stratocasters

As much as I like all things Brian Setzer, stratocasters still are my favorite guitar. I was roaming a music store this weekend looking for a cheap tuner for my 8 y/o son and happened across a Stevie Ray vaughan signature model. Oh man, I was coveting that guitar. And I know in the grand scheme of things, $1500 isn't a really bad price, but in my reality, that's a house payment and a half. No way I cold ever justify it. I didn't even pick it up. I never play a guitar I can't afford. Unlike my son who thinks nothing of picking up whatever strikes his fancy. I'm trying to impress upon him that he may want to look at price BEFORE he picks up guitar, at least til he can buy it himself.....

I'm not even playing much now, just plunking with my son on occassion, but I do think I may ask for a regular strat or even a low end squier for Christmas.... in additon to strats in general, I've also always wanted a sunburst strat. And I'm old enough that maybe I can finally have one....

I have a mid 80s Aspen (?) strat copy. Reasonably well-made in Japan, plays good, a little beat up. And a '66 Fender musicmasterII that plays good but has no "bite". But I think I want the real deal to mess with. My son can have it later, as he progresses....

Anyone else have a jones for something like that?

Randy

hello Rando,

There is a new Fender promo featuring "Lenny" SRV's strat, go to a participating dealer and strap it on or any other Custom Shop model and get a pretty cool SRV poster...

Nothing wrong with wanting a Strat or Tele or Les Paul or even the big G....just gotta have money...

go with the sunburst and rosewood neck I think the have a 62 reissue that feels pretty close to the old ones and I have seen them on ebay for reasonable...

I sold my Squier Tele about 3 years ago to buy a Ibanez Hollwbody. It was one of the nicer Squires but I really wanted a hollwbody. I dont regret it for one minute, I love my guitar (I would love a Gretsch more im sure) but every trip to Guitar Center or the local music shop, I have to play at least one Tele. If money were no object I would buy a Tele today but like it was stated earlier that dang house payment gets in the way of all m fun!!
Anyone got a cardboard box I could move my family into??

Can you or anyone explain the differences in maple vs rosewood necks? I've got one of each and I'm just not sure which is better. I can't tell much difference other than aesthetics. the maple necks have a shiny finish whereas the rosewood doesn't.

Why is one better than the other? I've played for years and never could tell the difference. Although I am not a "serious" player.

I did used to have a thing for an Epiphone ES330 copy teh music store had and never would make me a deal on. Guitars are cheaper now than they were in the early 80s. Well cheap guitars are anyway

Randy

You can´t say that a maple neck is better than a rosewood neck. They´re different. The maple wood creates a clear, twangy and aggressive sound, rosewood sounds more bluesy, warm and "mumpf"... If you want to know what I mean with "mumpf" just listen to some jazz guitar sounds.

About the Strat, my first guitar was a Cimar Strat in "Smurf Blue". I still have it but I don´t play it anymore. Since I play semis and hollowbodies I don´t feel comfortable on flat solidbodies.

Okay, thanks for that. So with the basic differences in the rosewood musicmaster with one neck pickup and the strat copy with three pickups and maple neck, I wouldn't be comparing apples to apples. Guess it's off to the music store for some evaluation. Sounds like I need to play on lots of guitars to compare properly, eh? lol

Thanks again - no one has ever really explained that to me. Both play well. But it's going to be a sound difference that I will notice. I was thinking it was a playability thing.

My strat copy is one of the nicest I've seen. The body is three pieces. THe third piece is just a little piece under the knobs. But the two main pieces have some of the nicest bookmatching on the grain right down the middle that I've seen, on even high priced guitars. I have no idea what kind of wood it is, either. It's just a nicely finished body. It may be crap, for all I know, but it's pretty crap, if it is. And I played it for years. The back of the neck is kinda thick and very round, but the fretboard is very narrow. It's an odd guitar for sure, but I still like it. I just want a real strat.

Randy

just post some pics...

I'll try but I often end up being far too lazy.....

Randy

Just my 2 pennies on the neck issue, If im not mistaken the Maple necks have a finish on them and rosewood necks are unfinished. Now I am a recreational player, not a working pro or anything but to me the Maple necks seem almost sticky to me. I definatly favor rosewood. A friend of mine who plays swears by Maple, to each his own. I do like the looks of maple necks on the Strats and Teles but you cant play looks.

I have an unfinished/unlacquered maple neck waiting to be fit into a tele body with a B5 Bigsby and P90 pups....

Check out the Squire vintage modified series.

I picked up a vintage modified Thinline Telecaster a while back and was knocked out by the quality and tone straight out of the box.

Here's a pic of the strat from the Fender site, as you can see it's very looks very similar to the SRV strat:

Vintage modified Strat

all i gotta say dude is dont do squire. they feel like plastic in my hands its sad! get a fender if you want a strat and get what YOU want. honestly a "mexican made" strat is a fantastic instrument and you'll have it the rest of your life! plus its affordable! i still play the hell out of my brothers and it is awsome!

I've got maple neck strat - which has been fav. strat that i've owned - had a rosewood neck prior to this -didn't really sound any different to me - I just preferred the look of the maple neck I have a squier 'the strat' with rosewood neck that i keep in the car for when opportunity arises - was £25.00 ($50.00) used - plays ok, stays in tune etc - can't argue with that!

Have got gretsch wf, gibson lp danelectro, ibanez and a few others - with the right tweaking re guitar and amp can pretty much get them all to sound more or less the same to be honest.

I'd love a authentic fender Strat. That'd be great. But I don;t see me doing anything much more than playing at home. So why spend big $$$ on something when I could buy a Squier for half the price and be okay. I don;t think I have time to redevelop my skills to where they once were. I have read mostly good about the squier line, so that might be the one. I'll have to play it and see if it feels good and try a Fender strat too just to make sure. Then decide. We can easily justify a couple hundred for a squier, where a $400+ Fender takes some thought.

And if I can't tell the difference, it won;t matter.

Just my thoughts, but I sure appreciate everyone's replies.

Thanks
Randy

I had a Fender Strat Plus with a rosewood fretboard until I recently had to sell it. It was beautiful - look, sound, and feel. I actually enjoyed the feel of the rosewood better than maple necks I've played, which is frustrating because I love the classic look of the maple neck. When I someday get another Strat, it will probably be a 50's or 60's reissue (with the maple neck). I love Strats - I'm actually most afraid that I'll someday get the coveted Gretsch 6120SSLVO and find that I prefer playing a Strat. Hopefully, I'll get them all eventually (I'm sure I'll always want another one )

Anyway, I say, get what feels good to you and enjoy.