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Post subject: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 12:40 pm
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Hi everyone,

I've been a long time fan of Fender guitars. My first was a Fender Catalina acoustic, way back in the 90s, which was as close as I ever got to what I consider to be THE prototypical electric guitar -- the Stratocaster. I've just never simultaneously had both the opportunity and the money to purchase one, until recently.

With my 40th looming, my wife decided it's time I got what I've long wanted.

However, that leaves me in a strange situation. I can basically afford any Strat I want (within reason, of course). But I'm not big on owning ostentatious things just for the sake of having them. I need to buy a guitar I can play, no mater how infrequently, and since I won't play it often (I have two very young kids), the guitar has to feel right. Can't go wrong with a Strat, of course, but there are a lot of variations out there. I need some general advice figuring out what matters most.

I'm especially fond of the natural ash FSR American Special HSS (I LOVE the vintage fat head stock). So the question I have is, what features should I care most about if my main concern is playability (for lack of a better term)? I don't see myself doing Van Halen-esque whammy dive-bombs, nor do I anticipate needing the instrument to have an especially unique tone beyond what you'd expect of a Strat. Anything on the electronics? Pickups? Wood? Any major difference (beyond personal preference) between a rosewood and a maple fretboard? Jumbo frets? What am I not thinking of?

Anyone owning a similar Strat that has ANY thoughts/advice they'd be willing to share, I'd GREATLY appreciate it.

Thanks all


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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 1:01 pm
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Go to a well-stocked shop and play a variety of Strats. Note the tones of each variant and how comfortable each is to play. The one that sounds the best to you and offers the easiest playability is your guitar.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 1:05 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Go to a well-stocked shop and play a variety of Strats. Note the tones of each variant and how easy each is to play. The one that sounds the best to you and offers the best playability is your guitar.

Arjay


+1

No one can pick your guitar but YOU !!

Virtually everyone here believes that, in a Sea awash with Stratocasters, their Stratocaster is the Best.

You will too !!

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
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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 5:36 pm
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An American Special is nice, but check out the American Vintage models.

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My other guitar is a Strat.

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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 6:26 pm
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It sounds like you already picked it. Great choice, by the way! I love Texas Specials.

The only thing to add in is a hardshell case. That guitar deserves better than a gig bag. You can get a nice black HSC for only $50 from GC.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Musician-s- ... 1151390.gc

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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 8:21 pm
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As the others have already mentioned; go to a music store and try out the different Strats they have in stock. Choose the one that you're most comfortable playing on. After all, you are the best decision maker in a situation like this. Do post pictures of your Strat when you buy one. :mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 3:31 am
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Lightnin MN wrote:
Retroverbial wrote:
Go to a well-stocked shop and play a variety of Strats. Note the tones of each variant and how easy each is to play. The one that sounds the best to you and offers the best playability is your guitar.

Arjay


+1

No one can pick your guitar but YOU !!

Virtually everyone here believes that, in a Sea awash with Stratocasters, their Stratocaster is the Best.

You will too !!

cheers!


++1

My American Select is the Best! :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 4:05 am
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As someone else already said it's not you who choose the guitar but the guitar chooses you.
In my experience it has always been like that both for guitars and amps; as soon as I played one I immediately have the feeling if it's my instrument or not. So try as many guitars as possible and for sure you will find easily the best for you.


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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 6:47 am
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Really appreciate everyone's input. I agree with you all, and my request for advice now seems silly in retrospect.

OF COURSE I should play many Strats and get a sense for which one feels best, and OF COURSE my decision should be based on my own bond with the instrument.

What I was trying to make up for was my general lack of technical awareness, and how it might bite me in the $@!. But there's really no substitute for hands-on experience.

So off to the guitar store I will go. Been a LONG time since I've been there. I presume "Stairway" and "Enter Sandman" are still forbidden? (Just kidding. I would never play those. I know better.)

I'm still really smitten by the American Special ...


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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 10:46 am
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[quote="271Ds"]What I was trying to make up for was my general lack of technical awareness, and how it might bite me in the $@!. But there's really no substitute for hands-on experience.
quote]

Welcome to the Forum!

Take a few moments...scan the last few weeks of posts to see what people are crowing about...and complaining about.

Learn about the current models and features and what people are saying...get lost in the maddness of searching for the right vintage model...or reissue.

This may save you some time to let you focus on where to start...the field is target-rich.

But...as always, as others have written...the choice is yours, and you'll know that right one when you hold it...and it's a wonderful moment.

Cheers.

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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 12:17 am
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271Ds wrote:
I'm especially fond of the natural ash FSR American Special HSS (I LOVE the vintage fat head stock). So the question I have is, what features should I care most about if my main concern is playability (for lack of a better term)? I don't see myself doing Van Halen-esque whammy dive-bombs, nor do I anticipate needing the instrument to have an especially unique tone beyond what you'd expect of a Strat. Anything on the electronics? Pickups? Wood? Any major difference (beyond personal preference) between a rosewood and a maple fretboard? Jumbo frets? What am I not thinking of?

Anyone owning a similar Strat that has ANY thoughts/advice they'd be willing to share, I'd GREATLY appreciate it.


I own the FSR natural ash but in the HSH configuration. It's been a great guitar but I just replaced my pickups with some Lace Hot Golds. The main reason being that my other guitar I play a lot on stage is a Les Paul and the pickups are so much hotter than the strat that I have to make adjustments when I change guitars. What amazes me is I didn't realize how much clarity I was missing with my standard Fender pickups. These pickups are so clean I'm going to have to be a lot more careful with my technique because they aren't very forgiving. But they certainly make a HUGE difference in the ability of the strat to cut through when the band is playing. They aren't to everyone's taste, but for me they're ideal.

One thing I did find out about that model when I replaced the pickups that you may or may not know. I had always assumed the humbucker was always a humbucker if it was selected either by itself or in conjuction with the single coil. Turns out it's not. The way it's wired if you have both the bridge and the middle selected (or the middle and the neck as in my case) it's splits the coil so you end up playing with two single coild pickups rather than a single and a humbucker. That actually kind of makes sense if you think about it, but I just wasn't aware of it.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on that model. Enjoy it. I know I do.

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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 12:40 am
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Just as an FYI, if comfort is a primary attribute pay attention to the different neck shapes available as well as the fretboard radius and fret size. Depending on your hands, how you hold the neck, and how you fret will dictate what neck type is best suited for you and how comfortable it will feel when playing. Then you could move on to what type of pick ups interest you, what type of bridge you prefer, etc.

Hope this helps.

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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 7:25 am
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When you're trying the guitars out, try not to think about how much they cost or where they are made. You might find that something cheaper feels better. Assuming you also need an amp, a lead, a case etc?

Don't skimp on the amp. A crap and will make even a great guitar sound rubbish. A quality amp can make a low end guitar sound much more than its worth.


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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 7:43 pm
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Great feedback. Really appreciate it. Couple data points based on what I've read so far.

I have pretty long and slender fingers (not alien hands like Vai, but similar). I think a thicker neck (i.e. smaller radius) wouldn't be a problem given my style, and I have prior experience with a Fender neck/nut, having played a fender acoustic for my entire playing life. I'll just have to see about rosewood vs maple.

As for the pickups, I appreciate the feedback regarding Strat pickups vs a Les Paul's, and it confirmed something I'd always noticed about the difference between those two guitars, which is that the Les Paul (to me) always sounded shriller or brighter (even borderline nasal) compared to the Strat. I don't have any plans to play one on stage anytime soon, so I should be set with the stock pickups that come with the American Special (or whatever I end up buying) given the Strat tone is one of the primary reasons I'm in love with this instrument.

Lastly, I was fortunate to inherit an early model Fender Super 60 amp, which I'm hoping will pair well with the Strat. I've tried to determine its vintage, but apparently Fender didn't keep diligent records back in the day, and even the serial no. (LO-47477) doesn't seem to give any clues either. If anyone knows any other way to go about it, let me know.

Thanks again for the feedback everyone. I'm really excited about finally trying out some guitars soon!


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Post subject: Re: Advice for a long time fan & first time buyer
Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 8:08 pm
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Here's some information about your Fender Super 60 amp......

http://ampwares.com/amplifiers/fender-super-60/

The "LO" serial number prefix reveals that it was built in the old Sunn amp plant in Lake Oswego, Oregon. These amps were pretty solidly built and were designed with a lot of useful features. It should serve you in good stead.

Arjay

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