new strat help required

[spanner3566]

Please help....After years of playing my HM Jap strat I am about to treat myself and upgrade to a new guitar.( don't tell the wife)

Question 1 American standard Strat. with standard pickups or American Deluxe with samarium colbalt pickups with H1 switching

Question 2 Alder or Ash

Which option would be the best for the shads sound.

Regards Mark

[BarryH]

Hi Mark,

Welcome to ShadowMusic.

I had the misfortune to own one of the Deluxe Strats, I couldn't get on with the H1 switching or the tremolo without the magic white tip, the chrome bar was slippy and it just didn't feel comfortable to hold.

I'm sure someone will be along soon and tell you all about the timber, my personal liking has always been for Ash bodies. Regarding the American Standard, most people on here seem to prefer the Classics that have recently become available. I think they're cheaper that the Standard and, more importantly available in Fiesta Red.

Cheers
Barry

[stagetech]

Re-wood:

Ash gives a warmer tone when new, it takes around 40 years for the Alder to aquire a similar tone. Thats why the older ones sound so good, the wood has matured.

Alder is slightly harder and has a closer grain, so is easier when painting as the grain is not as pronounced.

Ash is softer, more often used in the custom shop guitars because of the tonal qualities.

Upshot, personal taste.

[spanner3566]

Thank's for the replies.
Actually I'm not keen on the deluxe's tremolo arm but the wood selection seems to be of better quality more resonant.

I tried a Standard American Strat the other day and the standard pickups seemed thin.

So it might be a a USA Standard ash body strat with custom shop pickups fitted another day!

CS 54s ? would they be a suitable upgrade?

Regards

Mark

[RUSSET]

The Jap HM Sign.Strat has an Ash body, which is noticable by it's weight. Hank's original Strat had an Alder body & the then US Standard Alnico pickups of the time. The Vintage Reissue Fender models are the nearest you are going to get for that early 'Hank' sound. The US models are quite expensive, but the Mex & Jap models are a realistic alternative & give you a really good vintage-style sound. The Mex 'Classic Player' models are really good value & come equipped with 57/62 ('50s model) & Custom Shop '69s ('60s model) pickups. Custom shop '54 pickups are also a great choice, but are quite expensive. I have a set in my Jap HBM Strat, & they work well.

Tony.

[David Martin]

I wouldn't buy either of your initial choices if Shads sounds is what you're looking for...

I agree with Russet... lower budget choice is the Mex '50s Classic Player Strat with 57/62s... unbeatable at the price, or ther American Vintage Strat or Custom Shop '60s Strat if you want to splash out... The other lower cost options will disappoint you.

[John Boyd]

There is a lower cost option which I don't believe will disappoint.
It's the Classic 50's model and available in Fiesta Red - in fact the best FR colour I have had since 1962.
While the pickups are very adequate, I updated one of my guitars with 57/62s and another with Custom Shop 54's.
Also changed out the trem bridge to a US Vintage - gold of course!!
I'm sure there are others on the site who will agree.
Cheers,
JB

[David Martin]

http://www.andertons.co.uk/FenderClassic50sStratinFiestaRedwithmapleneckInStockFreeUKDelivery!/pid10966/cid556/FenderClassic50sStratinFiestaRedwithmapleneckInStockFreeUKDelivery!.asp

http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/fender-57-62-pickup/12224

+fitting if you don't fancy the soldering (4 joints only)

[tony parnham]

I can agree with John Boyd here, I recently bought one of these changed the pickups and put gold hardware on it. I was very surprised as to how good it is. Don't let the low price put you off as in the past few months I've been used to playing a Masterbuilt guitar with Abigail Ybarra pickups. You wont be dissappointed.
Tony

[dave robinson]

I have an American Deluxe and it's a nice guitar and I use it on my solo gigs with great success, but it doesn't quite sound like my USA Vintage '62 reissue or '54 Masterbuilt guitars, so if you are looking for the authentic sound the I can't recommend the USA Deluxe.

Of the USA models, you need to be looking at the 'Time Machine' series or 'Closet Classics' and any others along those lines, I picked up a USA '62 Reissue that was about fifteen years old and it is spot on, but I believe that these have been replaced with the 'Time Machine' series. I have had two of the USA built American Standard Strats' and didn't get on with them because they sounded slightly different to what I recognise as the 'vintage' tone. I do still have a '63 Strat and I prefer the new ones as they feel better to me.

On the less expensive side I have two 'Classic Player Strats', one being the 60's model but my preferred one because of the authentic sound is the 50's, but the downside is that mine is in Shoreline Gold, the other option being sunburst. This guitar though does compare soundwise with my USA '54 Masterbuilt job. I haven't tried the Mexican Classic 50's so I can't comment on that one, but at around £400/500 the Classic Players' are a good option.