Classic 50s Strat

rlw

I tried one of these this afternoon, mainly to see how I got on with the fretboard radius - 7.25".   It was new and may not have been setup that well, it was probably strung with 10-46s, but I was taken aback by the effort needed to play it.  Fretting chords was an effort, bending strings was an effort, playing it was just hard work.

Compared to my Highway One - low action, small frets and almost plays its-self -  it felt archaic. Is this typical of the older, classic style Strats or am I a wuss?

ICBM

It sounds like it may need a set-up, but even with that done it will never take as low an action as a flatter radius board, and the small frets may feel harder to 'get hold' of the strings for bending.

The reason I think it needs a set-up is because chord work, especially near the nut, should be easier - that's why they were made like that - for country players . But if the nut is too high it will feel horrible.

Basher

I find the vintage radius and frets feel really nice for playing chords so it sounds like something was wrong with the setup. 

However, I do agree that string bending is an absolute pain! I never cease to be shocked at how hard it is to bend notes on small/low frets and it makes the whole business something of a misery. Stuff that I can easily play on other guitars just goes phffft as the bend falls short and the string pings out from under my finger. I realise that you can get used to the extra effort and pain required to make it work but I think I'm too old and knackered.

rlw

You’re probably right about the nut as I found it hard to barre anywhere below the fifth fret - an F was out of the question.

thermionic

Isn’t that a Def Leppard song?

BTW I have 4 Fenders with 7.25” radius boards and they More or less play as well as my Rickenbacker and Epi LP. One chokes at extreme bends high up. They need a good setup to play like that though, and every one that hits the shelves may not get that. Flatter boards have a better chance of being playable without attention.