Thinking about bying a strat. Someone please tell me I'm crazy

[Jonny]

I feel the same about anything that isn't a Stratocaster.

Like Les Pauls, I like then don't like, then later like them..

[AndyR]

I agree with everything what folk have said already... especially Roo!!  :o :lol:

I'm a strat-man, but it doesn't sound like you really want one - except you want some of the tones it'll do and nothing else can really do them...

... that is going to haunt you :lol:

If you've got the spare cash to do it, and can justify it to yourself, or the missus/who-ever, then I would say get one. But do a LOT of trying first, like others are saying.

My current #1 guitar is a CIJ Fender Strat, I tried over 20 that day. A Highway 1 almost got my money early on, but the Japanese one I chose beat everything hands down - Mexicans, US, other CIJs, everything...

To try and make you feel better: I've got a couple of guitars that are in the "not getting played much" category at the moment, including my #1 strat, because I'm almost exclusively playing teles recently. But I wouldn't part with any of them - they're set up and ready to produce the sounds I've configured them for, all different, and when the mood takes me and I pick one up for an hour or two, and every single one of them inspires love and joy in me!

If you're going for it, don't just "buy a strat" - find a strat (or strat-type instrument) that speaks to you personally and buy it. Then spend some time with it to find out what it does for you and how to "talk" with it. After that, even if it isn't your main instrument, it'll always be there for those "mmmm... strat maybe?" moments :D

[MrBump]

I'd vote for building one.  They're so straight forward.  And you can make sure that you get the right bits on there.

Mark.

[Mr. Air]

What I nice post, Andy. You almost got me totaly convinced that I should buy a strat.

The fact that many of you have stated that there's huge differences between strats makes me a bit uncomfortable.

I was thinking of buying a strat (copy) from this local dealer that has his own brand and he just sells them dirt cheap, around 200£. I'm not going to spend much more on a guitar that I know won't be used very much (and fitting it with BKPs is going to add to the price).

Seems like I'll have to do some reconnaissance work to see if one of those cheap strats will do the trick and of course make up my mind about bying a strat... Decisions, decisions.  :|

Oh, and by the way. If anyone's interested here's a link to the electric guitar line-up at the local dealer i mentioned earlier

http://www.heimdale.dk/index.php?ssid=11

[MDV]

Some good advice in this thread.

Do the sensible thing and wait until you play one that, as jonathon put it, speaks to you. I've often wanted a strat, but very rarely find one that I would buy. The best so far was a 64 MIJ, and that still wasnt that impressive, and belonged to someone else already!

I'm sure its just the rory galacher, SRV, hendrix appreciating part of me coming out, and I'm also sure that you can get 90% of that tone (with 0% of that vibe) from HSS superstrats with a bridge split.

Hang back and play them whenever you get the chance, see what you think 30 strats down the line.

Oh, word to the wise, the best strat-type guitar I've ever played (excluded from above considerations) was a G&L. Have a look at them, too.

[juansolo]

You could buy mine :D It's being sold on my behalf by a mate of mine on ebay here. Stonking thing, completely as new in every way. I'd be willing to do a deal outside fleabay that would save a few quid also.

[Mr. Air]

Thanks for the offer Juansolo, but the price would be a bit out of my league.

But there's great news. I just found a guy who's willing to sell me his Yamaha Pacifica 112 for just under 90£. From what intel I've gathered so far, people seems pretty pleased with these guitars. So now I'm already thinking about which BKPs to get  :D

[Roobubba]

Thanks for the offer Juansolo, but the price would be a bit out of my league.

But there's great news. I just found a guy who's willing to sell me his Yamaha Pacifica 112 for just under 90£. From what intel I've gathered so far, people seems pretty pleased with these guitars. So now I'm already thinking about which BKPs to get  :D

Yay, a superstrat is likely to be much more up your street ;)

Just remember that you can't polish a turd. By that I mean: TEST the EXACT guitar you're thinking of buying IN PERSON! BKPs are great, but they won't make a plank sound like a legendary guitar!

Roo

[blue]

i was just gonna say, howabout a yamaha pacifica, and whaddya know?  serendipity, eh?

for £90 you can't go far wrong.  if you don't like it, you can probably get as much for it again, if you really do, upgrade it's hardware or go for it and get a strat.

personally, i think the yamaha is a very nice update of the strat, i usually prefer it's look.

[Copperhead]

build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one build one  :P

http://www.usacustomguitars.com/

[Mr. Air]

Just to get it straight once and for all, Copperhead. You want me to ... ... b... build one???

I don't think I'm up to the task of building a guitar myself, not even leaveing the building to someone else and just pick out the parts. I've cruzed some custom guitar sites and all the possibillities there is enough to make me go down with stress.

I'm no tech guy an have so little knowledge about guitars that I wouldn't dare to have a custom build guitar. I've just reasently begun to duck into the tech stuff and I don't even think I've scratched the surface yet. So no custom build for me and I also think that it will be out of my financial capabilities.

You can't polish a turd. I like your way of saying that you can't make a shitee guitar sound good, Roo. I find that funny.

[Copperhead]

'K  ....  Straight up, best way is to buy a Chinese Peavey and put BK's in it. For a $120.00 guitar the necks are unbelievably perfect.

[MrBump]

How about this for a compromise..?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Charvel-Strat_W0QQitemZ130297936170QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item130297936170&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1688|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

[Will]

I'm not sure anybody has answered your thread title appropriately yet.

Yes, you are crazy.

[FernandoDuarte]

because I'm almost exclusively playing teles recently.

So you're growing up and becoming a man??? :P :lol: Sad that Roo is soooo immature :lol:


I think you would buy this £90 Yamaha (if it's not broke, etc)... pretty much if it's cr@p, the money you've spend is so low that you can use it as firewood without headache :D