Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

sweet_lou

sweet_lou

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I just sold my last guitar. It will go on monday. So I will begin my quest for an american deluxe strat. I would like Ash with a nice aged color maple neck. What years should I avoid. I plan to take a while because I have to sell the car first. Then I will be in the clear with bills and that.
 
Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

CONGRATS LOU!!!!!!!

I'm no expert, but I seem to recall Lew (local expert!) saying to stay away from the 70s models...don't recall the exact reasons other than they were heavy as hell.

I'm sure someone will chime in with some better, more coherant reasons!!! :)
 
Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

I'd stay away from any 70's Strat made from ash that weighs a ton...

I think the 70's were the worst period for Strats and that some MIM Strats from the 90's are better than many "vintage" Strats from the 70's.

But there's some good Strats from the 70's...you just might have to pick through alot of bad ones to find them.

I certianly would bever pay "vintage" prices for a 70's Strat. IMO, they're just used guitars...not"vintage".

Pre-CBS Strats from '54 to about '66 are what I would call "vintage" Strats: examples from a period when the workmanship and quality was at a much higher standard than what came in the 70's.



Lew
 
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Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

The 65-69 area is not so bad either, but i have not tried a 70's strat yet that did not had some awful flaws in some way yet.
80's US strat was also abit funny, the reissues where nice enough, the Japanese where wastly superiour in workmanship and sound...still are;)
 
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Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

Rid said:
The 65-69 area is not so bad either, but i have not tried a 70's strat yet that did not was awful in some way yet.
80's US strat was also abit funny, the reissues where nice enough, the Japanese where wastly superiour in workmanship and sound...still are;)
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That's right. :)
 
Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

Thanks. There is no way I will be buying any "Vintage money" Strat I will just be looking for a comfortable playing guitar with a straight neck with the look I described. I really miss my MIA Deluxe I just sold. But I really wasn't compleatly happy with the V neck. I think the C neck is more comfortable for me. I have big mits with short fingers.
 
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Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

I forgot. So you are all saying anything from 1990 on up is OK.

How about G&L which models are OK
 
Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

sweet_lou said:
Thanks. There is no way I will be buying any "Vintage money" Strat I will just be looking for a comfortable playing guitar with a straight neck with the look I described. I really miss my MIA Deluxe I just sold. But I really wasn't compleatly happy with the V neck. I think the C neck is more comfortable for me. I have big mits with short fingers.
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I'd look for a nice '62 RI Made In Japan Strat from the 80's or very early 90's and put some Duncan Antiquity Surfer pickups in it. Lew
 
Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

If you really want to go Vintage. Shop around for a mid sixties Refin. They are reasonable by comparison and they will sound amazing. If that Money is too high, I would say to look at something from the Custom shop. I also agree that Strats (as well as Teles) from the 70's are not as good as some of the new ones.
 
Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

I always live these threads because eventually makes a blanket statement about 70's Strats being boat anchors and then I feel that I need to chime in and mention the 73' I own that's featherlight and the first-year Clapton I also own which is just as heavy as my Les Paul Deluxe.

Oh...and the 73' is exceptionally reasonant and the electronics are quite good as well.

The bottom line is that even with "bad years" there can be excellent guitars made during that point in time so don't write them all off until you wrap your hands around them and give them the chance.
 
Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

Sweet Lou, the current American Series strats with ash bodies and maple necks are awesome-if you like the 2-tone look, consider the 50th Anniversary strat. Best sounding strat i have ever heard. Also, the Lonestar strats from a few years ago with the Sienna burst finishes have ash bodies and they sound great too-texas special pickups and a Duncan humbucker.

The Deluxe models are even better with the LSR roller nuts, locking tuners, etc., but you have to like the noiseless pickups.
 
Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

hacker said:
Sweet Lou, the current American Series strats with ash bodies and maple necks are awesome-if you like the 2-tone look, consider the 50th Anniversary strat. Best sounding strat i have ever heard.
QUOTE]

I agree. I have a brand new American Series strat, with a maple neck, c shaped, and i dont see how it could get any better.
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G&l, S-500

G&l, S-500

Before you buy a strat, give some G&L, S-500's a test drive. To me they're far superior to anything Fender is currently offering. G&L's are better built, and the G&L, MFD (Magnetic Field Design) pickups are hot. :headbang:

Sprinter
 
Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

Rid said:
The 65-69 area is not so bad either, but i have not tried a 70's strat yet that did not had some awful flaws in some way yet.
80's US strat was also abit funny, the reissues where nice enough, the Japanese where wastly superiour in workmanship and sound...still are;)
Click to expand...

I Dunno..............
I've got American Strats from 1964 up through 2002.

I've found the 70's to be like anything else..some good, some bad.

I've got a 1984 that is DAMN Good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ooops, you said STRAT Experts..........
That leaves me out....LOL...............:)
 
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Re: Hey Strat experts What years do you stay away from

I wouldn't stay away from ANY of them if I were you. There were good and bad guitars from every era.

As for the 70's Strats, hey, I've always loved those late-70's necks with the curved veneer rosewood fingerboards (the Teles too!). They feel great to me. Yeah, the 70's (insert brand name here) guitars tend to be heavy since all the manufacturers were trying to cut cost by buying second-rate wood. But there are some real gems in the bunch, and you'll never find them if you don't venture in.

On the down side, the late-70's 3-bolt 'Micro-Tilt' Strat neck was kind of a dud. It was real tough to keep the neck from creaking around in the pocket. To make matters worse, they were usually set in rather loose neck pockets. BUT, there ARE remedies for those weak spots. If you happen to purchase a 3-bolt Strat, I'd be happy to fill you in on the details.

Try not to fall into the trap that you have to have 'THE' Stratocaster that everyone else says you have to have. You'll probably pay out the nose, and once the money's spent, you'll no longer be searching..........the search is half the fun for me. Play 'em all!

Mike
 
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