Stratocasters: Just way too many!! - Page 2

Jim · #16 10-01-2002, 07:22 PM

Since you mentioned PRS as being an interest, it seems that you are able to appreciate a quality guitar. As such you should look at Fender Custom Shop strats as your starting point in strats. Yes they are more expensive than the Mexican or regular production American strats, but there is a great deal more quality, attention to detail and better materials used in them. I have a Custom Shop 1960 strat and it's way above my other strats.

If on the other hand you just want something to beat on and not care too much about, a Mexican strat or tele is a good choice. Be aware though that it's going to be a lesser instrument than the American models. For example, if you were able to look under the paint you would see that a Mexican strat would be made of 7 to 9 sticks of wood glued together while the American counterpart would be made of 3 boards glued together. Custom Shop strats are made of 2 boards and the Custom Shop gets first choice of all woods coming into the American factory so they get the really primo stuff.

DavesWoodstock · #17 10-02-2002, 06:52 AM

Did someone say Les Paul?

http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/...93_6272503.jpg

Yes, I adopted this one!

revkev · #18 10-02-2002, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by taylorman
Did someone say Les Paul?

http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/...93_6272503.jpg

Yes, I adopted this one!

It's always nice to see orphan guitars go to a good home.

Orphan · #19 10-02-2002, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by revkev

It's always nice to see orphan guitars go to a good home.

Yep, and thanks. You just keep sending them!

Any opinions on the EC Strat and the gold lace pups?

Jeff Flowerday · #20 10-02-2002, 05:53 PM

I think they defeat the purpose of the single coil. Without the 60 cycle hum, bite, grit of a single coil, what's the point. Might as well get humbuckers.

I've had lace sensors on my first strat back when I didn't know better.

Now this is just my .02, go with whatever flys your kite...

Roman · #21 10-02-2002, 06:15 PM

Rick,

Just curious . . . why a "Strat"? Is this something you're looking for in a lead guitar? I refinshed a 1957 strat (this was for someone elses and I didn't know any better at the time) about 15 years ago, and I found it great for lead type pickn'. I have an older Les Paul Custom (with about 5 hours of play) and a Music Man Sabre I. I personnaly haven't played them that much - but I think the Les Paul is a much more versitile guitar than the Strat or the Music Man.

Please (and I say this not to offend anyone as I seem to have done so in the past) don't take this in a negative way, I am just curious.

Roman

mojo · #22 10-03-2002, 10:30 AM

Hey Rick,

I'm going to side with Bob Womack and 510 picker, the Legacys and the rest of the G&L strat style line are excellent and used ones can be had for a great price. Do your self a favor and at least give'em a spin, you have nothing to lose. Go to the sites 510picker listed for some great resources.

JW, I have to disagree with you on this one. G&L isn't a strat copy, it's every bit a Fender, and probably more Fender than Fender itself. Both George Fullerton and Leo Fenders' names are on the headstock, and were designed by both, after Fender. They took what they learned from designing Fender Strats and vastly improved on the design. The Fender "copy" seems to be a common misconception.

mojo

510picker · #23 10-03-2002, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mojo
Hey Rick,

I'm going to side with Bob Womack and 510 picker, the Legacys and the rest of the G&L strat style line are excellent and used ones can be had for a great price. Do your self a favor and at least give'em a spin, you have nothing to lose. Go to the sites 510picker listed for some great resources.

JW, I have to disagree with you on this one. G&L isn't a strat copy, it's every bit a Fender, and probably more Fender than Fender itself. Both George Fullerton and Leo Fenders' names are on the headstock, and were designed by both, after Fender. They took what they learned from designing Fender Strats and vastly improved on the design. The Fender "copy" seems to be a common misconception.

mojo

G&L's are "better Fenders". Hope this doesn't start a fight

mojo · #24 10-04-2002, 07:56 AM

Hey 510picker,

I don't think we'll start a fight. This is an acoustic board, there may not be too many electric players here. Which G&Ls do you have? I have:
-'90 mint Skyhawk in Cherryburst and Leo Fenders' signature on the upper horn.
-'98 Legacy, black with tortious pickguard, black pups, and a gun-oil tint maple neck and board.

The 3 Maria's....
-GbL-LE, #4 of 25 (the one on the guitarsbyleo.com home page)
-20th anniversary, #3 of 50
-ASAT Jr, #249 of 250.

I'm wanting a Broadcaster when I can afford it. I think all Broadcasters were signed by Leo Fender himself in the neck pocket, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Good to see a few G&L enthusiasts here, y'all take care.....

mojo

alchu · #25 10-04-2002, 09:02 AM

I own an a 3-color burst american.

I love this guitar. were I to buy one knowing what I know now, I'd probably buy the same thing, or spring for the deluxe. I tried out the mexican / standard series, and while I feel that the guitar is a great bargain, I can definitely tell that there is a build quality difference.

Red · #26 10-04-2002, 09:21 AM

One option you may want to consider is building your own strat. This way you can get a guitar equal to or better than a Fender custom shop, but at a price lower than their mediocre American series.

Tommy over at usacustomguitars.com sells the bodies and necks to all of these highly "custom" guitar makers who put their finishing touches on the guitars along with a $4000-5000 price tag. Though this generates the majority of their revenue, Tommy is committed to helping musicians make music and will sell you the wood pre-shaped and even finished if you'd like, at wholesale prices. He's a good ole boy and only cares about getting the best guitar into your hands at the best price.

Tommy makes the Taylor equivalent in electric guitars. Everything is CNC'ed perfectly and the crew he has working for him can make you the most finely finished guitars possible. His neck guy was one of the main dudes over at the Fender custom shop for many years.

I'm in no way affiliated with them other than how stoked I was with the guitar I built and am even more stoked when seasoned pros pick up my axe and rave about how it's hands down the best sounding and playing strat that they've ever seen.

BTW- Even if you don't go with USA Custom Guitars, here are some suggestions. These woods will give you the best all around guitar.

Alder body- Again this is for best all around tone. Some like Ash which will give you more of the 80's rock tone (lots of mids).

Maple Neck with a rosewood fretboard. -Just like the Ash, you could go with an all maple neck if you want a brighter/twangier sound. I went with a 1.75" nut width so that it would be identical to my Taylor.

Bill Lawrence Pickups- 280S neck, 280S middle, 290S bridge.

I also put an LR Baggs x-bridge pickup in my bridge so I can flip a switch and my electric guitar turns into an acoustic. Great for a 1 man show 'cuz you can being playing an acoustic song and then flip a switch and go into a heavily distorted solo. Given that this is the Taylor forum I won't kid you into believing that the Piezo pup sounds anything like a Taylor 'cuz it doesn't but it is pretty convincing to the average listener. I even had one guy ask, who was playing the acoustic guitar because he could see anyone on stage with an acoustic.

Anyway- If you want more specifics about tuners, pots, jacks, nuts, capacitors, star grounds, schematics, etc. just let me know and I can e-mail you.

My next usacutomguitar is going to be a hollow body arch top telecaster.

510picker · #27 10-04-2002, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mojo
Hey 510picker,

I don't think we'll start a fight. This is an acoustic board, there may not be too many electric players here. Which G&Ls do you have? I have:
-'90 mint Skyhawk in Cherryburst and Leo Fenders' signature on the upper horn.
-'98 Legacy, black with tortious pickguard, black pups, and a gun-oil tint maple neck and board.

The 3 Maria's....
-GbL-LE, #4 of 25 (the one on the guitarsbyleo.com home page)
-20th anniversary, #3 of 50
-ASAT Jr, #249 of 250.

I'm wanting a Broadcaster when I can afford it. I think all Broadcasters were signed by Leo Fender himself in the neck pocket, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Good to see a few G&L enthusiasts here, y'all take care.....

mojo

Mojo:

Wish I could give you a long list of G&L's that I own, but the truth of the matter is that I don't own any. I don't have the extra $$$ to buy a good electric and don't play electric enough to justify the purchase. I will have to stick with my Squier Tele for now.

I have played many G&L's and do know enough about electrics to tell a quality instrument from an average instrument. When I do get one I will probably get a Asat Special. I want something that is a good all-around guitar for many different styles. I play sitting and a strat body just doesn't seem to want to stay in place as well as a tele body. I almost bought a SC-3 that was on e-bay a month or so ago from a guy in the Louisville area....that wasn't you was it?

mojo · #28 10-04-2002, 10:01 AM

Hey Red,

I had no idea about usacustonguitars, thanks for the info. I've been looking at www.warmoth.com for awhile and looking to put together a custom from them. I'll definately give usacustomguitars some thought.

Thanks and take care

mojo

510picker · #29 10-04-2002, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 510picker

I almost bought a SC-3 that was on e-bay a month or so ago from a guy in the Louisville area....that wasn't you was it?

Here's a link to that SC-3:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...901347976&rd=1

mojo · #30 10-04-2002, 10:46 AM

Hey 510picker,

No, it wasn't me, I've never owned an SC-3. If you're not playing an electric very much, I can see you rational. If you were to get one electric to cover alot of bases, I think you would be happy with an ASAT Special. Very nice guitar, and it has those fat sounding overwound MFD's.

Good luck and thanks for the reply.....

mojo