software

I played several strats yesterday, and came to realize, I don't like the quot;modern C-shapequot; neck that was on my American series I sold recently.

I played a NOS 65 (?) custom shop model..that played very well, and had a great tone. Had a nice fat Gibson type neck, incredible resonance and weighed a ton for a Strat. Wonderful instrument. But the salesman told me it was $2K. I'm having a hard time really justifying 2K for a bolt on neck strat, that really isn't built any better than my american series which cost me $900.

Then I played a 60's Classic (?) which I believe are made in mexico(?). This one was used though, and they were waiting for a couple screws for the saddles and so 2 of the strings were quot;deadquot; when ya tried to fret a note. However again the neck felt good and the quality looked pretty decent.

I'm looking for opinions I guess on what folks think of the MIM quot;classicquot; (50s/60s/70s are the models) series, and I see there are some MIA non custom shop model reissues, like a 57 RI, 62 RI, etc. Better off getting a MIM and upgrading some stuff? or going with the MIA RIs?

BTW, this will do double duty as a Malmsteen/Blackmore/Uli Roth type instrument as well as classic rock/blues axe. One thing I do hate though is 21 fret necks... that had me all discombobulated. Any Strats with a big fat neck and 22 frets?

Or maybe I should get a Malmsteen Signature model.....hmmmmm

Whats up Jeff...are you making a move to the other side?!

Anywway...the MIM Classic series are my fav current production Strats and Tele's, I really do like the HW1 stuff, but like you a prefer a bigger neck (the HW1 and the American Standards have the same neck). If you want a rosewood board Strat, that isn't 2k, a MIM 60's is the way to go. If you can deal with a Maple fingerboard the 50's Strat is nice (and has a slightly larger neck) but the Jimmy Vaughan is MUCH nicer...in fact the Jimmy Vaughan has a better (and still bigger) neck, nicer stock pickups, and the same tremolo, and tuning keys from the CS 57 and 62 reissue Strats, not to mention a 9.5 inch radius and MJ frets stock! The down side is that it's gonna be hard to find a fat neck Fender WITH 22 frets...

Let me ask...what are you looking for in a Strat?

i would go the USACG or Warmoth way for a bolt on.

USACG has amazig quality and you will get exactly what you want. I think the quality will be great compared to a off the rack Fender.

If you do, do this my two cents is to stay within most of 'classic rules' for Fenders. That is Body Woods neck woods dimensions.
if you go to much of a custom route you might be unpleasantly surprised. Unless you like something like that.

i just think that if you want a Fender type bolt on you should stay within these boarders, cause they werent made by chance like that.

If i were ever to make a classic Strat i would definately go USACG instead of Fender.

I agree, the JV strat has one of the larger necks for a production strat - I think it might even have a wider nut, but you can check the specs on Fender's site to be sure

another one with a bigger neck was the previous versions of the Jeff Beck model - I think newer ones reshaped the neck a little smaller

if you are really particular about what you want, then yes, USACG is probably the way to go

Fender tries to cover all the bases of the market now, so there are decent MIMs, a little better US strats, still better signature models, but if you want a REALLY good one, then they are mining the CS strats for $2000 - $4000.
Fender, just like the small custom makers, knows that some folks will spend $$$$ for good quality high end stuff, and if you get a good one, they might even be good investment.


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireWhats up Jeff...are you making a move to the other side?!

Not at all, LOL Just like having a strat in my arsenal. Some of my fave music is stuff from Ritchie, early 80's Gary Moore, Malmsteen, Ul Roth, etc. All single coil strat sounds. Something for a change of pace when things get stale rather than wholesale defection

And thanks for all that info on the various models.Let me ask...what are you looking for in a Strat?

It will be a hard rock/metal guitar with tones similar to the abovementioned artists. I.e. using a boost/preamp in front of my Rivera with a quot;classicquot; sounding strat (i.e. not a hotrodded super strat, that I've shelved until I can try one of those new quot;kramersquot;).

As for features..
Fat neck (neck on that 65 NOS was awesome)...pref 22 frets...but can deal with 21.

3 way switch is fine as I don't use the oop settings.

Vintage or modern trem, don't matter.

Rosewood board. I think the BIG difficulty will be (without having the guitar rewired) is getting one with a tone control wired to the bridge as I do roll that off a bit to tame some twang. The Americans have the luxury, as does the Malmsteen. The Classics and reissues don't

Not too concerned with color, as long as it's got a white or parchment pickguard/pup covers and chrome hardware etc. I really don't like anything but that on a strat.

My biggest concern is the neck, and the tone control. Don't care if it's a reissue, vintage, new modern series, whatever. Jes a good quality basic strat with a fairly beefy neck (and white pups/guard and chrome hardware)

Thanks for the iNfo Tone and Curly...

but what is USACG?

And where can I find out more info ?

And will I get a good looking Fender Headstock ? (yeah, I'm anal...but I figure it's alot of money so I might as well get what I want )

well i have tried both the 50's model and the 60's model. both are mim, however, the ones i played were very good quality. both sounded very nice for blues/classic rock stuff, and could be used for malmsteen type stuff with tons of gain (i tried em more for blues/rock). i liked the 60's model a lot and if i were ever getting another strat would get that one. didnt like the 50's only becuase i dont like maple fretboards (especially on fenders, where i find them to be incredible sticky).


Originally Posted by JeffBbut what is USACG?

And where can I find out more info ?

And will I get a good looking Fender Headstock ?

USACG

The headstock is an issue with them, but you can talk to them about it - I think it's a fairly easy mod

I'm starting to think the JV might be your best bet

tone on the bridge is no biggie ... just a 5 way switch if you need it, and a simple jumper wire

I'd repeat the question, though ... what exactly do you want in a neck, and what was it about the '65 you liked?

As for the JV...I'll say this, the nut is wider that most quot;vinatagequot; strat, it's 1 11/16, and just about the largest neck you will find on a current production (non custom shop), the neck is VERY close to what Fender is calling the 10/56 neck shape.

The tone control is already wired to the bridge pickup, and IMO the pickups (stock) are just about the best stock fender pickups being made right now, the neck and middle are right about 6.5k alnico 5, and the bridge is a little hotter (7.5k) and is also alnico 5.

like I said before it uses the same tremolo and tuning keys from a 57 reissue, it comes stock with schaller strap locks (a small but cool detail!). It has good pots and a decent switch already...really it's pretty damn great right out of the box!

The down side for you is that it's a maple neck with a maple fingerboars (really, it's a fretted maple neck)...you could grab one of those then sell the neck to fund a rosewood neck (Tommy at USAGC makes a copy of a Jimmy Vaughan neck called the quot;Texas Blues Brotherquot;) that can be had with a rosewood fretboard AND 22 frets!!! Belive me, you will have no hard time selling a JV neck either!


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireAs for the JV...I'll say this, the nut is wider that most quot;vinatagequot; strat, it's 1 11/16, and just about the largest neck you will find on a current production (non custom shop), the neck is VERY close to what Fender is calling the 10/56 neck shape.

The tone control is already wired to the bridge pickup, and IMO the pickups (stock) are just about the best stock fender pickups being made right now, the neck and middle are right about 6.5k alnico 5, and the bridge is a little hotter (7.5k) and is also alnico 5.

like I said before it uses the same tremolo and tuning keys from a 57 reissue, it comes stock with schaller strap locks (a small but cool detail!). It has good pots and a decent switch already...really it's pretty damn great right out of the box!

The down side for you is that it's a maple neck with a maple fingerboars (really, it's a fretted maple neck)...you could grab one of those then sell the neck to fund a rosewood neck (Tommy at USAGC makes a copy of a Jimmy Vaughan neck called the quot;Texas Blues Brotherquot;) that can be had with a rosewood fretboard AND 22 frets!!! Belive me, you will have no hard time selling a JV neck either!damn, your making me want one of these and to convert it to lefty! .......theres one for sale around here for $300 used......ahhhh


Originally Posted by CurlyI'd repeat the question, though ... what exactly do you want in a neck, and what was it about the '65 you liked?

Hmm. Not sure how to get more detailed about the neck on the 65 other than quot;me likeyquot; It's Gibson-esque. The Modern Fender necks have a flatter back, not quite jackson like, but similar. The gibson style necks (even the 60's style) and this 65 NOS had more quot;meatquot; in the quot;Vquot; area between your thumb and first finger...rounder and less squared off. The 65 felt very similar to the 50's style Les Paul neck.

I thought I would not like the 7.25quot; radius, but nothing about it struck me as uncomfortable or diffcult to work with.

I'd prefer a rosewood board, but I don't have any issue with Maple. In fact my last strat had maple, and I loved it. BUT it also had a bridge tone-control.

The acoustic resonance of the 65 NOS was great, and the body weight was nice too, heavy..like a lighter weight Les Paul. The PUPS were def the warmest and had the most quot;clarityquot; out of the guitars I played (the 65NOS, 60s classic, MIA Standard, Deluxe Powerhouse), however I don't have issue with changing pups if need be to some duncan's.

I even liked the damn color of the NOS 65 It was a DAMN NICE guitar. I just don't think it was a $2000 plus guitar (though I realize many people say the same about Les Paul Standard). My MIA Strat and my old Deluxe Strat Plus were just as nice build quality/fit/finish/resonance-wise. Both of these were considerably less $ than the 65 NOS.

$1500 and I would have bought it then and there. That's pretty much my budget for a Strat. I'd like to stay in the 900 to 1100 dollar range though if possible.


Originally Posted by flankdamn, your making me want one of these and to convert it to lefty! .......theres one for sale around here for $300 used......ahhhh GET IT!!!

It'll be the BEST $300.00 guitar you'll ever play!

The JV strat is nice, the soft v is pretty comfortable, but I definitely don't think it feels big. My friend has one of the earlier ones (I want to say 96, but I definitely know it was before 2000), so unless they changed it, I wouldn't say it feels big.

The soft v is definitely a cool neck. I plan on doing a USACG tele once I save up more with a thicker soft v (hardware prices were more then i expected).

I second the JV. The neck is great. The pickups are also very good, and I definitely don't have any intentions to replace them with anything else. The trem also stays in tune very well, also it is of the screw-in variety. Great instrument.

Thanks everyone.

Yes the JV does look like a contender. Not sure I like that extremely wide nut, but I will check one out. I actually prefer a narrow width of the neck (from high to low e), but some depth in the neck..not shallow.

I also saw that Fender has a new quot;Vquot; neck American Deluxe. This would be perfect I think... If I can find one.


Originally Posted by JeffBThanks everyone.

Yes the JV does look like a contender. Not sure I like that extremely wide nut, but I will check one out. I actually prefer a narrow width of the neck (from high to low e), but some depth in the neck..not shallow.

I also saw that Fender has a new quot;Vquot; neck American Deluxe. This would be perfect I think... If I can find one.Jeff,
Not trying to talk you into or out of anything, but 1 11/16 is the same as both your LP and you Firebird.


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireJeff,
Not trying to talk you into or out of anything, but 1 11/16 is the same as both your LP and you Firebird.

LMAO!

ya can take the redneck outta the country but ya can't...

maybe I should take up golf?

My next Fender is going to be a Custom Shop Relic 65 in charcoal frost!

Like you, I wish Fender could just made a cheaper strat that plays, sounds, and has a neck like a Custom Shop, but they don't. Maybe I'm a snob, but I don't want a strat that doesn't say Fender on the headstock....they never feel the same. I hear a lot about MIM, CIJ, MIJ being great guitars, but everytime I play one, I'm not feelin it. I think if you've played a lot of Fenders you come to a realization that Custom Shop models are superior. There's also a few American and signature series that are good, but you've got to play them before buying to make sure. I've got my heart set on the 65. I think it's the best strat the CS has made since 96/97.

The 65 cs strat is very nice. And the neck is dead-on exactly like the couple of real 65s I've played.

I'd say the fattest neck available on a non-signature production strat right now would be the MIM classic 70s strat. It's slim in terms of fingerboard width, but chunky in terms of backshape depth.

You should also check out MIJ reissue strats. My 57ri has a bulkier than standard neck, and my friend's 62ri has a very bulky neck.