Tell me about the Strat Plus

axisus · November 2019

I had one many years ago. It was very nice but I didn't really like maple as a fretboard, and I hated the look of the lace sensors (although they sounded good). It was a quality strat, stayed in tune well.

Philly_Q · November 2019

jeromegreenday said:

Fender really needed to up their game in '87 or they were going to close down and the strat plus delivered and saved them.

I certainly have fond memories of mine, it was the first proper Strat I had and felt like a bit of a landmark purchase. Unfortunately I had to sell it after a couple of years, for purely financial reasons, so I don't know whether I'd still like it or if I'd have grown to hate the neck or pickups or something.

When I ordered a Custom Shop Strat a few years ago I went for the same colours as my old Strat Plus Deluxe - Gun Metal Blue metallic finish and a maple board. The other features are very different though.

artiebear · November 2019

Philly_Q said:

jeromegreenday said:

Fender really needed to up their game in '87 or they were going to close down and the strat plus delivered and saved them.

I certainly have fond memories of mine, it was the first proper Strat I had and felt like a bit of a landmark purchase. Unfortunately I had to sell it after a couple of years, for purely financial reasons, so I don't know whether I'd still like it or if I'd have grown to hate the neck or pickups or something.
When I ordered a Custom Shop Strat a few years ago I went for the same colours as my old Strat Plus Deluxe - Gun Metal Blue metallic finish and a maple board. The other features are very different though.

Wow, this thread is dragging up memories. I remember a great NGD picking up a brand new R/W board Gun Metal Blue standard ( it smelled lovely ) and driving out for a Lake District pub lunch, while listening to Jeff Beck's Guitar shop. Those were the days.

richardhomer · November 2019

I saw Jeff Beck on the Guitar Shop tour - he played a surf green Strat Plus (it could well have been a Custom Shop build - but the spec was as per a Strat Plus). The Lace Sensors sounded great. I always thought Eric Clapton’s tone was better when his signature models had them fitted.

Philly_Q · November 2019

In my memory, the Lace Sensors sounded absolutely fantastic through my Sessionette 75....

Of course I wasn't such a connoisseur of tone as I am now (...cough...) but I'm pretty sure they sounded better than any of the Fender Noiseless pickups which have followed.

danishbacon · November 2019

I've had a couple, really like the lace sensors. One was heavy, this one less so. I think they're interesting guitars and an honest attempt at freshening up an old icon. Many were built buy the guys who went on to form the Custom Shop and some are stamped by master builders. I think she sensors. Look cool too.

ronnyb · November 2019

Excellent guitars. I've had mine a few years now. Blue pearl burst '91, Vintage white '88 and a '91 Frost red.

danishbacon · November 2019

Nice collection @ronnyb!! How flakey is the frost red, is it like a Candy colour? My lipstick red (93) is almost fiesta/dakoda.

ronnyb · November 2019

danishbacon said:

Nice collection @ronnyb!! How flakey is the frost red, is it like a Candy colour? My lipstick red (93) is almost fiesta/dakoda.

When i saw yours i wondered if it was Frost red but its slightly darker. The frost red is flakey but it has quite a pink hue to it. They all feel different to play, the Blue pearl burst is the best, the neck was finished by Herbie Gastelum.

danishbacon · November 2019

Mine was built by Jesus Uribe

artiebear · November 2019

Here is my '91 Plus, I think it's Candy Frost Red, I bought it along with the Tele as NOS. The Tele (Standard ) was a weird one being Crimson Burst, which was actually a Tele Plus colour.

<a href="https://imgur.com/vgvaDve"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vgvaDve.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

danishbacon · November 2019

artiebear said:

Here is my '91 Plus, I think it's Candy Frost Red, I bought it along with the Tele as NOS. The Tele (Standard ) was a weird one being Crimson Burst, which was actually a Tele Plus colour.

<a href="https://imgur.com/vgvaDve"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vgvaDve.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Maybe firestorm red plus given the year?

artiebear · November 2019

thanks for that @danishbacon you may well be right. I have periodically tried to find out and always ended up wondering if it was just that the reference shots were a) faded examples or b) shot with a weird white balance /wrong light. Whatever it is, it's a great colour, almost hinting at a touch of metallic just under the surface, if you see what I mean. Like the previous references to Gun Metal Blue on this thread, there is always something to be happy about within the Fender colour chart.

ronnyb · November 2019

artiebear said:

Here is my '91 Plus, I think it's Candy Frost Red, I bought it along with the Tele as NOS. The Tele (Standard ) was a weird one being Crimson Burst, which was actually a Tele Plus colour.

<a href="https://imgur.com/vgvaDve"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vgvaDve.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

The tele looks like Crimson burst version 1. The plus looks darker than my Frost red but the reds are deceptive on a photograph. It's definitely not Firestorm though which is like the photo attached.

artiebear · November 2019

Lovely guitar @ronnyb, wow that looks radically different, almost midnight wine ( had a plus in that colour ) into crimson. What year is that one ?

ronnyb · November 2019

artiebear said:

Lovely guitar @ronnyb, wow that looks radically different, almost midnight wine ( had a plus in that colour ) into crimson. What year is that one ?

Unfortunately that isn’t mine it’s a picture off the internet to show firestorm.

Jalapeno · November 2019

Mine's an early 90s version Strat+ Deluxe (Blue Frost) - I keep the trem wound down to the body, so not a lot to offer there. The neck Blue Lace Sensor is fat, rich and creamy (best of the lot), middle Sliver is not bad but nothing special, and the bridge Red has bite - I quite like the effect that the TBX has, but accept it is marmite preference. Wilkinson nut - never had an issue.

Image: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/uploads/editor/ao/93rx7d2k38ae.jpg

artiebear · November 2019

Jalapeno said:

Mine's an early 90s version Strat+ Deluxe (Blue Frost) - I keep the trem wound down to the body, so not a lot to offer there. The neck Blue Lace Sensor is fat, rich and creamy (best of the lot), middle Sliver is not bad but nothing special, and the bridge Red has bite - I quite like the effect that the TBX has, but accept it is marmite preference. Wilkinson nut - never had an issue.

The early plus deluxes are great. I still regret getting rid of a 91/92 in Ebony Frost. The Blue / silver / red lace sensor combo gives some great tones. Like yours mine had the standard two point trem, I wasn't so keen on the later locking version.

bluechargeboy · November 2019

Here's a not-great pic of my 89/90 Gun Metal Blue That I have had since new (29 years!).

It has had many bridge pickups, two refrets, has a mismatched locking tuner roller due to the loss of one of the originals in a field, and I replaced the Wilkinson roller nut with an LSR when the original started being a dick.

Tremsetter is long gone, it's in with the case candy which I still have for some reason!

DarnWeight · November 2019

Thanks everyone...some lovely examples pictured.

Have to say, weighing up opinions throughout the thread, I've still got an itch for one of these. Just need to get my Jazzmaster sold now.

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