42 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Outback Queensland, Australia
Ceri wrote:
FrankieP wrote:
Hang on - I do have pics! - I took these instore of the one on the rack. Mine isn't the display one though, the guy found me one still in factory wrapping in it's box out back to put aside for me! :D


Hey, Frankie: ideal choice of axe! Like Strataholic says, maple necks - are there any others?

BTW, if your's is as per your pic, then in fact you do have a tremolo: you'll find the whammy bar amongst the case-candy waiting to be dropped into that little hole at the bottom of the bridge. To respectfully differ from dna9656 I suspect there might quickly come a time when you're glad you have that trem there, to mess with...

Now when you are ready, just come back and ask for advice on which amp to buy. I believe we all know what most of the answers will be, but the doctors here are generally ready to repeat a diagnosis...

G'day - C



AHA!!! So there's a spot for one, it's just not attached right now?! Wicked! I've been so confused.. all the Standards I've googled have had the trem bar, but this one didn't and I never noticed the hole. So it's fine I guess to play without the bar for awhile and add it in when I'm ready?

As for amps, yes, that's something else I'll need to research now! I like the idea of playing through another Fender, but I saw Orange amps whilst in store and they looked (and sounded!) fantastic too. Decisions, decisions, but I can't wait until I'm ready to pick it up and make the amp decision. I won't be needing anything too brutal though to start with.. until I'm any good I expect the quieter, the better, hahahaaa! Hurrah for headphone sockets... :oops:

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 6:25 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 10:42 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Outback Queensland, Australia
*squints*

Dang it, I can see that hole now so clearly..


*squints s'more*

I had looked for it before from the pics once I'd gotten home and was confused by all the Standards-with-trem I was seeing, but couldn't tell from the pic whether it was a hole or a screw or something.

Very cool! I was actually beginning to worry that maybe I'd really want one later on, but it's neat that I can put it in when I'm ready and not have to worry about it until then. (That is if it is fine to play sans-bar for the meantime)

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:17 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2007 12:29 am
Posts: 336
Location: Puget Sound
FrankieP wrote:
*squints*

Dang it, I can see that hole now so clearly..


*squints s'more*

I had looked for it before from the pics once I'd gotten home and was confused by all the Standards-with-trem I was seeing, but couldn't tell from the pic whether it was a hole or a screw or something.

Very cool! I was actually beginning to worry that maybe I'd really want one later on, but it's neat that I can put it in when I'm ready and not have to worry about it until then. (That is if it is fine to play sans-bar for the meantime)


Hey man I remember my room mate STRUGGLING with tuning that whammy bar equipped Strat while mine was a hard tail and I didn't deal with all that.
Now we know to LUBE the nut and saddles; that alone will help alot.
There's absolutly nothing wrong in what you have found as your first Strat; it's a fine choice and I think you'll find that you will KEEP it forever; most of us that have parted with our first Strat ( like me) regret it!
Mine was Ash w/ a black pick guard/pickups and knobs from the 70s, 3
screw micro-tilt neck.
Congrats on a Beautiful choice!


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 19 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: