NGD - First in a LONG time

[misterwhizzy]

So I started a thread last week about a desert island Fender guitar in hopes someone would give me some insight into what I should be looking for when I went shopping over the weekend. As I was walking into Guitar Center over the weekend, it seems someone had found the keyboard he wanted as he was sprinting through the parking lot with it under his arm to a truck waiting to peel away. And eventually, I did find a guitar I think will work for me for a long time.

Player Series HSS Stratocaster in Blue Burst finish.


This one shows the flame a little bit better...


So far, I think it sounds nearly as good as it looks. The bridge pickup is surprisingly hot, but the neck and middle are exactly what I'd hope for from a Strat. So I might consider swapping the bridge pickup, but I'm going to enjoy playing it before I start messing around with it.

After being almost strictly a Les Paul guy for a decade or more, I find the volume knob a little too close to the bridge for my liking, and I do miss a neck volume knob for going from clean to hot just by switching pickups, but I think that's a weakness in my ability to use the guitar than any inherent weakness. Loving it so far.

[beaubrummels]

Very nice!

[ArtieToo]

I love how the bridge pup is zebra on a black pickguard. It makes it look almost conventional, 'til you look close. Nice score.

[Top-L]

So I started a thread last week about a desert island Fender guitar in hopes someone would give me some insight into what I should be looking for when I went shopping over the weekend. As I was walking into Guitar Center over the weekend, it seems someone had found the keyboard he wanted as he was sprinting through the parking lot with it under his arm to a truck waiting to peel away. And eventually, I did find a guitar I think will work for me for a long time.

Player Series HSS Stratocaster in Blue Burst finish.


This one shows the flame a little bit better...


So far, I think it sounds nearly as good as it looks. The bridge pickup is surprisingly hot, but the neck and middle are exactly what I'd hope for from a Strat. So I might consider swapping the bridge pickup, but I'm going to enjoy playing it before I start messing around with it.

After being almost strictly a Les Paul guy for a decade or more, I find the volume knob a little too close to the bridge for my liking, and I do miss a neck volume knob for going from clean to hot just by switching pickups, but I think that's a weakness in my ability to use the guitar than any inherent weakness. Loving it so far.

If that is the bridge humbucker I think it is, it might sound a bit like a Full Shred. I bought an import, with a humbucker that I tracked down, which was the same one being used by Fender.

It was a completely credible, bright sounding HB that was hot enough for a good coil split sound. It was sold in a guitar that I moved, but not because I didn't like it. You might try a coil split on it to see if it is stratty in the bridge.

I know this is the SD forum, but I suspect those import humbuckers used by the major builders are copies of proven designs. If its not squealing or noisy, might as well keep it in there.

[PFDarkside]

Fantastic! Enjoy!

[Securb]

I love it and people in the back of the room won't see the humbucker and will be wondering how you are getting such a fat sound out of a Strat.

[Liam1963]

I bought one a few months ago, swapped the bridge pickup for a SD Pearly Gates (nickel cover), and now it's my main guitar. The GC close to me had them in blueburst, greenburst, and orangey/red burst, they ALL looked fantastic!

[eclecticsynergy]

Nice. Elegant, yet understated look. Conventional optics with HSS muscle - I like that.
Glad you're happy with it, and the first new guitar in a long time is a great feeling.
Enjoy it.

[CaptainWhizz]

One of the great things about Strats is that you can change the scratch plate and move the knobs around I’m sure you can change the controls to get it how you want it.

[Mincer]

That is one classy guitar! A 59/Custom Hybrid works well in an HSS setup.

[thunderkyss]

After being almost strictly a Les Paul guy for a decade or more, I find the volume knob a little too close to the bridge for my liking, and I do miss a neck volume knob for going from clean to hot just by switching pickups, but I think that's a weakness in my ability to use the guitar than any inherent weakness. Loving it so far.

I agree with you on the two volume thing. I think I’m going to wire up one of my strats with a volume & tone on the neck pickup, & just a volume on the middle bridge pickup.

[Securb]

My sunburst Strat has Two Volumes and a Master Tone, I love it.

[jeremy]

i also love the fact that the white zebra almost makes it look like theres a single in the bridge. great looking guitar, if it sounds half as good as it looks, youre in good shape.

[Aceman]

Like it! Very Lonestar.

[jeremy]

theres only one man who would dare give me the raspberry