It’s funny, I’ve been playing the electric guitar for over twenty years now, and in all that time, while I’ve owned numerous great guitars, I’ve never owned a basic Stratocaster… not a single one.
I’ve owned Gibsons, Gretchs, and Guilds, a Rickenbacker and a few Teles to boot, but never a Strat. Sure, I’ve played tons of ‘em, but that’s not the same thing as owning one. So recently I decided it was high time to add one to my collection, and hence I’ve started a new series of posts & reviews I’ll be calling simply My Quest For The Perfect Strat.
Now, the word ‘perfect’ means different things to different people, and of course what’s perfect for me may not be perfect for you, but in this case the phrase “Perfect Strat” really means the best mix of features, including tone, feel, style, electronics, hardware, and of course price.
There is no perfect guitar, but I believe that somewhere out there is an amalgamation of wood, metal and plastic that will fit perfectly in my hands, sing like a moaning angel, and coax the very best from my big, fat fingers… now I’ve just got to find it.
So for the next few months I’ll be posting reviews of the Stratocasters that I play on my elusive quest. Things are made a bit easier by the fact that like many, I am enamored of Fender’s vintage instruments (tone-wise, style-wise, and just plain mojo-wise,) which cuts out a lot of the modern, noiseless Strats coming off the assembly line these days.
Well, I guess I’ve got some serious playing to do. Here’s the list so far:
- Feb 27th––REVIEW: Fender Classic ’60s Stratocaster
- April 9th––REVIEW: Fender Classic Player ’60s Stratocaster
- June 5th––REVIEW: Fender Highway One Stratocaster (‘06 Upgrade)
- June 29th––REVIEW: Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster
- Aug 24th––REVIEW: Fender American Vintage ‘62 Stratocaster
- Apr 16th––REVIEW: Fender “Thin Skin” ‘62 Stratocaster
- Vintage Guitar Magazine Reviews American Deluxe Stratocaster V-Neck
- REVIEW: Fender Limited Edition “Thin Skin” ‘62 Stratocaster
- REVIEW: Fender Classic Player ’60s Stratocaster
- REVIEW: Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster
- David Gilmour “Black Strat” Mini-Site Now Up At Fender.com
- Fender Giving Away John Mayer’s Master-Built Continuum Stratocaster
- Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
- Semi-Hollow Hardtail: Fender Unveils Strat-O-Sonic
- Sustain For Days… Fender’s Highway One Stratocaster
- Squier Introduces Hello Kitty Stratocaster
- Replacement Strat Pickups Compared: Check Out These MP3 Samples!
- Fender To Produce Just 100 John Cruz Builder Select ‘61 Strat Relics
February 17th, 2007 at 7:02 am
Good luck! :D
February 17th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Good luck, Cary…
Go check out a Bill Nash Guitar ( http://www.nashguitars.com/timewarp/index.html ). They are made from Fender parts and looks, plays, and sounds like a vintage instrument….for about the price of a new American model. I checked out some Fender Heavy Relics at Buffalo Brothers ( http://www.buffalobrosguitars.com/fender.html ) this week, but the great ones were way out of my price range for now (starting at $2300+ used). One of the great things about Buffalo Brothers is there trade-in policy. Once a year, you can trade up your instrument at the full purchase price, as long as you keep it in good condition. So even if you start with a relatively inexpensive Mexican 50’s or 60’s model (which are a great value), you can end up with a high end relic a year or two down the line, without losing your original investment. I plan on buying my next guitar there. I wish I would have bought my Mexican Nashville Power Tele there. It’s a great, unique sounding instrument, but definitely one that I’ll grow out of.
As far as Fender’s production guitars go…. Spend a lot of time with the Eric Johnson model. After my exhaustive search, that’s the one I would go with….if I wasn’t so jaded by the Relics!
February 17th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Cary,
I agree with Rick on the EJ Strat being a real hi-lite of Fender’s current production line. They are light! I also wanna get my hands on a custom build using Warmoth’s chambered Strat body. Check out the Rothstein Strat in my Strat for Friday series.
Also check out Scott Henderson demoing his Suhr at the Prosound Communications site.
I’ll let my readers know about your Strat quest! Have fun!
jp
February 18th, 2007 at 6:31 am
Cary – you’re gonna have some fun! In the past year I too embarked on the strat quest, and am now a fully devoted strat fan. I now own 6, and love each one. Have my eye on a killer american model in vintage white as well.
Along the way, I also discovered the Ibanez SZ520QM. Worth mentioning in any circle. Even a now confirmed strat player wants to let loose once in awhile, and man, this guitar achieves what one can only hope a Les Paul can. And that, from one that has been devoted to Gold Tops for 30 years. Simply put, creamy smooth to skin burning shred, and the fastest neck I’ve seen in years. But, back to Strats . . . . .
The EJ model is a wonderful strat to be sure. For other new models the Classic 50s mex model is absolutely the best made $630 (street price) strat out there. Tinted fretboard, and an amazing job with color and finish. Vintage noise too. My current fav for new models is the american model in vintage or antique white, w/tortoise pickguard, rosewood board. List is about $1770 I think. Seems like this run is as very good one. I can afford vintage, but paying today’s vintage prices for an instrument just because someone else will is too often more than a little assinine. Maybe you’ll find that killer guitar and appropriate deal.
As I assume you are partially trying to create some buzz here, good job, and thx for doing it. At 53, I’m totally jazzed about guitars again, thx to strats, which I never really gave much thought to in the past, tending to use Pauls, 335s and Teles. Think of the time I wasted over 38 years of playing, or maybe the time I spent preparing to embrace this wonderful instrument.
Good luck.
Ken
February 18th, 2007 at 8:22 am
Wow… thanks for all the great suggestions folks. Ken, to be honest I never really thought of the buzz angle––I just figured I’d document my search––but I’m more than happy to create one! ;)
So far I’ve played the Classic Player ’60s model, the upgraded 2006 Highway One, and the American Vintage. I’ll have to give the Classic ’50s a try, along with the straight Mexican ’60s & ’50s, and of course a few modern Americans as well.
Someone mentioned Nash above, and if I can get my hands one one (perhaps I’ll head over to San Francisco,) I’ll give that a try as well.
Should be fun!
February 18th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
My luthier and I talked Strats last time I was in with mine ( a 93 Japan Short Strat, 24″ scale, two knob).
The shop all agreed that the Samarium Cobalt Nickel (SCN) pickups were the best They’d ever heard as they gave off all the tone+++ of a traditional pup without the noise. We did not discuss the pot mod everyone mentions in Harmony-Centrals user review. I wonder if Fender fixed it.
I have a PRS to compare trems with and I have always thought that Strat trems are way too stiff–and they’ve had 60 years to work on making them more accomodating.
Last gripe: a 25.5″ scale is really unneccesary. It puts too much tension on the strings for comfortable winding and too much space between frets. Fender really should make 24.75″ a regular option. My 24″ Shortie with Texas pups sounds exactly like Hendrix and SRV so it’s not the scale length.
If I were going to buy a Strat, I would build one thru Warmoth to get the neck length (plus get a 10-16″ compound radius) and a hollow body. And some 18:1 PlanetWaves tuners.
The Strat is an iconic design that is fabulous until you get into the details. I feel it’s an insult that it took Fender 60 years to introduce “rolled edged necks”. So what–in 2070 they’ll put on a smooth action trem like a PRS???
Dan
February 20th, 2007 at 3:41 am
I own myself a very nice 57 reissue strat which really fulfill my dreams I can’t wait to read what your quest will promote !
Nice reviews just want to congratule you for the quality of your articles
February 26th, 2007 at 11:57 am
C’mon Cary–go shopping! We’re waiting. Try those American Deluxes.
Dan
February 26th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Hehe… I’m working on my review of the Classic ’60s Strat as we speak : )
Unfortunately, I don’t get to play guitars full time!
February 28th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
I’m personally looking at eventually getting a Highway One. Talking to one of the guys at my local shop and looking at the Highway One convinced me.
March 5th, 2007 at 3:47 am
Just picked up a Classic 50s model in Fiesta Red. These deserve a good look by any serious strat player. Really nice edition to my collection. The neck is absolutely beautiful, what a nice tint, and fits like a glove. The paint job is actually amazingly nice too. The pickups are really pretty quiet too. Played through my tweed Peavey Classic 30 and 112E I’m takin’ back many, many years.
Did I read somewhere you were checking out a Classic 60s? Also a very nice and affordable alternative to the vintage series. The Lake Placid Blue model seems to look particularly the part. I think they are a pretty hot buy too, again . . . affordable.
While you are searching for the perfect strat, I’m simply searching for my next strat, or maybe tele. The two instruments on my list that WILL be had are the American Deluxe in white with rosewood fretboard and tortouise pickguard, and a natural or butterscotch tele, probably the American Vintage ‘52. Then again, I am so absolutely knocked out by the quality of things coming out of the Ensenada factory I make look for a higher end Mexican model.
I have the sunburst Hwy 1 strat and teles too. You really can’t go wrong with a Hwy 1 strat. Very, very high quality for the $. Both of mine are late 2005/early 2006 models. Personally I hate the bigger 70s style headstocks and don’t buy that more mass there increases sustain. Just hate the look. So, check out a pre-big headstock Hwy 1 strat.
Have you had your hands on regular American Strat, not a deluxe? I haven’t, but would be interested in your thoughts.
Update us man!
Ken
May 14th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
For me it has to be the American deluxe, supberb sound, it is well balanced and just feels good in your hands. It has amazing sustain and is a dream to play.
September 1st, 2007 at 3:52 am
You should check out the Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster. Probably the most versatile Strat ever made. I know that you don’t like V-necks (which this has) but it is a damn fine guitar. It does everything from Strat to Les Paul (due to the mid-boost knob) and the TBX tone control is very handy as well.
I’ve modified mine a bit: Buzz Feiten tuning system, Trem-Setter and un-blocked the trem & stainless steel frets. I’ve got the early model with Gold Lace Sensors on it and the guitar sounds great.
October 19th, 2007 at 4:42 am
Thanks for publishing all of these reviews! It is a great educational help for people trying to find their way through the jungle of strats that are out there. What I wanted to ask you is what about other strat “copies” such as the G&L s-500 or Legacy ( which is apparently a further development of the strat developed by Leo Fender himself )? Or the Tokai copies from the 80’s or the ibanez copies? I know the list is almost endless but your quest is for “the perfect Strat” and not the perfect Fender Srat, is it not?
October 20th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Please check out/review the Fender American Vintage Hot Rod ‘57 Strat, I think its one of the best Fender has to offer(aside from custom shop an all that expencive sht)! again please review it …..it might just end your search! Good luck..
July 24th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Def. Try the American Deluxe…as nice as the new american standards are the Deluxes are to me that much finer while also being quite different too, still just body and neck wise guitar for guitar the dlx’s are usually a little nicer…mine is an ‘05 three tone sunburst with lightly tinted maple neck/board (satin finish)…it has a 2 piece perfectly matched alder body…i have never weighed it but guess it to be around 8 lbs, perhaps a tad under…the SCN’s are not for all extreme vintage freaks (although i think that a lot of them just get fooled by their lack of hum, lol!), however i think they ring out the classic Strat glassy bell chimes very well without ANY hum…also they handle overdrive very well and are a tad bit hotter and thicker esp. with the S-1 on…
Ahh the S-1…personally i love it…when playing in my heavy band i have it engaged almost always…for rhythm playing it gives the strat player a whole new playing ground…you can actually play a thick rhythm in the 1st position with S-1 enaged!…and in the 5th / neck pos. with it enaged, forget about it!…it’s fat city!!…pos. 3 / middle makes use of all 3 pickups at once and is very crunchy and heavy…switch the S-1 back off and your back in classic single coil Strat land…N.B.! the S-1 does not give you instant humbuckers though! although it does put the single coils in series ala a long distance humbucker, it is not the same sound…personally i like it…it most like a mini humbucker in tone…all in all the S-S-S Am Dlx. Strat is a super versatile highly crafted Strat!…the only other new Strat i could imagine myself wanting in the future is perhaps the ‘08 Am Standard H-S-S as a companion….but still the Am Dlx S-S-S Strat covers humbucker tones quite convincingly and classic Fender tones outstandingly (without the hum!)….def, check one out!…
p.s. almost forgot, the Schaller locking tuners are a godsend…super quick stringchanges and mine never seems to go out of tune even with heavy trem use…also the slightly thicker pop in trem arm with adjustable tension is wonderful…as is the slightly contoured heel (previously only found on the jeff beck sig and custom shop models).
July 30th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
HI CARY,please check out my question about the ”CLASSIC PLAYER 60′S STRAT” that i bought on ebay.It is under the name r.hanks. Anyone else who cares to comment please do,as i appreciate any feedback i can get!!