Strats...huh....

[dvscool]

I'm jone-zing for a strat (maybe my age?!). For the longest time, I wanted to re-live my youth and get a H-S-S Strat with a floyd (mine sadly, was stolen), but after thinking about it, I decided that wouldn't be much different then the several Ibanez's and Jackson's I own. Sure, it would be different I know....you know what I mean...I want a strat.


Who here owns a Mexican Strat, AND...a USA Strat? Why would I want the USA Strat over a MIM? Is there really that much of a difference? Of course I've looked into this and I know the easy answer is yes, and hey, in my mind, I want a US Strat. But why? Why not a MIM? How much better can the US version really be? Lets be real...

[Amerturk]

The USA strat does have better electronics, bridge and tuners and it will cost you about 500 more on the used market for it. If you shop around, you can pick up a like new MM strat for 2-$250 on CL everyday. Stock, they are ok, but the pups really need to be swapped out with Seymours or Dimarzios for example. They are pretty good players but like anything else, play before you buy, some are better then others.

[DRM]

Those Player's Deluxe Strats are legit. If I had to get a Strat, that's what I'd pick up. Not too much more than a new MIM, but it's far better out of the box.

Or look around for a used MIJ Strat. Those are better built than MIA, in my opinion.

[VitaminG]

the Deluxe Player strats are cool. 12" radius, medium jumbo frets, S1 switch, gold hardware. The burst looks pretty nice on them too. Toejam used to own one, in Sapphire Blue, IIRC. The Roadworn series are cool if you don't mind the brand new beat-to-hell look (although the newer ones have subtler relicking). They have up-specced pickups & hardware, hence the higher cost. Secondhand ones are coming down in price.

I stopped looking at strats (well, stopped looking to buy ) after I bought a US Deluxe V-Neck. Love the shit out of that thing. I thinks it's totally worth going US over MIM if you find one you love. But then, mine was secondhand and a great price.

If you just want some stratty goodness in your collection for cheap, there are some great variants in the MIM line these days. Some of the FSR & Blacktop guitars are really cool

[dvscool]

The thing is I'm not even sure how much I will use it. I think I will, but we know how these things work right. I kinda feel like unless I get a US version of some kind I'm not getting the real deal and that includes history! One thing is, I will like change the pickups no matter what I get. I'm thinking about the YJM pickups, but I wonder if that will kill the "strat" in the strat.....

[DonP]

If you want a Floyded HSS strat why not an Adrian Smith SDX?

[straycat]

I would look for a used USA special they usually sell around $600.00 used and have the Alnico pick ups and the grease bucket circuit.
No need to change the pick ups IMO they are plenty fat sounding.

[lefty]

Who here owns a Mexican Strat, AND...a USA Strat? Why would I want the USA Strat over a MIM? Is there really that much of a difference? Of course I've looked into this and I know the easy answer is yes, and hey, in my mind, I want a US Strat. But why? Why not a MIM? How much better can the US version really be? Lets be real...

I own a '94 USA Strat and a brand-new MIM Deluxe Player's Strat. Let's review: USA Strat=Alder body ; MIM=Ash -- advantage MIM / USA stock PUPs=noisy junk ; MIM=Vintage noiseless with push-button switch to get all 7 PUP combinations! -- advantage MIM / USA=2-point trem, 'modern tuners ; MIM='vintage' trem and tuners --advantage USA / USA=neck has truss rod maxed out and still a bit more relief than I want ; MIM=factory setup 4/64" at the 12th fret, neck straight as an arrow --advantage MIM / USA Resale value=steady ; MIM=who knows? --advantage USA.

In conclusion, it's hard to justify the USA model costing twice as much as a really nice
looking and sounding MIM. True, the trem on the MIM is strictly for wavering surf music,
and it's got those goofy tuners with the slot across the top and the hole bored down into
the post. First time I changed strings I cursed it up and down. I will change the hardware
out this week...

I'd say if you're looking for something that's not going to be your main player,
go with the MIM. If you're going to gig the guitar, you'll probably want the
better hardware and snob appeal of the USA model...

YMMV...

[CowboyFromHell]

...or get a MIM, change the tuners and bridge at less cost than the price difference of the USA model.

[toejam]

the Deluxe Player strats are cool. 12" radius, medium jumbo frets, S1 switch, gold hardware. The burst looks pretty nice on them too. Toejam used to own one, in Sapphire Blue, IIRC.

Yes, I had a blue one with rosewood board. I got it off ebay with a swapped black pickguard. It was a cool guitar, but I traded it away here to Beachjammer. I would love to get another one day. There was a mini push button switch for keeping the bridge pup always on in whatever position, but I'm not sure if that's the same as the S1 switching built into the volume pot on other models.

I do still love my '01 USA hardtail Double Fat Strat... two humbuckers with five-way super switch is really cool.

[Hellbat]

I have never owned a Mexican Strat, but I am quite fond of my USA select Strat. The best part is the neck on this model is compound radius so it feels very similar to my C/J necks. It gets top end (though not noiseless) electronics, including the no-load tone control for the bridge/middle pickups.

The only negative is the nitro finish clear is starting to flake off in places. But I guess Strat guys would call it "worn in" or "played".

[jacksonaxes]

I would go with Japanese, the two on the left have Floyds, and cost me about 400.00 each, and are a solid 10 in every way imaginable.

[VitaminG]

There was a mini push button switch for keeping the bridge pup always on in whatever position, but I'm not sure if that's the same as the S1 switching built into the volume pot on other models.

right you are. The button on the Deluxe Player is an on/off for the bridge p/u. I thought the S1 switch was similar but done on-the-cheap with a push/push button for the Dlx Player.

Just did some reading on all the different ways the S1 can be configured. It can be setup to offer all sorts of series/parallel options, switch capacitors into the circuit, etc. The S1 was removed from my V-neck before I got it so never got to find out what it did.

[xenophobe]

If you want a Fender Strat with a Floyd, your best and easiest option is to find a used MIJ on ebay. Fender Japan has far more Floyded models than Fender USA. Build quality is excellent. Hardware is different from model to model, but build quality wise, they're generally on par with Fender USA/FSR guitars.

[lefty]

...or get a MIM, change the tuners and bridge at less cost than the price difference of the USA model.

Yep, just what I'm in the process of doing. To get a USA Strat with ash body and good
PUPS, you're looking at a US Deluxe more in the range of ~$1500 US! MY MIM also
has a 12" radius fretboard and plays like a dream. Best of all, I got it brand new as
a scratch-and-dent [although there isn't a blemish anywhere to be found on it] for
$500--same as a MIM Standard...