Strat Confusion - Tips |
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Strat Confusion - Tips |
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Jan 15 2008, 03:31 AM |
I partly disagree. And aren't you contradicting yourself now? Sure, a USA strat can be better than a mex. But it doesn't have to be. Especially not when comparing dollar to dollar. The finish and components in my mex couldn't be better. In a Fender for that money. There was 2 Fender's I liked better, both USA, both 2.5 times the money. You might find a Mex strat that IS finished very nice but the consistency from the Mexican plant just isn't there. One time at a local guitar player gathering in my hometown I found three guys that each had a Mex strat and without fail I found hairline stress cracks on the body right behind the neck mount. These cracks are caused by a few things: 1) lower grade finish which shrinks and cracks in tension. 2) lower grade body wood which relaxes too much once the neck is mounted and strung up. The point is I have yet to see these cracks on a USA strat (I'm sure one has it out there somewhere but I'm pointing out consistency). A non-custom USA strat is cut with a CNC machine same as the Mex but that is only half the story and doesn't account for experience on the assembly line, material grade, tuners, bridges, etc. The USA std uses a different body routing technique than the Mex std. Mex necks often have frets that hang over the sides and I used to be able to slide my thin pick in the gaps on my Mexican strats. The USA uses higher grade tuners and bridges both of which account for improved sustain and will hold their tuning MUCH better than the Mex strat. Mex strats also have lower grade pickups stock AND on both mex strats I had I eventually had to resolder a loose wire when the poor original solder job gave in. Also, I have repaired two other friends Mex strats because the factory overtightened the strap locks and stripped the wood. Often times mexican bodies are not routed deep enough at the jackplate only allowing for the installation of tighter profile jacks. There is also a difference in finish etc. etc. etc. Trust me... Mex strats are okay but yes DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR the USA is better. @ fatbot The S-500 does NOT come from the G&L custom shop. It is a very nice guitar that comes off the factory floor in the Fullerton G&L factory. So to compare it to a Custom shop strat is not apples to apples. You can compare it to several Fenders that come in that price range. Namely the Fender American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster which when I look at just the features of both they seem to be a wash. Hardtail -------------------- Beginner's Amp & Guitar Gear Guide My Keeley Blues Driver BD-2 Review My Line6 Flextone II Review Guitars: Martin D-16RGT with B-Band UST & '99 Fender "Big Apple" Hardtail HH Strat Amps: Fender Blues Junior Special Edition & Fender Studio 85 (Simultaneous... yummy) |
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Jan 15 2008, 04:15 PM
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Hi all GMC'ers! I'm about to buy a Fender Stratocaster and I have som questions about them. First of all since I'll spend a maximum $1200 I think it will be a "Made In Mexico"! (?) Correct me if I'm wrong! Secondly, there are sooo many different models, and I am very confused about which one to choose. Standard Strat Classic 50 Classic 60 Classic 70 Standard Deluxe etc.. Anyone who can tell me the difference, if there is one? I play mostly rock&blues if you want to know that. Please give me information and tips if you have any! Thanks guys! the major difference is the neck of the guitars. classic 50s start at a 7.5" radius fretboard classic 60 has a flatter 9.5" witha C" shaped neck classick 70 has a 9.5" with a D shaped neck. standard has a 9.5" radius neck with a modern shaped neck. its a cross from C to D now there are other differences between pickups. but minor things. i cant find a great website that explains them. but here is an idea http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/necks/necks....profiles#custom http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/necks/necks....n=back_profiles. the boat is known as a D shaped neck and a flat is known as a C. also american made guitars have smaller frets i hope that helps. but rememeber every guitar is different. go play a bunch of mexican strats and a bunch of american made. some americans will stand out and some mexicans will stand out. then go play some squiers. if u search enough you will find a squier that will play like a mexican made or american made. i got searched around and got my squier for 50 bucks. plays better then most mexican strats out there and a few american mades. o yea and personaly i like G&L guitars better then some of the NEW fenders out there. thats just me tho. every player is different as well as every guitar. guitars in the same model can differ. i played a fender american made standard a few days ago and it sounded great. put it down and picked up another american made standard and it soudned hollow. didnt like it This post has been edited by drw84215: Jan 15 2008, 04:19 PM |
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Jan 16 2008, 03:10 AM |
Hardtail you seem to know a lot about this stuff. Do you know which G&L models are custom? I like specified all the features I wanted in my guitar and waited 7 months for delivery. What kinda Strat do you play? I currently play a '99 Fender "Big Apple" Hardtail stratocaster. They now make it as a "Fat Strat" but it does not have the same hardware upgrades the Big Apple had. I do not know which models are custom from G&L. And to clarify I do not mean to imply you were lying or anything, I am sure you special ordered your G&L. The distinction I was trying to make was whether it came off the factory floor with custom chosen parts or whether it came from the "Custom Creations Department" as G&L calls it. G&L's custom department is akin to Fenders Custom Shop and guitars from each of those manufacturer's custom shops are not special for their grades of quality or choice of parts but because of the special attention to fit, finish, and grade that only a highly certified luthier can provide. The assembly workers on the floor are not trained to that extent. Example... let's say I want a quilted maple guitar neck on my guitar. If I purchase a guitar with that neck from the factory floor they will pick up one of the quilted maple necks that are on the floor and properly assemble it onto the instrument. The custom shop luthier however will wade through neck after neck to find the best of the best and hand work it and the body to provide the absolute tightest fit. Both guitars are excellent and most players, including myself may never tell the difference between the necks but the trained luthier can and that is what we pay for. Their experience and expertise. G&L have incredible guitars, and I am sure I will probably own one some day but I was just trying to clarify the difference. I used to get a great magazine (can't remember the name right now) that would take factory tours of different plants and write up reviews. It was very informative and really taught me why we pay so much more for guitars from the Custom Shops of manufacturer's. Mmmm, I don't trust anybody that says "Trust me" (oh pleease note the smiley=>) Seriously. Just somebody saying this is better than that is not good enough for me. I want to know why someone thinks so. You provided useful information. Thanks for that. I respect your opinions very much when it comes to gear. Your are wise not to trust me. I am always leery to trust others myself which is why I like looking things up, reading, and learning (i'm a nerd so sue me). I have owned Mexican strats. They are excellent guitars. If you're lucky you can get one that is really well built too. For their price their isn't much else I'd buy... Schecters and Ibanezes are about it personally. After playing Mexican Fenders or a few years I felt it was worth the couple hundred bucks more to get a USA strat and I have never regretted it. Remember, if I ever say something that sounds like an opinion then it probably is. I'm not God so I don't KNOW everything... just enough to get me in trouble. Hardtail -------------------- Beginner's Amp & Guitar Gear Guide My Keeley Blues Driver BD-2 Review My Line6 Flextone II Review Guitars: Martin D-16RGT with B-Band UST & '99 Fender "Big Apple" Hardtail HH Strat Amps: Fender Blues Junior Special Edition & Fender Studio 85 (Simultaneous... yummy) |
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