Fender Stratocaster

DavidLylis

DavidLylis

Aspiring Bluesman
Yesterday in a fit of boredom I went to the guitar shop and walked into a 1993 Fender Strat for sale. The guitar is in like-new condition with a couple of caveats. No scratches, dings, etc. (very clean) It comes with the original hard shell case with the Fender logo and it looks like it never left home. This is the deal. The previous owner put a Dimarzio humbucker at the bridge (the others are the original singles) and the frets at the G, B, and E strings at frets 1,2 and 3 are worn to a groove but all frets up to 5 need attention. It has a rosewood fret board and is sunburst in color.
I took it home with a 30 day return policy. Full cash refund. The price is $699 and although I like the way it plays (I am a beginner but I do OK. Working up some nice solos) I am uncertain as to whether or not I want to invest any more money in this. I am going to go back and tell them I will pay for the pickup, frets, and strings but they do the install.
What say the group. Thanks
 
sloslunas

sloslunas

NM Blues
DavidLylis said:
Yesterday in a fit of boredom I went to the guitar shop and walked into a 1993 Fender Strat for sale. The guitar is in like-new condition with a couple of caveats. No scratches, dings, etc. (very clean) It comes with the original hard shell case with the Fender logo and it looks like it never left home. This is the deal. The previous owner put a Dimarzio humbucker at the bridge (the others are the original singles) and the frets at the G, B, and E strings at frets 1,2 and 3 are worn to a groove but all frets up to 5 need attention. It has a rosewood fret board and is sunburst in color.
I took it home with a 30 day return policy. Full cash refund. The price is $699 and although I like the way it plays (I am a beginner but I do OK. Working up some nice solos) I am uncertain as to whether or not I want to invest any more money in this. I am going to go back and tell them I will pay for the pickup, frets, and strings but they do the install.
What say the group. Thanks
Click to expand...
Sounds like a very good plan to me. The best of luck...

Steve
 
J

Jalapeno

Student Of The Blues
DavidLylis said:
I am going to go back and tell them I will pay for the pickup, frets, and strings but they do the install.
Click to expand...
I say ask them to do the frets and a setup on their dime. Try to bargain if they say no. Try to get them to pay for at least half the fret job, if not all of it. I'd keep the pickup in.

Eric
 
CaptainMoto

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
My 2 cents:
Sounds like you just stumbled upon this rather then seeking it out.
Consequently, I'd suggest, any additional money spent would be an interesting exercise that will not be a rewarding experience.

If you feel like you've found a gem that you'll love and cherish forever, go ahead with your plan, spend the money and enjoy.
Otherwise, return it and move on.
 
DavidLylis

DavidLylis

Aspiring Bluesman
Jalapeno said:
I say ask them to do the frets and a setup on their dime. Try to bargain if they say no. Try to get them to pay for at least half the fret job, if not all of it. I'd keep the pickup in.

Eric
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I kind of like putting it back to original. We'll see. The humbucker is black but I don't know that is a deal-breaker. Thanks for your response
 
DavidLylis

DavidLylis

Aspiring Bluesman
CaptainMoto said:
My 2 cents:
Sounds like you just stumbled upon this rather then seeking it out.
Consequently, I'd suggest, any additional money spent would be an interesting exercise that will not be a rewarding experience.

If you feel like you've found a gem that you'll love and cherish forever, go ahead with your plan, spend the money and enjoy.
Otherwise, return it and move on.
Click to expand...
I am playing an Ibanex S521 which is a nice guitar but the strat is nicer to play. I am with you on the additional money as this is at the upper limit on what I was willing to spend. Thanks for your response
 
Grateful_Ed

Grateful_Ed

Student Of The Blues
Smart move checking out used guitars! That's where the bargains are.
If you don't think it's worth putting more money into it, it probably isn't. You've got 30 days, take some time and be sure. Some of the members here love to mod their guitars and some build them from scratch. I'd rather find one I like and leave it as is.
If you're liking the Strat, there are almost as many (maybe more) of them out there as there are AR15s or AK47s. Find one you like right off the rack (the Strat I mean).
 
mountain man

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
Grateful_Ed said:
Smart move checking out used guitars! That's where the bargains are......... I'd rather find one I like and leave it as is............. Find one you like right off the rack..........
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I fully agree with these points. If you buy a guitar with the intention of putting in new pick-ups, new tuners, new tremolo, new frets, new finish paint, etc, then you have more money to spend on a guitar that is already how you want it. Nothing against those that like to tinker and realize that you will never get the money out of your Squire with new pups. (understanding that many folks never intend to sell these modified guitars - but in ten years? you might think differently about wanting that guitar) I have to admit that I'm a purest and like the single coil on my Fenders as the lead pup. Fender's are a dime a dozen, if this guitar isn't how you want it right now, wait around for 15 minutes and one will be......
 
Grateful_Ed

Grateful_Ed

Student Of The Blues
mountain man said:
I fully agree with these points. If you buy a guitar with the intention of putting in new pick-ups, new tuners, new tremolo, new frets, new finish paint, etc, then you have more money to spend on a guitar that is already how you want it. Nothing against those that like to tinker and realize that you will never get the money out of your Squire with new pups. (understanding that many folks never intend to sell these modified guitars - but in ten years? you might think differently about wanting that guitar) I have to admit that I'm a purest and like the single coil on my Fenders as the lead pup. Fender's are a dime a dozen, if this guitar isn't how you want it right now, wait around for 15 minutes and one will be......
Click to expand...

I also like the single coil in the bridge position, but I love a Humbucker or stacked single coil (my favourite) in the neck position. If I found an SSS Strat I really liked I'd consider a neck PU swap, but usually I just look for one the way I want it.
 
mountain man

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
Grateful_Ed said:
I also like the single coil in the bridge position, but I love a Humbucker or stacked single coil (my favourite) in the neck position. If I found an SSS Strat I really liked I'd consider a neck PU swap, but usually I just look for one the way I want it.
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Those are available too..... Especially if you like Tele's.
 
mountain man

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
If I was interested in buying a guitar just to modify it? I would go on Ebay and look up Stratosphere and look at the loaded bodies or the body blanks and build from there..... Fender's you can choose the neck and body you like. Gibson's have the necks on them as you would expect.
 
DavidLylis

DavidLylis

Aspiring Bluesman
I am still up in the air on this strat. It plays nicely but the fretwork is in need of more attention than previously thought. Any idea what it cost to refret an instrument? I get the new strings at the same time. (Not to mention replacing the humbucker with the single-coil while the strings are off). As well, what recommendations can be made for a guitar like the Strat in the $700 - $750 price range. I thought my Ibanez S521was an easy to play instrument but compared to the Strat it is quite a difference.
 
Danno

Danno

Blues Newbie
DavidLylis said:
I am still up in the air on this strat. It plays nicely but the fretwork is in need of more attention than previously thought. Any idea what it cost to refret an instrument? I get the new strings at the same time. (Not to mention replacing the humbucker with the single-coil while the strings are off). As well, what recommendations can be made for a guitar like the Strat in the $700 - $750 price range. I thought my Ibanez S521was an easy to play instrument but compared to the Strat it is quite a difference.
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Full refrets will run around roughly $200-250. As mountainman said "Fenders are a dime a dozen" and I'd suggest you pass on it and keep looking. You'll find strats in just about any music store you walk in to and most of them won't need $300-500 in additional work just to be the guitar you're looking for.
 
DavidLylis

DavidLylis

Aspiring Bluesman
Danno said:
Full refrets will run around roughly $200-250. As mountainman said "Fenders are a dime a dozen" and I'd suggest you pass on it and keep looking. You'll find strats in just about any music store you walk in to and most of them won't need $300-500 in additional work just to be the guitar you're looking for.
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I am finding that the USA made are more like $1,000 each, for one that is not pretty banged up rather than a "dime a dozen"))). What other direction would you go in my budget?
 
MarkDyson

MarkDyson

Blues Hound Wannabe
DavidLylis said:
I am finding that the USA made are more like $1,000 each, for one that is not pretty banged up rather than a "dime a dozen"))). What other direction would you go in my budget?
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There are a lot of good MiM models, new and used. A new MiM Strat ought to be around the $750 range or less, Teles under $700.
 
Danno

Danno

Blues Newbie
Sure, the new American strats are $1000-$2000, but Fender has a guitar at just about every price point from $150 to $5000. But the point is that there are a bazillion Fenders out in the wild, you can't swing a Les Paul without hitting a Fender. Just looking at Sweetwater here are all of their strats between $500 and $1000 https://www.sweetwater.com/c590--St...GZW5kZXIiXSwiUHJpY2UgUmFuZ2UiOlsiNyIsIjgiXX19

Those are new of course. If you check on reverb.com you'll be able to find used strats that are in your price range as well. Keep in mind though that the used strats could also have issues like you're seeing now but a reputable dealer will disclose any issues and allow you to return it for a full refund if the guitar isn't right.
 
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