Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Philly Q on July 06, 2007, 09:36:06 PM
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It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago, so I decided to buy myself a present (selfish, but no-one else was going to).
So, courtesy of those nice chaps at Thomann, I've just received my new Fender Robert Cray Standard Strat :D :
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/IMGP063911.jpg)
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Very nice indeed Philly now come on, you can't leave it there-what is she like-feel set up etc gimme details.
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OK... you asked for it... I was never known for being succinct... (takes deep breath)...
Just to give some background, I've owned quite a few Strats and Teles over the years, but all my current ones are of the modern American/American Standard variety. For a change, I wanted something vintage looking, but still with a flattish fingerboard and big frets. And I wanted a rosewood neck without a skunk stripe!
I was set on one of the Custom Shop-designed, Mexican-made Classic Player series, but I kept looking at the whammy bar and thinking "do I really want that thing?" - the answer was No, and I suddenly thought of the Robert Cray model and started reading reviews. I'm not really a Cray fan, but he has good taste in guitars! It turned out they're hard to find in the shops, hence the Thomann order.
So... it's Mexican, brand new ('07 serial number), alder body (probably 2- or 3-piece, but I haven't spotted the joins yet), hardtail (of course). The board is a nice piece of rosewood, 9.5" radius with medium jumbo frets. I'd read the neck was chunky and it is, but not huge - a nice C shape, a bit bigger than an American or American Vintage. The fingerboard edges aren't "rolled" like the Americans but it feels fine. It's set up with 10's and a medium action, I'll barely need to mess with it. The workmanship is really good, much better than my only previous Mexican Strat (a Jimmie Vaughan Tex Mex). They've paid attention to little details like rounding off the "transitional" contours at the heel and the back of the headstock. The finish is poly but I can live with that; it's well applied and I like the mint-green scratchplate and aged parts. It's a 3-Tone Sunburst - the other options are Violet (nice, but shame it's not metallic) and Inca Silver (I already have a Strat that colour).
Tone I can't comment on yet, need to get used to it - it definitely sounds like a Strat...
Of course I have a few plans... :twisted: . Graph Tech saddles (just because I have an unused set I've never tried), Gotoh tuners to replace the Pings and I'm going to rewire it (one way or another) to give me the neck+bridge option like a Tele. The electronics are all US, so I shouldn't need to change them. Oh yeah, and maybe a set of BKPs :wink: - I'm thinking Slowhands because I like a warm, round Strat tone and a little extra oomph, but we shall see.
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I hope I can get a nice guitar like that for my 80th birthday! PDT_008
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Thats more like it-cool stuff Philly. I have my eye on a certain guitar owned by a pal in New York-a G*bson (shock horror) but it'll be a while yet but he has promised it to me at a great price. I was wondering what the RC guitars were like "in the wood" so to speak. Certainly looks good.
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I hope I can get a nice guitar like that for my 80th birthday! PDT_008
Cheeky git! :lol: If I'm 80 you're 73!
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nice one Philly. i've never been a fan of strats but stuff like this does tempt me occasionally.
enjoy!
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very nice philly!
if you're 80 and ben is 73, i must be, erm, 25.
:twisted:
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Very nice guitar. Recently i've been gasing for a sunbursy strat with rosewood board. Very nice
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If you watch the Crossroads Festival video I'm pretty sure Cray has GraphTech saddle on his strats, so maybe it's a wise move you're planning.
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If you watch the Crossroads Festival video I'm pretty sure Cray has GraphTech saddle on his strats, so maybe it's a wise move you're planning.
God, I'm turning into Robert Cray and I'm powerless to stop it! I'm really not into his playing much, I just like non-trem Strats. But my other Strat is an Inca Silver American Standard which I bought because it was the only hardtail I could find - completely forgot it was a Robert Cray colour!
Could you tell if he has String Savers, Tusq or FerraGlide saddles (just so I can be different :wink: )?
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God, I'm turning into Robert Cray and I'm powerless to stop it! I'm really not into his playing much, I just like non-trem Strats.
A belated, nice guitar to you
I have to admit going to see Mr Cray in 1986, and he was excellent, however the following year he had turned into Mr Bland (or should I say Clapton), all the fire had gone.
Worse yet what little that was left was swamped in an abundunance of 80 era chorus
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very nice philly!
if you're 80 and ben is 73, i must be, erm, 25.
:twisted:
shite that means I'm dead :cry:
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Nice!! Have Fender ever made ANY hardtail left handed strats??
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Very nice Phil :) I think I'm starting to prefer the sound of singlecoils now - you need to play cleaner, but I love the sounds you get from em! Got some BG Pickups v60s (blasphemy? :P) on the way for mine, decided my current pickups arent doing it for me so hopefully these should be good. Just need a new neck for mine now as I decided 7.25" radius is just too hard and annoying to play :( Just cant decide whether to get rosewood or maple board for mine!
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Just need a new neck for mine now as I decided 7.25" radius is just too hard and annoying to play Just cant decide whether to get rosewood or maple board for mine!
haha Gotchya
Hope I didnt have anything to do with that.......
Nice strat Phill Congratulations and Belated Happy Birthday from down under.
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Thanks for the comments guys! :D
It's turned into a bit of a guitar weekend, as I've just collected my Orville LP, which has had some loose inlays very nicely repaired by Feline Guitars.
I think my next few guitar transactions may need to be sales, not purchases...
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Philly that is one nice guitar, kinda like mine that I got (looks wise). & an Orville as well! Lucky git
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Lucky git
:lol: :lol:
To paraphrase Russell Brand you shouldn't joke about someone with an addiction. :wink:
It's great having lots of guitars, but I really should sell at least 10 of 'em and get the kitchen and bathroom re-fitted. Am I actually going to do that? Unlikely...
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Just need a new neck for mine now as I decided 7.25" radius is just too hard and annoying to play Just cant decide whether to get rosewood or maple board for mine!
haha Gotchya
Hope I didnt have anything to do with that.......
Nice strat Phill Congratulations and Belated Happy Birthday from down under.
Nope you had nothing to do with it, I'm trying to make myself like it but its just not working for me :?
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To paraphrase Russell Brand you shouldn't joke about someone with an addiction. :wink:
It's great having lots of guitars, but I really should sell at least 10 of 'em and get the kitchen and bathroom re-fitted. Am I actually going to do that? Unlikely...
Have you considered selling the kitchen and bathroom to purchase some more guitars ?
Actually have you considered renting thise rooms to some Eastern Europeans. The guy next door rented his 3 bedroom house to 3 guys, and threw them out when he found 17 of them living there.
So exactly hoy many guitars do you have, and this time include the dissassembled ones (they still count you know)
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So exactly hoy many guitars do you have, and this time include the dissassembled ones (they still count you know)
Errr.... 26. :oops: Including the 3 basses.
Should be scope to sell a few there, but it seems so easy to come up with "I need that one because..." excuses. When in fact I don't need any...
The Eastern European rental option is definitely worth considering, especially as my area is a kind of Little Poland. And I did have a neighbour offer to buy my garden to use as a "storage area" - what the hell do you store in a garden (maybe some migrant workers in a big tent)?
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26?! I feel guilty having 3 electrics and wanting another one :lol: Got any spare strat necks by any chance? :P
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Got any spare strat necks by any chance? :P
Actually, I do have a Warmoth one-piece maple Strat neck which I've never used. It's cut for a Floyd Rose nut though.
26?! I feel guilty having 3 electrics and wanting another one
Don't forget I'm 20+ years older than you! Give it time, young man...
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shitee that means I'm dead :cry:
:lol:
Very nice Phil :) I think I'm starting to prefer the sound of singlecoils now - you need to play cleaner, but I love the sounds you get from em! Got some BG Pickups v60s (blasphemy? :P) on the way for mine, decided my current pickups arent doing it for me so hopefully these should be good. Just need a new neck for mine now as I decided 7.25" radius is just too hard and annoying to play :( Just cant decide whether to get rosewood or maple board for mine!
Finally, someone worse than me!
*passes torch of indecisiveness*
Have you considered selling the kitchen and bathroom to purchase some more guitars ?
great advice!
Actually have you considered renting thise rooms to some Eastern Europeans. The guy next door rented his 3 bedroom house to 3 guys, and threw them out when he found 17 of them living there.
holy cr@p. :lol:
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Philly, even I fear that you may have been overdoing the purchasing
Finally, someone worse than me!
*passes torch of indecisiveness*
I doubt that you would decide to do such a rash thing
Actually have you considered renting thise rooms to some Eastern Europeans. The guy next door rented his 3 bedroom house to 3 guys, and threw them out when he found 17 of them living there.
holy cr@p. :lol:[/quote]
It was more fun to watch an a big brother eviction
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Finally, someone worse than me!
*passes torch of indecisiveness*
I doubt that you would decide to do such a rash thing
It was more fun to watch an a big brother eviction
:lol: (to both)
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Bit late on this - don't know why I didn't see the thread! Happy belated birthday Phil, and happy new guitar. Looks pretty cool :)
So exactly hoy many guitars do you have, and this time include the dissassembled ones (they still count you know)
Errr.... 26. :oops: Including the 3 basses.
I've just had to count mine as I never know where I'm up to :oops:
I'm currently on 19, with my two 20th Anniversary Ibanez RGs arriving any day. Unlike you Phil, I've actually sold a couple recently ;)
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Unlike you Phil, I've actually sold a couple recently ;)
True. I am planning to sell a few - my Firebird Studio, maybe my Double Fat Strat, my Fernandes bass. And I have loads of spares and bits & pieces to get shot of.
It's just a case of getting off my arse and doing the eBay ads. Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.
What do you find is the best way to sell, Dave?
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We have a noticeboard at work which is where I've sold most of my stuff. I sold my old Marshall 2x12 on here and the odd thing on eBay. Depends where the buyers market is, which currently sees to be eBay. Prices are realy low at the minute though, so I'd hols on a few months until the summer slump is over.
The Firebird Studio - is it a Gibson? I might be interested....
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The Firebird Studio - is it a Gibson? I might be interested....
Yep. It's this (http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Gibson%20USA/Guitars/Firebird/Firebird%20Studio/) one, in cherry with chrome hardware.
Mint condition, blah blah. I'll spare you the sales pitch. :wink:
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Nice - I'm a Grohl fan so it's tempting ;)