Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Definitely. It's a no-brainer. Of course, They are significantly more expensive. Be careful, too, the workmanship is excellent but the wood selection is a bit iffy. Go to as many fender dealers as you can, and try and track down a light one. The lighter ones sound warmer.
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Hot _Grits said:
Definitely. It's a no-brainer. Of course, They are significantly more expensive. Be careful, too, the workmanship is excellent but the wood selection is a bit iffy. Go to as many fender dealers as you can, and try and track down a light one. The lighter ones sound warmer.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice. There's only one problem. I'm gonna have to order the guitar I want. There arent to many fender dealers around me, so I don't have much of a selection. Hopefully I score a NICE one. :)
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Musicians Friend has them in stock.
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

It will obviously be ebtter it costs way more! my strat is MIM but i liek it all the same
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Actually if you're ordering it now you may get something else as that's the 2003 model. FWIW I played this guitar at a local shop and it convinced me to order one as well. But for 2003 it only came in "vintage" colors and I really had my heart set on a blue one. So I shopped around a little and realized that Fender has redesigned the Fat Strat for 2004 and it now comes in blue! And while I liked the vintage noisless pups of the 2003 model, the SCN pups of the 2004 are far superior IMO. And when I learned that the 2004 includes locking tuners, roller nut, and an ebony fretboard I was sold! I quickly placed my order and 2 1/2 months later it finally arrived:

purple.jpg


Although if you prefer the more traditional Strat look with a pickguard, Fender also offers an "HSS" model with most of the same hardware, a pickguard, choice of maple or rosewood fretboard and a cheaper price.
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Fender's Showmaster series confuses me. For example if you do a search on Musician's Friend for "Showmaster" you get a range of Fender Showmaster guitars priced from $299.99 to $2,019.99! And this does NOT include the Squier Showmaster line that's priced even less than $200.

And their $2,000+ model is not significantly different from my Fat Strat which is roughly $1000 less! And my Fat Strat even offers some options, like ebony fretboard, not available in the Showmaster line. Dunno.
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Thanks for the input guys. I'm gonna go down to my local fender dealer(the only fender dealer within 70 miles of me) and see what kind of price I can come up with.
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

I really don't understand the hoopla about Mexican Fenders. Guys rave about them, even calling them better than American strats and Tele's. I dont' buy it one bit. Everytime I pick up any guitar that is a budget oriented import, I can tell right away what it's shortcomings are. You can feel it in the weight, wood quality, neck/fretwork,
and hardware, which is usually only single plated. They have gotten better by leaps and bounds, but it's very rare when I play one that seems to be better than the typical American Series or Am Std.
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Gearjoneser said:
I really don't understand the hoopla about Mexican Fenders. Guys rave about them, even calling them better than American strats and Tele's. I dont' buy it one bit. Everytime I pick up any guitar that is a budget oriented import, I can tell right away what it's shortcomings are. You can feel it in the weight, wood quality, neck/fretwork,
and hardware, which is usually only single plated. They have gotten better by leaps and bounds, but it's very rare when I play one that seems to be better than the typical American Series or Am Std.
Click to expand...

Gearjoneser I know what your saying, and I don't know what all the rave is about either. With that being said, I have heard from my friends say that they are nice guitars though. It would be a nice change I guess.
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Everytime I see a strat without a pickguard like that blue one posted above, it always looks really odd to me. I'm not a fan.
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Overall, the US fenders are better made, better sounding guitars. Much of this has to do with thinner finishes.

But I still run into US fenders with heavy ash or alder bodies that sound harsh and thin. It seems the only way you can gaurantee good wood is to go custom shop these days.

And I have played MIM and MIJ fenders that are easily as good as US fenders, interms of wood and tone. The MIMs may not be quite as well made, but play enough and you'll find a gem.

My MIM tele is better than every US tele I've tried in stores since buying it, with the exception of custom shop models.

I went through three MIA strats (an SRV, a 62ri, and a 76 that I still own) before I settled on my MIJ strat.

With fenders, it's best to be open-minded. Or buy custom shop and be done with it.
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Well, I went to my local dealer today and he informed me that they can't get an American Delux in tobacco burst anymore. If I want tobacco burst I'll have to go with an Ash body strat. What do you guys think? I've never played an ash bodied guitar.

This is the only one that I can get tabacco burst on.

http://www.fender.com/misc/winternamm2004/american_deluxe/Strat_ash.html
 
Last edited:
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

I suggest you get to a store and try out an ash guitar versus an alder guitar before you buy, to calibrate your ears. Ideally get two guitars with the same style of neck, and go to a private room and play them unplugged. Listen to the unamplified tone. You'll figure out which one you prefer pretty quickly.

Wood weight becomes even more important if you choose ash. Swamp ash is very light, and is used on many high-end instruments, as well as being the wood of choice for the original strats and teles. Tight bottom, and sparkly, musical top end.

But hard ash is heavy, and sounds overly bright, with a harsh upper midrange. Many 70s fenders had hard ash bodies, and these are considered the turkeys of the vintage market.

many of the modern MIA fenders have nice light ash bodies, but some are a bit heavy. Be prepared to send one back and ask for a lighter one. Only the reissue MIA fenders seem to be consistent in weight.

Don't be afraid to ask if they can select a light one.
 
Last edited:
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Skullkrusher said:
This is the only one that I can get tabacco burst on.
Click to expand...

Your dealer is smokin' crack. This model is available in Tobacco Sunburst:

American Deluxe Fat Strat

And you can order it from Musician's Friend.

I'm sure that ash Strat is very nice and would be a great guitar too. But your original choice had a humbucker in it. If you're really set on the 'bucker you may be disappointed with the ash Strat.
 
Re: Ok, Instead of a mexi strat....................

Gamera said:
Your dealer is smokin' crack. This model is available in Tobacco Sunburst:

American Deluxe Fat Strat

And you can order it from Musician's Friend.

I'm sure that ash Strat is very nice and would be a great guitar too. But your original choice had a humbucker in it. If you're really set on the 'bucker you may be disappointed with the ash Strat.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I didnt mention that he said I could get that one. I want one with more of a classic look with pickguard and all. My dealer pointed that guitar out to me, but my heart is set on a classic style. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Sirion
NGD and a Rant
2
Replies
32
Views
1K
GuitarStv
GuitarStv
C
Univibes
Replies
13
Views
522
Aceman
Aceman
MikeS
NPGBD - Warmoth Content
Replies
17
Views
528
GuitarStv
GuitarStv
blakejcan
Can you have a recessed floyd on a S/S/S strat?
Replies
14
Views
438
orpheo
O
Ascension
Pickup suggestion for the New Silverado
Replies
12
Views
334
Mincer
Mincer
Back
Top