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GMC Forum _ Gear Reviews _ Fender American Stratocaster 60th Anniversary

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Apr 14 2008, 12:27 AM

Well, after some saving I finally bought the guitar I wanted so here's a review:

Brand : Fender
Model: American Strat 60th Anniversary Edition
Price: Local store purchase for 2000$ (can be found on web for ~1600$)

FEATURES:

* Sixty Years jeweled headstock inlay
* 60th anniversary stamped chrome neckplate
* US Vintage Reissue pickups
* Reverse-wound/reverse-polarity middle pickup
* Delta Tone wiring
* 2-point tremolo with stainless steel saddles
* Original alder body
* Modern C-shaped maple neck with satin finish
* Rosewood fretboard with rolled edges
* Pearloid dot position markers
* 22 medium-jumbo frets
* 3-color sunburst finish
* Parchment knobs and pickup covers
* Custom Silver Solarium case with embroidered dark red plush interior

PICTURES (sorry for a very bad quality, it was taken form a mobile phone cam, will update the pics as soon as I get new cam)

http://img148.imageshack.us/my.php?image=stratfrontru1.jpg

http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=stratbodylt9.jpg

http://img260.imageshack.us/my.php?image=anniversarylogoheadstocyv1.jpg

http://img249.imageshack.us/my.php?image=caseanniversarylogosz7.jpg

Own experience of what's being reviewed: Well what to say, I have owned 4 strat copies over the past 9 years and always wanted an original one. During this period I have known everything there is to know about strats and their history in order to make a right choice when buying one. And here is my choice. I wanted to buy an used one because it costed less and the sound was better, but old strats, even ones in really bad condition are overpriced here and I don't get the case so the pricetag for used one and a new one was really the same. Also imo I don't deserve an old guitar, I think the guitar should be getting old together with me if you know what I mean.

When in the store I tried lots of models, I didn't like the Deluxe models, they had versatility but lacked and original sound, also reissue models were too expensive for me and most of them didn't even had a 5 switch option. Also reissue strats are in serial production so not much affection for them, although they do sound the best. This guitars pricetag was in the middle of standard strat and the reissue ones. The main reason is the sound. The sound of the guitar is closer to reissue ones, and I knew imediately that this was a guitar for me. The guitar was 60th Anniversary model, built in commemoration of 60 years of Fender Music Company (not stratocaster existence!). Although this guitar is not so expensive and good sounding like reissues it has some qulities that reissue don't have. It has uniqe character - the guitar is made in 2006 year and only a limited number was produced. Their value will grow faster over time. Also it a modern guitar with a vintage fell to it - it has 5 way position system, modern C shape neck, stainless steel sadles etc.

Own musical preference: I play mainly blues, funk, rock, jazz, and anything in between. This guitar suits my style VERY nice to say at least.

Ease of use: Well this guitar is very playable and very easy to use. Not a lot of options on it, everything is very simple and tweakable. Rolled of fretboard edges makes fretting seamless, and guitar literally pushes the player to play and express himself even better. American Series tremolo is a simple construction mechanism, it took me 5 minutes to tear it apart and setup the springs more tighter. The one thing it kinda bothers me sometimes (it doesn't interfer with my playing at all just didn't used to it), is that a neck bridge tone control has delta wiring system. This means that a pot kinda "clicks" on the value 10 and it is completely removed out of the circuit. So when it click it takes some effort to roll off the tone, so if you wanna do it quickly and wanna use your pinky it is kinda difficult to control it fast and precise.

Sound quality: Sound of this great playing machine is to say at least - excellent. One word - versatility. The guitar carries power in the sound. 3 Vintage pickups deliver in the same time soft, but also a beatifully defined and strong rich with harmonics bell like `57 type sound. The pups are very quiet. They can be used for any type or classic rock, hard rock situation on all positions. Neck position has balls and then some, it blows away all standard strats and coming dangerously close to reissue sound. The middle and the bridge are also great. When tone control on 10, bridge can pull out some ear tearing lead sounds. Excellent!

Reliability: This guitar is very well crafted and although it look maybe a little fragile it is built like a tank. When you take it in your hands and play hard you can see that it is made for heavy duty playing and to last a lifetime. You can feel that.


Summary: This guitar is extremely well crafted. Very nice finish and parchment plastic adds to the vintage vibe. There is only one thing that I don't like on this guitar and you can see it on the picture of the body close up. One of the screws that is holding the pickguard is wrongly screwd in/displased by an ~0,4mm. It is not a big deal and you can't notice it until you take a good look, but it ruins the overall perfect craftmanship of the entire guitar.

Other than that I think this guitar is a terrific instrument, covers all the ranges that I need, and represent a good platform for me to continue to build my sound on. I've installed straplocks and will replace the bridge single with a SD Little '59 PAF sounding hum to give it a more warmer sound. Will do a review of that one for sure.


For the end I include samples. Bare in mind that didn't use EQ (other that guitars)and I used a 50$ microphone for recording so most of the sound is not heard properly.

 country_style___position_5.mp3 ( 191.51K ) : 1338
 clean_blues___position_2.mp3 ( 99.68K ) : 1361
 dirty_blues___position_1.mp3 ( 111.51K ) : 1397
 funk_style___position_5__tone_control___7_.mp3 ( 172.74K ) : 1069
 jazz_style___position_1__tone_control___7_.mp3 ( 160.9K ) : 984
 old_school_rock_style___position_1.mp3 ( 123.35K ) : 1258
 reggae_style___position_4.mp3 ( 133.15K ) : 843
 eric_johnson_and_knopfler_style___position_2.mp3 ( 156.82K ) : 1439

 

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