I'm thinking of buying a Fender stratocaster, preferably fender American standard. I've been wandering in this forum for a few month already and have several questions, Please help me to answer them!!! Thanks a lot!
1. I saw the price for brand new american standard in BGW guitars is 1,600, is this a reasonable price?
2. I heard that the quality of newly made fender american standard is not as good as those made earlier, is this true?
3. Many sellers are selling second hand fender strats in this forum, is it reliable to buy from a seller in this forum?
4. How about MIJ and MIM strats? How do they compare to a american standard?
5. For american made strats, what series is the best choice for the price around 1600? Is it the american standard or the 57' or 62' reissues?
I know that my post is a bit messy, but pls help me to know more abt fender strat, this may help other buyers as well!!!
Hope to hear your reply soon!!!
Thanks a lot and have a nice day!!!
Might as well reply you here since it would most likely help people who have the same questions as you do.
1. Yes, it is a reasonable price. Back in the old days, you could only get one at $2500.
2. QC has always been consistent. I have never been disgusted by a Fender guitar before. If you encounter a lousy one, it probably just needs a good set up.
3. Yes & no. You have to know your stuff before shelling out the cash. Even sellers like myself make mistakes at times. I won't say everyone is perfect. We can't know every single product in full detail. However with regards to Fender, I know my stuff. Unfortunately, I'm not helping anyone sell any Stratocasters at the moment. Can't help you there.
4. Different. Every series is different. When I think MIA MIJ MIM, I think of price range & specs. I'm a very spec conscious person only because I can know what to expect with that certain list alone. There are always exceptions and that is something that online resellers cannot offer compared to a store. In a store, you can be selective. End of the day, when you encounter a good guitar, it will be a good guitar regardless of specs.
5. Question here is, what do you want from a Stratocaster? My guess is that you have probably never had much exposure to this guitar but you are itching to try one. If that is the case, narrow down your search to see what guitars fit within your price range and try them out. There is no "better" guitar out there. Go for something that would make you want to play it. Of course if you are buying online, you can't do that. It's taking a gamble.
However, bear in mind that you won't get a "bad" guitar. It's just that you won't get the "best out of the lot". When I say that, what I mean is that after playing the guitar for 3 months, you'll start asking: "why does this lack a certain something?" or "Tch, this is hard to play". After that you come to the conclusion that: "Oh well, this guitar sucks. Time to sell it away" . Happens to me all the time. Do you guys know that I only own 2 guitars at the moment? Probably not
. Hard to believe considering the fact that I sell guitars like no one's business. Having a connection with your guitar is tough.
If I were you, I would NOT spend $1600 on my first Stratocaster only because I don't know what I want. However, I'm looking for consistency, something reliable so that I can stick with for the next couple of years.
I would recommend the American Standard but the cheaper alternative is the American Special. No matter how many times I look at it, the American Special is still the better deal. Swap out the pickups (only if you deem necessary) & presto, you have a good guitar.
Are you a seasoned player or a beginner? A seasoned player can get used to any guitar in no time. However if you are a beginner, try to avoid reissues. They are not bad but of course the neck profiles might not be the most comfortable. 57 reissues have a V shaped profile, something I still have trouble appreciating to date. 62 reissue is fine but as a begginer, naturally you would want to have more frets to see if you really need the 22nd fret.
Btw, only MIA Stratocasters have the option of 21/22 frets. It is apparent for some MIJ models but most of them are discontinued anyway.
End of the day, my vote goes to the American Special. If you are on a budget, MIJ 62 reissue. I don't think MIM Fenders are bad in all honesty but if you are looking for generic specs in a Stratocaster (Alder/Ash body), steer towards the MIA and MIJ Stratocasters. Be wary though, some MIJ reissues are made of Basswood. It's not a bad wood, just not vintage correct. That's just me being anal.
Recognise what you need in a guitar to suit your style of playing and narrow down the choices from there.
Feel free to disagree. I do like discussions once in a while. Like I said, I'm only human. I make mistakes too.
