Fender Strat Advice

bump/ hendooman have you had the chance to listen to that album yet? im looking forward to hearing what you think. if you want more of their stuff, let me know and i'll let you know what you need to get . . . . . also they play like 300 shows a year (not even exaggerating) so there's a good chance they'll be in a town near you some time.



my OP, for any new viewers (save you some time and reading). . . .

 

I own a early 90's MIM Strat. It was my first electric guitar. I still play that guitar today and love the way it sounds and feels. Not bad for being over 15 years old and I played that thing everywhere.

To each their own. That is the only strat I own, I just play what I like at that time in life.

 

oh i hear you on that, thanks man. so in your opinion a mexi strat isn't too bad a purchase? there were some other posters that weren't big fans, ive played american strats before and always loved their sounds but never a mexi. . . . anybody feel free to keep posting, i got to get back to work, thanks again.

 

I have a Les Paul Traditional that has unbeatable tone, but since that is out of your range, my second electric is a Schecter Tempest Custom, and I highly recommend these guitars. Not only do these guitars sound and feel great, but they can be had new for $699, and even cheaper new from resellers on eBay.
The best part is, they have a push/pull tone knob that splits the humbuckers into single coils, so it's really like getting two guitars for the price of one.
They also come in natural wood finish, but I went with the black with gold hardware. The pic does not do it justice.

 

Hey jg! Sounds like you know basically what you want but might be willing to settle. Don't.
I've been playing for thirty years and I've had a lot of guitars over that time. I started when I was 13 in 1980 with a P.O.S. acoustic I got at a garage sale for $5. It was a start, I got what a broke 13 year old could get his hands on.
Soon after I stepped up to a Les Paul copy hand-me-down from my cousin, another P.O.S. but a big improvement. That was the trend, scratch up a little more money and upgrade as I could. In '85 I saved up the mind boggling sum of $300 and got a '67 Gibson SG which I still have. Two years later I when I was in the service and had more moolah I bought a '74 Gibson Les Paul standard out in Hawaii which I also still have. All the while I kept buying other guitars, some I kept for awhile but most I sold off, just looking for "keepers". IMHO guitars are something you have to keep around a while before you decide if you really want to hang on to them, like women. I went through several Strats, American, Mexican, Korean, pretty much the whole gamut of Stratocasters. I'm just not a Fender guy but that's just me. I like Gibsons.
There might not seem to be much difference in Strats at face value but there most certainly is. My advice is to steer clear of all of them but the American made models. Like I said, they may look the same but they are not, the rest are junk.
Each individual guitar has its own subtle differences from the next of the same make and model. You could take a dozen identical Strats and find differences between them in feel, tone, etc.
An acquaintance of mine, Mick Hayes, who plays professionally has a taste for Telecasters and tells me he test drove more than fifty Teles before pulling the trigger and buying the one he was truly happy with. He has several guitars but that ash Tele is his main axe. His Dad is well connected in the music industry and personally knows just about everybody in American rock from the 60' & 70's which has given Mick the opportunity to play with or open for some true headliners. The big leagues. Going on stage in front of 10,000 people is no place to have second rate crap. Check out some of his vids, on his YouTube channel "ashtele" and one of his friend's channel "hamer1963". You will notice a trend with these guys, everything they use is top shelf stuff, they don't compromise or settle on anything with their instruments or other equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UZmlFPXVSU
You say you've been playing for 6 years now so I know you can appreciate what I'm getting at here about quality. That's my best advice to anyone starting out playing as well, don't get a "beginner guitar". They are crap and you are doing yourself a huge disservice, really handicapping yourself right from the start. Quality means everything. Get the best you can get even if that means taking a second job as the local pizza delivery jockey for 6 months to scratch up the cash.
Once you have a decent instrument take it to the best guitar shop in your area and have it professionally "set up", this is very important to ensure your ear develops with a properly honed tone. Trust me, it really is that important. Good luck dude!

Edit: Sorry, but his vids won't load up here, just go to YouTube and type in "Mick Hayes Band".

 

Wow, you really threw a lot at me there haha. thank you very much, you all have about got me convinced to just try to stick with american over the others and possibly a tele. im actually going to a friends tonight and he just got a tele so im excited to mess with that some more. . . . and about quality, that's pretty much exactly what im after. for the past 3 or 4 years ive had an old squire strat and a crap peavy amp that i use to learn or mess around on, but ive just always been more consumed with acoustics. i love to finger pick and plus the simplicity of just throwing one of my cheap ones in a case and breaking it out at a party is a nice plus. And i would have to agree, you sound like a gibson man haha. (watch this when you have some time . . . http://www.hulu.com/watch/91100/les-paul---chasing-sound . . . it's got it's boring parts, but when they go over his making of the first les paul it is really cool)
i went to nashville on a vacation a few years ago and went to the gibson store in the mall there where you can watch them hand make them through a window . .. playing those $10k guitars was wild!!! And if i had the cash to get the les paul i wanted right now i would, because i love the way they sound and how easy the necks are to run around on, but im very frugal and the bank for some reason wants money every month (i thought they were going to buy my taco and just let me drive it ) but honestly, it's not a matter of me needing more money or another job. its just that i have steps layed out, and for now a guitar of this nature and price at this point in my life is what i want. . . ill get my Gibsons and Martins one day!!! (im only 20 now haha)

but i really appreciate everything you went over there. i will probably be buying a used one sometime over this summer, so i'll keep this thread alive by posting up craigslist and ebay finds.

(fyi, i see your kind of new, the only reason i cut up your quote was to save space, i did read it all.)

 

Dude forget CL and EPay, seriousy. That is no place and no way to buy a guitar. Better to locate a good shop in your area and do your shopping in person. Buying a guitar off EPay could turn into a horror story like a mail order bride scheme that shows you a hottie and what you get is a 300 pounder who can snap your arm off and beat you senseless with it.
No way of knowing what you are getting until it arrives and it might not be what you expected.
If your're in Raleigh go check out these guys-

http://gc.guitarcenter.com/locations/store.cfm?store=732

They have the real thing at decent prices.

 

when it comes to Fender...you can't beat the Telecaster IMO! I love them! I want a freakin PRS though if I could choose any! PRS for my dream electric and a Taylor for my dream acoustic!

 

Little advice, If u have a guitar center store near u. I used too work for them. I believe the sales guys are still on commision so u can negotiate price. If u look at the price tag they show a list price and Guitar center price. If u take 50% off of the list price that is the store cost of what they got the guitar for. This is only on Fender guitars and amps.

 

yeah i really wouldnt buy one ebay, i was just typing to type. . . and oh yeah i go to GC all the time to get stuff and window shop. i have a super small shop i go to called Guru guitars for my specialty stuff and acoustic adjustments and stuff like that. they are really cool dudes that work there and really know their stuff (both of them lol). but i can't lie, i am a craigslist maverick. i've bought plenty of guitars on there. sold cars, bought a taco lol. but i hear you loud and clear. . . i wont be buying this guitar tomorrow or anything, im just getting learned on it all (and saving haha)

 

wow, that's very valuable information there. thank you very much. (if you think im being sarcastic, im not btw haha)

 

Yes, I jammed it all weekend actually, about 4 complete times through. I was working outside building a shed and listened to it a ton. Your right I really dig it. What is next on the must listen to for AA? How about I mail you a 4 or 8gb thumb drive and you drop some goodies on it for me?

 

yes! im so happy you like it!! Next on the list would be "The Bible and the Bottle" . . . it's like 6 years older and has a slightly different sound, but its another one you can just play start to finish. . . Their newest album is called "Small Town Hymns". i swear the lead singer (bj barham, who also wrights 90% of the songs) is in a depression, cause a lot of the songs are so sad!! but his song writing has never been better honestly.

here's one of his (just bj's) new songs. he's gonna have a solo album come out soon. it's so damn deep, but sooo good. i was actually at this show. he opened for a "clay vs. levi" show. (lead guitarist for Zac Brown Band and another Georgia musician. got to meet them, really cool).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9mwvyzw1ac


and yeah man i can hook you up with some ryan adams, clay cook, OAR, dispatch, live zac brown band (which is very awesome even if your not a country fan) and plenty plenty more. i'll PM you.

 

and for any new viewers who would like to get this thread back on topic haha, here's my OP. please feel free to post with any valuable info, thanks.

 

I like this BJ guy he reminds me of Cooley a little bit. I liken those darker deep alt country tunes anyway. I will get that old stuff for sure and get on the website for some tour dates. By the way just to stay on topic I have an Ovation Electric/acoustic, it is a lower model but I am a lower quality player!

 

yeah man, like i said, it's a really cool, unusual sound they have. respond to that PM i sent you and i'll be able to hook you up with some great music. if you like those types of alt country i can hook you up with some ryan adams. he is amazing (and married to mandy moore, so how bad could he be? lol)

and yeah i have like 6 or 7 acoustics. 2 A/E, a Takamine GC341C and an Alveraz RD8C (favorite guitar hands down). . . i've played a few ovations, theyre not bad guitars for the price by any means.

 

I got lots of Ryan Adams, he is good. I really lately have been more into Magnolia Electric Company, Lucero, Son Volt, old Tupelo, and then of course Wilco. Glad you turned me on to this AA though, the more I listen the more I like.

 

your exactly right on the more you listen part, i think PBR Promenade is the second most played song on my itunes at over 100 plays. for 3 years of the same 2, (as of a few months ago 3) cd's, they still haven't gotten old for some reason. and i've never listened to Wilco, i've always heard the name thrown around from some people but have never listened to them.

EDIT: check your PM inbox!! haha.

 

When my youngest son got his degree I bought him an American Strat Deluxe. That was in 2006 and he hasn't needed to do any mods. It's the only electric he plays now, having got rid of his Les Paul standard. He says he can't stand the feel of his Mexican Strat now (he used that one all through High School). They aren't cheap but if you like the Strat sound it's the way to go.

 

you're right! . . . and ive been contemplating on settling on the Strat Standard (which is MIM), but the more i read from yall, and the way i am about never getting rid of a guitar i buy, im gonna try like hell to fork over the cash on an American this summer while im working and making money. thanks a lot!