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Any Strat players out there?


TrentonMakes

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My wife wants to make my dream of owning a Fender Stratocaster a reality.  (she is the best - or, she's tired of hearing me talk about it)

I have been leaning toward the "Player" series, which is made in Mexico - my Mexican Telecaster is rock solid and I feel like can sit there for two weeks and still be in tune (so I'm assuming similar build quality).

I'd love an American Standard, but - well, would I?  I can't see paying almost double for one of those, unless I'm really getting something tangible for it.  And it's not like I'll be earning a living with it - it'll see action playing with my friends, or practicing/recording at home.

That being said I still haven't ruled out something at a lower price point, like the "Classic Vibe" series.  (still - those say "Squier" on the headstock - usually I'm not hung up on this kind of thing, but I want to see "Fender" up there)

I have owned six guitars in my life - all of them used.  It would be nice to finally have a brand new one.

Any input is appreciated.

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4 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

My brother is a guitar player, he played my (really nice) Les Paul.  Up to that point I was convinced there was something wrong with it.

I feel like every fledgling guitarist has probably had that lesson taught to them.  (I remember it well)

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10 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

My son has had a strat for a long time, he likes it but probably plays his Martin acoustics more often.

I drool over the Martins at the shop, but then I realize that if I decide I'm going to play for a while, 9 times out of 10 I grab an electric... until that changes I won't be adding anything like a Martin to my inventory.

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I have a Mexican Strat (mostly), Satin Burgundy finish.  They are not the same as the American series, but, you can do stuff.

One difference is consistency.  BIG difference in the Squier series, the Mexican (Standard) are much better.  Play a few at a shop, you might note a slight difference.  I think they still offer  a choice of maple or rosewood necks, the tonal difference is your choice.

You'll get 21 frets instead off 22, if that matters.  Slightly narrower nut. Different wood, so some tonal difference.  The pickups are close, you could always swap them later.

The BIG impact is setup.  They don't usually come perfectly set from the factory.  Play a  while, then mess with the coil  and saddle heights.  Experiment, get the sound and feel YOU want.  Do that on the cleanest pedal/amp setup you can.  Get enough meat in the clean sound, it will translate to anything dirtier.

I swapped the nut with a Tusq nut, and at the bridges with a Callaham bridge.  Do the whole bridge, not just the block, especially if you'll use the tremolo arm.  A whole new guitar!  My band mate has an American Standard.  Playability is the same.  Sound is a little different, not better  or worse (edit)  I get more sustain and depth.  Other than that, the rest of the rig is what changes things.

My Gretsch hollow is probably my go to - I just love the sound, but the strat is a must, FAR more versatile.  If I could only take one to a gig, it would be the Strat.

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18 minutes ago, TrentonMakes said:

I feel like every fledgling guitarist has probably had that lesson taught to them.  (I remember it well)

He played tons of stuff on it, just goofing off.  Then he played the intro to Mean Streets.  I cried.

With a Strat, you can't go wrong.  Like a pretty bike that makes you want to ride it, get the pretty Strat that makes you smile.

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40 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

Get the pretty one.

Hence, how I came to be in possession of a gorgeous Satin Strat.

My son's friend wanted to join my son's band.  He asked me to go help him pick out a guitar so he could learn to play.  I knew his level of focus, so the deal was, he picked the look, I picked everything else, because  knew I'd be buying it from him soon.

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9 minutes ago, 12string said:

the strat is a must, FAR more versatile.  If I could only take one to a gig, it would be the Strat.

I can't say I don't love the look, and even the "mystique" of a Strat, but the versatility is what I want... so many different sounds, switching on the fly. 

For full disclosure, one of my previous guitars was a Strat knockoff (made by Peavey) - as My First Electric Guitar.  I loved it, but it didn't stay in tune and the electronics were really noisy.  I sold it in a purge to fund my (Epiphone) Les Paul which is currently my "go-to" guitar (in one of my prouder moments, I successfully replaced all the electronics myself - a huge upgrade).

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5 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

Whichever one sings to you.  I'm not convinced a better guitar sounds better in the hands of a mere mortal.  That said, a super cheap guitar with bad tuners, crappy pick ups, and a neck that needs to be reset will be impossible to play.  You're not looking at that level though.

My brother is a guitar player, he played my (really nice) Les Paul.  Up to that point I was convinced there was something wrong with it.

Get the pretty one.

I can't speak for electric quitars - I've only ever had cheap ones and gave my last one to my brother.

I was in a Guitar Center around 2000 and played guitars from $300 to $1200.  There was no question that I sounded MUCH better with the $800 - $1200 expensive guitars.

I ended up bidding and winning on eBay, $170 for a very fine Yamaha from the 1980's with a solid spruce back that had a deep scratch a few inches long on the front face.  It was about as good sounding as the $800 guitars.

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I have a few that I put together with parts from Warmoth and parts laying around. The strat has pickups that copy the 57 strat, left hand neck and a Wilkinson locking  tremolo. I wired it up with a push/pull pot on one of the tone knows so it has 7 pickup selector switch. 

The telecaster was just parts laying around. The pickups are Seymour Duncon thatI picked up used. 

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I had one.  Loved it.  Sold it because I played the acoustic far more.  The one I had was a squire strat, but it was a pro tone edition.  It looked like the pic but my pick guard was solid white and the color was a little more "blue".  It had the gold hardware, locking tremolo (sp?).  I had upgraded tuners and some Seymore Duncan pickups.  It played and sounded AMAZING.  There are a few things that I have sold and immediately regretted.  A black, 4x4 Ford Ranger, my little 1999 Sea Ray runabout, and this guitar.   

 

Squier Protone Pro tone Stratocaster 1997 Green | Mark's BR | Reverb

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