If You Were Gonna Buy An Expensive Strat

crunchman

Collings said:

The John Page strat a likes seem to get high praise and comes with a single vol and tone - They are Japanese made I believe.

Link below to a new one but coda also have some SH

https://www.coda-music.com/special-offers/john-page-classic-ashburn-pelham-blue-maple.html

They have a second hand one at £799.

I've been looking at the Tele style John Page guitars on the Coda website, but the thing that puts me off is the 12" radius.  I definitely wouldn't want to buy without trying first.  I suspect that it won't quite feel right having a Fender style guitar with a 12" radius.

Kebabkid

I've played a lot of different Strats over the last couple of months, mainly Superstrats and their variants, like PRS. The Tyler Classic (Japan) impressed me the most as I felt it bridged the gap between a Fender CS and a Suhr.

Tom Andersons are really good (I had a Drop Top in the 90s) and Suhrs tick my boxes and like others, despite not gelling with a few, I'd still consider them

mburekenge

For me it has to be fender cs.

There are loads of great high end strat types from the luthiers previously mentioned... they are amazing guitars.

To be honest, i find that the 'improvements' offered on the likes of suhr etc take away from the rough and ready magic of a killer traditional strat.

Totally personal preference and we are so lucky to have so much choice

EDIT - I'm going to remind myself of this post next time I'm cursing talking the neck off to adjust the truss rod lol

merlin

I'd get used to the pot positions, just work at it and soon enough you'll find a different way of strumming/picking. 

Then I'd buy this;
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/118864/fender-cs-60th-anniversary-heavy-relic-strat-sorry-sale-cant-really-afford-to-keep-this-one#latest

or this!
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/120508/suhr-classic-pro-mint-condition#latest

Good luck. 

richardhomer

Someone posted a YT comparison of PRS Silver Sky, CS Strat & a Suhr on here recently (I think it was by Thomann - I could be wrong). The received wisdom seemed to be the PRS & Fender sounded noticeably better than the Suhr....

guitarfishbay

I’d go to a big shop and play a bunch until I found one I wanted or they kicked me out 

Jonathanthomas83

I can't speak for others, but have owned a Fender and currently a Suhr, neither are better or worse in sound. If anything, the Suhr sounds better because it doesn't hum, that's my taste though. I also don't buy into the myth that Suhr's lack character because they addressed some things and improved. Of course I'm biased, owning one, but it sounds phenomenal and plays beautifully. 

I'll admit, I had a bit of a blip last month, thinking that the Suhr would be bettered by a Custom Shop...so I put the Suhr up for sale on here and tried a lot of Custom Shop Strats last month. None felt as good as the Suhr and none had the sound I wanted either. So I took the Suhr off sale on here and kept it. That's not to say Custom Shops aren't fantastic, they are, but for my tastes, the Suhr ticks all the boxes. And I'm very fussy about having proper names in the headstock...Fender being one of those names.

ellwood

I have recently acquired a Custom shop and a Fender Mayer Sig. The Mayer wins hands down, and so I’ll be very interested to try a Silver Sky - when they hit the second hand market.....

Bucket

Tyler and Anderson are my two favourites for this type of thing. I've never played a Suhr I've gelled with.

LSL look good but I've never played one.

mburekenge

Jonathanthomas83 said:

I can't speak for others, but have owned a Fender and currently a Suhr, neither are better or worse in sound. If anything, the Suhr sounds better because it doesn't hum, that's my taste though. I also don't buy into the myth that Suhr's lack character because they addressed some things and improved. Of course I'm biased, owning one, but it sounds phenomenal and plays beautifully. 

I'll admit, I had a bit of a blip last month, thinking that the Suhr would be bettered by a Custom Shop...so I put the Suhr up for sale on here and tried a lot of Custom Shop Strats last month. None felt as good as the Suhr and none had the sound I wanted either. So I took the Suhr off sale on here and kept it. That's not to say Custom Shops aren't fantastic, they are, but for my tastes, the Suhr ticks all the boxes. And I'm very fussy about having proper names in the headstock...Fender being one of those names.

Exactly. It's all personal preference and there are so many excellent options available!

You've just got to play a load and see what speaks to you.

Spending a few days in the likes of coda and peach finding 'the one' sounds like fun to me.:)

sweepy

It’s finding a shop that has enough stock to compare, Peach had a fine selection of Strats to try when I bought my Journeyman 

MrBump

I'm looking at the Fender site, Strat models have kinda passed me by.  I'm now confused by the models...  I'm sure it used to be simpler. 

Seems to be a big difference in price between the American made models...

Ah, feck it - I'll go to Peach and try some.

jeztone2

I quite like the Suhr Classic. The one I played had a really nice feel and tone. I’m also keen to try one of those Schecters that Peach had going cheap. 

Bucket

You just have to try a Tyler Classic.

This patchy finish treatment is called "With Bacon".

http://www.dogakki.com/product/1435644987/LargePictureB/1435644987_4.jpg

A lot of them seem to have a mid-boost circuit built in. I've tried it and I don't like it, but YMMV.

thebreeze

Do you like vintage or modern? Rosewood or maple? Alder or ash? Big necks or slim necks?  The volume pot being close to the picking hand has it’s advantages - so you can do the whale noises/Jeff Beck thing. I’ve always played a Strat so it’s not an issue but maybe it takes a readjustment in technique if you haven’t? (Worth it though 

BGG

If I had the funds a Tyler Classic or Fender Landau Strat.

Creme_Brulee

Hello mate. I've used a numbe of Stratocaster over the years including a lovely old birds eye maple neck USA Schechter. I currently have the best Fender Stratocaster I have ever played which is a 1990's USA Eric Clapton signature with Fender Lace Sensors and a maple neck.

The trouble is as much as I love it it aint The best strat style guitar I've ever played. About 15 years ago I got hold of a Melancon Classic Artist. This guitar is quite simply the best electric guitar I have played from 1965 until now. It plays well, sounds great, stays in tune, is very well crafted and even looks amazing in the bargain. They are made by Gérard Melancon in Louisiana, USA. Google them or search on you tube.