Home › Forums › Discuss Your Gear › Talk to me about Stratocaster Guitars……
- This topic has 25 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 7 months ago by Billy.
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August 27, 2016 at 5:13 pm #49426
I suppose I am really needing to pick your collective brains here. I have a game plan, so let me outline it first and then I will get to my questions..
As things are right now I have 3 electric guitars and two of them are never out of their cases so it is only right that I move them on.
But what I would like to do is replace both the Epiphone’s with one guitar and that guitar I have in mind is a Fender Stratocaster, now I know which body and neck colour I like and want but the big draw back is that there are so many different models
Standard.
American.
Classic.
Artist.
Modern Player.
Deluxe.
Special Edition.
Road worn.
Fender Special run.
Fender select.
Custom shop.So here is where I am, I will start at the very very limit to what I can spend on one of these..
top of the pile is….
Classic 60’s Special run, but I have ruled this out completely just because it has a rose wood fretboard..
Classic series 70’s another top price and quite possibly the wrong side of too much..
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Two which are well in my budget and they both tick the aesthetic’s box..
Standard MIM(made in Mexico)
Deluxe Road House..which words of wisdom do all of you have to share, either on the two I have shortlisted or on the ones I have failed to shortlist.
Thank you.
Billy..Billy..
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August 27, 2016 at 5:21 pm #49430
Billy, I have two strats, a Vintage Hot Rod 60’s and and American Standard. The vintage has the rosewood fretboard and I greatly prefer it. I’m not sure what the longing for the maple fretboard is about. I kind of pushed for the rosewood on Bryce’s “Humanity”. It feels more substantial to me. I’m sure there is minimal difference in tone.
John -
August 27, 2016 at 5:28 pm #49433
Billy, whatever strat you get be sure it has a nice poppy quack to the sound and noticeable out of phase difference in sound in the 2 and 4 positions. Not all strats are the same but those qualities are what make a really nice strat.
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August 27, 2016 at 5:29 pm #49434
Just purely aesthetics John, I like the clean look of the maple fretboard. you say it feels more substantial, it what way?.
Billy
..Billy..
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August 27, 2016 at 5:32 pm #49437
@billy m
Hi Billy,
Are only considering new? I have 3 strats, only one new (Eric Clapton Signature) and I was able to afford the higher end that way. My 1996 American Std was $720, the other is a Deluxe. So first point is that if you are patient you can find some great deals on a standard, which is what I would shoot for. The quality and tone is more than I expected….it’s in mint condition.
Having said that, the MIM or the road house, you really need o decide on the tone you want. The roadhouse has texas special pickups, just like the American Special…nice and hot PUPS, I have them on my Telecaster…love them, but it’s not the traditional fender strat sound…..the MIM is. If you are looking for that strat tone, the MIM is the way to go, MIM are great guitars well made sound nice.
My 2 cents….enjoy the hunt..
Roberto
Roberto
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August 27, 2016 at 5:36 pm #49440
Thank you gents, you both have given me stuff to chew over.
Billy
..Billy..
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August 27, 2016 at 5:38 pm #49442
Chiming in on the maple versus rosewood debate…..I have 2 rosewoods and one maple, maple on my tele too….I love them all…the feel on the clapton maple is something I never felt before….smooth…I came from the les paul world…this was heaven. The rosewoods are just as satisfying, but neck sizes are different, clapton much bigger….I dont find a tone difference…..not sure what substantial meant John?
Roberto
Roberto
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August 27, 2016 at 5:52 pm #49446
I honestly didnt realize that there was a difference in the woods other than the aesthetic of the wood colours, do the neck thicknesses or widths vary between series of Stratocasters?.
Billy
..Billy..
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August 27, 2016 at 6:28 pm #49452
@billy M
Yes Billy, the neck shapes can be very different, it’s not aesthetics but player choice. I dont recall them all off the top of my head…but for example the Eric Clapton signature is a 1959? reissue in terms of wood and hardware but stocked with clapton’s electronics and his desired neck; a V neck, others are the C, etc…named for the shape…some are thicker or thinner. A maple fretboard is simply the maple neck with no additional material on top, while rosewood is glued onto a maple neck to make the fretboard…you can have small medium or large frets….then there is the radius of the fretboard…..7.25 I think is usual, but they can go to above 10…..so lots of mixing and matching going on….
Thats why the best thing is to go to a store, try the ones you have in contention, and always play a standard so you can compare….you dont need to know all the specs….choose what you like for feel, tone etc and then find the price.
Roberto
Roberto
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August 27, 2016 at 6:08 pm #49448
Billy,
I’m gonna chime in here as well.I just picked up a MIM used for $320 delivered. It’s the 3-tone sunburst, and a Lonestar Deluxe w/ RW FB. It has one little ding slightly larger than the size of a period on this page right on the bottom where you can’t really see it. Texas Specials too. And it sounds nothing like the other MIM standard Strat’ that I own. I like both equally.
On the roadhouse, I’ve read some people don’t like the noiseless p’ups, however I’ve never played one so can only echo others. I think most of your tone is going to come from the pickups and these TX Specials are nice, but so are the Fat 50’s. The ceramics from the MIM standard are good too. If you can identify the tone you like, find a guitar that has those pickups.
Some great deals can be had on used Git’s if you spend time looking.And like you, I prefer the maple fingerboard especially if it has a satin finish. It’s just smooth and fast feeling. But, over time they show wear more easily. But I’m talking like years and years of playing before that point.
It’s hard to be a Strat!
Jim
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August 27, 2016 at 6:25 pm #49449
Thanks for that Jim, I dont have a problem with buying used or shop soiled. Only 2 of the 7 guitars I have bought have been new. I did get my fingers burned a little when i bought my SG.. but that is all part of learning eh…looks like this thread may be leaning towards the MIM Standard, and tbh i am ok with that..
Billy
..Billy..
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August 27, 2016 at 6:57 pm #49461
I told Bryce that I would have sent him a G&L Legacy instead of a Strat LOL
When Leo decided to begin G&L Guitars, he purposed to “perfect” his original designs – the Strat & the Tele. Only Leo Fender could get by with saying something like that.
Out of his purpose, the G&L Legacy & the G&L ASAT was developed. The Legacy came about with the 57 Strat as a starting point. Leo & George Fullerton collaborated to perfect what many believe to be the holy grail of single coil guitars but with Leo’s new design of the tremolo, which many to believe to be the best stock trem available, and a set of newly designed Alnico pickups, among other improvements, the Legacy was born.
One feature of the G&L Legacy, S500 & Comanche is the Passive Treble Bass tone control system, referred to by G&L as the PTB tone system. Instead of a tone control for the neck & middle pickups, Leo developed a bass & treble tone controls that are applied to the overall output of the guitar. You might not think that this would make much of a difference its very impressive. To the point that I’ve bought the components and plan to rewire my non-G&L guitars with this tone system.
Fender builds good guitars but I like to take the word of someone that may be the greatest engineer that developed guitars. If Leo Fender said that his G&L Legacy was the perfected Strat design, its well worth considering before I buy a Fender
My personal favorite is the G&L S500, which has Leo designed Magnetic Field Design pickups. Based on ceramic magnets, they can be sweet for the blues & jazz or they sound great in any classic & progressive rock settinghttp://www.sweetwater.com/publications/sweetnotes/sn-winter98/page-13.html
http://glguitars.com/instruments/USA/guitars/legacy/index.asp
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August 27, 2016 at 7:10 pm #49464
I think earlier somebody posted a link to a video on the difference between American and Mexican Strats, and after seeing it, I decided to avoid the Mexican ones. As for the neck, my son has a Strat with a rosewood neck, and mine is the maple neck. To me, playing them is like night and day different. The rosewood feels kind of rough, so when I bend a note, I can feel the friction fighting my bend. The maple has an ultra-smooth varnished surface, and when I bend notes with it, it’s like pushing onto glass. It may be that I push down harder on the fret than some people, but for me, I will always go for the maple. Eventually the varnish will wear out, and I’ll just buy another neck and put it on.
Sunjamr Steve
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August 27, 2016 at 7:58 pm #49466
you lost me through most of the post
wouldnt it be easier to say I want to spend x amount of dollars and no more for the guitar of my dreams?
I own a fender american deluxe HHS with a maple fret board and an american standard with a rosewood fret board
I love the rosewood
I might have a different outlook on things,I never had shit when i was younger and now I can afford nicer stuff, my american deluxe was the 1st very nice guitar ive ever owned
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August 27, 2016 at 9:07 pm #49471
@Billy M, just checked the stats on my hot rod strat. Turns out it has what is called a compound radius fretboard, more rounded at the lower frets at 7.25″ radius and flatter at the 12th fret at 12″ radius. It also has a “60’s C shaped neck”. The newer American Standards have a consistent radius on the face of the fretboard of 9.5″ and what is called a modern C neck. The American Deluxe model has a compound radius of 9.5 – 14.5″. That may be why I feel my rosewood strat feels more substantial. So just to let you know, necks and fretboards differ. Also my strat has 6105 frets which are taller and narrower than the medium jumbo frets on a standard strat. Some custom shop strats have “vintage frets” which are also narrower and not as tall as the 6105’s. As if that’s not enough the pick ups vary on the different strats. The standards all have custom shop fat 50’s and are a little “hotter” than the older strats but not as hot as the “Texas specials” on the American Special.Try a bunch and see what feels good to you. Happy hunting. I am interested in trying those G&L’s also. Sounds like the quality may be significant for the money. Resale might be difficult though.
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August 27, 2016 at 11:47 pm #49473
Keep in mind that the Strat is now more a type of guitar than a particular brand, and Fender is just one of the manufacturers. There are lots of Strat makers now, and the quality is all over the map.
When I was growing up, the word was that Fender had gone to shit when Leo sold the company to CBS, and the only Strats worth having were the pre-CBS models. I got my Strat in 1974, and the cool guys would always look down their noses at it. (Of course, if I still owned it, it would be worth $5K plus now).
It was a perfectly good guitar, but I had some issues with it. The tremolo sucked, and I threw the damn bar away. Never did have the sense to lock down the bridge though, so I was susceptible to tuning problems. Also was never really happy with the sustain on it. But overall, it was a fine guitar and I wish I still had it.
Right now my issue with Fender is the quality control. I would never get a Fender now without playing it for a while first. When I go to the stores, the guitars are just all over the place in terms of basic quality issues.
I have played some G&Ls and they are really nice. They also have lots of little variations, like neck carve, electronic differences. If I had the money, and was looking for a Strat, I would get a Suhr. I would also get it wired so that in addition to the traditional 5-way, you could get the Bridge Neck combo, and all three at once. -
August 28, 2016 at 2:19 am #49474
I wasn’t expecting this many replies when I signed in to the forum this morning, lots of food for thought and quite possibly a little more clouding added to what I already had on this issue.
I will work back the way through the replies..
Yes @Duffy P I do get the fact that Stratocaster is a type of guitar shape instead of a model of a brandThis is my Encore Vintage guitar, Made somewhere around early 80’s by John Hornby Skewes and as you say It is very very strat shaped, Somewhere in the 2000’s Trev Wilkinson joined Vintage( which the brand has now become) and the guitars are winning awards and are very popular with todays players here in the U.K., so may be an option for me would be to upgrade the pick ups and tuners on my old guitar (yes I know she has a rosewood fretboard..lool)
@charjo Looks like I am going to have to go in to the shop and try some of the guitars out for fit and comfort, Both my SG and Les Paul have wideish necks compared to my little Encore Vintage( which btw was the guitar I used to play EP153 on)@ Deluxe Strat, Cost does play a big part in my choice but it doesn’t have to be the one and only factor which will decide which guitar I buy, I have limited myself to 750 gbp( 850 usd), I will gladly spend less but I am not going to be spending a penny more..
@sunjamr I do recall seeing that video somewhere Steve, thanks for reminding me about it. I will go track it down ..
@GnLguy I have not discounted a G&L guitar, thank you for all that information. It is my day off today, I have the kids this afternoon for a few hours but I can spend some of this morning in one or two of the local guitar shops.A big thanks once again to everyone else’s input, you have all give me food for thought …
Billy..Billy..
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August 28, 2016 at 10:53 am #49508
Billy,
I have one Strat and it is a Sunburst Strat Plus with a maple neck and with Lace Sensor pick ups! I have found to my cost that there are soooooooooooooo many variations of Strats and Les Pauls and just as many opinions on what are the best. In the end only you can decide.
If you have a budget don’t give yourself stress by comparing your purchase with a Custom shop guitar. Go and try them out and find one that fits your palm and your pocket and make the compromise and be happy. Don’t go home and wish you’d spent thousands more! If you buy a version that doesn’t have chilli hot pick ups in it, someone will tell you that you have missed out.
Some wag once said that the difference between Mexican Strats and American ones is 90 miles (between the factories) and that some of the technicans are the same on overtime. I don’t know what is true.
After reading many reviews, watching videos by retailers and Gibson reps I bought a 2015 Les Paul. The bottom fell out of the market as the Americans said they were rubbish. Gibson produced too many changes in the same year and paid for it. However, I have a gorgeous guitar which feels and plays great to me and so I am pleased that I bucked the trend. I’ve even grown to love the robot tuners.
I would:
a) decide what I could afford (ignore the rest – they might not be any better anyway)
b) decide what I think is the best colour (they are all the same shape – more or less)
c) decide on maple or rosewood neck (maybe alder or ash body if you can tell the difference)
d) play as many as possible to decide which sounds best to you and which fits your hand best
e) never rule out a used one as they can be cheaper and great value for moneyHope you find the girl (or boy) of your dreams!
Andrew
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August 28, 2016 at 11:03 am #49511
Thanks for that Andrew, I was in town for an hour or so today at some guitar shops. I have still not made my mind up..
Billy
..Billy..
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August 28, 2016 at 11:11 am #49514
Take your time. There will still be Strats in the shops at Christmas (and for ever).
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August 28, 2016 at 11:16 am #49515
Take your time. There will still be Strats in the shops at Christmas (and for ever).
I am in no rush.. My 2nd year anniversary isn’t until the 26th of October( thats a mile stone for giving up smoking)..
..Billy..
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August 28, 2016 at 12:00 pm #49519
Congratulations!
12 years for me!
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August 28, 2016 at 4:31 pm #49558
Another word about G&L – especially the Comanche
The Comanche is considered by some as Leo’s greatest accomplishment. Pickups look weird and are called Z-coils b/c of their shape. They are actually humbuckers and totally quiet
Leo developed the switching that enabled the bridge and neck pickup together which provided a Tele type sound. With the Z-coils and PTB tone controls, you can get a pretty convincing Tele tone, Strat tone and the Comanche’s own voice. The Z-coils doesn’t sound like the typical humbuckers, definitely have their own sound and are extremely versatile
And why G&L over Fender? Fender makes good guitars, don’t take me wrong but Fender & Gibson has become mass marketing conglomerates that has a focus on guitars. Not their sole focus of business but a focus.
Did you know that Fender is even marketing wine now??? Yep.
Leo knew his end of days was nearing and he conferred with BBE Sound to take over the management of G&L after his demise. By doing so, it relieved his wife of a huge responsibility and placed the management into the hands of a company that Leo felt assured would allow those at G&L to continue to focus on building great guitars.
And as a side note – look at BBE Sound effects pedals sometime. Built like a tank with some of the highest quality components available. G&L is in good hands for sure
Read the reviews – most speak very highly of G&L
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September 2, 2016 at 10:31 pm #50019
Ive played and owned several Strat style guitars over several years. Just recently found this G&L Legacy,for me it is the best sounding strat I have ever played or owned.
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September 2, 2016 at 11:54 pm #50021
Ive played and owned several Strat style guitars over several years. Just recently found this G&L Legacy,for me it is the best sounding strat I have ever played or owned.
Joe
Beautiful guitar for sure
As he & George Fullerton were beginning to get G&L guitars started, Leo is quoted as saying that he wouldn’t introduce any new guitars until he had perfected his original designs.
That is a pretty bold statement even for Leo to make, considering how popular the Strat & Tele are and how many great players use those 2 guitarsThe G&L Legacy and the G&L ASAT were the outcome of Leo’s improvements and as some have said, those 2 guitars are more of a true Fender guitars than anything that is produced with the Fender name on it today
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September 3, 2016 at 1:36 am #50022
Right now I have put this on the back burner for awhile. lots of good info and I thank you all for posting up..
Billy
..Billy..
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