Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

[FuseG4]

I have a squier bullet which I purchased 2 ago as a GAS stop-gap, after having to sell an american strat when a life crisis happened. It was fine with the stock pickups and a 1x8 modeling amp but now that I have a Supersonic 22, the bullet sounds really blah and also very metallic, i know it very well as the sound of those ceramic magnets glued to steel poles. But even getting used SSL-1s would be double the price I paid for the bullet. plus the tuners are garbage and it's not a full thickness body, wimpiest trem block but a real one would stick out the back lol...

I figured I'll keep the bullet for...something... but get a legit strat to be my every day guitar, one that comes stock with the things I want.

After owning and playing a lot of stuff with mixes of modern and vintage strat specs and looking at what the guys I listen to played, I knew I wanted to finally own a pretty straight up 50's strat, maybe classic vibe squier, but most likely MIM fender classic 50s or classic player 50s. The CP50's had the best pickups (57/62s, although they use a rw/rp middle which isn't very 50s) but wasn't wild about the two colors.

The MIM classic 50s, well to be honest I've kinda wanted one since I played a surf green one in a shop 15 years ago when i was first starting to play, always kinda wanted one, chased different tones and features and flipped 7 or 8 strats, but now that I'm older, I know more about what I like, and I can afford it, and a deal came up on what I wanted, Im pleased to report that next week in my hands will be a surf green classic 50s strat!
The pickups here are a compromise but a very minor one. They are basically like 57/62s but built like import pickups so not the right wire or bobbin but they get seriously in the ballpark tonally. I'm sure I will be pleased I've actually used them before in a different squier strat a long time ago.

Anyways I'm excited I can't wait to get my hands on that soft V. I should have just stuck with that I wanted 15 years ago. Side note, around that same time 15 years ago another guitar blew me away in a different local shop, it was a blue epi LP plus top. I traded a few les pauls not really bonding with them, but 2 years ago I bought a blue burst epi plus top like I wanted back in the day and it's all the LP I need now and I don't have LP gas. I hope this NGD will be the same type of satisfying, I really think it will be.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Add a review when it comes in...and pics..plenty of pics.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Yeah, one thing I've noticed sometimes is that a guitar that costs twice as much as another guitar but is only slightly better doesn't usually seem all that nice, if you get what I'm saying. It adds character to a guitar if it's cheap but performs but still performs well.

Classic Vibes are nice guitars though, especially considering the cost. The Teles are pretty much perfect for making an Esquire build.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

The Classic 50's get great reviews everywhere, so no doubt it will be great.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Yeah, one thing I've noticed sometimes is that a guitar that costs twice as much as another guitar but is only slightly better doesn't usually seem all that nice, if you get what I'm saying. It adds character to a guitar if it's cheap but performs but still performs well.

Classic Vibes are nice guitars though, especially considering the cost. The Teles are pretty much perfect for making an Esquire build.

Almost went classic vibe strat but the neck on the Fender classic 50's is much more my thing enough to justify paying almost double the price of a new CV, that and they don't make surf green CVs. Yet... but I looked at several used Lake Placid Blue CV50s strats and burgundy mist 60's strats before coming to my final decision.. They are great and I've played all the different classic vibes in various stores and they do what they advertise. The thinline tele was maybe the coolest, pretty unique offering at that price point.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

The Classic 50's get great reviews everywhere, so no doubt it will be great.

Yeah most of the upper level fender MIM stuff I've played has been pretty consistent and sounded pretty much how you'd expect it to sound by looking at it. Not sure how they do it.
In stark contrast, rest in peace, play 6 les paul faded models and get a random assortment of everything from mud to icepick.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Cool guitar! I've got a 60's Classic Player Strat (similar to yours, just flatter radius, bigger frets and 2-point bent saddle bridge) and it's on par with my MIA Strats. Great guitar that takes mods excellently.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

those classic player 60s are sweet, have played a few, love the pickups!

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Shoot, I thought you were talking about the CV's at first, I forgot Fender made Classic 50s Strats. I've never played those, but I here they are a step above the MIM Standards. Definetly a good find if it comes in surf green.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Shoot, I thought you were talking about the CV's at first, I forgot Fender made Classic 50s Strats. I've never played those, but I here they are a step above the MIM Standards. Definetly a good find if it comes in surf green.

yup they are very much like the CV50s tho, which are also a step above MIM standards IMO.
can't wait to get her in my hands. Hope she is everything I dreamed. tracking info says next friday she'll be here.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

She's here and she sounds great. Still getting the plastic off of her and giving her a setup but so far so good.
She didn't come with a wang bar though, sad face.

I got to play her for 20 minutes this morning before I went rock climbing. I'm glad it's only my picking hand that hurts, my fingertips are so red right now. First thing I thought was that it felt how I remembered, omg such a comfy neck. The sound is so springy, and the mids are more crisp than with the bullet and the high end is a million times sweeter while still being every bit as bright. The non-rw/rp thing really makes a difference in 2 and 4 positions, just a little more "raw" sounding with 3 of the same pickup.

Will get pics going soon.
If I didn't get a wang bar should I talk to fender or the seller?

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Also, the adjustment wrenches supplied... the tiny metric one doesn't work, bridge is defs US .050". And it's a screw at the base of the neck so the other wrench is N/A.

pics ^_^




I'm going to deck the tremolo for a while and see how I like it.
The rout back there looks clean enough

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Glad you are digging it so far!! hope it turns out to be all you hoped for!! Congrats! For the missing bar, that would be the seller. Obviously, if they cant provide, then you would have to purchase a fender part

Its a beauty! nice clean cavity!! looks like its fully painted too. Ive never been able to float a trem on a strat.. haha

 

[dystrust]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Glad you are digging it so far!! hope it turns out to be all you hoped for!! Congrats! For the missing bar, that would be the seller. Obviously, if they cant provide, then you would have to purchase a fender part

+1

Wang bars aren't all that hard to find or expensive if you end up needing to track one down on your own.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

yup. so far not really missing the bar.
Got her set up and the strings broken in and she has a nice chewy midrange and the alnico pickups sound really good when you dig in. I am not finding this guitar too bright yet at all which is good seeing as how I have the master volume low and gain up I'm glad she doesn't sound thin at this level. Night has fallen so I have to enjoy her quietly now.

It's pretty crazy, compared to my bullet, this really feels like twice the guitar. Ha my brother even came over to check out the new guitar and say the bullet in the corner of my room away from the other guitars and he asked "aww are you shaming her in the corner?". Mayyybee a little bit.
Also been a while since I've used the vintage correct .1uf cap, I've got to say, it'd pretty dark and maybe a little muddy for chords when rolled down but I think it's pretty cool when the gain is up for a smooth lead tone.

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Congrats on a cool guitar! I got to use one for a couple weeks some years back, love the neck!

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Score! An 8-hole single-ply pickguard!

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Incoming NGD, Fender classic 50s strat

Score! An 8-hole single-ply pickguard!

lol yeah it feels so flimsy compared to 3 ply modern stuff, it looks and feels a little cheap but at the same time I enjoy the no-frills utilitarian aspect of it. I've had a 1 ply tele guard before but I don't remember it being this thin and bendy,