Strat Value Sweet Spot?

BRISTOL86 · October 2019

I’d love a custom shop strat one day but well out of budget at the moment (c £1200 - maybe just about up to £1500 if it was out of this world).

Where’s the sweet spot value wise, both new and used?

Vintage appointments and/or light relic appeal to me purely from an aesthetic point of view but that’s pure vanity.

Missed the boat on the American Original 60s that was here for £950 which seemed stonkingly good value.

New, I’m guessing the recent price drops on American Elite makes them by far the best value new at the moment for the full budget?

I might even be tempted to look at the cheaper end of the scale at the player series as a stop gap for a couple of years until I can justify spending a bit more on a CS to my tastes.

What would you be looking at in the £500-£1200 bracket?

Peach have a lovely looking 60th Anniversary special from 2014 but it’s ambitiously priced to say the least at about £500 more than a used standard from the same time, though appreciate some of this is dealer mark up.

idiotwindow · October 2019

I've seen the AO 50's retailing at £1399 which appears to be just within your budget. If I wanted a Strat I'd certainly be looking at one of those. For real value I guess some of the Mexican Player Strats at around £500 would take some beating.

BRISTOL86 · October 2019

I will definitely check out the Mexican players, I’m not snobby about where it’s made if it’s a decent instrument - I only play at home anyway!

Might be a more sensible way to go until I can justify the cost of a CS!

thebreeze · October 2019

I think you get great value out of Mexican made Strats used, particularly if they're a bit older. I like them too because they've often got quite a lot of the vintage appointments which I like. I've found some really nice ones for around £300 mark. I think US Strats can also be good for value - £700-£800 but they usually have more of the modern things like the 2 point trem and tuners which I'm not keen on.

I would say this of course, but if you want an absolutely top class Stratocaster, that's almost identical to an original preCBS Strat (I've owned and played them), 7.0 lbs, in excellent condition and just within your budget then you'd be very hard pushed to do better than this:

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/148886/fender-american-vintage-1962-stratocaster-avri/p1

I'm quite close to Bristol too.

munckee · October 2019

Classic player 50s are great if you like v necks. Never tried the strat version but roadworn tele was great.

I had an 86 MIJ strat which was terrific.

BRISTOL86 · October 2019

Thanks @thebreeze ive drooled over your photos on that thread before - beautiful guitar - but I’m looking at colours that are more....’me’.....(boring!!)

thebreeze · October 2019

The colour's important. I often find that's the hardest thing to get when looking i.e. all the other specs are right but its never in a colour I would like (I usually overcome that though if the guitar's right).

tony99 · October 2019

CP 60s is what I've got and I'll keep it forever probs, also have an American Special and the neck on that is amazing

BRISTOL86 · October 2019

thebreeze said:

The colour's important. I often find that's the hardest thing to get when looking i.e. all the other specs are right but its never in a colour I would like (I usually overcome that though if the guitar's right).

It is, I know it’s sounds vain to a lot of people but I know I’ll hate a guitar that’s in a colour I don’t love no matter how good it plays or sounds.

BRISTOL86 · October 2019

tony99 said:

CP 60s is what I've got and I'll keep it forever probs, also have an American Special and the neck on that is amazing

I had an American special before and completely agree the neck was amazing. Hate the big headstock though

meltedbuzzbox · October 2019

Go to a shop with a decent stock and try as many as you can in your budget. Work out which is your favourite

Then find a used version

BRISTOL86 · October 2019

meltedbuzzbox said:

Go to a shop with a decent stock and try as many as you can in your budget. Work out which is your favourite

Then find a used version

Only place close to me really is PMT and for reasons I shall keep to myself I won’t be going back there any time soon!

BRISTOL86 · October 2019

To be honest I’m tempted to just grab a new player series as a stopgap for a year or two until I get the budget up together for something a bit more special.

WindmillGuitars · October 2019

@BRISTOL86 DM'd

welshboyo · October 2019

I have an early CP 50' Strat and its a great all round Strat.

I also have an old JV Squier - this guitar has seen off the Custom Shop Strats I've had over the years.

None of the CS's I've had ( 63 Limited Edition in LBP, Heavy Relic 60's in Fiesta Red, 62 Relic in Olympic White) have been keepers or indeed anything mega-special

IMO - don't waste your money on CS stuff unless you are really keen on the certificate side of things - there are just as good Strats out there outside of the CS world - as nice as they are, I can't really understand how you are paying a good 1500 more for a bolt together guitar that has been bolted together by someone who has a Custom Shop T Shirt on - unless you buy a named builder's model (which you'll pay a massive premium for), then you are just paying for the "CS ethos" rather than the skill of a particular builder..

My advice is a JV if you want a vintage ride, or one of the earlier CP's (60's or 50's) if you want CS type feel.

Whitecat · October 2019

I'd grab an Elite if I were buying today. A few still around on the blowout price of as low as £1250 (some £1299, some higher, but if you peck around right away they are still around). You can always swap pickups later if the N4s aren't your bag (but they are not as terrible as some people would like you to believe).

meltedbuzzbox · October 2019

BRISTOL86 said:

To be honest I’m tempted to just grab a new player series as a stopgap for a year or two until I get the budget up together for something a bit more special.

Buy cheap buy twice etc

You always end up buying the thing you want. I'd wait personally until you have the funds

munckee · October 2019

Certainly if buying with the intention of keeping for a short/medium period I would buy used.

BRISTOL86 · October 2019

Yeah that’s fair comment. To be honest the best strat I’ve had in the last few years was my American pro, I might just wait until one comes up used in a colour I like...

tony99 · October 2019

BRISTOL86 said:

tony99 said:

CP 60s is what I've got and I'll keep it forever probs, also have an American Special and the neck on that is amazing

I had an American special before and completely agree the neck was amazing. Hate the big headstock though

so did I but guess what?

I'm bringing it back!!

BRISTOL86 · October 2019

Haha I’m a nightmare, if there’s one little detail I don’t like then I know I’ll just end up not being happy and selling it again.

Should never have sold my Am Pro Olympic white and Rosewood, pretty sure that’s what I’ll end up back with if I can find one used as I’m not paying £1300-£1400 for a new one!

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