(). And the Custom shop Heavy Relic guitars, like the 1961 Fender Stratocaster Burnt Heavy Relic, are radically pre-aged to look like they've been rode hard and hung up wet every night for years, but they play like a dream and sound even better, with state-of-the-art pickups, hardware and electronics. Still, there are key differences in the design, hardware and sound of the MIM (Made in Mexico) versus the MIA Strat, which Ill cover throughout the article. The iconic Fender Stratocaster guitar is available in several versions, including the Made in Mexico Fender Player Series Stratocaster guitars, which replaced the Standard Series. , / It also has a modern c-shaped maple neck. It is an icon of modern design, engineered to be reliable, affordable, versatile, eminently playable and, most of all, fantastic sounding. Case: Gig bag included. So successful was the initial design of the Fender Stratocaster that it has been in continuous production since it was first introduced over sixty years ago, along with an ever-evolving array of variations. [checked_out_time] => 2022-07-31 09:49:57 The HSS and HSH models extend this warmth even further, offering crunchier, hard rock tones along with the crisp single-coil sounds. protection from manufacturer defects. string(15) "http://grc.net/" 1.650 nut width, 25.5 scale length. Categories, More Ways to ["Detail"]=> The graceful lines of the Fender Stratocaster have landed it in museums for industrial design and modern art, but there is also a functional side to those curves and contours, which help make the Fender Strat an exceptionally well balanced and comfortable instrument to play. Yet, only the Player series preserves the two-toned Spaghetti letters of the American-style Fender logo. string(11) "Image_1.gif" All Mexican Strats are built with a 9.5-radius fretboard. The frets are in unplayed condition and have tons of life left in them and the chrome tuners work perfectly. [catid] => 4567 By contrast, Players have alnico (aluminum-nickel-cobalt) magnetic pickups, like MIA Strats. Another major difference between the two series is the tremolo bridge. I sometimes notice a buzz after I change my Daddario NYXL strings on my MIM Strat. [content_id] => 6217 Midnight wine is no longer available for the Player Stratocaster, but you can choose between five other colors: 3-color sunburst (like the original 50s Strats), black (like Eric Claptons Blackie), polar white (the Jimi Hendrix-style look), tidepool blue (for 60s flavor), or buttercream yellow (a new option). Do you want to sell your used or vintage guitar, collection with up to $500,000 paid same-day for your gear. On a closer look, you may notice some subtle design and hardware differences between the American and Mexican Strat. [created] => 2022-07-28 09:17:53 They deliver the same versatile range as the American Strats, with that same snappy tone quality. Three ply white pickguard, unoriginal black rear trem cover, and chrome tremolo bridge. Unlike the tuning pegs on American-made Strats, the ones on Mexican-made Strats are straight instead of staggered. 2030 " ". If you are not familiar with these instruments, they are definitely worth doing some research into. The Pawn Shop Series Fender Stratocaster guitars are mutated masterpieces, with hints of Telecaster or Jazz Bass appointments. Fender offers a dazzling array of Custom Shop beauties with never-before seen finishes and design flourishes. And, of course, you can always flaunt your love for all things Strat with an authentic Fender Stratocaster T-shirt. The Standard series Strats have 21 frets, while the Player series have 22just like the MIA Strats. Because of their single-coil alnico pickups, MIM Player Strats have a brighter tone than the MIM Standards, which makes them sound more like MIA Strats. This is why HSS and especially HSH Strats (which also have a humbucker neck pickup) can handle heavier genres like grunge and alternative metal. Cream City Music will buy a single piece or an entire . The Player series Strats feature an scripted Fender F logo instead of a plain chrome neck plate. One of the first things I noticed about my Strat when I tried it at the store was its smooth frets. . Orders placed before 3 p.m. Although it was initially designed with a great deal of input from country and swing guitarists, such was its versatility that the Strat soon caught on with rockers like Buddy Holly and English instrumental band The Shadows, as well as blues, surf, and jazz players of all stripes. string(16) "https://grc.net/" ( Fender Player Stratocaster HSS Pau Ferro Fingerboard Fender Player Stratocaster HSS Maple Fingerboard Fender American Professional II Stratocaster HSS Rosewood Fender Player Series Stratocaster HSS Limited-Edition Fender Player Series Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard Fender American Professional Stratocaster HSS Shawbucker Fender Player Series Stratocaster Limited-Edition Electric Fender JV Modified '60s Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard Fender Custom Shop Limited-Edition Fat '50s Stratocaster Fender Custom Shop Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster Fender Player Plus Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard Electric Fender Custom Shop Limited-Edition Red Hot Stratocaster Fender Custom Shop Limited-Edition Roasted Alder '61 Fender Player Stratocaster HSS Maple Fingerboard Electric Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Poblano Stratocaster Fender Artist Series Eric Clapton Stratocaster Electric Fender Custom Shop 1967 Stratocaster Limited-Edition Heavy Fender Custom Shop Yngwie Malmsteen Signature Series Fender American Professional II Roasted Pine Stratocaster Fender Custom Shop Artisan Stratocaster Thinline Roasted Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster NOS Fender Player Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard Left-Handed Fender Player Plus Stratocaster HSS Maple Fingerboard Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 75th Anniversary Fender Custom Shop Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child Journeyman Fender Custom Shop 1956 Heavy Relic Thinline Stratocaster Fender Custom Shop Jimmie Vaughan Signature Stratocaster Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 58 Stratocaster Fender Custom Shop Artist Series Eric Clapton Stratocaster Fender Custom Shop 1962 Limited Edition Stratocaster Bone Fender Player Series Stratocaster guitars, Fender American Professional Stratocaster guitars, Fender American Elite Stratocaster guitars, Fender American Original Stratocaster guitars, Fender Artist Series Stratocaster guitars. This balances the tension between the front and back components of your guitar and gives you smoother vibratos when you use your whammy bar. [content_asset_id] => 14724 Fender Player Stratocaster HSS Plus Top Maple Fingerboard Fender Player Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard Fender Stratocaster HSS Ebony Fingerboard Limited-Edition Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Maple Fender American Professional II Stratocaster Rosewood Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard Fender Acoustasonic Stratocaster Acoustic-Electric Guitar. The American Strat has a brighter, richer, more nuanced sound thanks to its top-quality alnico pickups. If you want stronger treble, youre better off with maple. info@araa.sa : , array(1) { However, both Standard and Player fretboards are exactly the same length. Yet, the experienced guitarist can spot the key differences, from the tuning pegs to the tremolo bridge to the sound of the single-coil pickups. ["ImageName"]=> Fender Telecaster| Fender Jazzmaster| Fender Jaguar| Fender Mustang| Fender Duo-Sonic, Gear Buying Very light scratches on the pickguard and in the clear coat, and some wear on the neck plate and tuners. What Makes This Guitar Special: Just about every player needs a Strat at their disposal. For historically accurate features and feel, check out Fender American Original Stratocaster guitars, which pick up where the Fender American Vintage Strat left off. Also, the original white tremolo cavity cover was replaced with a black one. Logos aside, both neck plates are equally well-made. When youre holding your MIM Strat in front of you with the bridge to your left and neck to your right, you can switch between the following: On HSS Strats like mine, the first and second positions produce even thicker tones, thanks to the humbucker pickup. If you're the type who likes to hot-rod your own rides, however, or you're just looking to replace some sweat-pitted hardware, Fender offers everything you could need, from headstock to hardtail bridge, including replacement jack plates and pickup selector switches, extra-groovy pickguards and pickup covers, whammy bars or entire tremolo systems, and even replacement necks, bodies and vintage-style replacement pickups, as well as souped-up single coils and humbuckers from top-notch aftermarket winders like DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan, and Joe Barden. Yet, even the Player series doesnt quite match the richness of American Strats, as well see in the next section. ["ImageName"]=> Arriving with a pro set-up by the experts at Cream City Music, youll be able to fall right in love with your newest guitar right out of the box. Additionally, the tuning pegs on the MIA Strat are staggered, with the space between the posts decreasing toward the high E string. The cursive, CBS-era Fender logo on my Mexican Standard Strat. string(1) "2" In contrast, the classic SSS Strats are better suited for rock, blues and country. A comfortable C profile neck, tremolo, and three well voiced single pickups- everything you need, and nothing you dont. Cosmetic Condition: Very clean, especially considering its age. Interviews & This MIM is nearly identical to my own, except for the SSS pickups. 28-Jul-2022 This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Instead, mine has an open-coil humberbucker pickup at the bridge and single-coil pickups at the neck and middle. This Instrument is part of the Cream City Music used This guitar doesnt look at all like its age and plays just as well. Looking at the headstock, youll notice six tuning pegs lined up in a perfect row along the edge. Since 1954, the Stratocaster has been a Holy Grail model that many guitarists aspire to own one day, taking their place beside Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson and John Frusciante. While the Tele was a solid and reliable workhorse, the Fender Stratocaster was a sleek and sexy, futuristic-looking instrument, with offset horns for better balance and enhanced playability. There's even a Fender Custom Shop replica of Stevie Ray Vaughn's treasured Lenny guitar for some truly authentic Scuttle Buttin'. But its never been anything that a simple saddle adjustment couldnt fix. After testing other models in the same price range, I chose this Mexican Strat because of its good-quality design and versatile sound. . 2134 21451 , : , , , , , : , , Plus, if you really want that American Strat sound without breaking the bank, you can always buy an MIM and mod it with new pickups, electronics and hardware. Today, the Fender Stratocaster is identified as the guitar of choice for such giants as Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton, as well as legendary pickers like Robin Trower, Rory Gallagher and Jeff Beck, to name just a few. For left handed players, it can be a challenge to find new guitars, much less instruments on the used market. [images] => {"image_intro":"images/sager1.jpg","float_intro":"","image_intro_alt":"","image_intro_caption":"","image_fulltext":"","float_fulltext":"","image_fulltext_alt":"","image_fulltext_caption":""} These popular mid-level Fender models offer the same classic look as the American Stratocaster at about half the price. object(stdClass)#1101 (3) { Be the first to know about new products, featured content, exclusive offers and giveaways. My Standard has hotter ceramic pickups, which have more output, more distortion and stronger mid-range tones. Id also recommend it to ambitious beginners who practice regularly and need a good-quality guitar with smooth frets that wont rip up their hands.