Stratocaster appreciation thread

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
Post Reply
User avatar
Dan_Q
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 151
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 4:06 am

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by Dan_Q » Mon Oct 17, 2016 8:41 am

I also have had a CV 50's strat for a few months, and I really enjoy it as it is, as it came straight out of the box (aside from a trussrod tweak). The only thing I've done is change the pickguard purely for aesthetics. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't feel as quality (weight, neck finish) as my MIJ strat, but i think its great for the money, and the curves / contours on it are very nice. I like its sound too, but that said I like vintage style pickups. The tuners on mine seem OK but its only had one (two at the most- i forget) re-string so far, so I'll not hold my breath! :whistle:

I don't plan to sell, I think it will be a keeper 8)

User avatar
stilwel
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 828
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 2:51 pm
Location: PHX
Contact:

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by stilwel » Wed Nov 02, 2016 9:02 am

stilwel wrote:
stilwel wrote:My new-to-me Strat.

Fender Inca Silver Road Worn body
Squier JazzMascis neck
Custom Shop '69 Pickups

It works.

Image
Image
I stumbled upon another Japanese '67 RI neck the other day. Never installed, uncut nut, never used.
My inca silver road worn is changing just as soon as I can get a dinged fret replaced and the nut cut.

Image


This is the same neck that I have on my #1 black RW strat (pictured below).
Big headstock, transition logo, 40mm Nut width, 7.25" vintage radius, soft-C shape neck profile and tiny vintage frets.

Image


Headstock comparison:
MIJ is from '86.
CIJ is from '98.
Image
Finally got this neck installed. Two frets needed to be replaced due to a nasty gouge. Sets up nice and plays great.

Image

User avatar
MKR
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1702
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:06 am

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by MKR » Mon Nov 14, 2016 11:48 am

i keep flip flopping my strats. I sold a 90s Korean fender last week and then picked up what i think is my best ever second hand deal. A 1994 Mexican Standard plus a dinky little fender amp and a hardcase for $250 CDN. That's like $185 USD!!! (by the way the exchange rate is scary right now).

the guitar is in great condition. after i set it up and put on new strings, it plays and sounds fantastic. Plus the hardcase came with an awesome sticker that makes it look pretty cool.

Image

Image

User avatar
empyrean
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2242
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:34 am
Location: Tow-Ron-Toe
Contact:

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by empyrean » Mon Nov 14, 2016 12:33 pm

MKR wrote:what i think is my best ever second hand deal. A 1994 Mexican Standard plus a dinky little fender amp and a hardcase for $250 CDN.
You are not kidding, congrats man. Very jealous. I was browsing this while I still have my MJT strat to finish, never enough time to wind the pickups. can't wait to have a working strat again.

Looks like its in great condish for a 90's one.

User avatar
Fiddy
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 12391
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:38 am
Location: Canada Dry

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by Fiddy » Mon Nov 14, 2016 5:49 pm

empyrean wrote:
MKR wrote:what i think is my best ever second hand deal. A 1994 Mexican Standard plus a dinky little fender amp and a hardcase for $250 CDN.
You are not kidding, congrats man. Very jealous. I was browsing this while I still have my MJT strat to finish, never enough time to wind the pickups. can't wait to have a working strat again.

Looks like its in great condish for a 90's one.
Yeah man, great score. 8)

User avatar
MKR
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1702
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:06 am

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by MKR » Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:21 am

Image

Image

User avatar
PixMix
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1687
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2015 6:04 pm

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by PixMix » Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:00 pm

A couple of months ago I traded a Reverend + some cash for this American Strat. It's been a while since I owned a strat, and did the trade just because I wasn't playing the Reverend. It's all stock and that year (2012) they came with CS Fat '50s pickups. Plays really great.

Image


Image

Con-Tiki!
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3112
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 10:00 am
Location: Pgh, where the zombies come from

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by Con-Tiki! » Mon Feb 27, 2017 6:14 pm

MKR wrote:i keep flip flopping my strats. I sold a 90s Korean fender last week and then picked up what i think is my best ever second hand deal. A 1994 Mexican Standard plus a dinky little fender amp and a hardcase for $250 CDN. That's like $185 USD!!! (by the way the exchange rate is scary right now).

the guitar is in great condition. after i set it up and put on new strings, it plays and sounds fantastic. Plus the hardcase came with an awesome sticker that makes it look pretty cool.

Image

Image
this is my favorite strat color scheme. I had a '94 mim that looked exactly like yours, really wish i had kept it.
(Christopher, also)
I've been to one World's Fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing i ever heard come out a pair of headphones.

User avatar
MKR
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1702
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:06 am

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by MKR » Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:19 pm

Con-Tiki! wrote: this is my favorite strat color scheme. I had a '94 mim that looked exactly like yours, really wish i had kept it.
yeah i traded it a few months ago for something the completely and utterly sucked. I'm not going to say what it was as i just want to forget that it ever happened. sigh. I'll just say i really wish i kept that strat too.

so now i am back in the strat game with the 50s series fender i posted above. it's fantastic. I'll always have love for stratocasters. always. it was my first guitar and for the longest time my only guitar. I am definitely an offset first player and my main guitar is a jazzmaster now, but i NEED to have a strat in my arsenal for sure.

User avatar
phutyle
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:19 am
Location: Ireland

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by phutyle » Thu Mar 02, 2017 1:49 pm

This is my strat-shaped-object. The girl that sits beside me in work gave it to me. It's some random chinese brand (Commodore). It was originally a manky blue, with a white pickguard and single coils. But the neck was actually OK on it.

Image

I sprayed the whole thing (fretboard and all) a matt grey. The neck and back of the headstock is sprayed silver. There's still a single coil in the middle position under the pickguard. Put a Fender bridge on it that I took off my Marauder. i've decked the trem, but put 5 springs in it, for that constant almost-reverb vibe. I'd love to get a Bastin aluminium neck for this.

Image

User avatar
MKR
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1702
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:06 am

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by MKR » Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:44 am

phutyle wrote:
I sprayed the whole thing (fretboard and all) a matt grey. The neck and back of the headstock is sprayed silver. There's still a single coil in the middle position under the pickguard. Put a Fender bridge on it that I took off my Marauder. i've decked the trem, but put 5 springs in it, for that constant almost-reverb vibe. I'd love to get a Bastin aluminium neck for this.

Image
why did you paint the fretboard? pardon my ignorance, but was that a good idea?
I think the strat came out really nice btw. That's a great makeover you gave it (uncertainty about the neck aside).

User avatar
phutyle
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:19 am
Location: Ireland

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by phutyle » Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:48 am

MKR wrote:why did you paint the fretboard? pardon my ignorance, but was that a good idea?
I think the strat came out really nice btw. That's a great makeover you gave it (uncertainty about the neck aside).
Because it was there!

It's just something I wanted to try. Cheap neck, no issue if it messed things up. I had painted the body and headstock first, then went back and did the back of the neck in silver, and since most of the wood was visually gone at that stage, I thought I'd try painting the fretboard - it was something I hadn't seen done before, so decided to experiment.

Was it a good idea? It doesn't affect the playability at all. I kind of like the matt monotone look, but I don't think it really adds that much to the look of the guitar. It will obviously wear off and look hideous (there's no top coat on any of this). I painted the frets and everything - as you can imagine, the paint wore off them as soon as that fret was played. It does turn out that I don't like a fretboard without fret dots as much as I had hoped I would.

For reference, here it was before the fretboard/neck was painted (slightly distorted by wide camera lens)

Image

User avatar
dezb1
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 626
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2010 5:20 am
Location: Glasgow

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by dezb1 » Tue Mar 07, 2017 1:50 am

phutyle wrote:This is my strat-shaped-object. The girl that sits beside me in work gave it to me. It's some random chinese brand (Commodore). It was originally a manky blue, with a white pickguard and single coils. But the neck was actually OK on it.

Image

I sprayed the whole thing (fretboard and all) a matt grey. The neck and back of the headstock is sprayed silver. There's still a single coil in the middle position under the pickguard. Put a Fender bridge on it that I took off my Marauder. i've decked the trem, but put 5 springs in it, for that constant almost-reverb vibe. I'd love to get a Bastin aluminium neck for this.

Image

Kinda reminds me of the all grey ibanez Midge Ure played at Live Aid

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=midge ... jUUP-MSNJM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;:

User avatar
andrewdoeshair
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 6808
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:16 pm
Contact:

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by andrewdoeshair » Wed Mar 08, 2017 12:25 pm

I haven't gotten GAS in years, but lately I've got strat lust. I keep thinking of buying a Squier classic vibe or putting together a guitar fetish project. The 50's and 60's appointments are most appealing to me, and I also love a 70's style strat (Billy Corgan planted that seed). When I see sealed tuning machines and a two point tremolo I lose interest, I don't know why. I know those things were made to improve upon older designs but subconsciously it makes the strat seem too capable and easy, like it's so well thought out and refined that it's got no soul. Like, I wouldn't have any interest in an American HSS strat with all the best modern parts, unless it was a great deal, but I'd buy a classic vibe at full price. I guess I'm superficial in that regard. Not that it has anything to do with what anyone else thinks about the guitar, it's just what I think of it... I'd buy an HSS (or even HSH) super strat with two point trem (double locking, even) and sealed tuning machines before I'd buy a strat with those same things. They just seem wrong on a strat, to me.
If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe. - Carl Sagan

User avatar
Ursa Minor
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 5892
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:26 am
Location: Chicago

Re: Stratocaster appreciation thread

Post by Ursa Minor » Wed Mar 08, 2017 1:05 pm

ADH! Good to see you again!

I'm that way with strats. Except lately I've been digging my 2002 highway one (with lace sensors! ...also a nod to Corgan). It's basically a 50's type strat in every other regard. Seriously good guitars, those early ones. I ended up putting old Kluson type tuners on mine and was able to ditch one of the string trees.

And since I played it to hell and back it feels and looks a lot like an actual vintage guitar. They did it right with those. Suprised they don't use that finish treatment on more guitars. Understandably they're sprayed with poly sealer but the finish is still nice and light and it just breathes.
The artist formerly known as kosmonautmayhem.

Post Reply