Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

[Larioso]

In my view Gibson make some weird choices how they vary models, like just for the sake of being different.
One year Grover tuners, another year Kluson - and big difference even there in tone IMO.
Stupid automatic tuners even that weigh a ton.
Introducing yet other versions of Les Pauls and whatnot - hard to keep track even.
Chambered bodies to loose weight and things like that - that many reject.

So don't have a history with Fender in the same way - what are they doing
- cosmetic stuff, like finish and color changes
- pickup changes
- tuners
- bridge, tremolo
- attention to details, like fretjobs, chosen hardware

Anything to look out for?

Wouldn't mind having suggestions for other than Fender too, if to get Strat properties.
Need not be tremolo on there.
- heard good things about John Mayer but just hate the headstock on PRS
- a little keen on MusicMan Silhouette HSH, which in mixed position gave Strat kind of feel to it - but agent here don't list them, only HSS. I just liked those Virtual PAF DiMarzios.
- or a Fender of course, probably american
- Tom Anderson, may be over budget new, and not available second hand

I think that Strat would give a nice contribution to guitar section.
And seems that Fender gives good moneys worth if there aren't any culprits where they are made or similar.
One can always upgrade certain parts if good quality build otherwise

Thanks.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

Fender is extremely consistent year today year. For example, an American Standard from 2012 and from 2016 should be very similar, minus paint color. They’ll all have the Fat 50s, etc. Mexican Standards remained consistent (except for price ) for years.

Try out an American Professional Strat, SSS. It’s a great version of the classic Strat that has fixed the vintage issues but keeps the overall vibe unlike the super modern ones. Give it a good go, then you can figure out if you want a different neck shape, radius, tremolo, pickups, etc. The Professional is a great, middle of the road guitar to set expectations by.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

the Mexican Strats almost never change
with the exception of some short run colors
the American Strats have changed to compound radius fretboards in the last 10 yrs

 

[VinceT]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

Can you try a Reverend guitar locally? If you can, I strongly recommend it!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[kramer.geetar]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

From my view Fender are fairly consistent like PFDarkside mentioned. Gibson is definitely all over the shop, just think reverse V.

I have a Silver Sky and love it, I’d go find a store and play it at least. Seeing it in real life and playing it might change your opinion. You can also look into Suhr, as they make some killer Strats as well and will come up from time to time on the used market. Friedman, yea the amp guy, has some great guitars as well apparently worth checking out.
In the end though I don’t think you can go wrong with a good Fender, though they are churning out guitars right now at the highest volume out of anyone.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

The Silhouette Special is HSS with 22 frets, while the Silhouette is HSH and has 24 frets. Very different guitars. I prefer the Special, btw.

 

[Larioso]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

The Silhouette Special is HSS with 22 frets, while the Silhouette is HSH and has 24 frets. Very different guitars. I prefer the Special, btw.

I never play above fret 15 anyway, so never bothered looking.
For anybody that feel frets are not enough, can do what what Jeff Beck do, take the slide and play all the way up to neck pup.
I have the at Ronnie Scotts concert on DVD, great stuff.

 

[kramer.geetar]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

I never play above fret 15 anyway, so never bothered looking.
For anybody that feel frets are not enough, can do what what Jeff Beck do, take the slide and play all the way up to neck pup.
I have the at Ronnie Scotts concert on DVD, great stuff.

22 and 24 fret guitars have a different feel to them and the neck pickup is in a different location, so different tone. Keep that in mind.

 

[Larioso]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

22 and 24 fret guitars have a different feel to them and the neck pickup is in a different location, so different tone. Keep that in mind.

Interesting to know, thanks. It would make a difference. I always wished my LP had neck pickup a bit back, almost half way to where a 3 pup LP would have - less boomy. So I turned it around to have adjustable poles further back at least.

If having the HSH you can always do poles on back if turning pup around.
I like the demo on HSH Silhouette as well, middle pup and combined with any other made it very Strat like character.

 

[kramer.geetar]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

Interesting to know, thanks. It would make a difference. I always wished my LP had neck pickup a bit back, almost half way to where a 3 pup LP would have - less boomy. So I turned it around to have adjustable poles further back at least.

If having the HSH you can always do poles on back if turning pup around.
I like the demo on HSH Silhouette as well, middle pup and combined with any other made it very Strat like character.

The boomy’ness could be due to many things, probably pickup height.
I don’t remember the exact reasoning but on a 21/22 fret neck it has something to do with a node (?) and the Fender neck pickup is directly under it that’s why it sounds better? Or something like that. Hell I dunno, I’m not good at this technical stuff, hopefully someone can correct me and set me straight.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

Interesting to know, thanks. It would make a difference. I always wished my LP had neck pickup a bit back, almost half way to where a 3 pup LP would have - less boomy. So I turned it around to have adjustable poles further back at least.

If having the HSH you can always do poles on back if turning pup around.
I like the demo on HSH Silhouette as well, middle pup and combined with any other made it very Strat like character.

If you do a lot of stuff with the neck pickup, moving it just slightly really really changes the sound and 'feel'. I can't get used to the way 24 fret guitars sound on the neck pickup. If you don't ever use the neck pickup, it won't matter.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

Yeah, there is a 'flutey' quality that the pickup sitting under the 24th fret has that moving it back toward the bridge just seems to miss.

Its interesting that most neck pickups ended up there back in the day......even if there was room to move it further away.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

Yeah, there is a 'flutey' quality that the pickup sitting under the 24th fret has that moving it back toward the bridge just seems to miss.

Its interesting that most neck pickups ended up there back in the day......even if there was room to move it further away.

I notice this, too. It is funny...talking to some luthiers, they don't hear it (or don't care). Some are very 'in-tune' with the different sounds.

 

[Larioso]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

The boomy’ness could be due to many things, probably pickup height.
I don’t remember the exact reasoning but on a 21/22 fret neck it has something to do with a node (?) and the Fender neck pickup is directly under it that’s why it sounds better? Or something like that. Hell I dunno, I’m not good at this technical stuff, hopefully someone can correct me and set me straight.

The pickup frame is all the way towards neck on LP. If I were to order totally custom - I would ask to have neck pickup bay 10mm further down.

Many solve by cutting base on amp, or get a Marshall that does not go there anyway.

On SG it's not that bad, less wood and less boomy.

On my Shawbucker Tele problem does not even exist. Body of Tele seems to cut out just the right frequencies, at least with those pickups also having pole screws to half of strings get emphasis in other end of pickup.

My Squier Tele with Fender widerange hb in neck, goes deeper though, But not boomy still, just softer in a nice way. My theory is that short body of Tele make it cut through whatever you do.

I wonder if it's all that mahogany in LP that make neck pup more boomy. And yet a theory, why LP was popular with P90 in neck, compensating for all that mahogany.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

Humbuckers were developed as a p90 soundalike. And they do......for the original PAF. But a few modern p90's can sound muddy too.
Mahogany LP style guitars also don't have issue for humbucker pickups made in the 60's and 70's either.
Even many modern pickups do not have muddy neck versions. Obviously a lot of PAF clones and the like are the best here as they mimic the clarity of the old pickups the best.
Poor pickups sound boomy - many of the wax potted generic low output pickups are a bit dull generally. Its much harder to get rid of mud when there is so little top end present.
Some guitars just don't like certain pickup models. This is a hard one to account for, as you cannot just apply generic solutions to make a fix.

Plus people mistakenly set up the amp for the bridge pickup, then simply find there is no way to get rid of the mud in the neck.

 

[Larioso]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

Humbuckers were developed as a p90 soundalike. And they do......for the original PAF. But a few modern p90's can sound muddy too.
Mahogany LP style guitars also don't have issue for humbucker pickups made in the 60's and 70's either.
Even many modern pickups do not have muddy neck versions. Obviously a lot of PAF clones and the like are the best here as they mimic the clarity of the old pickups the best.
Poor pickups sound boomy - many of the wax potted generic low output pickups are a bit dull generally. Its much harder to get rid of mud when there is so little top end present.
Some guitars just don't like certain pickup models. This is a hard one to account for, as you cannot just apply generic solutions to make a fix.

Plus people mistakenly set up the amp for the bridge pickup, then simply find there is no way to get rid of the mud in the neck.

Interesting read.
Not sure why you mentioned wax potted though - would that have any magnetic or electric properties?
As I understood it all about reducing physical vibrations of bobbins - that even could feed back on stage.

I feel very happy with LP right now
36th anniversary PAF in neck - bass=5.5, mid=6, treble=5.5 - raise mid a bit which favor less boomy
Superdistortion in bridge - bass=8, mid=7.5, treble=5.5 - balance out and give bridge a punch it did not have before

So with less difference neck and bridge - also setting amp works better for both positions.
As you said, I always felt setting amp so neck is cool, bridge squeal, kind of, versa boomy neck and puncht bridge.

Still am to experiment with pickup height - since neck is 2.4mm down, and bridge 3.5mm - makes them rather equal in output.
So will go by tone and see what happends.
I had them too close at first a got wobbly tendency also seen on tuner.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

American Original (4)
American Professional (4)
Artist (21)
Deluxe (2)
Limited Edition (2)
American Acoustasonic (1)
American Performer (2)
American Ultra (2)
Made in Japan Hybrid (1)
Made in Japan Traditional (2)
Parallel Universe Volume II (3)
Player (7)
Rarities (2)
Vintera® (4)

Which one corresponds to the American Standard?

I thought Fender was consistent as you say, but in the last 2 3 years, I am not so sure anymore. They usually had an American Standard (the good old 1K mark guitar with single coils), a Deluxe (with noiseless and all), and the vintage inclined models. There were no Elite's (that name sucks) no Performers bla bla... so I am getting confused.

I suppose American Original corresponds to the American Standard, but still... why fiddle with the names that much? Does confusion (on the consumer side) help the sales?

B

 

[Larioso]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

Maybe they rely on sales people just guiding people for size of their wallet.
- Make customer insecure, so he turns to sales people.
- what's the diffference between....

The stores are required to have a silly amount of guitars in store to even sell Fender, as I talked to sales person getting my Tele.

I looked at stores, even part of the same chain - choose 3 series as it looks.
One held Ultra, Performer and Vintera.
Others do american professional, Performer and Player series.
And other did yet another combination.

None did any American Original.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

American Original (4)
American Professional (4)
Artist (21)
Deluxe (2)
Limited Edition (2)
American Acoustasonic (1)
American Performer (2)
American Ultra (2)
Made in Japan Hybrid (1)
Made in Japan Traditional (2)
Parallel Universe Volume II (3)
Player (7)
Rarities (2)
Vintera® (4)

Which one corresponds to the American Standard?

I thought Fender was consistent as you say, but in the last 2 3 years, I am not so sure anymore. They usually had an American Standard (the good old 1K mark guitar with single coils), a Deluxe (with noiseless and all), and the vintage inclined models. There were no Elite's (that name sucks) no Performers bla bla... so I am getting confused.

I suppose American Original corresponds to the American Standard, but still... why fiddle with the names that much? Does confusion (on the consumer side) help the sales?

B

They completely revamped the lineup over the past 5 years.
For USA models, generally in $ order:
American Original = the old American Vintage Reissue (Vintage Reissue style)
American Elite/Ultra = the old American Deluxe (All the upgrades bells/whistles, modern style)
American Professional = the old American Standard (Middle of the Road, American Guitar)
American Performer = the old American Special (entry level American Guitar)

For the Mexico Series, the Player replaces the Standard and the Vintera replaced the Classic/Classic Player.

The rest there are older holdovers, special editions and signature models.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Fender Strat - how much do they change year by year on models?

None did any American Original.

Since the Original replaces the Vintage Reissue, I can understand not carrying it if your typical customer isn’t a Vintage style player.