Fender Strat buy advice?

Freddy-Bl00D

I finally sold my 2 guitars and now it's time to get a Fender strat!!
Im in a lucky position because my dad lives in dubai so i am browsing the dubai classified ads aswel.
This is what choices I got:

Brand new Fender Highway One HSS (Made In USA)

Fender Start "Rebuilt": Its a American Standard Neck and Tuners, Mexican Body and bridge, New Aged white guard, American Jack + Switch and Fender Custom Shop Pick ups. (Guitar is 3 years old and in good condition)

Brand New Fender Road Worn 50's strat (Made in Mexico) its the most exspensive out of al the options

Fender Stratocaster Plus 1989 (made in USA)
The strat Plus was introduced in 1987 as a upgraded version of the mid 80's american standard it has Gold Lace Sensor Pickups (used by Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy on their older artist models) at that time the Strat Plus was the highest end production model next to Fender Custom Shop guitars.

This specific Strat plus has been slightly modified, bridge pick up has been replaced with a DiMarzio and the 2nd tone knob has been replaced by a switch that is wired to the Dimarzio. What this switch does is basically makes it bright or warm. Bright is great for added boost or crunch and the warm is a nice blended in vibe with the other pickups.
The bridge has also been proffesionaly blocked so theres no whammy. (Is there a way to "unblock" the bridge? Because i realy want the normal bridge)

The Strat Plus sounds like a winner but the bridge bothers me and so does the age, I will have a good guitarist that works for my dad go check out the instrument to make sure I dont get screwed over. My second option wil be the Highway one HSS but I would like to hear the opinions of the forum members?

StephenG

for me it would be the Strat Plus - i been eyeing one for ages now..!!

and dont worry about age.. the older the better.!

then the 50's roadworn - for that instant mojo look...

then the rebuild..

dont waste money on the Highyway One...you can get better vaue out of the mexicans.

Freddy-Bl00D

Okay cool 1-point for the strat plus, -1 point for the highway one.. Do you know if its possible to "unblock" the strat plus bridge?

ActionArnie

+1 strat plus for sure

Freddy-Bl00D

Okay 2points strat plus so far.. Starting to see a pattern :?

MikeM

Another nay to Highway 1s.. Also, how much cheaper are you getting one of these for than if you were to buy something locally? Might be cooler to go check it out yourself and be happy with what you're getting?

Freddy-Bl00D

MikeM wrote: Another nay to Highway 1s.. Also, how much cheaper are you getting one of these for than if you were to buy something locally? Might be cooler to go check it out yourself and be happy with what you're getting?

Highway one will be about R7000
Road worn about R8000
Strat Rebuild about R6000
Strat Plus about R5000

So its definetly more exspensive locally.. The strat plus seems like the best value for money, will have some cash left if theres work to be done on it.

StephenG

Freddy-Bl00D wrote:
MikeM wrote: Another nay to Highway 1s.. Also, how much cheaper are you getting one of these for than if you were to buy something locally? Might be cooler to go check it out yourself and be happy with what you're getting?
Highway one will be about R7000
Road worn about R8000
Strat Rebuild about R6000
Strat Plus about R5000

So its definetly more expensive locally.. The strat plus seems like the best value for money, will have some cash left if theres work to be done on it.

any 'mod" can be un-modded - provided the body wasn't mutilated during the initial mod.

singemonkey

Dude. Age is not a minus when buying guitars. These aren't cars. Guitars often improve with age. And older guitars tend to have been better made since companies are constantly trying to cut costs.

-1 Highway One

+1 to Strat plus if it's in good nick.

Keira-WitherKay

http://www.xhefriguitars.com/page2.html

above is an article on the strat + and if you can buy it for R5000 take it at that price............ cos this strat was designed in 80's and 90's to be just below the custom shop strats.... so you buying a top end guitar BUT and there's always a BUt ? a lot of the features on the strat + actually makes it a little less typically strat ..... ( by that it's removed from the vintage 50/60's strats most people like and been "modernised" ) .... like the lace sensor pick ups, which many don't like, but they easy to repace in time with a vintage set ect ....... and then that nut may be a prob but again i'm sure it can be replaced........and none of the changes need be done imeadiately .. but 5K is an excellent price for a USA strat and regardless that lace sensor pups are not for everyone , it's a bargain ............... jeff beck aparantly had one as a signiture model so you in good company ........

ok so looking at your choices it's a no contest with the strat + being top of the heap by far and cheaper , and at that price of 5K if you buy it and don't like it you will sell it for sure....and make your 5 K back .. and don't let anyone tell you the mexican strats come close to the USA ones cos they don't ......they great value for money if you paying 20K for your USA strat but with a USA on the table for 5K it's a no brainer.......and as others have said the highway one series is the entry level USA model , and not liked by many........ and in comparison the strat + was the top USA production model in it's time

anyway just something to think about and despite my opinion being quite strong ..you must make up your own mind and buy what appeals to you and what guitar you feel has mojo for you

btw what colour is the strat+ ?

ps. if you don't buy the strat +and the buyers still selling please pm me the details i may be interested in it for myself if he's selling at 5K .

Freddy-Bl00D

Thanks for the info Keira!! It's black with rosewood fretboard, I kinda like the Lace Sensor pickups (according to al the info on the net I think I like them).

I just sent the sellers details to my dad and he is going to go check it out and hopefully there wil be a sale! If he buys it i'l have to wait until July when my dad comes so south africa for business.. I'l definetly "unblock" the bridge and replace the Dimarzio bridge pick up, If I like the Lace Sensor pick ups i'l keep it standard, if not i'l get Fender noiseless pick ups.

Thanks for al the advice, my original instincts were right to go for the Strat + and now I got alot of confirmation on the guitars reputation.

IceCreamMan

i am gonna quote a chap called Mick Taylor verbatim

" Fender makes guitars that are on most levels , infinitely better than those it was making 25 years ago.

that kinda flies against opinion here though ...confused i am.

guidothepimmp

Interesting you should say that Ice..

A famous british guitar techsaid the exact same thing and recommended a current US standard strat over an 80's strat that someone was looking for advice on...

he literally said that todays US standard strats were far better than 20-30 years ago..

I too am confused :-\

StephenG

guidothepimmp wrote: Interesting you should say that Ice..

A famous british guitar techsaid the exact same thing and recommended a current US standard strat over an 80's strat that someone was looking for advice on...

he literally said that todays US standard strats were far better than 20-30 years ago..

I too am confused :-\

20 - 30 years ago puts us smack into the CBS period of Fender when their only mission was to cut costs and make cheap guitars in america..

hence the pre-CBS era fenders (prior 1965) being worth a kings ransom. was only in 86', after the management buy out that the 'new owners' start going back to making quaity guitars..

so its the CBS guitars that dont have the best of reputations.

Freddy-Bl00D

So any fender before 1965 and after 86... I believe the strat+ was fenders attempt to redeem themselves in the late 80's

Rob-dos

I have a fender Highway one, its a versatile and sexy thing.. can get more kick out of it and you can still jump back into jazzy blues mode.. its my workhorse
With distortion i can do hard rock, you could easily do heavy metal on it with a pedal and with overdrive i play blues and rocking f roll.. does all the inbetween too

And if its your first strat, you want a newbie that you can hang on your wall one day and say that was my first strat.. Alot of them in RSA come in matt
so you would age at a much faster rate than a normal guitar, the paint at least, so thats either a plus or a negative.. once you take the plunge im sure
it will become a positive though, nothing better than having your own sweat and tears show face on your guitar..

Bob-Dubery

Freddy-Bl00D wrote:
MikeM wrote: Another nay to Highway 1s.. Also, how much cheaper are you getting one of these for than if you were to buy something locally? Might be cooler to go check it out yourself and be happy with what you're getting?
Highway one will be about R7000
Road worn about R8000
Strat Rebuild about R6000
Strat Plus about R5000

So its definetly more exspensive locally.. The strat plus seems like the best value for money, will have some cash left if theres work to be done on it.

Are you perhaps comparing prices of 2nd hand guitars THERE to new guitars HERE?

Unless you're saving a serious splodge of wonga, it may be better to shop locally. You can plug it in and play it and see how it sounds and plays, you can check it for defects, see if you get a lekker warm feeling when you hold it in your hands and all that other good stuff.

There's a 2nd hand road-worn at McGibbons for 8k IIRC so you might not be saving much doing it your way and you would be buying it sight unseen.

IceCreamMan

X-rated Bob wrote:
Unless you're saving a serious splodge of wonga, it may be better to shop locally. You can plug it in and play it and see how it sounds and plays, you can check it for defects, see if you get a lekker warm feeling when you hold it in your hands and all that other good stuff.

There's a 2nd hand road-worn at McGibbons for 8k IIRC so you might not be saving much doing it your way and you would be buying it sight unseen.

Sage advice ..Freddy you will do well by following this.

Go out to the shops ,play every damn strat you come across including some squires and then take it from there. import if you will if it dont pan out hopefully u can sell it again for what you paid for it.

To be honest i dont think the dubai pricing is stupedously brilliant ..good yes but pashasha wow .. no.

Tell you dad to go to business in the states ?

studmissile

Agree ? try these out before u import. That said, I've tried the roadworn's (thinking them a gimmick) and I was really impressed, they a damn good players!

StephenG

Freddy-Bl00D wrote: So any fender before 1965 and after 86... I believe the strat+ was fenders attempt to redeem themselves in the late 80's

the strat plus came out in '87 and was originally intended to be a jeff beck signature model made by the custom shop.

so you got to know it’s an ace piece of guitar equipment...and it’s the right era too, then the new owners were desperate to regain some respectability in the fender brand name..

if you do manage to get your hands on a pre-65 fender, that automatically raises you up to the level of guitar playing cherubim !!