Stratocaster Experts.... Dumb Strat Questions for ya'

[JammerMatt]

I'm borrowing a buddy's USA Stratocaster for awhile. He inherited it when his father passed away, and never plays it because he doesn't know how to play. He offered to sell it to me for 500 bucks, but he's a friend, and it was his dad's axe, and I said it just didn't feel right to go that way, and besides it's probably worth closer to a grand. It is brand new, and I guess his dad decided to take up guitar late in life. He had it so little time in fact, that he didn't get around to buying an amp before passing away about two years ago, and it just sat in the closet since then. I told my friend to hold onto it for sentimental reasons, and that it might be worth much more some day, but in the meantime I'd be glad to borrow it and "set it up and break it in" if you know what I mean.

But seriously, this is a nice axe. Very comfortable, great action, nice sounding. It is single-single-single, and the pickups say, "noiseless." It has a rosewood fretboard. The neck is sanded and very smooth, and the frets seem pretty big. Abalone inlays I think. It has these great locking tuners so you can just string it through the hole and lock it down to reduce some of that detuning problem. The logo is silver. It's tobocco sunburst, and it looks like the clear coat is that same type that Les Pauls use. Oh, and tremelo of course. Three questions:

1) Why two tone knobs? I'm sure this is a "duh" question, but I really don't know what they're for. Which is for what?

2) The serial # is DZO072118. And the heel cover says Corona, California. Can anyone tell me what model this is or where I might look?

3) Okay, I have a Line 6 Flextone. Does anyone have any ideas what general settings might get me "close" to a Hendrix and SRV sound? (Yeah, I know... it's in the hands.... but...). I'm a metalhead, so this is a completely different beast to me, and I'd like to take this guitar for a serious spin before I have to hand it back.

Thanks guys.

-Matt

 

[some_dude]

Re: Stratocaster Experts.... Dumb Strat Questions for ya'

He offered to sell it to me for 500 bucks, but he's a friend, and it was his dad's axe,

If he doesn't play, and he didn't grow up listening to his dad play, the guitar might not have much in the way of sentimental value. I've met enough musicians who've been given insturments by friends and familily simply because it means more to them to have someone play it than it does to have it sitting in a closet.

Just my opinion.

For Jimi, use a Plexi setting and turn it up really loud.

 

[nuntius]

Re: Stratocaster Experts.... Dumb Strat Questions for ya'

The one nearer your volume pot is your neck tone

The other is your middle tone


It could be an american deluxe strat?

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Stratocaster Experts.... Dumb Strat Questions for ya'

Matt -

That is an 2000 American Deluxe Stratocaster you have there....very nice instrument. The "D" denotes Deluxe, the "Z" denotes the decade 2000 (I think "N" was used for the 90's), and the "0" right after it denotes the year it was made, 2000.

I'm not as famalier with the noiseless pups, but one of the tone knobs will be for the middle pup, and one for the neck. Traditional Fender wiring has no tone control for the bridge. It can be changed very easily, and I do that on all of my Strats so I can tame the brightness of the bridge position.

I'm not famalier enough with your amp to comment, but a vintage plexi setting with a little fuzz pedal dialed in should get you close to a hendrix tone.

Probably something similar to this. If it's like new conditions, $850-$900 is probably a fair market value...maybe a little less.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47069&item=3753891323&rd=1

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Stratocaster Experts.... Dumb Strat Questions for ya'

For Jimi, use a Plexi setting and turn it up really loud.

LOL. I like that thinking.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Stratocaster Experts.... Dumb Strat Questions for ya'

Matt -

That is an 2000 American Deluxe Stratocaster you have there.......If it's like new conditions, $850-$900 is probably a fair market value...maybe a little less.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47069&item=3753891323&rd=1

Nice summary Jeff. And yes, I agree, this is one nice axe. If I were to ever buy a Strat, this would be the one. They've done this one right. It feels geat, with good attention to detail. The neck is smooth, the frets are filed down nice, and it's just puurty. I don't see any physical flaws at all. And the pups are noiseless. It plays almost as easily as my Jackson. This could be a shredder with some hot rails. But that would be a shame to treat this axe as such. I'm just wondering if he might forget it's at my house .

Anyway, thanks for the help.

 

[54stratlover]

Re: Stratocaster Experts.... Dumb Strat Questions for ya'

Very nice guitar. I was looking to buy one with the noisless pup. The american deluxe. Ask him how much the guitar means to him. Like said above, it may have no sentimental value at all. If you don't get it, it may end up somewhere else, and you would kick yourself for it. Most non guitarist aren't looking at holding of to a guitar for future value. don't think yourself out of a good deal.