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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:32 am
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stratmangler wrote:
Retroverbial wrote:
This is a pretty ethereal question -- much like being forced to take your obnoxious five year-old nephew to a Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor then having to explain to the brat all of the thirty-one available flavors when he asks what each of them tastes like.

:mrgreen:

Arjay


Nephew - "Uncle Arjay, what does pistachio taste like?"
Arjay - "Pistachio!"
Nephew - "What does that taste like?"
Arjay - "If you ate what your mother puts on your plate instead of pulling faces and picking at it you'd know! Now do you want some or not?"

:lol:


I don't think I'd be that cruelly terse......

More like "It tastes great, you ungrateful urchin. Now shut up and order!"

:wink:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:32 pm
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This is just my own $.02 worth...please use it as such...

In this case, I'm usually the odd man out in that I do NOT recommend an American Strat right off the bat. I'll always be the first to admit that while they're decent guitars, personally I just don't think they're worth the extra dinero. For -my- money, the difference between an MIA and an MIM just DOES NOT JUSTIFY the extra $800. Unfortunately there's a great deal of bias on these forums about the MIA Strats and as we've already seen, when you ask "which Strat is the best...", you usually get a ton of people going "buy American" without much thought. The problem with this is that it assumes everyone has $1300+ to drop on a whim and what's worse, it assumes everyone has the same tastes and needs. Despite claims to the contrary, you CAN go wrong with an MIA - they're just not the end all, be all instruments that some people like to believe they are...at least not for everyone.

Likewise, I'm also one of those people who finds Tele's very difficult to work with. As others have already said, there are in fact many great Tele players out there in all genres, however personally I've just never found them that terribly diverse. I've owned a couple over the years (still have one) and I can either get that country "twang" or a 50's like tone and that's really about it.

As many have already alluded to, a great deal of the "best choice" really depends on the type of music you play. A metal player for example may be more drawn to a Fat Strat or Fat Strat w/Floyd Rose or even a double humbucker instrument like a Les Paul. A blues player on the other hand may prefer a Strat of a more vintage nature. Then there's the jazz players who tend to lean towards those big semi-hollows. Some folks are happy with something all stock, while others still may be looking for something completely unique. In my own case, of the 25 guitars I currently own, 9 are Strats and of those, except for 1 (which is setup and intended as a backup for my favorite), each has it's own individual character, tone and uses, depending on what I'm doing at any given time musically. I play a rather wide range of material - blues, classic rock, Southern Rock, oldies, some country, etc., so I have specific Strats I prefer which are setup for specific uses.

Now personally I prefer the Mexican Strats myself (specifically I prefer the mid 90's MIMs). Of those 9 Strats I currently own, 6 are MIM...I also have an MIJ, a CIC Squier and a home built "partscaster". The Standard Strats have the advantage that they're great instruments and are pretty easy to mod to your own tastes and needs...without draining your bank account. For what you'll spend on an MIA, you can get an MIM -AND- pickups suited to your own tastes -AND- hardware upgrades -AND- still have some bread left over for pedals or a small amp or just taking the Mrs. out for a VERY nice diner! You can do these things with an MIA as well, but you'll be out A LOT more money and when you done, you won't have an instrument that's really "better" in any significant way.


So with that said, depending on what type of music you play and your own playing style, my usual advice is simply this; play every guitar you can get your hands on and simply decide what sounds the best and feels the best to YOUR hands, ears and heart. Everyone is different and only YOU can decide what's right for you.


Good Luck!


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 11:32 am
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If you're looking for a Strat that's a bit more versatile, you might have a look at the Fender/Roland G-5 VG, or the MIA equivalent. As a modelling guitar they're certainly versatile, but also look like, and function as, a conventional Strat. They've been on sale heavily marked down since being discontinued, but are probably getting hard to track down now. Then again, they may be quite reasonably priced second-hand, as they're a little different to a 'standard' Strat, so probably less sought after.

Other than that, I'd agree with lomitus & also recommend looking at a MIM with an open mind (and ear), they do offer amazing value for money for a working musician.


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 4:44 pm
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I just got a MIM with little expectations and I have to say I am very happy with the tone and playability of this guitar. I had to lube and set it up so it would hold tune but now it is a very nice guitar and for $500.00 it will play and last for years. I think this was a great purchase!


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 7:21 pm
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Really depends on the type of music, your choice of sound, like for example do you want the pure single coil sound or do you want to switch to humbucking once in a while?
This is really a trial and error kind of thing, i personally prefer the Clapton Strat, because i play alot of blues rock and it's the sound i want.
You might need an entirely different sound out of your strat, it's best to just go to your local music store and try out a variety of models and configurations until you find one thats best suited to whats needed and for what music you play.


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 4:39 am
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In my mind the perfect Stratocaster would have three Texas Special pickups, two tone color sunburst, and maple neck with large 70's style headstock.

Fortunately I found all my preferences in the Fender American Special Stratocaster.


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 10:05 am
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As has been mentioned, this is a nearly unanswerable question. You will find all guitar players have very specific tastes and opinions about which instrument(s) they prefer. I'm sure you've noticed some of that already.

One thing to be aware of: tho' there are some exceptions, the most famous Fender models (Stratocasters, Telecasters, Jazzmasters, hell, even Precision Basses) all utilize single coil pickups. These are very different from the other most popular style of pickup design, the humbucker. If you are not familiar with the differences, do some research first, and determine which type is more suitable for the type of application in which you will be using it.

Which leads directly into my next suggestion: go out and test drive a lot of guitars. A whole lot of them, of various styles and configurations. If you do not feel knowledgeable enough to shop/test on your own, bring along an experienced guitar playing friend to help you ask the right questions, and point out the differences, features, advantages and disadvantages of various models. As a working musician, I'm sure you know at least a couple.

Keep in mind, that an electric guitar also requires an amplifier. And that there are a myriad of different types-from all tube to solid state, from bare bones one volume and one tone knob, to models with all the on board effects you could ever imagine already built in, even amps built to simulate the tone of several other different amps. And that different amplifiers are designed for different applications. And that some amplifiers just seem to favor certain guitars, and vice versa. And as with guitars, there are very few "one size fits all" amps out there. And, finally, you will find that all guitar players have preferences and opinions about amplifiers nearly as strong as their choices in guitars. Just look around the various amp pages on this forum-you will find a wealth of information, a lot of misinformation, and a king's hoard of opinion. In any event, determine what you're going to be using the amp for, and that it is an amp that sounds right with your choice of guitar, and remember to budget for it while shopping. Once again, bring along an experienced friend if you're not comfortable on your own.

So, in answer to your original question, "Which Stratocaster is the best choice?", I would say this: play a whole lot of them, choose the one which feels most comfortable in your hands, and seems to produce the kind of sounds that you want it to. Have your experienced friend verify that the instrument is in acceptable shape, both physically and electrically. If the price seems a little higher than you had planned for, remember: it is better to spend a little more upfront to purchase quality, and get what you really want, than it is to spend less now and regret it when you're spending good money on repairs and upgrades later.

Finally, a few caveats: nowhere in the musical instrument business will you find as many pirates as in the guitar market: do pricing research before shopping and be prepared to haggle-shop owners expect this, and private sellers often need quick cash, and are willing to settle for a little less. Never forget the used market, for all Fender lines, whether MIA, MIM or (more rarely) MIJ. Frequently, late-model used MIA Fenders can be found for around the same (or sometimes lower) price as a new MIM; used MIM's are often available for new cheapie "Squier"-line prices. Used instruments, especially the MIM Strats and Teles, often have had some upgrades made by the previous owners, to boot. If you are serious about owning a professional level instrument that will give you years of service, I would avoid the Chinese, Korean and Indonesian Fenders. Lastly, don't rush into a purchase: there are a gazillion Strats out there. I've been playing Stratocasters for well over 30 years, and I searched for over a year, playing dozens of Strats in the big box music retailers, Mom 'n' Pop music shops, from friends of other musicians, etc., before acquiring my latest (and new favorite!) Strat-a '97 AmStd in Inca Silver with CS Texas Specials-in a private trade with a guy from the local Craigslist.

Whew! Hope that wasn't too long winded, but like I said guitar players are just as full of opinions as we are of ourselves. I hope this gives you some food for thought. Good luck on your search...O.


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 12:05 pm
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9 days ago the OP asked this question...and has not been back for any follow up questions. Be a "little" easier to make suggestions if a person knew what type of music one was most likely to play in the 'auditioning' band.

Over all and generically, I find myself agreeing with lomitus. I HAVE an American Strat, and prefer both of my MIM's over it. I have also owned 2 Tele's in the past, and couldn't find any "love" for them.


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 4:08 pm
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I'm honestly wondering why the OP hasn't replied since the first post, but I'll weigh in, although the advice above is great. I've played the same '71 Strat since 1974 when I bought it used, but recently saw a David Lozeau "Rose Tattoo" Strat in a store and bought it almost on the spot. Yes, it's MIM, but it's still a decent guitar. Of course, GAS wasn't finished with me, and within a couple of days I ordered an AV '56 in Shell Pink, plus a tweed hardshell case for my '71. So... I don't plan to choose. I'll use one for open-G tuned songs, one for open-E tuning and one (the AV '56, I think) for standard tuning.

Colleen


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2015 4:30 pm
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Bigsby wrote:
If you're looking for a Strat that's a bit more versatile, you might have a look at the Fender/Roland G-5 VG, or the MIA equivalent. As a modelling guitar they're certainly versatile, but also look like, and function as, a conventional Strat. They've been on sale heavily marked down since being discontinued, but are probably getting hard to track down now. Then again, they may be quite reasonably priced second-hand . . .
The Roland Strats are unique and may be the answer, however, battery usage with various guitars may not be to your liking. For some that is not an issue as sound overrules for the end result. Modern Strat's are not necessarily a better or worse choice, IMHO, but, they are different in versatility. The American Deluxe Plus, for example, gives you an easy modular way to supplement your original purchase choice, all without the hassle of soldering the hardware solid connections, etc. Of course others have mentioned that one can customize a Strat to be specific with personal tweaks at a price point. You may, however, want to minimize the indecision by considering a Strat that gives you ready made options to fit your situation. YMMV.
http://www2.fender.com/experience/fende ... 1446427705
Take a look at the Strat's (and Teles) with the S1 switch. 5 additional pickup in phase/out of phase sounds will be available to whatever your corresponding choice of single coil or humbucker combo is chosen.
Here's a sample:


Strats like the American Deluxe single coils come with 3 similar but different pickups. N3 Alnico 2, Alnico 3, and Alnico 5 PUs.

These Strats are not to everyone's taste, but mods are mods whether aftermarket or stock from the factory.

Anyone who has knowledge of a variety of Strats throughout the decades will tell you that there is no one typical Strat sound, and it continues to evolve. Strings, amps, stomp boxes, and a whole host of things (many out of sight and sometimes unattainable backstage and/or studio gear) make up that holy grail sound.

Also take into consideration the playability of the body and neck. Somethings are easy and relatively inexpensive to change, while others are not. Sometimes, a full package is a better choice in the long run, but that is not always the case.

Of course, more guitars is always preferable. :wink:

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