Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

[tone?]

So I went again today to the local GC.
Wanted to concentrate more on the strats.
How come they are total ****te????!
I couldnt believe how bad the quality is anymore. IT seems as if
they have made a bunch of lower class models and the few good ones have been bumped up to boutique prices. I tried the Roadworn ones and I take back what I said. 1000$ for that crap????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They must be outta their minds!
Also what is with the new trems? They look like they are plastic and the bent saddles are thin and totally JCPenny looking. Horrible.
I just couldnt believe it.
Even the American standard is crappola. You need to go custom shop to get anything worthwhile.

I played on ash american strat that was pretty good. but it had a ton of lacquer on the neck. It literally was built up on the edge of the frets. Total overspray and the neck was way too flat plus the crapp bridge.
They must be making a killing on these, margin wise.

 

[Thurisaz]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

Are Fender Strat's really getting that bad?

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

Are Fender Strat's really getting that bad?

over in greece maybe?

 

[tone?]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

Actually im in San Francisco now

 

[Thurisaz]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

Fender really is lagging behind. And as far as Jackson goes, they have very few models with 24 frets. Kinda funny they are pretty much synonymous with the floyd-high gain-shred-24 fret-gain boost craze, yet few of the models have that. And is it just me, or do both Fender and Jackson necks look different as compared to the 80s?

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

^Wha? There are plenty of Jacksons still being made with 24 frets. I'm almost certain a majority of the Jackson line feature 24 frets.
And yep, the necks are different. To be fair many other brands did that too, like Ibanez. My RG 7421 has the same neck thickness on paper as an RG 1527 but in the real world the necks are actually quite different feeling.

 

[StrangeSound]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

Hm, that surprises me. Heared nothing but good reviews of newer strats. Next week I will check some strats out, maybe I will go for a small luthier shop here in Germany I know and get a quality strat.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

Did you try the Highway One models? I played some recently, and despite having lost faith in the Fender brand many years ago, i was impressed by the Highway 1's....the 'Upgrade' versions (since 2006, i believe) seem very good value for money. I was so impressed that I'm buying one. But yeah, i don't trust the higher-priced models, and for the money, there are better Strats to be had from other manufacturers now, or you could build a superb instrument for less. IMHO.

 

[Thurisaz]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

^Wha? There are plenty of Jacksons still being made with 24 frets. I'm almost certain a majority of the Jackson line feature 24 frets.

I meant a majority of the Jackson's that normal people could afford without getting on their spouses bad side. To be honest, I wouldn't touch a Jackson that wasn't a $1000 or more, not that I've played many anyways.

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

I meant a majority of the Jackson's that normal people could afford without getting on their spouses bad side. To be honest, I wouldn't touch a Jackson that wasn't a $1000 or more, not that I've played many anyways.

Ah, the lower models, that's fair then.
What with Fender jacking up Jackson prices, they definitely aren't as appealing as they used to be. One of my friends was lucky and scored DK2S 2 years ago with the old pricing as well as a 20 per cent discount, not a chance you'd see a deal like that anymore in Aus.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

What's with the price hikes?

The same thing that's been with the price hikes in the last three or four Fender-bashing threads.

The prices went up cuz lumber is harder to get. I don't understand a lot of the other points you were hatin on -- the metal doesn't look cheap to me, and most guitarists prefer a more modern, flatter neck these days...

granted i think they should start finishing everything that costs as much or more than a Highway 1 with nitro...that'd improve a lot of things...but since they don't, that's the series i'd stick with...definitely the best thing they're doing right now.

Anyway, for the price of a USA Strat, you CAN get an ESP Vintage Plus which is easily on par with anything from the Custom Shop, for 1/3 the money.

that way you get nitro, you get a beefier neck, you get SSL-1's, Wilkinson bridge and locking tuners right outta the gate. :smokin:

ESP is giving Fender AND Gibson a run for their money these days. If they would do an Eclipse with 4 knobs like a proper Les Paul, i dunno if i'd even be checkin Gibson out anymore.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

I meant a majority of the Jackson's that normal people could afford without getting on their spouses bad side.

This reminds me of all the broke middleclass guys who come into my shop looking to buy a new guitar with $200 in their pocket and leave angry because there's nothing any good in that price range.

Unfortunately, nice things cost money. If you don't have money to spend to get the features you want, you have to settle for different features. Sucks but it's true.

If you only have $2000 to buy a car, you're not gonna get a Hummer. If you've only got $300-$500 for a guitar, you're gonna get a Squier or an Epiphone. It sucks but that's life...save your pennies, get what you want...

 

[viewaskew2k5]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

I had to play a HEAP of standard MIM strats to find the right one...even still the pickup's are crap!!! But she is heavy and sounds freaking great unplugged...all that usual jazz!

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

i'm a huge Fender fan... i love some of the new changes to the American Standard line... i have seen some Quality Controll issues lately on some Strats..... and the new prices suck... but they are pretty much banging out simular product they have for many years now...

just like many guitar companies you have to search sometimes to find the great one... on the wall of my local shops "good" room they have maybe 30 strats ranging from HWY1's to Artist models... out of the Fenders in that room i found 2 that are sweat!!! The rest are average strats that i'd rather buy a MIM over spending the extra on the USA...

but those 2 Fender's in that room that sing are American Standards... one is a strat and one is a Tele... they feel and sound better then any of the more expensive ones... It does not matter if they have Thick Finnishs, new Bridge Designs, or whatever, they are Jems.. The rest is average

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

PS... forgot to add a new HWY1 tele they added to that room last week is in the running for being the best Fender they have... the other HWY 1 Strat's and Tele's they have are stones with no tone...

 

[millsart]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

You could always just built your own and have an excellent instrument for a modest investment

Get a nice USAGC body and neck

Some Lindy Fralin pups

Callahan bridge and hardware

Around $1200 and you've got an instrument thats going to rival darn near anything, be it a $5000 custom shop job, or a $20,000 vintage instrument.


They are simple guitars and the key to great sound is not hard, just start with great wood, quality hardware and excellent pups and you'll be set

 

[guitarded]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

Tell me about it... Last time I went Strat shopping hoping to find a good "New" American standard I ended up buying an EJ Strat because the standards they had played like junk.

So I went again today to the local GC.
Wanted to concentrate more on the strats.
How come they are total ****te????!
I couldnt believe how bad the quality is anymore. IT seems as if
they have made a bunch of lower class models and the few good ones have been bumped up to boutique prices. I tried the Roadworn ones and I take back what I said. 1000$ for that crap????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They must be outta their minds!
Also what is with the new trems? They look like they are plastic and the bent saddles are thin and totally JCPenny looking. Horrible.
I just couldnt believe it.
Even the American standard is crappola. You need to go custom shop to get anything worthwhile.

I played on ash american strat that was pretty good. but it had a ton of lacquer on the neck. It literally was built up on the edge of the frets. Total overspray and the neck was way too flat plus the crapp bridge.
They must be making a killing on these, margin wise.

 

[guitarded]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

I bought an EPI G-400 for my son two weeks ago for 279.00. After 45 minutes of string change and setup work the thing plays so good I almost want it for myself.

This reminds me of all the broke middleclass guys who come into my shop looking to buy a new guitar with $200 in their pocket and leave angry because there's nothing any good in that price range.

Unfortunately, nice things cost money. If you don't have money to spend to get the features you want, you have to settle for different features. Sucks but it's true.

If you only have $2000 to buy a car, you're not gonna get a Hummer. If you've only got $300-$500 for a guitar, you're gonna get a Squier or an Epiphone. It sucks but that's life...save your pennies, get what you want...

 

[tone?]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

You could always just built your own and have an excellent instrument for a modest investment

Get a nice USAGC body and neck

Some Lindy Fralin pups

Callahan bridge and hardware

did that around 10 times over and wound up with nothing. Yep nothing.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

You've built custom strats with high-end parts and were still unsatisfied?

This makes me think maybe you just don't like Strats man.

I find usable guitars all across Fender's catalog...obviously some are better than others but...i can't think of anything they make that i'd call a 'bad' guitar.

I mean what is it about most Strats that bugs you so much? What do you wish they did that they don't?