Whats with Strats nowadays?????!

[WhoFan]

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?

i'm a Fender man as i said... i have everything from Squier to Custom Shop and many in between... But my parts strat with a Chandler body and a Warmoth neck is still one of the sweatest guitars i'll ever own...

i've been debating buying some more Warmoth parts for ages... since Fender raised their prices it is looking better for me to pay the extra to get Warmoth shipped to me in Canada... I like Parts strats from these places as you can pick every detail...

 

[ES350]

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

whaddya mean 'nowadays'? The Strat hit the skids someplace around 1967......j/k.

 

[millsart]

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

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

Well if a strat made from the best wood supplier around, and using the finest quality pickups and parts still isn't to your liking, then you probably just don't like the sound of a strat

 

[rowdy27]

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

Try a Tele instead.

 

[astrozombie]

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?

I think xander nailed it.

maybe you just like the IDEA of a strat but not the actual instrument.

 

[tone?]

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

Guys I love strats and have been playing em for around 20 years.
hmmmmm......................

No offense but maybe you havent seen the evolution of the instrument through these years as well as further back.
They just feel totally plastic and cheap.
I think they were better around 5-10 years ago before they really started to quality spec em out.

cheers

 

[tone?]

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

Again no offense but have you played a Suhr?

That is a pretty darn good strat to compare to.

cheers

 

[jimijames]

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

Well, I've played andersons, custom shops, etc. (this is all in a store though), and for my money, building one yourself can compete with the best of 'em. I have a jazzmaster body with p-rails that I painted, wired, and assembled, and it's easily as good as anything I've played from... anybody. I sealed the neck with amber shellac and finished it with tru-oil, something you don't see on anything mass-produced, finished it with nitrocelluose lacquer, and got high-end electronics for a total of about $600. I was able to get a thick neck (.880) like I like, even vintage-style locking tuners, etc. You'll have a hard time finding a production jazzmaster with a strat temolo (I think I've seen one before though), and an even harder time finding one with the finish mine has. In addition, every detail of this guitar is tailored to me. I like andersons, but I like this better. I like fenders, gibsons, prs and esp, but this is... better (for me, at least - YMMV)

All in all, it's hard to beat a homebuilt IMO.

 

[scottish]

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

Again no offense but have you played a Suhr?

That is a pretty darn good strat to compare to.

cheers

you know....im pretty sure that suhrs used to be predominantly warmoth strats. It was only fairly recently he started taking over the woodwork.

yes, warmoth.

If you have built custom strats using top notch parts 10 times over and never had something good then you are either the unluckiest guy in the world, or like most people, just slapped the parts together and never spent the time to make it perfect. Thats where people like Suhr earn their money.

 

[Zerberus]

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

...
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.......

And it would also send the prices through the roof becasue spraying Nitro in an industrial setting is flat out illegal in most countries of the world, and Gibson gets bashed left and right for using additives so they can still use nitro. That said, most vintage Fenders were not finished in nitro to start with.:eek13:

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.

Well, we HAVE been paying them to rip us off and sell it to us cheaper for over a quarter of a century, it was just a matter of time until they got good at it

 

[Empty Pockets]

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

Dammit Zerberus will you quit reminding us of the cold facts and harsh reality of life for like five minutes? :smokin:

 

[lotus eater]

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

It's just fender for you.
I doubt all the late 50's models were even all amazing gems themselves, it just seems to me like every once in a while you get lucky and find a needle in a hay stack. They aren't designed to be beautifully constructed works of art, they are automobile assembly line instruments. They are a working man's guitar that some talented musicians have picked up along the way and made some great sounds, including the voodoo that all strats are amazing thoughout the varying decades as well. So the quest for a beautifull strat is not instantly rewarding, keep those ears open, and one day you'll find one worth buying. trust me, someone always does no matter what style of music you play.

 

[tone?]

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

Zerb after 1980 which era would you say is the best for Fender?

 

[millsart]

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

Guys I love strats and have been playing em for around 20 years.
hmmmmm......................

No offense but maybe you havent seen the evolution of the instrument through these years as well as further back.
They just feel totally plastic and cheap.
I think they were better around 5-10 years ago before they really started to quality spec em out.

cheers

If your using USAGC wood, Callahan vintage spec hardware, Lindy Fralin pups etc there should be nothing plastic or cheap about them.

There is no evolution because all those companies are making parts every bit to spec as the vintage instruments were.

A vintage Callaham tremolo is going to be every bit as good as a vintage trem because its the same steel, same saddles, et al


Now yes, some modern cheaper instruments are going to have a bridge with a tiny little zinc tone block and cast saddles that aren't going to sound quite the same, so yes, "they dont make them like they used to" in some regards, but to say that theres no modern instrumenst that are as good as stuff even 10 years ago sounds a bit foolish to me, sorry.

Plus with modern instruments you can have nice features like 12" radius necks. Its the best of both worlds. I've got AY wound CS 69's pups, Callaham block and saddles and a shell pink nitro relic finish so it looks and sounds every bit like a vintage strat but I've also got jumbo frets and a 12" radius so it plays like a dream.


I just frankly dont see how someone couldn't find a quality strat they are happy with in 2009 because theres so many talented builders and suppliers that can hook you up with anything your after

 

[Luke Duke]

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

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!

Is it possible that it's the store.......I mean really how many guitars at GC have a great set up? Additionally I think that overall Fender has been really headed in the right direction, listening to feedback does wonders.

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.

Those are the same style saddles used on the vintage bridges, they just have and offset screw....so if you think those look like they're from a Harmony then the 50s strats won't impress you.

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.

It's not like the lacquer got thicker overnight. There's been lots of lacquer for almost 30 years now.

Luke

 

[Zerberus]

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

Zerb after 1980 which era would you say is the best for Fender?

No idea.

I don´t lump guitars into eras for the most part, but approach each as an individual piece.

The best Les Paul I ever played was a Norlin Era LP Custom with a Maple neck which all the naysayers will tell you is a POS.

The best tele I ever played was a CBS era instrument , "Heavy as a boat anchor and tonally dead" is what you´ll hear about them on the net.

IMO just grab them and play tehm, and it suddenly becomes easy to find good guitars. :beerchug:

BTW have you tried the new Charvels? They´re not on par with a Suhr, but they most definitely give USA Fenders a run for the money....

If your using USAGC wood, Callahan vintage spec hardware, Lindy Fralin pups etc there should be nothing plastic or cheap about them.

For the record, Fender does none of these, and his post was referring to Fenders, so what´s the point? :eek13:
.....

I just frankly dont see how someone couldn't find a quality strat they are happy with in 2009 because theres so many talented builders and suppliers that can hook you up with anything your after

I agree 100%.

 

[millsart]

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

For the record, Fender does none of these, and his post was referring to Fenders, so what´s the point? :eek13:
.....

The point was in reference to his saying he's tried custom built guitars 10 times so far using the same or similar quality componets and still wasn't happy.

Therefore, if someone is saying they don't make good strats anymore, and yet can say the same thing about any custom builds that are evey bit as good if not better than an instrument from 5-10 years ago, then the problem might not lie with the current instruments but rather with the persons own expectations or perceptions of what the character of the instrument should sound like.

 

[Johtosotku]

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

I'll have to say that I have had quite the opposite experiences. Around here most of the US strats that I can find are pretty solid players. That said I haven't ever played a Suhr, though.

 

[KeeperOS]

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

you know....im pretty sure that suhrs used to be predominantly warmoth strats. It was only fairly recently he started taking over the woodwork.

yes, warmoth.

If you have built custom strats using top notch parts 10 times over and never had something good then you are either the unluckiest guy in the world, or like most people, just slapped the parts together and never spent the time to make it perfect. Thats where people like Suhr earn their money.

Ah, Scottish beat me to it.
Yeah, it is a fact that Suhr only started cutting his own necks/bodies rather recently. I knew that for some time although it was only recently I found out that before to that he was using Warmoth parts.

I too believe that the difference between a partscaster and a Suhr is exactly this. All those tiny things that a proper luthier will do when he assembles the guitar to make all the parts become a whole.

And because I know who you've been using to assemble your guitars let me just tell you that I was not all that impressed with him considering the reputation he has.

Several months ago I took him my Swing for a very extensive work. Full setup, a couple of touchups/additions, fret level/dress/recrown, new nut, you get the idea.
I waited for 1,5 month until it were my turn (which I knew), it took him a little over A MONTH until she were ready, it cost me about 200-250€ (which I was prepared to pay) and when I finally got her my first (and subsequent) reaction was "meh".

I won't got into specifics but point is, perhaps it wasn't the parts but the proper work (or lack thereof) required to make a successful build.

 

[BRHGM]

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

Although, I built my tele from USACG wood, used SD pickups and other quality parts, I wouldn't say mine was better than a Fender US Tele. I've played a cool 1980's HM Strat, I played 1975 Strat that was not good.
A 1975 ES 175 played great. So did the 1998 PRS Custom 24. It came back used and sounded and looked wrecked. The SRV Strat sounded ok. The John Meyer sounded great. My point is that set-up is important and so is construction and guitars are build like cars, so they look alike, but may have differ sound qualities. I have nothing against used guitars. My 1980 Sigma D-18 is a fine instrument, but a ***** to tune and set up. So yes new is often less hassle. My friend's 1963 D-28 is nicer than a new D-28 HD, but older acoustics can sound better than newer ones for many reasons. Older electrics may or may not sound better than new ones. Quality control was handled differently in the old days. I don't buy the wood issue. Ash and Alder are cheap woods. If PRS can still make great guitars without all the issues, so can Fender.