Who has a Model Charvel and a Fender Strat?

[MarkThomas]

I am sorta GASing for a Fender Strat...but I think I would want one with a hummer and a Floyd. I am not sure I would like the three-single coils common to most Fenders.

My questions, for those of you owning both, are these:

1) What is is like going from a Charvie to a Fender Strat? Are the necks and frets so different that is a "weird" change?

2) What Fender's should I look at MIM, MIJ, MIA, etc? Which ones have a Floyd option?

Thanks!

[Grandturk]

From Charvel and Fender I currently have -

- Model 4 w/ Kahler
- ProMod SD1
- MIJ 54 RI Stratocaster
- Dave Murray Stratocaster

I have owned and played a bunch - Custom Shops, classic series, MIM's, MIJ's and CIJ's, Am Stds, etc and a few other Model series - Model 3, Model 1a...

IMO - no strat I have ever owned or played feels anything like a Model series Charvel outside of the body shape.

There are a host of different neck shapes available from Fender on strats - Deep V's, soft V's, modified V's, C's, D's, U's... etc. None of them feel like the wide/thin Model necks that I have played.

Charvel Model necks are wider at the nut and heel and have a compound fretboard.

To me - yes, there is a "weird" feeling when switching, but its not insurmountable. Right now my current favorite is the neck on the Dave Murray - feels real comfy and fast. I just had jumbo frets put on my MIJ hard V neck - its killer now, too. One thing I notice playability wise is that I can wrap my thumb over Fender necks for Jimi kind of thumbing on the 6 string chording a lot easier and more naturally than on my Charvel necks.

As for you second question - what features do you want? HSH, SSS, HSS, floyd, vintage trem, two point trem? There are so many strats out there from Fender that I can honestly say, they probably have something to cover anything you could want.

[MarkThomas]

Hey Grand-

Thanks for the info...

I am thinking I want a HSS with a Floyd, so sort of a Fender that is configured like a Charvel Model 3 in that respect.

[Grandturk]

I am thinking I want a HSS with a Floyd, so sort of a Fender that is configured like a Charvel Model 3 in that respect.

There's a ton of options out there for that config - now, how much do you want to spend? Do you want new? Used? American? Thinking about other brands like G&L?

[cvansickle]

I have these:



The Fender is a MIM, plays and sounds great. Fralin Steel Pole 43 in the bridge. The Charvel is stock.

They both feel great to play. The biggest difference, other than sound, is that the Charvel doesn't fret out on high neck bends.

[MarkThomas]

Hey Grand-

I would like to stay south of five bills, so used, probably. I assume the MIA (American) are the most spendy...which of the foreigns are the best? And do the strats that have Floyds come with an OFR? Seems that 99% of the Fender Strats are vibrato trems and three single coils...

Hey Sickle-

Nice axes! Do the single coils on the Fender make noise like a single would on my Model 3? Can you get the Fender to sound as "hot" as that new Charvel?

Thanks guys!

[MarkThomas]

Oh, and if those SD1s were a little more affordable, we wouldn't be having this Fender discussion...I would get the Charvel!

But, Fenders are cool, too...just really want a strat head with a Floyd.

[Grandturk]

Hey Grand-

I would like to stay south of five bills, so used, probably. I assume the MIA (American) are the most spendy...which of the foreigns are the best? And do the strats that have Floyds come with an OFR? Seems that 99% of the Fender Strats are vibrato trems and three single coils...

Hey Sickle-

Nice axes! Do the single coils on the Fender make noise like a single would on my Model 3? Can you get the Fender to sound as "hot" as that new Charvel?

Thanks guys!

look for one of these used, or scratch and dent:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Standard-Stratocaster-HSS-FR-Electric-Guitar?sku=501161

Or troll ebay for something used.

Sounth of five bills, no your not going to get an OFR on anything new.

Single coils buzz. Nature of the beast. No, you will never get a true single coil that sounds like a high output humbucker. Nature of the beast. You would need to drop in a single coil sized humbucker like a Hot Rail, Tone Zone S, Mini JB, etc.

[cvansickle]

Nice axes! Do the single coils on the Fender make noise like a single would on my Model 3? Can you get the Fender to sound as "hot" as that new Charvel?

The middle pickup on the Fender is RW, so there's no hum in the 2 and 4 switch settings.

As for the Fender sounding as "hot" as the Charvel, that depends on the amp. The Fralin is like a P90 in output, so with the right amp and a little pedal juice, it speaks with plenty of authority!

[paige]

check for a used warmoth. I have been wanting a pickguard loaded, floyded, hss, in white with a black p.g. ala jake e lee look, forever, and until the production charvels it seemed warmoth was the best bet for a real superstrat at a real good price.

[straycat]

If you can find a used MIJ strat with the kahler made series 1,2 or 3 trem Thats an option they can be had pretty cheap under 5 bills and are killer guitars.
The pickups are usually DiMarzio super 2's which have plenty of grunt.
Look for the HM model strats as well as the contemporary models.
Most are early to mid 80's
Last weekend I saw a MIJ HM strat with the Kahler pro flat mount.Didn't have the cash on hand so I passed.
If its around in a couple of weeks I will pick it up.$400.00 with the OHSC.The thing I liked about it it was Inca silver I love that color.
FWIW you can get more beef out of a Fender bridge single if you take the second tone control off the middle pick up and switch it to the bridge pickup.
I can get some big fat growl out of my old MIJ strat.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I have a nice American Standard S/S/S which never gets played except to remind me how much I like my Charvel "Super Strat" a lot better or if I'm feeling like playing something "vintage-ey".

Except for chords and stuff, the Strat honestly feels like a wrestling match compared to a Production Model Charvel and compared to a Model would be about the same I'm sure.

[Grandturk]

Another major difference which I did not mention is the fret size. Fenders with Jumbo frets are few and far in between. You can get some with Medium Jumbo - but unless its been refretted (like I did with my '54 RI), you won't find the big rails on a Fender.

[DonP]

That's my biggest gripe. I have an excellent MIM strat that sits in the closet because I HATE the vintage frets and tighter radius (7.5 or 9.5). I got this '96 back in '98, before they came out with medium jumbo frets.

Compare that to an HM Strat that I have with a 17" radius, jumbo frets and slim neck. I can't put that thing down.

[warlok]

2006 and later standard strats (MIM and AM std) have jumbo frets.