A strat for me, say < 700 €

Iron Horse

New member
So, I have generated massive GAS for a Strat, thanks to SRV most lately. I haven't got too much money so sth like this http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_vintage_hot_rod_62_strat_rw_ow.htm is out of the question. I've got about 500 € now, and I'll propably buy the axe after christmas so I'll have about 800 € then. I'll buy it from Thomann (or possibly some other german cyberstore) or locally.
The ones I've looked at are the Jimmie Vaughan strat and the 60's Classic Player. They have different tremolos, which of them would be the best for vintage tone and tuning stability ? I'd appreciate good pickups so that I don't have to change them right away but they can be changed. The bigger (12" vs. 9.5") in the CP seems better, as well as the RW board and the neck shape. What do you think about these two ? Other alternatives are welcome, too. I'd like the axe to have a bigger than vintage radius and frets.
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

Oh, and the HW1's seem mighty interesting too with the thin nitro finish and a satin finished c-shape neck.
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

definitely check out highway ones!

i'd put forward the 1990's MIJ strats as well, they're quite common on ebay used- mine's a '57 reissue and it's got a lovely neck - im considering getting a nitro body for the real relic vibe :D
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

I'd like to see what I buy used or at least buy it from Finland so it's easy to contact the seller.
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

I'd look at some 60s or 70s classic fenders. The ones I've tried have been surprisingly good. And of course it's always the best option to buy used but I'd definitely recommend that you try the individual in question first unless it's a real bargain.

Kullaksella muuten oli muutama tosi hyvän tuntunen meksikofender kun joku kuukausi sitten kävin kokeileen. Tarvikkeessa vähän heikompi valikoima, siellä enempi niitä kalliimpia customeita ja signaturemalleja.
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

I'd look at some 60s or 70s classic fenders. The ones I've tried have been surprisingly good. And of course it's always the best option to buy used but I'd definitely recommend that you try the individual in question first unless it's a real bargain.

Kullaksella muuten oli muutama tosi hyvän tuntunen meksikofender kun joku kuukausi sitten kävin kokeileen. Tarvikkeessa vähän heikompi valikoima, siellä enempi niitä kalliimpia customeita ja signaturemalleja.

Yeah, the Classic series seems pretty good, but the CP should be like upgraded versions of them with all the upgrades very much my taste.

Oulustako oot? Joo, tarvikkeessa on vissiin kalliin puoleista tuo valikoima. Kullaksella mitä oon viimeksi käyny niin oli kyllä Tokaita, Highway 1:tä ja meksikoilaistakin, mutta siitä on aika kauan kun viimeksi kävin. Kullaksen nettisivu on kyllä surkea.
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

Depends, does it have to be a Fender or will any Strat-copy do?

No, the text on the headstock is not important at all. Japanese stuff like Tokai and Edwards would be fine too.
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

Hmm, I don't think I have Japanese but I do have Swish, British and Korean if that's ok with you:

http://www.bladeguitars.com/ (they have a Finish distributor to go and check them out)
http://www.fret-king.com/ (This is THE Trev Wilkinson's latest venture. I don't think you can get one from Thomann but directly from them. I'd get it just because I'd know I could get quality parts in a guitar for under a grand!)
http://www.swingguitars.com/ENGLISH/main.html (I LOVE those guys, Koreans through and through but quality to the max for the price or any price. They don't have a Finish distributor but the German one is Musik Treff im-Turm)

Hope that helped :)
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

That German Swing dealer doesn't seem to have a web page. They looked mighty fine though. Also, Blade is sold 600 km away from here. Fret-King also has a Finnish distributor, BTW. But that one is also in Helsinki, 600 km away. I wouldn't mind ordering something I can test beforehand, because it's still more or less similar with the others. Of course there are some differences, though.
Have you tried any/all of these makers' guitars?
Oh, and BTW, BFJ got it right.
"nothing is as cool as a cheap guitar that sounds awesome."
Cheers anyway.
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

I didn't have the chance to play a Fret King since we don't have a Greek dealer but I've seen and played some Blades and were pretty cool for the money while the Greek Swing dealer is where I hang out whenever I get the chance so I've practically played their entire line :9:

Even have one of their shredders myself:

(click on the thumbnails for full view)

This one was one of their cheapest models (and I do mean REALLY cheap) but I got her instead of the "nicer" ones because I just "clicked" with her.
I replaced EVERYTHING on her and now she absolutely rips!
Here she is right now BTW:


Their nicer models DO have quality parts though:
Grover or Gotoh tuners, Gotoh or Wilkinson bridges (and the OFR for Floyds), Graph Tech NuBone nuts, Duncan pickups and quality electronics.

The ones I were thinking for you are the Swing Standard (in Alder or Ash) or the Swing Vintage, depending what you want but if you were to get the Swing Deluxe or the Prism (std or SE) then you'd REALLY see what these guys are capable of!!!

BTW, I took a peak on their Korean site as well (that's where they first put their newest gear) and saw they added A LOT of cool stuff for 2008!!! (sorry, it's in Korean):
K-100
Flame FR
Flame TM
R2-Plus
SWING Standard Plus.

OMG, I SO want their Flame FR!!!
(BTW, the "HeartBreaker set is their own pickups but they are really good!)
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

Yeah, the Classic series seems pretty good, but the CP should be like upgraded versions of them with all the upgrades very much my taste.

Oulustako oot? Joo, tarvikkeessa on vissiin kalliin puoleista tuo valikoima. Kullaksella mitä oon viimeksi käyny niin oli kyllä Tokaita, Highway 1:tä ja meksikoilaistakin, mutta siitä on aika kauan kun viimeksi kävin. Kullaksen nettisivu on kyllä surkea.

Putaalta. Tarvikkeen hinta on muistaakseni ihan kohdillaan pienen neuvottelun jälkeen, ehkäpä paremminkin kuin Kullaksella, mutta valikoima siellä näistä inhimillisemmän hintaluokan kitaroista on pienehkö. Kullaksella taas on valikoima ja muistaakseni mukavasti soivia yksilöitä ihan useampikin. Sieltä lähtisin itse ensimmäisenä katsomaan.

Netistähän noita on kummastakaan liikkeestä hieman turha etsiä. Paras käydä paikan päällä ja kopeloida kitaroita enempi tuntuman kuin speksien kannalta muutenkin.
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

I've had one of these for a while. Nice Strat for the price. HSS loaded with Duncans. Don't know about avaliability in your corner of the globe though or if the bridge humbucker would be a deal breaker.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...estar-Stratocaster-Electric-Guitar?sku=515526

They're very much available. The bridge humbucker might be even better than a SC, I'd really like to have two Strats, one with HSS and the other with SSS pickup configuration. My main interest now though is the classic bluesy Strat tones á la Hendrix, SRV etc (though I wouldn't mind Knopfler's Sultans tones either, which is bridge & middle though) but most of that can be had with the neck & middle position single coils. Of course the bucker won't do Blackmore. But hey, it can do Van Halen instead !



Putaalta. Tarvikkeen hinta on muistaakseni ihan kohdillaan pienen neuvottelun jälkeen, ehkäpä paremminkin kuin Kullaksella, mutta valikoima siellä näistä inhimillisemmän hintaluokan kitaroista on pienehkö. Kullaksella taas on valikoima ja muistaakseni mukavasti soivia yksilöitä ihan useampikin. Sieltä lähtisin itse ensimmäisenä katsomaan.

Netistähän noita on kummastakaan liikkeestä hieman turha etsiä. Paras käydä paikan päällä ja kopeloida kitaroita enempi tuntuman kuin speksien kannalta muutenkin.

Niinhän se on. Tossa Kullaksen hintapolitiikassa auttaa se, että isä tuntee Suomelan Amin jostain 70-luvulta. Toisaalta tarvikkeesta sais -15 % opiskelija-alennuksen. Harmi vaan, etten vielä ainakaan oo hommannu opiskelijakorttia.
 
Re: A strat for me, say < 700 €

So the list looks like this:

Classic Player 60's 589 €
Highway 1 (3TSB: 666 €)
Lone Star Special Strat 589 €
Tokai AST-50 699 €

All of them would prolly need a pup upgrade (well IDK about the LSS with the PG).
The Tokai has a Gotoh bridge and is MIJ.
 
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