I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

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shoule79
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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by shoule79 » Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:31 am

Nothing new to report. Got freezing rained in today due to the kids school being closed. Heading back tomorrow to either buy it, get mad its still on the bench in the back or be mad that it went on the floor and someone else grabbed it.

Keep everyone posted...

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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by Con-Tiki! » Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:49 pm

i love it.
hardtail is cool, and those 70's flatpole pickups are some of my favorites.

that price is kinda a steal, also, which means you'd be a little nuts to pass it up.
(Christopher, also)
I've been to one World's Fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing i ever heard come out a pair of headphones.

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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by shoule79 » Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:29 am

Got back into try it today. Sounds like a good strat should. The frets need help, which I knew. The extra boost circuit...should be burnt with fire. Neck is comfy, and overall it weighs as much, or less than a contemporary Strat.

The $800 I’m getting it for is a cash only deal, and I didn’t get to the bank, so I’m picking it up tomorrow or Friday. I think I’ll be able to get away with a partial crowning and rewiring, so I’ll be around $1000 altogether.

FYI, the pickups have a grey bottom. Not sure the significance of that, but I know they changed to black around that time.

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Larry Mal
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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by Larry Mal » Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:42 am

Glad you are getting it!

So, did the pickups look like this?

https://reverb.com/item/409962-fender-u ... ratocaster

Because I have a 1979 Lead 2 with the X-1 pickups, and I know that Fender was using them in some Strats of that era, but not in all positions and I have no idea what exact model.

I can say that the X-1 pickups are amazing, I prefer them to any other Fender type pickup I've ever heard. Especially in the neck. I just love them.
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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by lunaticjaguar » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:43 am

congrats on the shatocaster! you own a palm sander?

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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by shoule79 » Wed Feb 13, 2019 12:54 pm

Larry Mal wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:42 am
Glad you are getting it!

So, did the pickups look like this?

https://reverb.com/item/409962-fender-u ... ratocaster

Because I have a 1979 Lead 2 with the X-1 pickups, and I know that Fender was using them in some Strats of that era, but not in all positions and I have no idea what exact model.

I can say that the X-1 pickups are amazing, I prefer them to any other Fender type pickup I've ever heard. Especially in the neck. I just love them.
That’s them, and they did sound really good.

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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by shoule79 » Wed Feb 13, 2019 12:56 pm

lunaticjaguar wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:43 am
congrats on the shatocaster! you own a palm sander?
Thanks! I do have a sander, but for now I’m going to keep it as is and put my time/effort/expense into getting the wiring corrected and the neck addressed.

I may ask about wiring it up for a treble bleed when the horrible boost is taken out.

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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by s_mcsleazy » Wed Feb 13, 2019 2:20 pm

i dont get along with strat bodies anymore but i had a squier strat i liked the pickups/neck on so i just stuck em on a jagmaster body
Image
best strat i've ever owned.

honestly man, if your gonna get a strat, get a 70's strat. something about them just works.
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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by countertext » Wed Feb 13, 2019 6:00 pm

shoule79 wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:29 am
overall it weighs as much, or less than a contemporary Strat.
Don’t lie to us!

Mocha Fenders signify something special about working musicians to me. Back in the ‘90s, my favorite locals kicked ass with mocha tombstones around their necks. I hope you’ll keep the finish, especially if it’s not ‘70s heavy.

Congratulations on the score (and the pickups).

PS Put some black knobs on that thing.

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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by MayTheFuzzBeWithYou » Thu Feb 14, 2019 2:43 am

Sorry I'm late to that party...
Did you already buy it?

You don't really need a Strat.
I thought so too, when I was 16 and a big Jimi Hendrix and John Frusciante fan!
But honestly - you don't need it!

They might sound and play alright - but the Jackplate is the ugliest thing ever - that should have never found its way to other body designs!
I also always randomly hit the switch when playing one (well that's a question of accustoming) - and most headplates are too small on the non 70s models.

Also its the most copied and so the most seen and most boring body design!
When I see a band live for the first time - I always wonder what guitars they're gonna play... and when I see it's a Strat...meeehh how dissappointing.

The only way a Strat body is okay is if it's reversed (without the drillings and with another pickguard) basically when used like a Mosrite.

Don't throw stones at me - but I also don't like the normal telecasters - as their control plate is even uglier than the Strat's jackplate - and theor pickguards are just boring - I really dig the 70s deluxe and custom teles though and could live with a regular tele in a cool finish with double bindings. Also SGs should only be had in other colours than the standard red (white SGs look cool for example)

PS: if you already have made your decision please ignore my words - and play the hell out of it...

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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by Jestapali » Thu Feb 14, 2019 4:13 am

FWIW, I'm finally selling my American Series 2004 Strat. I hardly play it, my Jazzmasters totally overshadow it. I don't play blues or anything related, so that might be part of it, but even for clean jangle I tend to prefer the muscle of the Jazzmaster. Now, I'm considering getting a tele (maybe a baja or a 52 with a neck humbucker ...)

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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by Con-Tiki! » Thu Feb 14, 2019 4:54 am

those grey bobbin pickups look like what i put in mine. I don't know if they are the x1 version, but they sound great. I'm not a huge fan of any "vintage" voiced strat pickup. Mostly they're too thin...
anyway, I'm glad you grabbed it. I love that Mocha finish. the grain is showing through, just beautiful.
The only thing i don't like about those guitars, are the crap saddles they used. I might get a set of nice stamped saddles instead. Callahams, maybe. Just watch the spacing, so you get the right ones.

Probably, you'll have less $ into your authentic 70's strat, than i have in my RI. :fp:

Image
(Christopher, also)
I've been to one World's Fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing i ever heard come out a pair of headphones.

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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by MechaBulletBill » Thu Feb 14, 2019 6:30 am

Strats are Good. I love my 80s Tokai Silver star. Yeah, it has new pickups, tuners, vibrato, it's heavy but the neck is great and it sounds fantastic.

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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by Maggieo » Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:24 am

Don't buy it. The pickups are shite, 8lbs. is too heavy for a Strat, a Strat with no trem is an abomination before Leo, that is the worst of all possible brown finishes, the neck will develop traveling dead spots as soon as you get it home and if John Oates ever see you with it, he will weep for your self-inflicted wound.

Don't buy it.

Get a different one. Like the $1800.00 one Larry posted. :fp:
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Re: I suddenly think I need a Strat. Somebody talk me out of it

Post by shoule79 » Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:46 pm

Too late, I picked it up today.

It weighs about the same as my AVRI JM, maybe a hair more. Still not as bad as most of the 70’s strats I’ve played. I wouldn’t call it light though.

The body was waxed and foggy, so I’ll be cleaning that up this weekend. The wood grain does look nice under the mocha. From a distance though, it looks like poo. It really looks like someone sanded off the clear coat at one point, then buffed it back to a shine.

It sounds...great. Even the boost is tolerable through my amps. I had some fun with it tonight, even at moderate volumes. There isn’t much left of the low 70’s frets, especially near the nut. It’s going in for a refret sooner rather than later.

I’ll post some pics when I get it cleaned up.

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