[spacehead333]

I need your guys help. I am about to buy a fender strat. Tobacco burst with maplewood neck. I dont really want to spend more than a grand. But i want an american. What are your guys' suggestions. Is there any good americans out there under 1000.

Thanks
Space

[paulee]

I have a '57 reissue...bought in 2003...maple neck....gorgeous birdseye all over it!

I love it, and well worth the grand i spent!

[Tennessee Jedi]

Space
I play a 94 USA Strat w/rosewood neck.
Kind of a love hate thing going on with it.
Love how it plays and sounds but its not the best intonation and tuning wise.Wish it was a hardtail.
Strats are cheap.Quality is iffy.
Hey save $300 more bucks and get a Strat in the $1200 range if you gotta have a Strat.
Pick a winner and play as many as you can.
Good luck....

[KCJones]

Sorry to skirt your Strat question. But I'm just not crazy about Strats and Fender quality for that kind of money. I think you Can find a decent Strat, but like anything, you just need to look hard and long. I myself opted to buy a G&L ASAT over a Fender Tele. I would encourage any prospective Strat buyer to look and compare them to a G&L Legacey such as the one in the link below. And I picked up my G&L ASAT Special Deluxe for $850 used in mint condition .... see pic on my myspace.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=511302

http://www.glguitars.com/

[jackr]

I wasnt a strat guy either until I played an SRV Strat. The tone was incredible. (still prefer my warren haynes les paul though)

I would think to either try to save just a couple of hundred more and that will put you in a different class. Or even better is to buy a used one. The guitar center by me had a used srv for about 900. And I am sure there are plenty of other models that sell under $1K used.

I assume you can even get them for less. Then with the money you save go and get it proffessionally set up the way you like.

[spacehead333]

I think i'm just going to get one, and put some jimmy herring type pick ups in it to give it that sweet sound. I love the srat look.

[caspersvapors]

buy it used

i got a 1993 57 reissue off craigslist for 450. i love it!

its over 10 years old, but i saved over a thousand bucks buying it used

[Django]

I'm with casper. I have a '83 USA '62 vintage re-issue. I paid 450 for it (granted it was 20 years ago) and it is a player. I later discovered that some component switching was obviously done so it is a frankenstrat. However I bought it based on playing it, not reading the specs or whatever. And no collector is going to give me 10,000 dollars for it someday, but I've seen necks on ebay for a '62 vintage re-issue (which are identifiable) go for almost as much as I paid for it. Now, choice of color goes out the window if you buy with your ears rather than your eyes, but I've grown to love my fiesta red strat.

[mikepand]

I love my 2000 strat. Nothing else has ever given me the versatility it does.

However $1000 sounds high to me ....... I don't know why... so I check Musicians Freind and your Right $964...so it's not high but I am......

I would check and compare local music stores to see who can do the best deals.

[st stephen]

craigs list

[spacehead333]

http://www.musicgoround.com/gear/invent ... ?id=610950

Here is the one i'm thinking of getting. What do you guys think?

[Tennessee Jedi]

Pick a winner.Good luck.
Similar to my Strat - I got a humbucker too - yer gonna love it.

[boxorain]

However $1000 sounds high to me ....... I don't know why... so I check Musicians Freind and your Right $964...so it's not high but I am......

Don't pay the sticker price, even at Guitar Center. You can generally get them to knock off about 15-20% if ya just ask them for their bottom line. I've done it on my Breedlove, and I watched a guy I work with bargain on a strat last year. Have them throw in a few sets of strings and upgrade the case too. Never hurts to ask!

[deadguise]

Yes always haggle at Guitar Center. When you low ball, the sales clerk will always go "I have to ask the manager" and he'll go in the back and get a soda or something. When he comes back he'll usually mark it down. It really helps when you have cash, just pull out what your willing to pay (within reason) and say that's all you have...

[China Cat]

these past 2 posts are very good advice. i saved like 200 on my Am Deluxe Strat and like 150 on my ibanez artcore hollowbody you could probably save a hundred or two easy. look around within the store too. ive noticed twice at guitar center where guitars have been priced wrong, and they have to sell them for w/e the tag says. thats always a ncie surprise