Good strat to buy????

[papersoul]

Guys,

I have an LP and a McCarty so I pretty much have most of my favorite humbucking tones covered not to mention the McCarty coils are splittable. I would like an SG some day but am thinking I need something totally different. How about a good 'ol strat? Maybe a three single coil model with a trem? I wouldn't use the trem but I could get a hip shot trem setter to keepo it in place or even block it, correct? The trem adds to the topne of the strat so I wouldn't want a hard tail version. Not sure when I would do this but I am not sure what to look at as far as year and model.

Any advice guys?

Thanks!

 

[nuntius]

Re: Good strat to buy????

Well on my "strat" (squier...) i put five springs on the back of it so it doesnt move, its sort of a hard tail now i suppose.

 

[bvc310]

Re: Good strat to buy????

If your looking for amazing strats, check out G&L Legacys. They are some of the best strats out there for a great price.

 

[RiffRaff]

Re: Good strat to buy????

I picked up a used Clapton Strat a few months back for $500 and have been very happy with it, it's an older model (99') the noiseless pickups sound great, plus it has a built in gain circuit can thicken your tone up when the amp is cranked. The fit and finish are top notch - can't beat if for the price. Comes with the trem blocked.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Good strat to buy????

The G&L Legacy and the Clapton strat have me interested! The Clapton strat looks nice; nice pickups, blocked trem, active mid boost.

This is what a reviewer said about the Clapton with the noiseless vintage pickups - "Classic strat tone. When you turn up the boost the guitar sounds like a Les Paul."
Does anyone know the fretboard radius and if they only come with a maple fretboard?

A friend of mine with a strat highly recommends the hip shot trem.
What about Suhr strats?

Any more guys?

 

[Gamera]

Re: Good strat to buy????

Consider the new American Deluxe series Strats. The new Samarium Cobalt Noiseless pickups are better than the Vintage Noiseless IMO. They don't have the active mid boost of the Clapton, but if you want something different from what you currently have you don't really need it. And the new S-1 switching in the American Strats offers a ton of different tonal options in addition to the traditional Strat tones.

Although for a real traditional Strat tone, you may want to consider a MIM or American standard. They have regular single coil pickups, not noiseless. So you get some hum but for many "purists" that hum is part of a true Strat sound. If you're a purist. Personally I prefer my Strats noiseless.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Good strat to buy????

I own 2 Clapton Strats. They are both older models with the Lace sensor PUPS. I actually prefer these over the noiseless pups. I found the noisless PUPS to be a little thin by comparison. The radius on my EC Strats are 9.5". I don't know if Fender Changed this in recent years, but I believe they are still 9.5". Both of my EC Strats go back to 88 or 89. This is my Primary guitar. The Lace sensors as well as the noiseless PUPS will not give you certain nuances that a true single coil will. Yet you will not have any 60 cycle hum either, so I would say look around for a used one with Lace sensors, and compare it to a new one with noiseless. Thats what I did and IMO the Lace sensors sound better!! Great guitar either way. The preamp, which is a 25DB midrange boost "fattens" the tone when playing with OD or gain. In a clean sound if it is turned on full it tends to get to midrangy. Through a MArshall cranked it is truly remarkable. Very thick and creamy, not what you would expect from a Strat. This PreAmp will work with "other" PUPS as well. I have heard of people using this preamp with Texas Specials, as well as Antiquities. I have no idea what that would sound like, but I know people have done it. What I espically like anbout this guitar is the "V" neck. It plays like it was made for my hand. This model Strat is ONLY available in a maple Freboard! Good Luck!

 

[rspst14]

Re: Good strat to buy????

I'd go the Warmoth route...I'm in the process of putting together a Strat using an American Strat body and a Warmoth neck. I don't like stock Strats, I find the necks to be too narrow and thin. But with Warmoth, it's not a problem. I just ordered a Goncalo neck with an Ebony fretboard, 1 11/16 inch nut width, jumbo stainless steel frets, SRV back contour, no finish. It's going on an Alder Strat body, and I'm going to use an LR Baggs X-bridge with a built in piezo pickup.

Ryan

 

[beandip]

Re: Good strat to buy????

If you're wanting great quality, for an awsome price, check out the MIM Classic series. I personally think that they're probably the best production guitars Fender has put out since the early 70's. Since I've been playing, I've had two that were lent to me for awhile, a 50's and a 60's. Body wood is good, hardware is good, pickups are good, neck shape is good, finish is ok (it's poly), fret ends are good, ect. The 50's has a pretty big neck, with a nice V to it, while the 60's is alot flatter, with a "kinda" C. It's like the C was there, but not enough of it to make it count kinda thing.

 

[hacker]

Re: Good strat to buy????

If you're not gonna use the trem-get a MIM Robert Cray strat for around $450 used-this is the "stratiest" sounding strat I've ever heard. The in between positions quack like nobodys business-good sustain also. The neck is chunky and has a flatter radius than the classic series, which Beandip recommends. IMO, the vintage radius takes some getting used to, and if you bend the strings alot, you may not like it.

 

[beandip]

Re: Good strat to buy????

Yeah, with the vintage radius of the Classic series, it might be hard, but, I've got a 57RI and I can bend strings just fine, it's all in the setup.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Good strat to buy????

For Fender Strats, I like the following:

Highway 1 - great thin finish for resonance, and very reasonable price new, even better used.

American Standard - Used. You can pick these up for $500-600 all the time and if you are patient you can even find the color you want.

Warmoth is a good route, but will probably cost more than a used Am Standard, so if price is an issue this may be out. G&L's are also great, but tend to command a higher price except for the occasional steal.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Good strat to buy????

Great stuff guys! Thanks.

 

[Hellion]

Re: Good strat to buy????

The MIM Strats are the best value for the dollar right now. You may have to do some "personalization" on them, but the cost will be insignificant compared to buying a MIA Strat.

 

[midnite_man]

Re: Good strat to buy????

I would suggest a Highway 1 U.S. Series Strat or an American. They're built better than a MIM and have better electronics. By the time you upgrade all the crucial parts to a MIM, you could buy a better one that was made in the U.S.A.
Check out some of the differences at www.allthingsstrat.com that are pointed out in the MIM/MIA comparison. It's not opinionated, just factual.
...Bob

 

[Jonny R]

Re: Good strat to buy????

Hi Papersoul

Obviously if you have a LP and a McCarty you like to have nice guitars, and if you're considering a Suhr then you can't go wrong.

I have a G&L Legacy - was looking for a strat, then found a used Legacy that felt better than any strat that was remotely close to it in price. Ended up buying the used Legacy over a new Strat.

Other brands to check out:
Grosh - the_Chris got a really nice bent-top one for a good price
Melancon - nice

Check out some of the used G&Ls on www.buffalobrosguitars.com (they also have Grosh and Melancon)

For example, for $599, you get this:

 

[Seraphial]

Re: Good strat to buy????

Another recommendation is the JV strat. Bout US$550, it sports American vintage hardware, a chunky V neck (which a lot of people rave about), MJ frets, traditional colours and Tex-mex SCs. I hear different things about the pickups, but you can always swap'em.

Other choices include a classic 50's or 60's (depending on fretboard preference) or a used US standard. My 2002 Texas Special Fat Strat is one of the best guitars I've played, period. Tone to die for and super comfy.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Good strat to buy????

It seems like the tremsetter and roller nut are important upgrades!

Look at this one!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47069&item=3744288157&rd=1

A used G&L Legacy is very tempting! Are all the Legacy models the same? Come with EMGs?? Maybe I will look a Suhr also.
What's the fretboard radius?

Is it normal for these G&L Strats to be so cheap?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38082&item=3742732680&rd=1

I have to sell a few Deans first.

 

[Gamera]

Re: Good strat to buy????

With the SCN pickups and the S-1 switching, that's essentially the same guitar as the 50th Deluxe. Other than the special badges, maple board, and gold hardware that's about it. And I know it's early yet but $380 for that is an absolute steal! Keep an eye on that one.

 

[bvc310]

Re: Good strat to buy????

A used G&L Legacy is very tempting! Are all the Legacy models the same? Come with EMGs?? Maybe I will look a Suhr also.
What's the fretboard radius?

Is it normal for these G&L Strats to be so cheap?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38082&item=3742732680&rd=1

No the Legacys come in many different flavors. Most come with the standard G&L single coils which are very good. The fretboard radius also changes with the guitar. They have 2 options listed on their site. Any G&L can come with one of their 5 neck options.

The Legacy in the link is actually one of their foreign made ones. They are decent guitars but not up to part with their american counterparts. Used, I pick ups my G&L ASAT for less than the buy it now price on that one, but I found a steal. You can find Legacys fro $600-$700 which are a steal IMHO.