Comments on: REVIEW: Fender Classic ’60s Stratocaster

By: My Quest For The Perfect Strat » Electric Guitar Review

My Quest For The Perfect Strat » Electric Guitar Review — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:38:31 +0000

[...] Feb 27th––REVIEW: Fender Classic ’60s Stratocaster Related Guitar News & Reviews: [...]

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 23:23:04 +0000

Well said JP…good bowling pin analogy…. although I disagree. Wood still thinks its a tree until it’s aged 25 years…. Aged authentic Strats are priced out of reach for most people….and are too valuable to be left on stage between sets. So guys like me crave the vintage feel…without the price tag. Sure you can get a new Fender to “sound” vintage or even “unique”…but the point for me is that a vintage “feeling” instrument inspires me to play a certain way. It’s not necessarily the “heavy relic” look that I crave. It’s the experience of the instrument….what it brings out in me. My “new” tele is in constant need of adjustment because the wood is still settling in. It doesn’t feel “real” yet (although the electronics totally rock).

I would encourage you to go to a shop with lots of Fender gear (not just the “new” stuff like most Guitar Centers)….someplace that stocks lots of custom shop and relic stuff (and perhaps the production stuff for comparison). You’ll hear and feel that the relics are better instruments…. in all respects.

I’d still take a convertible 65 Mustang over a new one, too! Although for most other cars, newer is definitely better….but their are exceptions (just like vintage Fenders).

By: JP Stratoblogster

JP Stratoblogster — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 08:07:00 +0000

I played a new American Deluxe this weekend and liked it pretty much. It has the the little neck heel relief like the EJ, locking tuners, noiseless pups and the S-1.

The one I played was a classic burst with rosewood. Not as light as the EJ’s I’ve tried, but looked like two piece (alder). This one had a tight bottom even in neck position. The S-1 is pretty boomy, but kinda creamy in the bridge position. The pickup covers were cream colored. Classic good lookin’ Strat overall. This one had a lot of integrity– good resonance from body to headstock.

I know what the other guys mean by the “new feeling” thing. When it’s all shiny with no scratches, it lacks a certain character. However, if I bought a relic/aged guitar– I’d personally feel like a phony. My opinion, but it seems like you gotta make your own relic, either by living with one for a couple decades or doing the “quick-age” mod yourself.

Nobody buys new jeans anymore. We get em already soft, faded and distressed. Remember the process and ritual of breakin in a stiff pair of Levis jeans or a baseball glove? It was a part of life. It’s the same thing with guitars. Funny how cars are the opposite though. When the new car smell fades away and you find chips & dings when washing it, you don’t consider the car to be gaining anything, much less “character”.

Just close your eyes and use your ears, because a trophy Strat is a trophy Strat, a bowling pin is a bowling pin and a musical Strat is a musical Strat. And sometimes, a trophy Strat is a bowling pin to the ears.

By: Dan Shubin

Dan Shubin — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:00:43 +0000

Now that was a great review, Cary!
It had all that ‘rubber-meets-the-road’ stuff that you have to learn in order to buy a Strat these days. (and not turn around in two weeks and wish you would’ve shopped more). I learned alot and boy will I be smart after your 15th Strat review! haha.

One thing–what are Fender/Ping tuners?

And Rick–you so right about that “new” feeling. I didn’t impulse buy an AmerDeluxe because of that. It really turned me off.
Dan

By: Rick

Rick — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:34:56 +0000

When you factor in new pickups + new hardware + time/effort to install it all, you will be close to spending as much as a new American model (and certainly as much as a slightly used high end model). After having played this one and the 50′s model, I thought the 50′s model had “more” of a vintage feel (with a lot of the limitations you pointed out….although the one I played was setup with great action). When you are spending this little for the “feel” of a strat, you’re going to end up upgrading the hardware eventually if you plan on putting a lot of mileage on this guitar. What’s up with the cheap gig bag? You can pickup after market hard shell cases for $40…

My suggestion (as said before), start with a high end model you like, then figure out what you lose with the Mexican models. In my findings, the 50′s model was closer to that pf the Eric Johnson model, which I think is Fender’s best production guitar.

Also, FYI I played some of Fender’s newest American models last week, including the hot rod series Strats, the Hendrix reverse head stock model,the Standard Eric Clapton Blackie, and the updated American Deluxe…..which all seemed either gimmicky, or targeted at a very specific segment of the semi-pro market….all of them felt “new” to me. Funny enough when I mentioned the Bill Nash guitars to the sales people, they had all heard of them, and one sales guy even said that he makes better Relics than Fender at half the price.