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MGR/Andy Moore « Fender 50s Reissue Stratocaster »
Published on 01/01/07 at 15:00Did a fair classical training, been playing guitar & bass for 35 years, drums for 30 years, sound-engineering and producing for about 20 years. Musical tates are varied; basically well-written songs will usually work for me. I love electric blues, indie, jazz, the list goes on.
I was looking to replace an old Squier Strat I had (stupidly) sold, around April 2006. Played loads of guitars - as you do - and knew I'd get on fine with this guitar within a minute or two. Bought new in London for 400 GBP.
Straight out-of-the-box It feels like it's 30 years old! The pickups (staggered Alnico magnets) sound brilliant. It has that unique and wonderful 'spanky' signature Strat sound, without having to wait five years playing it in. All the plastic parts - pickup covers, knobs and toggle swith - look nicely yellowed as if aged. The honey-coloured neck seems an old-fashioned shape - Fender call it "soft v-shape" and plays as sweet as anything The retro lacquer is beautiful. The thing that strikes me every time I play the guitar is how it just doesn't feel like a new guitar at all - fantastic.
Colour choice. At the time I got it options were limited to Fiesta Red (mine) or a very surfy light blue colour, but now it's also available in black or a sunburst. But this merely an aesthetic point and therefore hardly a legitimate gripe! Make no mistake: this is a genuine player's instrument.
Build is at least as good as USA-made Fenders, actually I'd say it is better - if some of the new S1's I played are anything to go by. (horrible) From the many many guitars I tried I think the USA-made guitars seem to suffer from patchy quality-control, whereas the Mexican stuff I tried all seems to be consistently top-notch. Personally I don't get the "US-made-snobbery" that seems to be going around. The Mexican instruments rock, period. MInd you, the favourite guitar I own is an early 1990's Japanese Strat which everyone who plays it mysteriously want to buy or steal....
Obviously everyone who has ever played an electric guitar should experience a Strat at some point in life. Whether looking for your first, replacing a loved guitar now past for whatever reason, or simply adding to the collection; try one. Then be prepared to want it, because it's a true Fender Strat for a lot less cash than one with "Made in USA" stamped on the headstock. Or could that just be Fender cashing-in on the snobbery thing? Play it yourself then go figure.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
I was looking to replace an old Squier Strat I had (stupidly) sold, around April 2006. Played loads of guitars - as you do - and knew I'd get on fine with this guitar within a minute or two. Bought new in London for 400 GBP.
Straight out-of-the-box It feels like it's 30 years old! The pickups (staggered Alnico magnets) sound brilliant. It has that unique and wonderful 'spanky' signature Strat sound, without having to wait five years playing it in. All the plastic parts - pickup covers, knobs and toggle swith - look nicely yellowed as if aged. The honey-coloured neck seems an old-fashioned shape - Fender call it "soft v-shape" and plays as sweet as anything The retro lacquer is beautiful. The thing that strikes me every time I play the guitar is how it just doesn't feel like a new guitar at all - fantastic.
Colour choice. At the time I got it options were limited to Fiesta Red (mine) or a very surfy light blue colour, but now it's also available in black or a sunburst. But this merely an aesthetic point and therefore hardly a legitimate gripe! Make no mistake: this is a genuine player's instrument.
Build is at least as good as USA-made Fenders, actually I'd say it is better - if some of the new S1's I played are anything to go by. (horrible) From the many many guitars I tried I think the USA-made guitars seem to suffer from patchy quality-control, whereas the Mexican stuff I tried all seems to be consistently top-notch. Personally I don't get the "US-made-snobbery" that seems to be going around. The Mexican instruments rock, period. MInd you, the favourite guitar I own is an early 1990's Japanese Strat which everyone who plays it mysteriously want to buy or steal....
Obviously everyone who has ever played an electric guitar should experience a Strat at some point in life. Whether looking for your first, replacing a loved guitar now past for whatever reason, or simply adding to the collection; try one. Then be prepared to want it, because it's a true Fender Strat for a lot less cash than one with "Made in USA" stamped on the headstock. Or could that just be Fender cashing-in on the snobbery thing? Play it yourself then go figure.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com