the mexican strats up to 2 years ago now there well built
and fun to play i even own one now the 2006 upgrade put
duncan pickups in changed the pick gaurd and bridge and
now this baby would stand with any strat great guitar.

Yeah that's the main thing I don't like - the huge headstock. Having said that, the 70s reissue model in natural I think looks better than if it had a 50s style headstock..

So I don't hate them all

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"It was right from the start" - John Mayer

I'm just happy to be a Guitar player!
I can't imagine what life would be like without it.

My first Strat was a copy made by Bill Docherty in Melbourne Australia. 3 EMG's active etc. It was a marvel. Played and sounded like a monster. But some swine stole it from my car in 1989. One day!! I didn't manage another Strat until 2005 and that is a Squire l/h reversed from a pawn shop, dirt cheap, and it plays ok after a lot of work. My nephew wants to learn so maybe he will score for Xmas. Last year I bought an 82 (?) Vintage Strat from Ebay. Guess I was lucky but it is as good or better than my beloved Docherty. Mated with my Hot Rod Deluxe 1x12, it sings. I have yet to play a Strat I hated, but some left a lot to be desired. So, basically, when you're on a good thing, stick to it. Preaching to the converted, I realise.
Cheers

Shane.

Well said my friend!
I agree, after a barrage of test if I did not bond with the guitar it is time to move onto the next. Having a guitar is similar to getting involve in a relationship, in the end if there is no chemistry, there is no music.

I bought a 93 Strat Plus online, sight unseen and it was absolute crap. The action was much too high but any lower and I'd get terrible fret buzz. It seemed immune to truss rod adjustments so I gave up and traded it for a Tele reissue. A few years back I had a beautiful Fat Strat (sunburst with black pickguard and coil tap) that just never felt "right" but looked cool as hell.

All my other strats have been pure awesomesauce.

I have never had buyer's remorse with a Strat or any other Fender. My regrets occur when I sell them.

amen...when i was choosin between two MIM HSS one w/ rose and the other w/ maple i felt that maple just felt more natural

I prefer maple, but I have rosewoods, too. The rosewood wears better than the maple over time, but the maple has better playability IMHO.

i also prefer maple fretboard over rosewood.
some guy at my local guitar shop once told me that maple neck and fretboard has faster playability than other type of woods.

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If I flip the switch, I go into Killzone mode, which means these two center coils become active, and whenever I shred, I kill people instantly.

Cant say that Ive ever played one that was a piece of junk.

I sure can't make that statement!!!!

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Yeah, Roadworn strats. What a waste of good materials.

I had a Koa Strat. It was gorgeous. But, it didn't sound too great nor did it play great either. So I traded it in for a 60 RI Strat. I love it.

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Guitars: 2001 PRS McCarty, 1976 Hagstrom Jimmy Oval, 2010 Taylor Koa T5 Custom, 2009 Taylor 416 LTD, 2009 Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120, 2010 Taylor SBX-T, 2009 Daneletectro Baritone, 2005 Fender Kingman

http://www.facebook.com/blackandbluemusicnw

In the mid 80's i hated strats, tele's, LP's and SG's. It was strictly shredder metal guitars for me in those days. Sold all my gear to pay for my wedding, that split and a friend bought me a encore strat for £30. Fell in love with the singlecoil sound and bar a few brief forrays with a self built explorer, a dinky and a RR3 its been strats all the way for me since 96.

For the record, big headstocks arent to my tastes either. Wasnt it a modification to try and increase sustain that cbs had lost through bad hardware?

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No no and no

I have disliked the vast majority of Strats I have played. Seems like there is an odd Japanese reissue here, a Custom Shop there, a signature model every so often that has really got it but for the most part....

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Custom Shop '59 Strat with John Cruz Master Design Pickups
Vibro King
Fulltone Clyde>Deja-Vibe>TS-808>TS-9>Boss Tuner