seeking a strat

[mojolomjl]

Like you I was contemplating buying a USA strat but after a lot of research and questions on other sites
the 50s vibe came in as a strong contender, some people have bought 2 in case they realise what good
guitars they are and put the prices up. I also have a 96 MIM sunburst strat and can honestly say that the
Squier is easily as good if not better
Maurice.

[Grahaml]

mmm... got me thinking - that's pretty much what I was concluding from the Youtube comparison test!!!

I could probably get 2 at these prices - I don't know if I could give up having the fender logo (I know it's daft) so possibly a 50's MIM and a 'Vibe Squier.

But then again - maybe hold on for a USA strat?

!!!

[RUSSET]

I don't think you are going to get a good secondhand USA Strat for the price you are willing to pay. You should bank on paying around 2/3 the price of a new one; & new ones are very expensive these days. I sold one two years ago & got £650 for it without any trouble.
I have a Squier Classic Vibe series '50s Strat in White Blonde with Gold hardware which cost me £380 new last year. I also have a Squier 'Simon Neal' Biffy Clyro signature Strat which, 4 years ago, cost me less than £300 new. This model is in Fiesta Red with chrome hardware & has the '60s style Rosewood fringerboard. Both are excellent guitars, which sound like Fender guitars of those periods. The pickups are all Alnico magnets; the actions are great & the finishes are superb. It's really just the prices that are in the budget class. They could do with upgrades on the Trem blocks to steel, rather than the cheap alloy ones they come fitted with, but that is a simple upgrade. I now have five 'Classic Vibe' guitars, & would not change them for anything.

Tony.

[Grahaml]

Hi Tony - I'm basing my aim (I am sometimes a bit over-ambitious mind!) on my own experience of buying and selling over the past few years.

I bought a nice Fiesta Red/Rosewood strat plus for £520 2-3 years ago. Sold it after maybe 9 months when I spotted ones going for £700-£800 - got £750. Could have sold it over and over.

From that bought a really nice cherry sunburst/maple strat deluxe for £700. Sold it earlier this year for £850. Too cheap I think but it went to a good working musician home. The plan was to get an "ordinary" strat - only more recently I have decided it must be a FR/maple one!!

I had too many other things on this year and just never got round to serious looking and used the money up on other projects - but I will find a way to get what I want (whatever that is!!)

There was one here in Edinburgh last week (wrong colour/neck) at £350 - sold very very quickly or I would have bought it to sell on!


Graham

[Tab]

Hi Graham,

I think the ultimate Strat for you would be a USA 57 Re-Issue - not the recent ones but those circa late 80s/early 90s.

I bought one new in 1990 (I think the cost then was about £600) and had been looking for another for many years as the neck on this one was the best (most suitable for me) that I'd played in any Strat past or present. I eventually found another one dated ~ '93 at Coda Music in Stevenage a couple of years ago priced at £899 but in excellent condition.

These guitars of that vintage are around but not easy to come by but they are there for the finding. I felt that £899 was a good price as, if you go on to the 'Fender Re-Issue' website they are valued at anything between $1500 and $2000 (American website)

Before buying this second re-issue (both are fiesta red, incidentally) I bought a 'Classic 50s' Strat (not American) new and replaced the pickups with CS 54s bought second hand. I was not entirely happy with the standard neck so I had a neck built with cross-cut maple to the same spec as my 57 Re-Issues. Although in sunburst (they did also produce them in FR) it is my most used guitar. It is a delight to play and gives that much sought after vintage 'Strat bark' more so than even my Re-Issues.

Good luck with your search.

Kind regards

[Grahaml]

Thanks for all the advice / counseling!!

I just cannot see any USA FR strats around and I'm increasingly drawn to the Mexican 50's classic Strat. The CV Squires look good too - almost worth getting one as well - tried it at the shop last week - very nice.

Anyway - The 50's classic is selling at £510 in most shops. I found one selling it at £408

http://www.simmondsmusic.com/product-de ... -red/#desc

which is a fantastic price.

However - being the canny Scot that I am I recalled that one of the local stores - Red Dog Music in Edinburgh have a deal that they will beat any price by 5%.

They have just confirmed that it is in stock - mine for £388 if I want it. Oh no - how can I stop myself.....

Graham

[Grahaml]

Thanks for all the advice / counseling!!

I just cannot see any USA FR strats around and I'm increasingly drawn to the Mexican 50's classic Strat. The CV Squires look good too - almost worth getting one as well - tried it at the shop last week - very nice.

Anyway - The 50's classic is selling at £510 in most shops. I found one selling it at £408

http://www.simmondsmusic.com/product-de ... -red/#desc

which is a fantastic price.

However - being the canny Scot that I am I recalled that one of the local stores - Red Dog Music in Edinburgh have a deal that they will beat any price by 5%.

They have just confirmed that it is in stock - mine for £388 if I want it. Oh no - how can I stop myself.....

Graham

[RUSSET]

That's a great find, Graham. You are certainly getting very good value for money. The Lead player in my band has one of them, & it is an excellent guitar with great playability. Maybe the next one to go for will be the same series, but in two-tone sunburst, & you can be Buddy Holly too.

Tony.

[Grahaml]

Thanks Tomy - not got it (yet) though.

Would you believe it. As the girl in the shop was emailing me the deal - her colleague was selling the last one they had (presumably at the standard shop price). However they are getting one in for me in a few days and will honour the price.

I will keep looking meantime though - just in case I stumble across that elusive £500 Fiesta Red/Maple USA strat!!! However I think I am more or less decided. I even found a good value (well low price) tweed case to keep it in - as these set the guitar off nicely

Found at Gear4music.com for £40 (+£5 to deliver)
http://www.gear4music.com/Books-DVD-and ... cTweed/7ZZ

Graham

[RUSSET]

Yes, I got myself a nice Tweed hardcase a few years ago, & it certainly has that '50s/'60s vibe. I also got myself a Fender Tweed guitar-strap & a lead too. I had a quite beaten up old Tweed case in the actual '60s, but didn't quite dig it at the time. Now I get the nostalgia for all those things. Must be par for the course for an old codger like me. I do quite fancy a Fender 'Blues Deluxe' in Tweed too, but I can't really justify another amp.

Tony.