My first guitar was a cheap strat knockoff, and partly because of that I've been wanting a quality Stratocaster ever since I started playing. Initially my #1 choice was a Jimmie Vaughan signature model, but since I couldn't find one used around here, I started looking for other second-hand alternatives, and now I'm happy I did, since consequently I stumbled upon this. Behold!
What the hell is it then? Most of Fender strats look so much alike that it's hard to tell a MIM standard from a MIA custom shop model by just looking at pictures. It's a MIJ '62 reissue with an F serial number, which dates it back to 1986-1987. However, some of those originally vintage-ish features have been pimped slightly:
-Vintage frets replaced by medium jumbos
-Trem block switched to a bigger one
-Pickups switched to Fender Tex-Mex
-Second tone pot replaced by a Fralin blender pot
I'm really digging this one. The body has been beat to shit as you can see, but on certain guitars that looks really good. I think single-color Fenders are some of them, then again for example PRS 10-tops are not
The neck is in great condition though, and I definitely appreciate the medium jumbo frets even though they kill most of the collector value of the guitar. Never been a huge fan of the really small vintage frets as far as playability goes. I'm not sure if the Tex-Mex pickups would be my ultimate choice, but they're good at what they do, i.e. rock, rock and more rock. For more mellow tones something else in the neck position might work better.
Anyhow! I think this one is a keeper (hmm, doesn't everybody say this on a NGD?), it plays really well (low action and withstands some trem wankery too), sounds like a good strat should, and the unexplainable mojo factor of a guitar that is nearly as old as the player himself is definitely there. I have never played a MIA '62 reissue so I can't do a comparison between the two, but at least I can't spot any finish or build issues that would indicate inferior craftmanship.
What the hell is it then? Most of Fender strats look so much alike that it's hard to tell a MIM standard from a MIA custom shop model by just looking at pictures. It's a MIJ '62 reissue with an F serial number, which dates it back to 1986-1987. However, some of those originally vintage-ish features have been pimped slightly:
-Vintage frets replaced by medium jumbos
-Trem block switched to a bigger one
-Pickups switched to Fender Tex-Mex
-Second tone pot replaced by a Fralin blender pot
I'm really digging this one. The body has been beat to shit as you can see, but on certain guitars that looks really good. I think single-color Fenders are some of them, then again for example PRS 10-tops are not
The neck is in great condition though, and I definitely appreciate the medium jumbo frets even though they kill most of the collector value of the guitar. Never been a huge fan of the really small vintage frets as far as playability goes. I'm not sure if the Tex-Mex pickups would be my ultimate choice, but they're good at what they do, i.e. rock, rock and more rock. For more mellow tones something else in the neck position might work better.Anyhow! I think this one is a keeper (hmm, doesn't everybody say this on a NGD?), it plays really well (low action and withstands some trem wankery too), sounds like a good strat should, and the unexplainable mojo factor of a guitar that is nearly as old as the player himself is definitely there. I have never played a MIA '62 reissue so I can't do a comparison between the two, but at least I can't spot any finish or build issues that would indicate inferior craftmanship.
strats
