contemplating strats... what should I go with?

[ErikH]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

I hear ya, Chris. There's an Olympic Pearl American Deluxe (a 2007 model, IIRC) with HSS config, rosewood fretboard and brown shell pickguard. It plays amazingly well. One of the best recent Deluxe models I've played. It's still there as of a few weeks ago and seems to call my name every time I walk in the place. Sadly, I don't have the means to get it. I'd so love to add it to the stable.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

I hear ya, Chris. There's an Olympic Pearl American Deluxe (a 2007 model, IIRC) with HSS config, rosewood fretboard and brown shell pickguard. It plays amazingly well. One of the best recent Deluxe models I've played. It's still there as of a few weeks ago and seems to call my name every time I walk in the place. Sadly, I don't have the means to get it. I'd so love to add it to the stable.

that American Standard was going to be mine at Xmas but i got talked into that Custom Shop strat since it was only $500 more... no regrets as that strat i did buy is so amazing!!!! but that Candy Cola one is sitting there tempting my every will... i have the bucks but if i bring another new guitar home anytime soon i'll be living in my car!

 

[Bludave]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

First......... Welcome to the Forum! Hang out, post, read, you will learn a lot. A lot of really cool guys hang here.

2nd.... I would not consider a Strat for Jazz. IMHO you would be better off to do Jazz with a Tele. Suprisingly, the neck pickup in a Tele with the tone rolled back will give you a great Jazz tone. I have never been able to get a warm Jazzy tone with a Strat.

If you are buying a Strat because it is an American classic, well consider the music it has been used to create. Blues, Rock & even Metal. A Chambered body Strat is about as far away from a traditional Strat as you can get. Not that this is bad, but just not very Sraty

 

[handelmanic]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

Well, I realize that for "jazz", that is totally traditional jazz, the standard ax is something like a Gibson or Gretsch jazzbox for that bassy, warm classically jazzy sound. As tempting as it is to go out and get an L4, practice my octaves for 6 hours a day, and start doing my best Wes Montgomery impression, that isn't my aim. As far as jazz playing and listening goes, I do enjoy all the trad stuff, but if I had to choose between seeing Miles in 1959 or 1969... I'm not gonna lie, I'd see him open for Santana (ideally with Wayne, Chick, Dave Holland and Jack Dejohnette). That is to say, I'm also really interested in jazz-funk and fusion, and I'd want a guitar that could go back and forth by switching some pedals and rolling the tone back and forth (and also play the blues) which indicates for me, and quite a few jazz players like Scott Henderson, a stratocaster.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

It's sort of a personal choice, but my approach is always to seek out American Std's or Deluxe's on the used market for about $550-$750. Then, you're paying the same as a NEW Made in Mexico....and Americans generally sound better and have more refined detail in the craftsmanship...particularly the necks and triple plated hardware as opposed to single plated.

People will always debate the fact that Mexican, Korean, or Japanese are just as good, but there's a reason why US models cost nearly twice as much. Better wood, better hardware, less fret buzz, and richer sounding.

I'd suggest playing a bunch at stores to pinpoint the exact model you want, then tirelessly search Craigslist daily till one pops up. You'll save a significant amount of money....and many of them are mint/unplayed.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

Dammit Erik :laugh2:

Still, G&L, with their Magnetic Field Design pickups and the G&L tone circuit will get you better jazzy tones.

I own an American Standard Stratocaster and I approve this message

 

[ErikH]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

Dammit Erik :laugh2:

Still, G&L, with their Magnetic Field Design pickups and the G&L tone circuit will get you better jazzy tones.

I own an American Standard Stratocaster and I approve this message

ROFL!!! I was quoting your message and then saw you deleted it after I posted.

The G&L Tributes are another great option. They are Korean made with the same American electronics in the USA line.

I own an American Standard as well and I approve this message.

 

[jalguitarman]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

For what its worth i think you can get excellent jazz tones from the neck pick up of a strat. Probably more so if you roll down the tone knob about 1/4 of the way. One thing to keep in mind about the MIMs, while there are some good ones they use 5 to 7 pieces of wood for a body while the american standards use 3 pieces which means you have a better chance of getting a good one with the MIA line. Not sure about the road worn though as far as how many pieces of wood the bodies are. Hope that helps.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

It's sort of a personal choice, but my approach is always to seek out American Std's or Deluxe's on the used market for about $550-$750. Then, you're paying the same as a NEW Made in Mexico....and Americans generally sound better and have more refined detail in the craftsmanship...particularly the necks and triple plated hardware as opposed to single plated.

People will always debate the fact that Mexican, Korean, or Japanese are just as good, but there's a reason why US models cost nearly twice as much. Better wood, better hardware, less fret buzz, and richer sounding.

I'd suggest playing a bunch at stores to pinpoint the exact model you want, then tirelessly search Craigslist daily till one pops up. You'll save a significant amount of money....and many of them are mint/unplayed.

Yeah, US Fenders are better than Mexican Fenders, but are they double-the-cost better? I don't think they are even close to being twice the guitar that a MIM is.

Based on the examples I've played, the 08/09 MIM Standards are at least as good as a US Fender from 1987 - 2006. Fender has really improved those guitars a lot in recent years. Now, the 08/09 American Standards, that's a different story. Those are the best guitars Fender has made in 40 years IMO, but they don't come up on the used market. So, to me, a used US Fender is not going to be as good as a new Mexican Fender.

In a few years when the 08/09 American Standards start showing up more often on the used market, it'll be a different story of course. I'm talking about right now.

 

[357mag]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

Be a little careful about the Mexican Strats. They use more pieces of wood to make the body so you will have more glue joints in the body. You will definitely want to put in a better block also cuz the stock zinc block sucks.

I bought a Mexican Strat body awhile back and I regret buying it. It sounded horrible.

There are many things you can upgrade on a Strat to improve it. That's one of the great things about Strats. But you cannot upgrade the wood in the body. So use caution.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

Be a little careful about the Mexican Strats. They use more pieces of wood to make the body so you will have more glue joints in the body. You will definitely want to put in a better block also cuz the stock zinc block sucks.

I bought a Mexican Strat body awhile back and I regret buying it. It sounded horrible.

There are many things you can upgrade on a Strat to improve it. That's one of the great things about Strats. But you cannot upgrade the wood in the body. So use caution.

like any guitar model there is lemons... i've owned many MIM strats and a few have been less then what i wanted for sure, but a few are just as good as my other strats costing 4 times the price.. some wood no matter how many glue lines there is likes to ring out with the strings... My American Standard has just as many pieces of wood in it as my MIM standard judging by the glue lines in the finnish

 

[tc]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

also there are plenty of strat-style guitars out there so you have a lot of options if you don't jive with a fender. and don't count out the hardtails! maybe not "true" strats, but they sound more stable and round IMO which is good for jazz.

Hardtails represent!

My suggestion depends on your budget. Since I don't know your budget I'd say go to as many stores, pawnshops, etc you can and just buy the nicest unplugged sounding one. It obviously has to have a solid and smooth feel to it as well. Regardless of country of production and year and high end/low end.

Get the new Dave Murray sig model.
I would.

So true! Smith's dinky isn't far from that either, but Dave's black Strat is every young shredhead's dream!

 

[Moonsorrow]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

Be a little careful about the Mexican Strats. They use more pieces of wood to make the body so you will have more glue joints in the body. You will definitely want to put in a better block also cuz the stock zinc block sucks.

I bought a Mexican Strat body awhile back and I regret buying it. It sounded horrible.

There are many things you can upgrade on a Strat to improve it. That's one of the great things about Strats. But you cannot upgrade the wood in the body. So use caution.

Not always true. My MIM 60`s Reissue has a 3 piece body,the same as the American Series/Standards have!

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

The G&L Legacy-bodied guitars (Legacy, Comanche, S-500 and Legacy Special) are so good that I own 15 of them--after owning a vintage 1960 Strat for 25 years, I sold it and started buying G&Ls.

Bill

 

[Inferno]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

I'd look for a real nice Fender Jimmie Vaughn Strat. I'd try out a bazillion of them and buy the very best one: the one that played the best, sustained the best, had the best resonance and that made me feel like playing. Someday, I'd maybe replace the neck and middle pickups with Duncan Antiquity Surfers and Antiquity Texas Hot Custom bridge pickup. That's what I'd do.

Lew, it's like we share the same brain. That's exactly what I just did to my JV! It sounds amazing.

 

[ganzosrevenge]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

I would go for an american standard (2008). Strange as it sounds... after playing one, i'm floored with just how well out of the box they work. Sure there will be things you want to change out, but for a starting point, an awesome guitar (arguably better than the deluxe versions). However, in the corner of the deluxe is the SCNs, which are slightly beefed-up, noiseless under high-gain and low-gain, pickups.

I'd still go Am Std.

 

[Got_tone?]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

Don't forget japanese fenders! If you're looking for a US like quality strat but at a cheaper price get a MIJ fender. MIM strats are good but I think american strats are the best, followed by japanese strats, and then MIM strats. MIM strats make great projects, thou. They're very cheap and easy to find!

You can always go on ebay and get them a whole lot cheaper if you wish.

I would go with warmoth for better strats necks and strat bodies made of other woods like mahogany or etc. If you're going with alder, ash, or even basswood you might as well get a fender.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

then tirelessly search Craigslist daily till one pops up. You'll save a significant amount of money....and many of them are mint/unplayed.

Guitar players are the biggest dumbasses in the world, in that they buy ridiculously nice stuff they can't even dream of affording, then sell it for a major loss when the rent is due.

Additionally, "tirelessly search Craigslist" is just good advice for life. It'll save you tons of money, introduce you to cool people on occasion, and seriously reduce your time spent with salesmen.

 

[jimijames]

Re: contemplating strats... what should I go with?

Really? Not one recommendation for a project? If it were me, I would get the warmoth hollow body, wait for a good neck to pop up on USACG's website, get a few cans of nitro and some good pickups - then you'll have something that will blow away American made strats. I mean, if you don't care about the resale value, and want to learn something about making a relatively simple parts guitar, I'd go for it. Plus the sentimental value is much greater. When I look at my project guitar, I think: I remember painting this, I remember sanding down the neck to get it to play like this. There is a part of me and my history in this guitar.

And, you can go wild with customization. Custom paint job? Go for it. You want a strat with a neck humbucker and a telecaster bridge? You betcha. It's really simple to make and totally worth it, IMO. But I personally don't care about resale because I have more expensive guitars with much better resale than my project jazzmaster that I would gladly sell in the place of my project guitar.