Need opinions on new strat

[1bmf]

Hi, I need some help picking out a new strat. Currently I'm playing a early 90's strat plus with Fender 57/62 pickups. I like the guitar one moment and hate it the next although I love the pickups. Either way i want to move on to something new. My main idea was the 62 AVRI. I want to keep the price under $2000 so any opinions are welcome. It must have a rosewood neck on it though. I also tried the John Mayer strat and was actually impressed with how it felt. I play through a SRRI with a variety of OD pedals. Style is mostly blues, SRV, that kind of thing. Thanks in advance.

Matt

PS. I live in MT and the music store I use doesn't carry very many strats, thats why I need as many opinions as I can get before I start asking them to order ones.

[hippiebob01]

What profile neck do you like? If you like fatter necks, try one of the AVRI 1962 Hot Rod Strats. They have a nice chunky neck and the 60's look you like (I assume that because you are considering the 62 RI).

[1bmf]

I'm open minded toward all neck profiles except for any sort of V neck. The 62 Hot Rod is definitely one i've been considering as well..

Matt

[Stratlover]

I don't own one, but I like the Mayer sig. The pups are nice and punchy, and I love the neck profile. The '62 Hot Rod is cool too. The AV '62 has a slim neck. My Strat is a '62 Thin Skin. I like it, but I wish the neck was a little chunkier like the Mayer or Hot Rod Strats. I would say those are the pick of the litter for American Strats with a Rosewood board. Good luck!

[1bmf]

Does anyone know what the pickups in the 62 AVRI hot rod are? Are they the 57/62's?

Matt

[hippiebob01]

http://www.fender.com/products//view...aster%26reg%3B

[1bmf]

Thanks, I've looked at that before and I assume since it has the same description as a regular 62 avri then american vintage strat pu=57/62's except for the reverse wound difference.

Matt

[hippiebob01]

marcondo would be the guy to ask about that. he knows every fender spec by heart

[phantomman]

Have you ever given any thought to building your own?

If there's a qualified luthier in your neck of the woods to do the "heavy lifting", virtually every concievable part for a Strat is available from a variety of sources.

I like most of the general Stratocaster features but no off-the-rack instrument ever really lit my fire -- there was alway a "monkey in the wrench" or a "fly in the ointment". Then, after coming here to the TFF, I learned I wasn't the only one who saw an opportunity to improve and/or customize a basically sound design to individual tastes an' specs, then figgered out how to make it happen.

I'll never buy a production guitar again.

Jus' mah 'pinion, y'unnerstan'......

HTH

[1bmf]

Yes, I have looked into building my own unfortunately their isn't anyone to do the workthat I can't. I wish their was. Several people think they know what they are doing around here but few actually do. Plus these people charge an arm and a leg to do mediocre work.

Matt

[phantomman]

I can appreciate that, Matt.

P'raps the best you can do (an' it may in fact be the best solution of all) would be to pick a single Strat variant that has a majority of the most desirable features (neck type, body weight, color, etc) for your needs, then heave what doesn't work an' replace it with what does.

In terms of importance, I rate the neck as the most significant point of interface between guitar and guitarist. Find one with the radius you want, with the profile that feels most comfortable to your hand. Hopefully that neck will be bolted to a body that is pleasing to you in terms of weight, color, and type of bridge -- whatever bridge type it has, you're pretty much stuck with it (eg: if it's a 2-point trem, you cannot change it to a vintage style without serious yanking an' cranking, or change a trem bridge to a hardtail).

Pickups, controls, an' switching can be re-arranged to suit your ear an' playing style......some soldering skills an' a basic understanding of circuitry is all it takes. Audition as many types of pickups as you can by demo-ing as many guitars as you can, both those using "stock" pickups and aftermarket sets.

Cosmetic issues (pickguards, covers, hardware, an' the like) are easily resolved with a screwdriver.

Plenty of help is available right here lest you git in over your head.

HTH

[1bmf]

Thats exactly what I'm trying to do. Luckily I do all of my electronic work so pickups and such are an easy change should I want different ones. I agree, the neck is one of the major selling points when I buy a guitar. I'm going to the music store tomorrow to work on some trades and will hopefully be persuading the store to order a 62 avri hot rod for me to try and I'll just go from there. I wish my music store carried more variety of strat models but their main guitar guy is really biased towards certain brands. Thanks for the advice Phantom. Also has anyone tried the Custom Classic "C" neck?

Matt

[1bmf]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I got a 62 Vintage Hot Rod and its amazing. I'll try to post some pics.

Matt

[phantomman]

PICS......

WE NEED PICS!

[Stonefreefuzz1]

Can't wait to see it dude!!!

[1bmf]

Well I went to take a picture of the guitar and realized that the usb cord has disappeared so it may be a couple days till I buy a new one. I will give a review on the guitar though.

First of all the neck is amazing, great looking grain in the rosewood and the size fits my hands perfectly. Second, I can't believe how much better it sounds than my Strat Plus, even though they had the same pickups. It's fuller, with a much tighter low end and the highs aren't as piercing yet it's much clearer than the Plus. The olympic white paint is beautiful and I love the mint green pickguard. Overall I couldn't be happier with the guitar.

Matt

[phantomman]

Quit jerkin' off with USB cables......you can buy a flash card reader for about the same price. They download a whole lot faster too.

HTH

[1bmf]

Thanks for the advice, I'll look into them.

Matt

[1bmf]

Hope these pics work.

[hippiebob01]

damn that looks good. i love the aged guard on white look with the rosewood fretboard. nice score!

[cdw2000]

Looks like you got a beauty. Congrat's on the new purchase.

[1bmf]

Thanks for the compliments guys!

Matt