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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 7:25 pm
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chromeface wrote:
Fender revived the old Plus name for two Stratocaster models in their American Deluxe series.

These guitars are completely different animals than their late 1980s ancestors with features like solderless personality cards giving you three distinctive wiring schemes to choose from. Available in 3 "mystic" finishes, in SSS and HSS configurations!

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I don't know if I've chimed in on this, but I owned an '87 Strat Plus and just bought a new SSS Dlx Strat Plus, and they are completely different instruments. Here are some features common to both: locking tuning keys, two point bridge, body chape, frets, and that's about it. The pups are completely different sounding to me. The electronics on the DlxStrPlus are light years ahead. It's like owning 3 guitars. Every time I pick it, I find a new tonal color. I can get nice hollow jazzy tones, plucky Tele tones, P-90 and Grestch (not sure of spelling) like tones. It I mention modern Strat tones? By using the cutter card, and turning turning down the bass a little, I can kind of get a more vintage Strat tone. The pups are not as dynamic as the pups in my '75 Strat. Still very nice. By the way, I still think that old Strat Plus is a great guitar. I've still got my Clapton Strat with Gold Lace Sensors.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 7:44 pm
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So Paris aside from the sonic changes which I know you like how does the card fit in.
Are the contacts spring loaded (I hope not since these could become problematic over time)) or is it just and edge connector?


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 8:54 pm
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jimmy_james wrote:
So Paris aside from the sonic changes which I know you like how does the card fit in.
Are the contacts spring loaded (I hope not since these could become problematic over time)) or is it just and edge connector?

If I understand your question, there are no springs, just an edge connection when you pop it in. The non-connection end of the card fits snug against the compartment. In the next few weeks I'm doing a YouTube video on this guitar.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 10:31 pm
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Lightnin MN wrote:
Retroverbial wrote:
ebaysux wrote:
Honestly I do not understand why some of you old dogs are so resistant and negative to change. You still can get a zillion strats without this feature....why is the fact that they are trying something new and innovative seem so offensive to some of you?


Perhaps it's because I've had to repair/replace countless numbers of those sleazy ribbon cables and connectors over the decades, and not all of them in entry-level guitar amps. I'm not at all "offended" by such substandard components -- I merely know them for what they are and regard them with utter contempt.

Arjay


+1

Another component not specifically designed to carry audio signals. It is not particulary immune to EMI.

Initially, it was designed for the small-packaging and high G load demands of the aerospace industry.

Other industries adopted it for small-packaging, but also to lower production costs... in some cases accepting some major compromises in the bargain.

IMHO, if you're paying $500-$2500 for a guitar, the Mfgr. should be willing to absorb the cost of a dozen solder joints.

cheers! :D



Nah. I use to replace heads on pretty much the best reel to reel tape decks money can buy that have flat ribbon cables and connectors that look pretty much the same as those in that picture. I'm sure Revox and Teac knew what they were doing when they used them.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 9:13 am
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I've owned an Ampeg Dan Armstrong model since the early eighties. You know, the clear Lucite "see through guitar", which enjoyed a brief vogue due to Keith Richards, et al., and which still have a devoted following. It's very heavy, but a real rock 'n' roll machine, with a "wow" factor that can't be overlooked.
I noticed a number of parallels when the new Deluxe Strat Plus was introduced.
The Dan Armstrong didn't feature "personality cards" but up to seven different pickups that could be rapidly switched out, even during a live session. Likewise, the tone selector switch functioned differently than most, in that one position took the tone control out of the circuit, leaving the pickup wide open, in the next the tone control functioned normally, and in the third it acted as a bass/mid boost, beefing up those frequencies.
I'm mentioning this just to point out that this is not an entirely new idea, just another way of approaching it. Frankly, I've always thought that the Strat itself was so versatile, with so many inherent tonal possibilities already existing in its three pickup, five position, two tone control configuration, that such gadgetry seems kind of superfluous, at least to my dragging fingers, which still stumble upon new tones even after all these years. I do understand the appeal, tho', and perhaps these instruments are designed for players far more advanced ( and tech savvy/friendly) than myself.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 9:47 am
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I think it boils down to.......after exhausting every available gimmick that can be implemented on , basically a timeless design , the only way the geeks at Fender can justify keeping their jobs (much the same as the dorks at microsoft), is to come up with yet another gimmick

Maybe if they spent their time trying to design a gadget that would lock down the saddles after adjusting them and intonating them on a 6 screw bridge, OR even altering the design of every new 6 screw bridge so it returns to zero point, then I for one would think they are worth their wages

Would I ever buy one ?......hell no, I have a foot controller where I can pre-set any number of tones, easily accessible by my right foot (even whilst playing)
Grow up geeks, get a bloody life

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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:06 am
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nyquilcoma wrote:
I've owned an Ampeg Dan Armstrong model since the early eighties. You know, the clear Lucite "see through guitar", which enjoyed a brief vogue due to Keith Richards, et al., and which still have a devoted following. It's very heavy, but a real rock 'n' roll machine, with a "wow" factor that can't be overlooked.
I noticed a number of parallels when the new Deluxe Strat Plus was introduced.
The Dan Armstrong didn't feature "personality cards" but up to seven different pickups that could be rapidly switched out, even during a live session. Likewise, the tone selector switch functioned differently than most, in that one position took the tone control out of the circuit, leaving the pickup wide open, in the next the tone control functioned normally, and in the third it acted as a bass/mid boost, beefing up those frequencies.
I'm mentioning this just to point out that this is not an entirely new idea, just another way of approaching it. Frankly, I've always thought that the Strat itself was so versatile, with so many inherent tonal possibilities already existing in its three pickup, five position, two tone control configuration, that such gadgetry seems kind of superfluous, at least to my dragging fingers, which still stumble upon new tones even after all these years. I do understand the appeal, tho', and perhaps these instruments are designed for players far more advanced ( and tech savvy/friendly) than myself.

Thanks for sharing your story. That's bery cool.

As to the Dlx Strat Plus, I agree the Strat by itself is a very versitile imstrument on it's own, one of my main reasons for getting the instrument was to have a Strat which gave me the neck and bridge combo. I've sinse expanded my use of the guitar by using the other setup choices. Overall, it's a well built and very useful instrument. Getting a P90 sounding pickup is pretty sweet. Also, if I remove just a bit of the bass, I can get the picksups to sound more like clean vintage sounding Strat pickups.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:12 am
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The verdict on this model is pretty devided between gimick and nice adition. Like all things, it has strengths and weaknesses. In the end, it is just another tool for the player to express his or her musical vision. I've gotten a lot of use out of this guitar so far and really enjoy playing. It stays in tune when I use the vibrato; gives me more tonal colors to play around with and allows me play and express my best work.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 1:46 am
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paris wrote:
The verdict on this model is pretty devided between gimick and nice adition. Like all things, it has strengths and weaknesses. In the end, it is just another tool for the player to express his or her musical vision. I've gotten a lot of use out of this guitar so far and really enjoy playing. It stays in tune when I use the vibrato; gives me more tonal colors to play around with and allows me play and express my best work.

And in the end - that is what counts.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 10:25 pm
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Fender should open up the licensing and specs for the cards. there could be an entirely new category of products and I could see this being huge if they seeded it right. Sadly though I think they will let this idea atrophy. Hope I'm wrong though I think this is a great idea.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 5:12 am
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sbarton wrote:
Fender should open up the licensing and specs for the cards. there could be an entirely new category of products and I could see this being huge if they seeded it right. Sadly though I think they will let this idea atrophy. Hope I'm wrong though I think this is a great idea.


If I'm not mistaken, the cards are produced by another company and sold through Fender.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2015 8:38 pm
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I realize this is an older thread, but I wanted to give some perspetive. I own the blue SSS model and I love it. Good fit and finish, very versitile guitar with great tone and sustain.

As to changing out the cards: I use this guitar in church on a regular basis and change the cards to suite the song I'm playing (Modern Christian rock). Changing out the cards can be done quickely as long as you're prepared (i.e. have the card handy) or if you change between sets. Overall, the guitar works beautifully for what I do musically and was worth every penny. Look up my 3 parts series on the reveiw of this guitar on Youtube. Search keyword: Paris Thalheimer


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2015 11:15 pm
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Given that there are only three cards, it would have made a heck of a lot more sense to build all three options into the guitar, with a three-way switch. Most of the space is taken up by the card packaging, not the circuitry.

It reminds me of a friend buying a games console for which there were only three cartridges...


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:42 am
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arth1 wrote:
Given that there are only three cards, it would have made a heck of a lot more sense to build all three options into the guitar, with a three-way switch. Most of the space is taken up by the card packaging, not the circuitry.

It reminds me of a friend buying a games console for which there were only three cartridges...


I agree. I would cirtainly be concerned about constantly changing cards. Having (in effect) all the cards on board and just swapping with a switch seems a much better solution.

I get the impression this was something of a blind alley in product terms.

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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Strat Pluses w/ solderless personality c
Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 3:58 am
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So I'm sure there was chatter from Fender when this guitar was released that they would release new cards in due course... has that happened?

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