Fender Classic Player - why get a USA standard?

flyingv

The tone pot with the bridge pickup.............. Poxy predictive text!! 

Elwood

Next question guys: Which models have a nitro finish and modern radius/frets (without venturing into Custom Shop)?

All I can see is AVRI stuff with 7.25 and skinny frets.

munckee

I had a 2 tone 50s CP strat which was great quality, particularly the pickups.  I found the v shape made my wrist ache after a while though which doesn't happen with C shapes etc.  The 60th anniversary in nitro looks great, except fo my tastes the gold hardware.  

siraxeman

HAL9000 said:

I've played a few Classic Players and Classics and they've all been very nice indeed. I think if you want 22 frets and/or the truss rod adjustment at the headstock end then you need the USA Std. Also, I'd guess that the Classics and Classic Players have alloy sustain blocks rather than steel.

^^ This, also a hard case and a tone control on the bridge pup. Of coarse you can mod the tone control to work the bridge pup and buy a hardcase...but those things apart they're pretty close. Well I can speak of the 60's Classic Player - as that's one I owned till about a year ago. It even had the 2 point trem like on a USA Standard. I now have 3 USA Series/Standards and let my CP60's go for £400, losing me ony £50 on what I paid for it a year or so before. Had I kept it I'd have eventually got around to modding that bridge to work from a tone pot like on a USA.

I remember 1 gig when I was using my then CP60s Strat, and we do a cover of the GnR version of KOHD and in the 2nd solo it has a bend on the 22nd fret of the B string...then hits the 22nd top E the releases the bent note....and I only just realised a second or 2 before that in this instance I was missing the all important 22nd fret.. :

But if you think in terms of a used like for like, the differences seem worth the £200ish of extra wedge IMO.

Elwood

Cheers guys. Looks like the USA is worth it for me. 

thegummy

I literally made that decision when I bought my Strat - would have happily gone for a higher end Mexican but it's just that I didn't like the look of the Classic Player ones and the American Standard was reduced so I felt it worth paying a bit extra to get one I liked the look of.

Do the Classic Players come with rolled edges on the fretboard? I think I remember that being a benefit of the American. Also you get a hard case.

When it came to buying a Precision Bass, there was a higher end Mexican that was perfect for me which I bought, just like I'd have bought the Classic Player if I liked the look of it (although I'd have had to buy a case which would have reduced the price difference).

I may well have liked the pickups in the CP, couldn't tell you. I know I love the CS Fat 50s in my American Standard.

Alterlifeson

Elwood said:

Next question guys: Which models have a nitro finish and modern radius/frets (without venturing into Custom Shop)?

All I can see is AVRI stuff with 7.25 and skinny frets.

I don't believe you can get nitro and modern specs below the CS price point. Fender offer the Classic Series with a nitro finish, but they still retain the skinny frets and radius as the originals. If they did the Classic Laquer series with the neck of the Classic Player I bet a lot of people would be all over it!

crunchman

Alterlifeson said:

Elwood said:

Next question guys: Which models have a nitro finish and modern radius/frets (without venturing into Custom Shop)?

All I can see is AVRI stuff with 7.25 and skinny frets.

I don't believe you can get nitro and modern specs below the CS price point. Fender offer the Classic Series with a nitro finish, but they still retain the skinny frets and radius as the originals. If they did the Classic Laquer series with the neck of the Classic Player I bet a lot of people would be all over it!

I think this is deliberate.  Try to force people to spend more on a CS guitar to get the specs they want.

rpr

Vintage Hot Rod?

Alterlifeson

rpr said:

Vintage Hot Rod?

Good shout! Are they still being produced? 

Elwood

Will give them a google!

Elwood

Any experience with a Highway 1 strat - the older small headstock version?

impmann

thegummy said:

Do the Classic Players come with rolled edges on the fretboard? I think I remember that being a benefit of the American. Also you get a hard case.

To be honest, rolling the fingerboard edges takes less than 10 minutes to do with a screwdriver. Our own @WezV has done a tutorial on this and its so simple to do, I really don't understand why so many folks make a big deal of it.

breakstuff

impmann said:

thegummy said:

Do the Classic Players come with rolled edges on the fretboard? I think I remember that being a benefit of the American. Also you get a hard case.

To be honest, rolling the fingerboard edges takes less than 10 minutes to do with a screwdriver. Our own @WezV has done a tutorial on this and its so simple to do, I really don't understand why so many folks make a big deal of it.

I will add,though,do not try this method on a lacquered maple neck.I stupidly tried it on my Classic Player 50's,and not taking into account the lacquered neck,I ended up cracking the laquer on the first fret,causing a strip about an inch long to peel off.Managed to crudely repair it to a point where you can see it but not feel it.

WezV

i use the razor blade method for rolling fretboard edges.   its definitely not one to try on a lacquered maple neck, but works brilliantly on everything else.

The screwdriver method does work on lacquered maple necks, but only  hen its a relatively thin coat.... As @breakstuff discovered, there is a risk of lacquer cracking

this is a vid i did years ago - shown on unfinished maple prior to oiling.

impmann

Oops... yes sorry, I was imagining Rosewood... as you were...

thegummy

impmann said:

thegummy said:

Do the Classic Players come with rolled edges on the fretboard? I think I remember that being a benefit of the American. Also you get a hard case.

To be honest, rolling the fingerboard edges takes less than 10 minutes to do with a screwdriver. Our own @WezV has done a tutorial on this and its so simple to do, I really don't understand why so many folks make a big deal of it.

I guess it must just be that, like me, they don't know it can be done easily!

I always find it funny when people talk about better electronics in expensive instruments. Even if they wanted to replace all the electronics on a guitar or bass the day they got it, it'd be under 20 quid for the same ones used in high end instruments.

jonnyburgo

I’ve got the classic 50s Tele, the only Tele I’ve not sold, not sure how accurate it is to a real 50s one, probably not very, but it feels good to me.

tony99

love my CP 60's strat, I don't suffer terribly from gas, but when I do....my strat is a surefire cure

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

tony99 said:

love my CP 60's strat, I don't suffer terribly from gas, but when I do....my strat is a surefire cure

Same here. Can't see myself needing/wanting to upgrade to a US Strat any time soon. Maybe if I suddenly had a windfall of cash I might want an AVRI, but no way I could justify the extra cost under normal circumstances. The CP is plenty good enough for me.