Fender 65 pure vintage vs 65 custom shop

chris78

This isn’t a cs vs American Vintage thread!

I was lucky enough to borrow a vintage 65 strat a few years back for 3 months. It remains the best strat I’ve ever played. I’ve played a couple of other transition guitars and for me, it’s fender as it’s finest.

Im not going to drop 15k on a vintage guitar (see the thread on vintage guitars and risks for part of why not), so I want to get as close as possible.

Ive narrowed down to a custom shop 65 (there seem to be a couple in stock at some good dealers including @guitars4you) or a pure vintage 65. 

The neck shapes are pretty similar, I’m not too fussed if it’s vintage/modern radius or reliced, though I prefer the feel of a worn in guitar. My main question is about the pickups. The pure vintage were marketed as Fender’s recreation, but I’m not sure the specs are quite there for a proper 65. They use enamel, grey base, but it appears that the custom shop use polysol. The cs 65 pickups aren’t available anywhere else so is a cs going to get me closer to an original in sound than a pure vintage?

It’d be good to try both, but 65 American vintages appear to be rare as hen’s teeth and there don’t seem to be many cs 65s around close to me in Kent. I’d welcome some opinions from people who have played both.

thebreeze

I’ve owned an original 65 and I’ve got a CS with a CS 65 pup in the middle position.  Not the same but in reality the differences are probably only apparent or important to you/me.  The original was the best sounding Strat I’ve played too.  I’m not sure it’s easy, might even be impossible, to replicate these “best” guitars.  I think you just have to find a guitar you’re happy with.

chris78

Thanks @thebreeze. I’d love to get an original 65 side by side with a cs. There is something about transition era Fenders that have a certain magic

Rob1742

Guitar Guitar currently are having 65 strats produced by each of the master builders. I think the first ones are due in at the end of the month, with the rest trickling through as and when each builder has it in their plan.

I have one on order. 

I have a 65 that was used by a top guitarist, and I just don’t want to touch it, hence why I have gone for one of these.

CloudNine

@Rob1742 ;  you really should just play the thing. Shame to leave it in its case.