To Strat or not to Strat ???

[BenoA]

Hey everyone! All my guitars have humbuckers in the bridge. I do have some that have split switching features but none have 3 single coils. These days I'm gasing for something different and with the Fender Sonic Boom promo, I've seen a few American Standard Strats going at a decent price (close to 1k$ with SKB case). I'm getting very tempted.

So, yay or nay?

[VitaminG]

I'd say 'yay'. Picked up my first real Strat early last year & it still gets played daily.

[chrisolson]

Nay. I hate Fender Strats.

[Snoogans]

Yay. yay and thrice yay!

[Hellbat]

Everyone needs at least one Strat in my opinion.

[Axewielder]

Get a Jackson strat and SCREW the single coil at the bridge idea.

[CowboyFromHell]

I say go for it. Hendrix, Clapton, etc etc... enough said.

[j2379]

There are very few fender strats that a like. I usually prefer flatter fretboards than fender offers. I really liked the older American standard strats w the satin necks roller nut and lace sensors. I like strat tones for something's but playability just not up to par with more shredder type guitars.
Find an old 3tite C/J.

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

I'd recommend playing a good strat for awhile first....that bridge single-coil can be pretty useless to lot of players....& the difference in fretboard radius (if you're used to Jacksons or Charvels etc) can be a deal breaker too!!

[Shawn Lutz]

not a fan of any single coil in the bridge but putting a HB in the bridge its still a strat to me

I like SC in mid and neck positions. I shoot for the same tone in a stacked hum...single coil tone without the hum.

[Axewielder]

Find an old 3tite C/J.

Yeah I went and did a quick search of my guitar closet...none found! Better luck on your search.

[Cygnus X1]

If you want to try one for a while, look at good Mexican strats.
You'll be able to get your money back if you want to flip it and they are good "bang for the buck".
Also a great player if you keep it.

[dvscool]

Personally, if your not sure about the strat thing (as I'm not), I would get a MIM strat. I highly doubt you will be disappointed. I picked one up 6 weeks ago (used) and it quenched my straty needs perfectly without breaking the bank. Make no mistake, the MIM strats are really great guitars. Well made. Sound great. Its the real deal. I really wouldn't waste a G on an American strat. but that's just me. I love my strat. Its just what I expected, and exactly what I want it to be. AND, I don't care that I don't play it a whole lot. Buy a MIM dude....

[Hellbat]

These ones, while not cheap, have a definite Charvel/Jackson feeling neck. (Excepting the clear finish instead of oil.)

http://www.fender.com/en-CA/series/fender-select/fender-select-stratocaster-flame-maple-fingerboard-dark-cherry-burst

The pickups are not noiseless however. I preferred that fact, but some people might not.

[Electric]

Stock single coils in the bridge aren't great IMO, but there is a really cheap and easy mod to make them more usable. Wire the tone control from the middle pickup to the bridge pickup, and you can roll off some of those highs, and it does thicken up quite a bit. The Seymour Duncan SSL-5 is actually a really great bridge single coil without getting a stacked single sized humbucker. I have a MIM Strat and like it a lot. I replaced the pickups with Fender Fat 50's set and wasn't happy with the bridge. I put an SSL-5 there and it's really nice. Still has that classic single coil sound, but a little higher output, less highs, and more beefy.