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MGR/Scott Bayley « Fender Classic Series '50s Stratocaster »
Published on 10/08/02 at 15:00I bought a Mexican build '50s classic at a music store in Newcastle, Australia in 1999 for about $1500 AUS which at the moment is about$800 US. I played the demo one and really dug the pure strat sound it made.
What I like??
The neck pickup tone!!!
It sings!!
You know that really rich, full sort of 'tubey' strat neck pickup tone, well this Mexican has it in bundles. Lately I've been getting into licks that sound a bit like Beck's work from Young Guns 2, using the out of phase bridge/middle combo' and this sounds really cool as well.
The one significant shortcoming of this guitar is the background pickup noise. This would only bother you in a studio though, because it while it's noticeable, it probably wouldn't bother you on stage.
I checked the display model very throughly in the shop (a daphne blue one) and found some slight flaws on the fretboard lacquer. The one I bought (surf green) has no faults though. Overall, this guitar has a good quality of finish. It holds tune very well; in fact it is more stable than a Strat Ultra I had a few years ago...
Well, I was looking to get back into playing after a 7 year hiatus. Back when I was playing in a weekend covers band I had an '88 Jap' Strat; (lifeless, sterile, thin, these words come to mind), and a '91 Strat Ultra; (very, very playable). I was plugging on to the obligatory Marshall, through a TS-9 Tube Screamer. I was trying to get that rich sort of Eric Johnson tone; (Ah Via Musicom). The Ultra came pretty close too I spose'... These days I'm running this Mexican straight through a '74 Twin Reverb, and when I can I turn it up loud... She's Sweet ...
Ahhhhhhhhhhh Stratocasters...
At the moment my tastes in tone lean towards Hendrix's cleaner stuff, Eric Johnson (still!!) and Robert Cray. This instument has enough tonal flexibility to generate sounds that come very close to these guys (but some of that has to be due to the Twin as well I spose')...
I have started saving for an original vintage, and I'll probably end up with a '60s model, but until then, this guitar more than satisfies my need for that clean, rich classic Stratocacster tone.
It aint' an original, but geez' the difference is minimal.
If you can't afford a vintage right now, try one of these, money really well spent I reckon.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
What I like??
The neck pickup tone!!!
It sings!!
You know that really rich, full sort of 'tubey' strat neck pickup tone, well this Mexican has it in bundles. Lately I've been getting into licks that sound a bit like Beck's work from Young Guns 2, using the out of phase bridge/middle combo' and this sounds really cool as well.
The one significant shortcoming of this guitar is the background pickup noise. This would only bother you in a studio though, because it while it's noticeable, it probably wouldn't bother you on stage.
I checked the display model very throughly in the shop (a daphne blue one) and found some slight flaws on the fretboard lacquer. The one I bought (surf green) has no faults though. Overall, this guitar has a good quality of finish. It holds tune very well; in fact it is more stable than a Strat Ultra I had a few years ago...
Well, I was looking to get back into playing after a 7 year hiatus. Back when I was playing in a weekend covers band I had an '88 Jap' Strat; (lifeless, sterile, thin, these words come to mind), and a '91 Strat Ultra; (very, very playable). I was plugging on to the obligatory Marshall, through a TS-9 Tube Screamer. I was trying to get that rich sort of Eric Johnson tone; (Ah Via Musicom). The Ultra came pretty close too I spose'... These days I'm running this Mexican straight through a '74 Twin Reverb, and when I can I turn it up loud... She's Sweet ...
Ahhhhhhhhhhh Stratocasters...
At the moment my tastes in tone lean towards Hendrix's cleaner stuff, Eric Johnson (still!!) and Robert Cray. This instument has enough tonal flexibility to generate sounds that come very close to these guys (but some of that has to be due to the Twin as well I spose')...
I have started saving for an original vintage, and I'll probably end up with a '60s model, but until then, this guitar more than satisfies my need for that clean, rich classic Stratocacster tone.
It aint' an original, but geez' the difference is minimal.
If you can't afford a vintage right now, try one of these, money really well spent I reckon.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com