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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 6:10 am
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Gotlivin wrote:
I just picked one of these up a couple weeks ago.....


Lucky devil. I have to keep sitting on my hands to stop me pressing the "Buy" button. They seem spectacular value for money, but I can't really justify buying another guitar within 12 months of the previous one.

If I wait long enough the temptation will no longer be there though :-(

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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 7:36 am
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stratele52 wrote:
shimmilou wrote:
The "Classic Series 70s" Strat is just that, it is NOT a RI, and Fender never called it that. :wink:


+1

People understand what they want ( wish ? ) same with Custom Series amps . These are not reissue .


Exactly!! the title of this particular guitar meant nothing to me. What attracted me was the hard tail,the jumbo frets, the 9.5 radius, modern C satin neck and I like the larger head stock personally. The 3 tone burst with the black pick-guard also played a role because to me it looks killer!!
Oh and you really can't beat the price for a solid built American guitar.


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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:50 am
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John Sims wrote:
Gotlivin wrote:
I just picked one of these up a couple weeks ago.....


Lucky devil. I have to keep sitting on my hands to stop me pressing the "Buy" button....


Oops my hand slipped out and the "Buy" button got pressed. It just seemed like too good value to turn down.

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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 6:09 am
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John Sims wrote:
John Sims wrote:
Gotlivin wrote:
I just picked one of these up a couple weeks ago.....


Lucky devil. I have to keep sitting on my hands to stop me pressing the "Buy" button....


Oops my hand slipped out and the "Buy" button got pressed. It just seemed like too good value to turn down.


:lol:


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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 6:18 am
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Image

New baby done arrived. I can't get over how light it is.

String change pretty much straight away but I'm still in that "Getting to know you" phase.

Initially I can't say that I'm totally in love yet.

The PUP's and wiring don't seem to have the same tone depth and variation of my other two Strats and the jumbo frets are also something of an acquired taste that I am yet to acquire.

The retro bridge/saddles will most likely end up being replaced with block saddles and bridge.

I have to say, despite being cheaper, my modified Mexican FSR (in the middle) is favoured over the new American hardtail. The only thing that now annoys me with the Mexican is the cheap, thin, Mexican scratch plate, which will get swapped next string change. My 20+ year old American is just sublime.

The trems on both my other Strats are set so they don't move when bending. The Mexican has 5 springs and both have the heavy steel trem blocks. I'm certainly not aware of any movement but the Hardtail feels a bit lifeless in comparison.

In short, had I gone to a shop to try I perhaps wouldn't have bought on first impressions. I am sure I will be happier after a time, and aren't considering returning it, but it isn't giving me the pleasure of my other two yet.

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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 10:19 pm
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Wish they had one with the four screw necks or at least, like the Strat Deluxe four screw with off angle type plate. Hard tails are nice. I like the tone on a 78-79 a friend had back then. This thing was sweet. Maple fret board as well added to a cool snappy tone.


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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 12:45 am
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JACSTRAT wrote:
Wish they had one with the four screw necks....


? The new ones are 4 screws. No micro tilt though.

Following on from my previous comments I am now starting to feel the vibe on my new one. The Jumbo frets give an impression that the action is much higher than it really is.

The 70s PUPS are quite low output, and sound completely different to my other Strats, but I am now getting to like them. They are very Straty in all five positions. Lacking the mellow feel on the neck PUP. Almost like the neck is the middle PUP of my other Strats and the bridge is like my others on 11.

Where as originally I felt the hardtail was lifeless I now consider it more precise and rather nice. The all black plastic is a bit austere and may get switched to aged white.

I love the weight and the body is fabulous. I am a little disappointed with the neck. Someone obviously slipped when cutting the recess under the 22 fret and the resulting gap is rather excessive and rough. It niggles more as when you look down your eye is drawn to it. And the fret edges feel like a friends MIM (my FSR MIM is really nice). Not what I would expect of an American Strat.

I am pleased I didn't get to try HT before I bought him as, on first impressions, I probably wouldn't have. Now, after some time getting to know one another, he has become one of the family.

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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 6:56 am
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John Sims wrote:
JACSTRAT wrote:
Wish they had one with the four screw necks....


? The new ones are 4 screws. No micro tilt though.



This is exactly the problem with the name of the guitar - it's really an American Special hardtail with 70s reissue pickups, but people see the name and think it's a reissue-spec guitar when it is really a modern-spec guitar except for the pickups.

Great review posts John Sims!!! Sounds like you're bonding with it now.


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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 10:11 am
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John C wrote:
John Sims wrote:
JACSTRAT wrote:
Wish they had one with the four screw necks....


? The new ones are 4 screws. No micro tilt though.



This is exactly the problem with the name of the guitar - it's really an American Special hardtail with 70s reissue pickups, but people see the name and think it's a reissue-spec guitar when it is really a modern-spec guitar except for the pickups.

Great review posts John Sims!!! Sounds like you're bonding with it now.


Thank you for your comments. I certainly no longer pick it up and wish I was playing one of my others.

You are quite right regarding the name. The PUP's and headstock are about all one could consider as 70's related, the rest (aside the hateful retro saddles) are as per any modern American Strat. It is very much a modern Ford GT version of the the GT 40. Perhaps just as well as I understand Fender managed to make some pretty horrible guitars in the 70's and I would certainly be very nervous of a three screw neck.

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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 12:36 pm
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Thank you for your comments. I certainly no longer pick it up and wish I was playing one of my others.


I did not bond with mine the first day either, I was going to send it back. But after I took some more time the next day to do a proper set up and tweak my amp a little, it has been true love ever since. I have had it about 5 weeks now and I have not played anything else.
I must have got lucky, my fit and finish was superb, except for it needing a set up everything is top notch. I still really do not like the bridge pickup and I will change it eventually, but I love everything else about it.
I'm glad to hear you have bonded also! :mrgreen:


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Post subject: Re: New 2015 70's Strat Hard Tails
Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 8:24 am
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Gotlivin wrote:
...I'm glad to hear you have bonded also! :mrgreen:


Very much so, and more as time has gone on.

Strangely one of the features I liked least initially, the jumbo frets, have become one of the things I would now look for in a new guitar.

Similarly, I now really like the PUP's.

Strangely the single most notable feature, the Hardtail, has almost become irrelevant (aside the weight difference).

I can't say that I am necessarily bowled over by colossal walls of additional sustain though. I guess there could be a little more there than my other Strats but it is perhaps less noticeable due to the lesser power PUP's.

Either way this may well be my new favourite.

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