Which strat for <£400?

S

spleenharvester

New member
Which strat for <£400?

Having just grabbed a Vox AC15C1 (at an excellent price!), I'm going to need to pick up a guitar. And having not owned an electric for many years, I am totally out of touch as to what to look for. I've decided on a strat (only guitar really comfortable to play for me), and have a budget of £400 or so (can be new or used).

I figure the 'Stratocaster Standard' line is in my budget range and I'm after something with an alder body. I have no idea what the difference in quality is between MIM, MIA and the various years between them.

As it happens, I have some spare pickups - Duncan Slash Alnico II neck humbucker, Duncan hotrail, and Tonerider Generator. I would like to shoehorn these into said strat if possible, so it doesn't have to come with good p'ups particularly.

In essence - if you were in my position of looking for a stratocaster, where would you start?

Thanks!
 
Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

I have no clue what the market is like for G&Ls in the UK, but I'd look into a Tribute Legacy or S500 ... Although if you want to change pickups anyway, that tilts things a bit more toward an MiM. The MiM Fenders (apart from Deluxe models etc.) have ceramic pickups, six hole bridge... The American Special is similar spec. but with alnico pickups (still on plastic bobbins I believe,) better finish and a better setup (but they're a bit too new to be found used often,) American Standard adds a two point trem and a few other nice things I can't think of right now.

For my money, if not the G&L Tribute, then the Squier CV/VM series are the best bang for your buck; in the US, American Standards can be had ~$600 which IMO makes them a great deal. Music Man Sterlings can be good as well if you find a nice one.
 
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Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

If there are any locally try a yamaha pacifica
 
Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

Look for a mexican strat on the used market, which usually sell for about $300-500 (which according to google is in the range of about £250-400). Doing this will leave you a little money left over.
 
Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

Squier CV might be the best for that money. It has a-class built quality and is good enough that it's easier to list why it's so inexpensive:

- Built in China (But like I said, very well built nevertheless)
- Lightweight trem block, CV really becomes great guitar after changing this.
- Electronics.

After improving the following. It can rival any Fender Strat.
 
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Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

spleenharvester said:
Having just grabbed a Vox AC15C1 (at an excellent price!), I'm going to need to pick up a guitar. And having not owned an electric for many years, I am totally out of touch as to what to look for. I've decided on a strat (only guitar really comfortable to play for me), and have a budget of £400 or so (can be new or used).

I figure the 'Stratocaster Standard' line is in my budget range and I'm after something with an alder body. I have no idea what the difference in quality is between MIM, MIA and the various years between them.

As it happens, I have some spare pickups - Duncan Slash Alnico II neck humbucker, Duncan hotrail, and Tonerider Generator. I would like to shoehorn these into said strat if possible, so it doesn't have to come with good p'ups particularly.

In essence - if you were in my position of looking for a stratocaster, where would you start?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

With a budget of $400, I would get a used MIM or MIJ with space for a humbucker and put the pickups you're talkin about in it!
 
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Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

LTD ST-213, and do a little investment on hardware and electronics. Awesome guitar after being modded.
 
Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

Jacew said:
Squier CV might be the best for that money. It has a-class built quality and is good enough that it's easier to list why it's so inexpensive:

- Built in China (But like I said, very well built nevertheless)
- Lightweight trem block, CV really becomes great guitar after changing this.
- Electronics.

After improving the following. It can rival any Fender Strat.
Click to expand...

I think I have to pull out this recommendation. When I bought my CV it cost 400 €, and had one piece body.

Now the Squier CV is listed 550 € in Fender web page, and based on picture, it has three piece body! Who knows what else has changed...
 
Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

Don't know the market overseas, but you may want to look at the Squire or Yamaha line for your price range...possibly Ibanez.
 
Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

I wouldn't trust a picture to work out the "official" spec because there likely is none; three piece is the norm, nothing wrong with three piece, and three piece is all you're likely to get with any standard Fender, US, MiM etc. Among the CV/VM Squiers, I've seen multiples of the same model in a store at the same time with three (and two) and one piece bodies.

That you can get a Squier with a one piece or two piece body is remarkable, if even by luck. It's not even remote, many of them have a one or two piece body, just some don't. Hell, I have an MiM Fender Telecaster, it's five piece, with veneers.
 
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Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

Are the classic vibe squier starts routed for 3 single coils. There's rumours as well that these cv starts use tonerider pickups but no one will ever admit to it. How about the brand Vintage? Easily on par with squier and cheaper too.
 
Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

plasticscouse said:
Are the classic vibe squier starts routed for 3 single coils. There's rumours as well that these cv starts use tonerider pickups but no one will ever admit to it. How about the brand Vintage? Easily on par with squier and cheaper too.
Click to expand...

It's routed for HSS.

And yes, apperently multi-piece body is usual even for american strats. I didn't know that. By a blind luck, I just happened to get my CV with a single-piece body back in 2011.
 
Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

Try out as many as you can.

Check out Yamaha, Ibanez, LTD, Jackson, Schecter, G&L, Fender, Squire to see which you feel more at home with and which have the pickup config that you want etc.
Note that I haven't played a G&L but lots of people rate them highly, even the cheaper imports which I'd imagine should be in your price range.

For second hand any of the above you are comfortable with and you might find some good value made in japan guitars around. Eg.
Aria, Hohner, Tokai
Hopefully someone else might be able to chime in with other brands / better info on what to look for in terms of years for those brands second-hand.

Tokai also have new models which are pretty good instruments but I have mostly seen LP / SG styles so no sure if they are in your price range and do strats with a pup config you want.
 
Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

Thanks for the replies all - I just bought a used 2010 Blacktop stratocaster in candy apple red @ £350 delivered. Will throw my Duncan Slash and Tonerider pickups in soon as it gets here and hopefully it will complement my AC15 nicely.

Cheers!
 
Re: Which strat for <£400?

Re: Which strat for <£400?

Congratulations. That should do really well for your needs. Candy Apple Red is a nice color, too.
 
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