Looking to Buy a Strat...

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Looking to Buy a Strat...

I'm partial to alder bodied American Series Strats 2000+, mostly because the rolled edges on the neck feel great.

you can find used American strats for as little as $450.

my only complaint with my JV is that it does not have rolled edges on the neck...but it is alder, and I got it for one hell of a price!

 

[PhatStrat]

Re: Looking to Buy a Strat...

Personally, I love my Fat Strat (H-S-S) for worship. I added a Fat-O for Fatties switch that allows me to split the HB for single coil sound, to run magnificent 7 with Bridge/Neck and Bridge/Mid/Neck combos, and finally to run the neck and mid in series with HB in bridge to emulate H-H. It makes for a very versatile guitar with a wide range of tonalities... great for worship without having to switch axes between songs.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Looking to Buy a Strat...

If I were to buy a strat right now, I'd jump on the 2004 50th Anniversary before they're all long gone. I'd love to have an alder sunburst/maple neck.

Right now, my favorite strat is a well worn sunburst/rosewood 97 Am Std with a fret dress, bone nut, and Chubtone Custom 63's.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Looking to Buy a Strat...

If I were to buy a strat right now, I'd jump on the 2004 50th Anniversary before they're all long gone.

I have seen that one. They really are nice...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Looking to Buy a Strat...

Listen to Lew! After looking and looking, and looking I went and played every single Jimmy Vaughan I could lay my hands on, picked the best one, and got it for a killer price...look hard, you can find them cheep! IMO the pickups are real good, it's got full size CTS pots, a good switch and the same tuners and tremolo that come on the Fender CS 57 and 62 reissue Strats...it is the BEST bang for the buck guitar fender has right now period!

They really are! Great necks. Medium frets...not the tiny vintage style frets that make it hard to bend and hold a bent note. (That's my only problem with the mid 80's Japanese Fenders...otherwise I love 'em!) And the Tex Mex pickups are really good...though not quite the equal of the Antiquitys. My buddy had me replace the Tex Mex pickups and put a set of Duncan SSL-1's and a Fralin SP-43 in his Jimmie Vaughn. Every time I compare it to my '63 Strat or any of my Strats with Fralins or Antiquity Surfers I'm blown away by how great AJ's Jimmie Vaughn with the SSL-1/SP-43 set plays and sounds. Totally inspiring and professional tone.

Lew

 

[PhatStrat]

Re: Looking to Buy a Strat...

If I were to buy a strat right now, I'd jump on the 2004 50th Anniversary before they're all long gone. I'd love to have an alder sunburst/maple neck.

I would have to agree... since that's what my Fat Strat is... alder sunburst/maple neck. Sweet guitar if I do say so myself

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Looking to Buy a Strat...

Butch, my advice is to visit every store within a 50 mile radius that has a Fender Jimmie Vaughn Strat and play them all. Then go back and buy the best one.

Someday you can replace the Tex Mex pickups with some Duncan Antiquitys and you'll have as good a Strat as money can buy, IMO, for about $700 or $800 total, including new pickups.

Ditto. The JV strat is a great guitar. Basically a 50's styled axe with some important tweaks, like bigger frets and a 12" radius fingerboard. Also, the neck contour is one of the better ones I've played. :burnout: