Strat suggestions?

[357mag]

If you're just looking at "Fender" strats, I agree - check out the Deluxe with the HSS - very nice. I personally don't like the Am Std 2-pt trems, so I would go with a AVRI (American Vintage Re-Issue) model. The '57 Hot Rod with the tonezone single sized bucker is very cool.

If you expand a bit beyond Fender, you can check out stuff like Tom Anderson, Jackson and Charvel, Pensa, Suhr, etc.

It all depends on what you're looking for.

A word of warning about the 57 Hot Rod. The frets are really low. Bending is not that easy on that guitar cuz they made the frets too low. They are completely different than say the frets on the 62 Hot Rod and those are also called medium jumbo. And the neck on the 57 Hot Rod has really been shaved a lot. It's a very shallow neck with very little wood.

 

[the_best_of_fools]

I have a 2008 Am Standard Strat (SSS) that I like a lot. I love the feel of the neck - and it has a nice vintage tint to it. It's well built, a fine instrument that's well priced. It'll nail the Gilmour sound. You could always swap the bridge pup with a Seymour Duncan SSL-5.

tbof

 

[Grandturk]

A word of warning about the 57 Hot Rod. The frets are really low. Bending is not that easy on that guitar cuz they made the frets too low. They are completely different than say the frets on the 62 Hot Rod and those are also called medium jumbo. And the neck on the 57 Hot Rod has really been shaved a lot. It's a very shallow neck with very little wood.

The neck on the 57 hot rod I played - the one with the Dimarzio Tone Zone - was very very similar to the neck on my Dave Murray. Soft V. Beefy. Medium Jumbo frets that felt nice and big.

Are you sure you weren't playing a regular 57 AVRI?

 

[airborne strat]

I have an AM St Strat and the only mod are lace sensor pups...gold and red...super sound...plus they are noiseless...really great sound...that said you have to go and really try every different type of strat you can and make your choice on what you like. Hope that this helps

 

[Boldkharma]

As a Les Paul player, I have been through a slew of Strats over the years. None of them lasted while I kept playing my Pauls. I have always liked the Strat, tone, feel, weight etc, but was spoiled by the slick and smooth tone and feel of my Gibson's. I just happened into GC and played a 08 American Standard HSS, wow!! Great neck, great tone, and it just screamed!! It came home with me. I liked it so much I went back today and picked up a 09' American Standard! There is something about these new 08-09 Strats!! I recommend you go put your fingers on one ASAP! I think My Lesters will get along with them just fine. : ) They are the best Strats I have ever played, but thats just me. The Blizzard Pearl Strat on the left looks silver in sunlight, cool thing is that the color picks up whatever is in the room. I have beige carpet with a pink hue and the strat seems to pick that up! It is a very cool color, you think? Also, the maple necks on these new Strats are just awesome! Both of mine have necks that look like what you would get from the Fender Custom Shop. Go Play one now!!!
Sorry for the bad pics, its dark here in Texas : )

 

[thrawn86]

Ehh, just go buy one of these Schroeder's (a guy I know here in town):

Edge Doublecut Albino | Jason Z. Schroeder Guitars

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wrho3ld2pc&feature=channel_page]YouTube - Albino Edge[/ame]

Someday....

 

[Boldkharma]

That is a pretty top, looks like a PRS though which ain't my style : )

 

[thrawn86]

That is a pretty top, looks like a PRS though which ain't my style : )

Check his site, he makes a few different ones. Fleetwood Mac is using a few of his Radio Lane models, I believe.

 

[Boldkharma]

I will check it out, but this thread is about Strats no?

 

[thrawn86]

I mostly said it just to throw something else out there; not all that uncommon on these threads:cool2:

 

[D.Dailey]

I only have one Strat.
Its a 1996 Aniversary Edition Lonestar..
I too,, have enjoyed watching and listening to David Gilmour...
Hence,,, I dumped out the Lonestars pickguard and electronics.
Added a few other features that are very Un-Gilmourish..
But do run the Active EMG DG-20 Setup...
It Is EXCELENT!

Neat coin that Fender laid in the backside of the headstock..

That axe goes from wisper to scream.
Very versitile and amp & effect friendly....
To get back to Gilmores tones,, watch him and you will see he plays most any setup you or I could imagine..
Untill I seen the Division Bell Tour in Pontiac Michgan..(Excelent and Memorible)
I never really knew just how much he accually does with a lap steel..

http://home.comcast.net/~jroscoe/emg.html

http://home.comcast.net/~jroscoe/index2.html

http://www.davidgilmour.com/index.htm

 

[LesPaulopolis]

He's a pedal steel master! Uses a smart tuning as well to get both major and minor chords.

That's a great looking strat.

The 'Echoes' lead tone (especially that funky jammy solo) is so raw...so perfect...I think it's very attainable via strat + JCM900 + pedals.

Gotta try more strats! I'm scouring local shops and Craigslist for the right used one.

 

[D.Dailey]

He's a pedal steel master! Uses a smart tuning as well to get both major and minor chords.

That's a great looking strat.

The 'Echoes' lead tone (especially that funky jammy solo) is so raw...so perfect...I think it's very attainable via strat + JCM900 + pedals.

Gotta try more strats! I'm scouring local shops and Craigslist for the right used one.

Thanks for the kudos on my Strat..
I sort of lucked out on that one...
I bought it new at a local shop.
As I walked in and said hello to the owner..
He knew I had been looking for a decent AM Standard..
He said,, Did you check out the new Lonestar on the wall yet?
Wich one I replied..
He said,, That Shoreline Gold one on the top row..
That confused the be'diddles out of me..
Now I am color blind to the blue violet spectrum...
All I seen was a battle ship gray one, that was new to the shelf.
Its really a unique color..
Its painted at the factory in about 6 layers..
It flip-flops from gray to silver from silver to gold, depending on the type of light or how much hits it..
I have nearly had my Black 73 Tele painted to match..
But would hate to cover all the road scars it has earned...

 

[LesPaulopolis]

Battle scars are great. You get your first one and it's a kinda sad moment, but then you tell yourself it's 'customized' and forever be able to tell it's 'yours'.

Thats one reason I like my rusty hardware! Though, the big knick in the neck I could do without...then again, how would I know I'm at the 5th fret!?!?

 

[D.Dailey]

Battle scars are great. You get your first one and it's a kinda sad moment, but then you tell yourself it's 'customized' and forever be able to tell it's 'yours'.

Thats one reason I like my rusty hardware! Though, the big knick in the neck I could do without...then again, how would I know I'm at the 5th fret!?!?

Been a Warren Haynes fan sence I got down into The Blues..
Wondered if you had cought this yet?
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UauECrCIYl8]YouTube - Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks - Old Friend[/ame]

Own a couple a decent Pauls' myself..
But love diveing back to acoustics..

 

[Tele52]

Try the MIM Jimmie Vaughan Strat. Read the reviews on Harmony central. I bought a clearance one from MF for $499. It's got a great neck, a blast to play. I've probably had 15 strats and this is my favorite. Granted I've changed a lot of things since I got it, but I always do. I always change to the Callaham bridge.
They make I huge difference in tone. And I put in a set of rio grandes. The guitar plays and sounds great and I only have about $800.00 in it.

 

[Fcal124]

I'm also an LP lover, but wanted a different sound.
I recently built 2 Tele's and 2 Strats. All with Warmoth bodies and Fender Am Std or Dlx necks. I used Wilkinson trem bridges.
The Vintage White one has Di Marzio Heavy Blues II, 54 Pro, and Virtual Solo in the neck/mid/bridge. The Fiesta Red has Di Marzio Area 58, Area 58, and Area 61 in the neck/mid/bridge.
Both these guitars play and sound great at a lesser cost than buying a new Am Std Strat. Best part, you get to pick from a crap load of finishes.

 

[StootMonster]

I've played an American Standard for 6 years now (only recently switched over to an Epiphone Sheraton II, but still play the Strat). Before I only played Pauls. I swore by them. Then I bought a Standard and I love that guitar. The sound is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! The tone is so flexible, you can change the feel of a song with a flip of the selector. Very playable, not too heavy, action is great... I could go on and on.

The ONLY gripe I had about it was this:

It didn't come with a floyd rose, so, say when I bent the third string and then played a note mid-bend on another string, that note was flat. BUT, I have never been a fan of whammy bars in the first place, so I took it off the guitar, flipped her over, took off the panel and tightened the bridge screws down, so it doesn't move a millimeter now. I love the stock pick-ups, I love the stock everything now that I battened down the hatch on that sucker. And I agree with you, a few dings makes a guitar yours. I'm a player, not a collector, so I'd route out a vintage gold top to fit in some larger electronics if I knew it would sound better.

 

[kcwm]

I'm going to try and get back into a strat after I sell this 1974x clone I'm working on selling. At one point, I was offering a G&L ASAT tribute I had up for sale and someone offered me an old Powerhouse strat from the 80s. It uses the same circuits as the Clapton boost, but with a couple of resistors to make it half of the boost of the Clapton boost. They are mexi made, but looked like a 60's reissue type strat.

If I can't pull that off, I'm going to start with a USA Roadhouse or USA Lonestar strat...before they moved their production to Mexico. I really like the Texas Specials sound.

As for highway ones, I find that the first year models are incredibly superior to the newer ones. I've owned a 2002 and a 2003...I regret giving up that 2003 model...it was a beauty of a guitar.

 

[Tele52]

Check Musicians Friend Fender Friday Hotline, last week they had a lone star for $499.99, a Jimmie Vaughan for $399.99
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