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Difference between 50's, 60's and 70's-issue fender strats

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edited April 2004 in Musicians and Gearheads
can someone please tell me the differences in materials/hardware etc and the differences in sound between these guitars. i am considering buying a re-issue...are they good? are the stock pickups good? please can someone give me a 'low-down' on them. should i get one of these or get a 'standard' and put some better pick-ups in? thanks :)
seems that needlessly its getting harder
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    check out fender.com for all specs for every model.

    and harmony-central.com for user reviews.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    I don't really subscribe to the reissue thing. I've played a bunch of them and some were great, some were just Ok, but all were expensive for what they are. If you're handy, you can get a Standard pretty reasonably and change out the pickups yourself. You have to look each one over, though, because the consistency varies. The neck matters a lot to me. The old 7 1/2 inch radius is comfortable for chords, but not great for bending strings. The 10" radius is great for blues playing and leads. Make sure the neck joint is tight and look over the finish really well.

    Like Exhausted says, their site has all the neck and pickup info on it.

    I was just looking at a whole pile of them this weekend at a new Fender dealer right near my house. There are so many models and combinations it's unbelievable! I actually found my favorite Strat ever and ordered it. It'll be in next week.:D The 50th anniversary American Deluxe. It is a flawless guitar, (at least the one I played) and the new pickup switching is really cool. The new noiseless cobalt pickups sound great. The fret work is smooth and the neck is really comfortable.


    The reissues try to emulate the guitar that had the sound of the time, so the pickups are tailored to that era, so there's no use paying too much for a reissue if you're going to change the pickups anyway. I personally think it's best to sit down and play a bunch of guitars and fall in love with one. :)
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Originally posted by who's_pearljam?
    I don't really subscribe to the reissue thing. I've played a bunch of them and some were great, some were just Ok, but all were expensive for what they are. If you're handy, you can get a Standard pretty reasonably and change out the pickups yourself. You have to look each one over, though, because the consistency varies. The neck matters a lot to me. The old 7 1/2 inch radius is comfortable for chords, but not great for bending strings. The 10" radius is great for blues playing and leads. Make sure the neck joint is tight and look over the finish really well.

    Like Exhausted says, their site has all the neck and pickup info on it.

    I was just looking at a whole pile of them this weekend at a new Fender dealer right near my house. There are so many models and combinations it's unbelievable! I actually found my favorite Strat ever and ordered it. It'll be in next week.:D The 50th anniversary American Deluxe. It is a flawless guitar, (at least the one I played) and the new pickup switching is really cool. The new noiseless cobalt pickups sound great. The fret work is smooth and the neck is really comfortable.


    The reissues try to emulate the guitar that had the sound of the time, so the pickups are tailored to that era, so there's no use paying too much for a reissue if you're going to change the pickups anyway. I personally think it's best to sit down and play a bunch of guitars and fall in love with one. :)


    Same one I picked out too. Go Figure..... Great Minds.... :D
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    Originally posted by Pacomc79
    Same one I picked out too. Go Figure..... Great Minds.... :D

    I knew you were getting a Strat. That's the one?

    Great minds DO think alike! :D

    They're in short supply, and I just happened to be in this shop when one came in for somebody else, so I looked it over and played it. It is truly the best strat I've ever seen. He has one, not spoken for, coming in this week, so I snagged it.
    I hope the one that comes is as good as the one I played!
    The other one I liked was the newer Clapton strat. I was tempted, as it's only about a hundred more. That's a powerful guitar! It was driving the amp pretty loud at "1". Almost too powerful for home use.
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Originally posted by who's_pearljam?
    I knew you were getting a Strat. That's the one?

    Great minds DO think alike! :D

    They're in short supply, and I just happened to be in this shop when one came in for somebody else, so I looked it over and played it. It is truly the best strat I've ever seen. He has one, not spoken for, coming in this week, so I snagged it.
    I hope the one that comes is as good as the one I played!
    The other one I liked was the newer Clapton strat. I was tempted, as it's only about a hundred more. That's a powerful guitar! It was driving the amp pretty loud at "1". Almost too powerful for home use.



    Yeah I was going to buy one from my buddy at Guitar Center but I'm going to have to just order it for a couple hundred bucks more from Musicians Friend, they've had maybe 3 in in the last 2 months all sold in minutes.

    I want the 3 tone sunburst American Deluxe in Ash. Then I want to get some true oil and finish the neck and age it a bit. Then I'm going to take it to bed with me every night like a security blanket.


    The clapton Strat has a TBX midboost circuit you may not know about. It's on the tone knob, a little detent to let you know it's boosting. You can overdrive the amp without a pedal, Pete Townsend uses them too. It's really cool.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    Originally posted by Pacomc79
    Yeah I was going to buy one from my buddy at Guitar Center but I'm going to have to just order it for a couple hundred bucks more from Musicians Friend, they've had maybe 3 in in the last 2 months all sold in minutes.

    I want the 3 tone sunburst American Deluxe in Ash. Then I want to get some true oil and finish the neck and age it a bit. Then I'm going to take it to bed with me every night like a security blanket.


    The clapton Strat has a TBX midboost circuit you may not know about. It's on the tone knob, a little detent to let you know it's boosting. You can overdrive the amp without a pedal, Pete Townsend uses them too. It's really cool.

    Yea, I knew about the boost. It is very cool, like a clean boost. That's what intrigued me about it. I went for the 50th anniv Deluxe burst and Maple neck instead, though.
    I actually am going to try to make a Jerry Garcia preamp for one of my guitars. It has the stereo cables and preamp. It's quite involved, but very great sound and sends out low z to the effects. Not like I'm an electronic genius though, I'll have molten solder all over my dining room table!, but I got the plans from a friend so I have to try it! I can wire all kinds of pickups, but internal electric stuff ain't my strong smoot!:)
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Originally posted by who's_pearljam?
    Yea, I knew about the boost. It is very cool, like a clean boost. That's what intrigued me about it. I went for the 50th anniv Deluxe burst and Maple neck instead, though.
    I actually am going to try to make a Jerry Garcia preamp for one of my guitars. It has the stereo cables and preamp. It's quite involved, but very great sound and sends out low z to the effects. Not like I'm an electronic genius though, I'll have molten solder all over my dining room table!, but I got the plans from a friend so I have to try it! I can wire all kinds of pickups, but internal electric stuff ain't my strong smoot!:)


    That ought to be fun, Make sure you ventilate well :D
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    Originally posted by Pacomc79
    That ought to be fun, Make sure you ventilate well :D

    Soldering isn't that bad.
    Spraying Lacquer in an old plastic shower stall?,,,Now THAT'S a buzz! Been there done that!:D
    (That was my homemade spray booth to keep the dust down!)
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Originally posted by who's_pearljam?
    Soldering isn't that bad.
    Spraying Lacquer in an old plastic shower stall?,,,Now THAT'S a buzz! Been there done that!:D
    (That was my homemade spray booth to keep the dust down!)


    Any suggestions on applying a gun oil finish to a strat neck? I haven't decided to go maple or rosewood yet. probably rosewood.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • HYLAHYLA Posts: 137
    Gun oil looks great, imo. G&L does it on some of their necks.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    Originally posted by Pacomc79
    Any suggestions on applying a gun oil finish to a strat neck? I haven't decided to go maple or rosewood yet. probably rosewood.

    Get the neck you want on your strat and stick with that for now.
    Gun oil is tricky. You would be better off buying a neck with no finish and doing the gun oil on that. You would have to strip the neck on your new strat!

    Gun oil is like varnish, it wouldn't be compatible with an existing finish.
    It goes on the bare wood and in thin coats with fine 0000 steel wool or tack cloths. Any drips are a total bummer because you have to strip the whole thing and start again.
    The G&L one is beautiful.
    I was looking for a thinline tele in the same store. The Deluxe strat was better finish than the G&L legacy, but the gun oil G&L Tele was FAR better than the crappy finish on the Fender tele hollow ones.
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Originally posted by who's_pearljam?
    Get the neck you want on your strat and stick with that for now.
    Gun oil is tricky. You would be better off buying a neck with no finish and doing the gun oil on that. You would have to strip the neck on your new strat!

    Gun oil is like varnish, it wouldn't be compatible with an existing finish.
    It goes on the bare wood and in thin coats with fine 0000 steel wool or tack cloths. Any drips are a total bummer because you have to strip the whole thing and start again.
    The G&L one is beautiful.
    I was looking for a thinline tele in the same store. The Deluxe strat was better finish than the G&L legacy, but the gun oil G&L Tele was FAR better than the crappy finish on the Fender tele hollow ones.


    Ah, ok. It's as I expected. I'm thinking the American Deluxe with no gun oil is probably still worth it, unless I can swing a G&L Legacy or a Don Grosh, oh well.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    Originally posted by who's_pearljam?
    They're in short supply, and I just happened to be in this shop when one came in for somebody else, so I looked it over and played it. It is truly the best strat I've ever seen.

    man, if i was the guy that ordered that guitar, i'd be pissed. :p
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    Originally posted by exhausted
    man, if i was the guy that ordered that guitar, i'd be pissed. :p

    Me TOO!!:D

    Except that he was there picking it up, and I asked him if I could look at it. Then I gave him a free guitar lesson. I was jokingly try to tell him it sucked as a guitar, and probably not in his best interest to buy it. He didn't bite, though, But mine will be in this week anyway
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    Originally posted by who's_pearljam?
    Me TOO!!:D

    Except that he was there picking it up, and I asked him if I could look at it. Then I gave him a free guitar lesson. I was jokingly try to tell him it sucked as a guitar, and probably not in his best interest to buy it. He didn't bite, though, But mine will be in this week anyway


    that's cool. i was just kidding.

    i still love the fact that i'm the only person (besides those that built them) that has played 3 of my 6 guitars.
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