Curses! NAMM 2020 may be the undoing of my resistance

DesmoDog

Desmo was my dog. RIP big guy
For years I've been fighting the urge to buy a Cray edition Strat, because it's a hardtail. I've come THIS CLOSE to buying a body from Stratosphere and then building it up like I want, with a Warmoth neck, etc. I also keep telling myself I should check out the Squier hardtail, but haven't found one locally to try out yet. And I'd have to try one of those first.

(BTW - I have multiple Strats with trems. I don't care about people's objections to the hardtails, I want one)

Recently I had a Cray body on my screen, thinking about pulling the trigger, when I remembered NAMM was coming up. What the heck, may as well wait to see if they introduce another hardtail Strat.

So yesterday I stumbled across this. Introduced at NAMM. A Lead III.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LeadP3MP--fender-player-lead-iii-metallic-purple?&mrkgcl=28&mrkgadid=3344196793&product_id=LeadP3MP&campaigntype=shopping&campaign=aaShopping%20-%20PreOrder%20-%20Guitars&adgroup=Guitars%20-%20Electric%20Guitars&placement=google&creative=360738227756&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj-GpmMON5wIVjYbACh3KtQzsEAQYASABEgLr2vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Player-Lead-III-Pau-Ferro-Fingerboard-Metallic-Purple.jpg


D'oh! Apaarently a re-issue of a guitar they made a few decades ago. Not a faithful re-issue but whatever, I'm not picky. No, it isn't a Strat but close enough for who it's for.

Came THIS CLOSE to preordering it from Sweetwater. It's got the hardtail. It's got humbuckers. It's got a Pau Ferro fingerboard. All items on my list of wants.

I decided to think about it a while. When more rational thought set in I realized it's a Player Edition, which means it probably doesn't use a standard Fender neck, which means the typical replacements won't fit. My Modern Player Telecaster and Startcaster are both like that. If I want a different neck, I'd probably have to build it. Or play games making a standard neck fit. I put a different scale length neck on my Starcaster to compensate for the difference in the length of the neck pocket, but that's really going down a rabbit hole. Maybe the Cray is the way to go after all? Grrrr.... decisions, decisions.

The good news is, Stratosphere doesn't have any bare Cray bodies right now, so I have time to think about what to do whether I want time or not. The Lead IIIs are expected to start shipping around Feb 11 according to Guitar Center.

In any case, I think my years (Yes, it's been years! I think) of resisting a new guitar purchase may end in 2020.
 
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DesmoDog

Desmo was my dog. RIP big guy
It's not anything major, but having options easily available is a good thing. Wood types for neck and fingerboard, fret material, fingerboard radius, etc. In general, the neck on my Telecaster is a little narrow for my tastes, though it could also be the bridge is too wide I suppose. It's also an all maple neck, which isn't my favorite. I really like necks that don't need a finish. On this one, I'm not a big fan of the clear gloss finish. But it's not something that would prevent me from owning it. Just a couple "Well, if we're getting picky" sort of things.

I really shouldn't have posted this. Since I went over to the Sweetwater site to copy the link, I'm right back to "Dang, I should just pre-order it now". I was fine just waiting until I reloaded the page!
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
Well,
I'm all for shopping, thinking, evaluating, and waiting for the ONE!
Took my years to find a 335 ish that I liked.

My only comment is:
Looks like you're not far from SW.
Make a trip to play one before you buy.
 

DesmoDog

Desmo was my dog. RIP big guy
Playing before you buy is always good advice. When I do that I typically head over to Elderly though, it's closer than Sweetwater. Or sometimes Guitar Center if it's not too expensive. (I trusted Elderly when I bought my Martin acoustic. GC not so much...)

That said... I've been known to leap before I look on occassion. It wouldn't be the first guitar I've bought without so much as seeing one first. Heck, I've even bought new motorcycles that way, though that was a long time ago. I drove five hours into Canada to lay eyes on one of the last ones I bought. Knew I was going to buy it about ten seconds after seeing it but still. I didn't bother riding it before I brought it home.

And THAT said... yeah, you're right, I should wait to get one in my hands. I lusted after a certain guitar once but when I finally picked one up in the store, it wasn't for me.

For cripe sakes, now that I'm considering this, all the other guitars I've been curious about are coming back to mind. A Jaguar. A Gretsch. Heck even a Les Paul. I'm starting to feel like this could be a relapse into a serious case of Guitar Aquisition Syndrome.
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
I've never made the trip to Elderly but, I have had some good experiences on-line.

Think you're loosing focus?......Make a road trip to Chicago Music Exchange.
https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/pages/about-us-3

Spend a few hours, take in the city, get a hotel and go back the next day after you sleep on it.
Play look, go to lunch and then come back for the last look before you make a decision.

SW has quite a selection but, their retail shop is limited in what's on display.
I'd much rather wonder around wide eyed at CME and see what calls out to me.

While your at it, stop in here to.
https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=e...e115!4shttps://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p/AF

I've found looking, touching, playing often eliminates stuff I thought I wanted and guides me what really fits me.
Sometimes you can be surprised with something you never even thought of.
 

brent

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
I own a Strat style guitar with a hard tail bridge. It's a Kiesel/Carvin. I bought it new. Ordered it online and got to choose the color, hardware, neck, body, and fretboard wood, and even the fretboard radius. It turned out great and I love it. Of course I had ordered other guitars from the prior to that that also have been awesome.

I used to own a Strat style that I bought from Carvin that had a Floyd Rose trem. I loved it at first, but the string changes were a chore. I installed a doohickey that allowed me to lock and unlock the bridge at will, but still didn't really bond with it. I honestly think I might still have it if it wasn't for the locking nut. Anyway, I sold it to buy the one with the hard tail bridge.

Now, oddly enough, I have been gassing for some time for a guitar with a trem again. All my guitars have a fixed bridge. I just know now that I don't want another Floyd Rose. Didn't really bond with it. Good luck with your search.

On a side note, I love Robert Cray. Finally got to see him live 2 years ago. He put on a great show and did not disappoint.

Here's a pic of my hard tail Strat style guitar.
View media item 186
And here's the one I sold to fund the hard tail.
View media item 187
 

PapaBear

Guit Fiddlier
Playing before you buy is always good advice. When I do that I typically head over to Elderly though, it's closer than Sweetwater. Or sometimes Guitar Center if it's not too expensive. (I trusted Elderly when I bought my Martin acoustic. GC not so much...)

That said... I've been known to leap before I look on occassion. It wouldn't be the first guitar I've bought without so much as seeing one first. Heck, I've even bought new motorcycles that way, though that was a long time ago. I drove five hours into Canada to lay eyes on one of the last ones I bought. Knew I was going to buy it about ten seconds after seeing it but still. I didn't bother riding it before I brought it home.

And THAT said... yeah, you're right, I should wait to get one in my hands. I lusted after a certain guitar once but when I finally picked one up in the store, it wasn't for me.

For cripe sakes, now that I'm considering this, all the other guitars I've been curious about are coming back to mind. A Jaguar. A Gretsch. Heck even a Les Paul. I'm starting to feel like this could be a relapse into a serious case of Guitar Aquisition Syndrome.

Let us know what we can do to help!
 

Grateful_Ed

Student Of The Blues
For years I've been fighting the urge to buy a Cray edition Strat, because it's a hardtail. I've come THIS CLOSE to buying a body from Stratosphere and then building it up like I want, with a Warmoth neck, etc. I also keep telling myself I should check out the Squier hardtail, but haven't found one locally to try out yet. And I'd have to try one of those first.

(BTW - I have multiple Strats with trems. I don't care about people's objections to the hardtails, I want one)

Recently I had a Cray body on my screen, thinking about pulling the trigger, when I remembered NAMM was coming up. What the heck, may as well wait to see if they introduce another hardtail Strat.

So yesterday I stumbled across this. Introduced at NAMM. A Lead III.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LeadP3MP--fender-player-lead-iii-metallic-purple?&mrkgcl=28&mrkgadid=3344196793&product_id=LeadP3MP&campaigntype=shopping&campaign=aaShopping%20-%20PreOrder%20-%20Guitars&adgroup=Guitars%20-%20Electric%20Guitars&placement=google&creative=360738227756&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj-GpmMON5wIVjYbACh3KtQzsEAQYASABEgLr2vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Player-Lead-III-Pau-Ferro-Fingerboard-Metallic-Purple.jpg


D'oh! Apaarently a re-issue of a guitar they made a few decades ago. Not a faithful re-issue but whatever, I'm not picky. No, it isn't a Strat but close enough for who it's for.

Came THIS CLOSE to preordering it from Sweetwater. It's got the hardtail. It's got humbuckers. It's got a Pau Ferro fingerboard. All items on my list of wants.

I decided to think about it a while. When more rational thought set in I realized it's a Player Edition, which means it probably doesn't use a standard Fender neck, which means the typical replacements won't fit. My Modern Player Telecaster and Startcaster are both like that. If I want a different neck, I'd probably have to build it. Or play games making a standard neck fit. I put a different scale length neck on my Starcaster to compensate for the difference in the length of the neck pocket, but that's really going down a rabbit hole. Maybe the Cray is the way to go after all? Grrrr.... decisions, decisions.

The good news is, Stratosphere doesn't have any bare Cray bodies right now, so I have time to think about what to do whether I want time or not. The Lead IIIs are expected to start shipping around Feb 11 according to Guitar Center.

In any case, I think my years (Yes, it's been years! I think) of resisting a new guitar purchase may end in 2020.

I saw those and like them plenty (online). They are reasonably priced as well.
Not a hardtail but I also thought this was kinda cool..
 
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