G&L, American Strat, or Kit?

[K.E.P.]

I am looking for a strat to give me something totally different from my singlecut. I have about $700 dollars. I have been researching and trying to get out and play what I can. Can any strat owners give me advice on the best guitar for the money (Fender, G&L, Kit from Warmoth). I am just looking for the best strat I can get for $700 new or used. Thanks,

KEP

[dreamsinger]

Originally Posted by K.E.P.

I am looking for a strat to give me something totally different from my singlecut. I have about $700 dollars. I have been researching and trying to get out and play what I can. Can any strat owners give me advice on the best guitar for the money (Fender, G&L, Kit from Warmoth). I am just looking for the best strat I can get for $700 new or used. Thanks,

KEP

The best Strat I ever played is the one I built off the Warmoth catalog. I went deluxe, got the best of everything including a Mike Lull fret job and Joe Barden p/u's and it still only cost around $1300. Considering that $600 was for the p/u's and fret job I'd say you could do very well with a kit. Check out mine;http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jdb502.../ph//my_photos

[Bern]

Originally Posted by K.E.P.

I am looking for a strat to give me something totally different from my singlecut. I have about $700 dollars. I have been researching and trying to get out and play what I can. Can any strat owners give me advice on the best guitar for the money (Fender, G&L, Kit from Warmoth). I am just looking for the best strat I can get for $700 new or used. Thanks,

KEP

Try to find a American strat used. Look in guitar magazines and see what you can get for $700. Sometimes, at guitar shows you can get really good deals !

[ramsa]

I have had no problems with my G&L Fullerton model. Solid ash body, vintage frets, sunburst finish...
Plays great and sounds good.
It IS heavy, though.

[815C]

Look around for a used G&L.

[macmoondoggie]

Get the Strat.

[mapletrees]

don't forget about

USA Custom Guitars (similar to Warmouth)

and

Musicman/Ernie Ball

[CDT]

I have a friend that has 5 or 6 warmoth teles..he gets handwired pickups and what-not..killer guitars, but he's been doing this for years..and he spends way more than $700 on them, not including his time.

I have a g&l legacy HB that noone can hear or touch without wanting to buy it from me...$600 used.

strats vary just like acoustics... you should really go play some with 2 SC's, 3 SC's, 2 SC's-1 HB, 2 HB's....then there are rails as in the warmoth above (very nice BTW). there are different neck radii...different body woods and weight (as mentioned)...apply the same research and critique as you would an acoustic or anything else that's considered a "big purchase".

[drive-south]

I have 2 Fender Strats. One is an American Standard made in the late 80's and the other is a USA Vintage reissue 62 Strat.

The 62 has a great vintage vibe, nice gloss finish on the neck, etc but costs almost twice as much as the American Standard. The American Standard is a great guitar for the money. It has sealed die-cast tuners, Wilkenson trem, TBX tone control, etc. Definately a great value. Plays like butta. In your' price range, I'd definately check out an American Standard Strat. I'm not sure if Fender still makes this model. I'd check Ebay for used. Figure around $500 for a minty one. The only thing I didn't like was the cheasy plastic HS case. I replaced mine with a tweed HS.

drive-south

[Bob Womack]

The G&Ls are great guitars. Lots of bang for the bucks.

Bob

[trpullen]

G&L is very fine. They are killer sounding and really have a great trem system on them.

I have been toying with selling my Fender Roadhouse Strat. It has the custom shop Texas Specials in it, 3 color burst and maple fingerboard. I have 3 Strats and have a fondness for the rosewood boards. Let me know if you would like pics.

[David MacNeill]

Find a good used American Standard Stratocaster and never look back. Kit guitars are bush league and G&L's look like Korean knock-offs, in my opinion.

If you want to be taken seriously by other players, you need a real guitar. You can buy a lot of Strat for $700 these days. I'd strongly recommend you look for a 2004 or 2005 50th Anniversary Strat. I just sold one for $850 on eBay -- one of the best Strats I've ever owned and I've owned dozens of them from 1964 on. It's as close to a Fender Custom Shop guitar that you can find for under a grand.

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by davidmacneill

Kit guitars are bush league and G&L's look like Korean knock-offs, in my opinion...

Oh, c'mon, don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel...

If you want to be taken seriously by other players, you need a real guitar.

I like it. Peer pressure as the preeminent selection criterion.

Bob

By the way, I prefer G&L over Fender because of their wood quality, because I prefer the shouldering of their necks, and because they are pretty much hand-built. Playing comfort is something I think about, on occasion. I'll admit that I don't particularly like their headstocks and I that I miss the skunk stripe, though.***

*** IMHO, your mileage may vary, does not include tax and license, dealer prep and options, destination service charges and undercoating. No animals were hurt in the making of this post.

[David MacNeill]

Just telling it like it is, out here in the real world of working musicians. The guy asked for my opinion so there it is. Performing music is half craft, half show biz. If a guy shows up to fix your roof with stone knives and bearskins, you might wonder if he's really serious about his profession. If he was sucessful at what he does, he'd be able to afford the best tools.

I was onstage last year at a memorial for a musician friend who passed away. The drummer came up to me, looked at my Martin OM-15 that I was playing that night, and asked -- seriously -- if it was homemade. When I stood back and looked at it on its stand onstage, I had to admit that it looked like a cheap kit guitar. Sold it. Stage presence matters. If you have a recognized, high-quality brand guitar on your shoulder, you have one less hurdle to overcome.

[Johnny5]

Originally Posted by mapletrees

don't forget about

USA Custom Guitars (similar to Warmouth)

and

Musicman/Ernie Ball

Tommy at USA Custom Guitars is a gem... I have made multiple partscasters and they are VERY accomodating, and the wood has been top notch, along with the fit and finish. That being said I have played G&L's that I have loved, I really like the Fullerton model with their V-neck profile. Go used if you go G&L, let someone else take the beating on the list price. For Fenders I love the Jimmy Vaughn strats, great bang fer buck and the neck is killer(I even love the stock Tex Mex pickups). Also, I pretty much agree that a kit is not a good way to go... if you go the parts route I've had good experiences with both Warmoth and USACG. (And AllParts as well). If you're interested, you can visit my buddy(and my luthier) Rob's website... He'll assemble and setup anything you want for a good price. He's the only one who I let work on my axes... Fret Tech