Thomann Texas Special Strat

Earwicker

Earwicker

New member
Hi Guys,

I'm thinking about buying one of these:

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw2_artikel-178767.html

Anyone got one or know if they're any good? I play blues/jazz, this will be my first strat. It's basically a 2005 standard strat with Texas Special pickups so far as I can tell. I don't like the PUs in the stock Mex strat, they sound too ragged to me... suppose the alternative would be to get a stock Mex and stick some SD vintage style PUs in it?

Must say I'm tempted to buy the above, thoughts welcome. (I don't want a strat that sounds too twangy...)

EW
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

The price seems right. I wouldn't like the frets myself but this could surely be one rocking strat.
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

Pierre said:
The price seems right. I wouldn't like the frets myself but this could surely be one rocking strat.
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Yeah? What's wrong with the frets?

I also need to consider rosewood or maple fretboard... is maple too twangy or rosewood too soft?

EW
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

They're quite small. The upgrades for 2006 include medium jumbos frets for the Standard Strat/Teles after popular demand. It's just a matter of tastes really.
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

Rid said:
Who would buy a guitar without trying it first???
Beats me!
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I've played Mex strats before! The problem is the Tomann strat is in a guitar shop in Germany; I am in England!

I gather they'll have it back if I don't like it though. They're a lot cheaper than UK shops, and I don't like the PUs on the stock Mex.

EW
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

I just think that it is alot of trouble if it is a stinker.
Got any decent stores with proper setup guitars nearby??
And having tried a few others is just not the same as getting one from Flohmann the harmonium player;)
It will probally end up costing you anyways if the setup is teribble.
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

Rid said:
It will probally end up costing you anyways if the setup is teribble.
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Yeah, there's always that.

What's the general consensus on the consistency of current Mex Fenders? Is quality control up to scratch or are they all over the place?
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

It is not the quality, it is the setup, it can change some from US to Germany, plus you can get a neck and a body that does not work with each other, just how many times are you willing to wait for the next guitar?
I like hands on, no regrets that way.
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

Rid said:
I like hands on, no regrets that way.
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Me too, but trying before buying in this case would mean a trip to Deutschland! Failing that, I'll have to pay over the odds for a stock Mex in a local UK store...

EW
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

Rid, every single guitar I tried here in the UK had a **** setup. I'm not exaggerating. Stores don't set them up (though that's normal I guess) and they all come up playing like crap. Now I know you live in Denmark and probably a lot of the same problem here, but here it really is that bad.
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

Well most big stores just hang them up, some of the smaller specialised shops might set them up right.
The shops I have worked in, we always set them up, used too much time on it really;)
But big stores and online stuff is usually the worst:D
Dunno why it is so common now, imagine buying a car that was not adjudsted and tested before driving??
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

I can tweak the setup myself, but there's not much I can do about a duff piece of wood!

I considered a Japanese Standard, but don't fancy a basswood Strat. Having said that, the spec on Fender's site doesn't exactly inspire confidence. This is quoted from Fender's website ref the body of the standard MIM Strat:

"Body: 5 to 7-piece alder with maple or birch veneer. Sunburst models have maple veneer Note: due to periodic material availability issues, alder cores are sometimes used "

Hmm.

EW
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

Earwicker said:
I can tweak the setup myself, but there's not much I can do about a duff piece of wood!

I considered a Japanese Standard, but don't fancy a basswood Strat. Having said that, the spec on Fender's site doesn't exactly inspire confidence. This is quoted from Fender's website ref the body of the standard MIM Strat:

"Body: 5 to 7-piece alder with maple or birch veneer. Sunburst models have maple veneer Note: due to periodic material availability issues, alder cores are sometimes used "

Hmm.

EW
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Don't be afraid of basswood. My MIJ 62 RI kick the living crap out of every other strat I've ever played.

Besides, if basswood is good enough for Anderson... ;)
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

Benjy_26 said:
How so?
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Apparently it's more mid-rangey and softer. Oh and cheaper. I've played basswood Ibanezes, but I've never been able to compare basswood to alder directly. I get the feeling, from what I've read, that most people would prefer alder.

Thing is, I suspect a good basswood axe is better than a crap alder axe; going back to my point about Fender's spec for the MIM Strat, it clearly isn't the best piece of wood out there, and there might be a case for getting a basswood Jap Strat instead - and junking the pickups!

EW
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

Basswood is actually flatter in EQ than lader or ash. It's a very good wood if you plan on playing loud with OD as the highs will be rounder, the mids will be richer, and the bass will be a bit more present. These are, of course, generalizations. Do play a couple of MIJ strats though. You probably won't be disappointed.
 
Re: Thomann Texas Special Strat

Texas Specials are over hyped! I think they sound like crap.

Snowdog
 
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