Stratocaster Choices!

Alanstrainor

Okay, i know it's a bit of a rip off of the "Telecaster Choices" thread, but advice is needed none the less! Okay, i know i had a thread asking for your opinions on a SRV stratocaster that i was going to buy in the states, but unfortunately that trip never happened:(. So here i am, and i'm stuck, can't make my mind up, my budget is max €1250. I've kind of gone off the idea of an SRV strat, just thinking of the spec for the cash, didn't seem to great. So now, my list of priorities consist of:
1.Maple neck
2.Vintage single coils, going for classic strat tone (although Pickups are easily changed. )
3.Nitro finish would be nice, but not essential.
I've been looking at the likes of GAK.co.uk and have been looking at a Fender vintage '57 Strat, but wanted to hear opinions. I'm also open to other manufacturers, like bacchus etc. I'm even looking at fender MIJ Strats, i've just got myself so confused...
Well any help is much appreciated!
Cheers,
Alan.

Doctor J

Check quattroste's recent posts and you have your answer

That man is the World Champion Of Strats right now.

Johnny Storm

QuattroSte's strat is DEADLY!

Alanstrainor - congrats on having the correct answer to the rosewood/maple conundrum
I would advise that you also figure out if you are OK with vintage frets or do you prefer modern larger frets (ie medium jumbos). EDIT It makes a big difference IMHO.
AFAIK pretty much all CIJ Fender stats have vintage frets. EDIT I don't know about Bacchus strats.

Ravelleman

The '57 reissue doesn't come set up with 'standard' strat switching. They come out of the factory with a 3 way switch installed, instead of the now more usual 5 way switch. It's period correct but less fun. They do come with a 5 way switch in the case though if you feel like changing it. Shouldn't be too hard since you have no problem changing pickups.

Just as an aside, all true Strats should have a maple *neck*. Some have maple *fingerboards* though, others have rosewood fingerboards and a few have ebony boards. You want a maple fingerboard.

Voodu Child

Those Bacchus strats look real nice, i'd be taking a loooong look at those if I was after a Strat.

Edwards do a nice SRV replica if that's what you were originally after, I saw one on the u-box recently for a great price.

I have a Jap-built strat and the quality is definitely good, so maybe look at those too, theres always tonnes on the u-box, usually cheap as chips.

Alanstrainor

Ravelleman wrote: »

The '57 reissue doesn't come set up with 'standard' strat switching. They come out of the factory with a 3 way switch installed, instead of the now more usual 5 way switch. It's period correct but less fun. They do come with a 5 way switch in the case though if you feel like changing it. Shouldn't be too hard since you have no problem changing pickups.

Just as an aside, all true Strats should have a maple *neck*. Some have maple *fingerboards* though, others have rosewood fingerboards and a few have ebony boards. You want a maple fingerboard.

Aye, i was aware of the 3 way switching, which i would pretty much change straight away, which i have no issues with really, i'm pretty handy with a soldering iron at this stage:pac:.
Thanks for all the replies, i had never actually considered the vintage Vs. Modern frets, i'm used to medium jumbo frets on my current strat, and i think i'll need to head off into town to find a strat with vintage frets to see whether they'll suit.
As for the Bacchus strats, where's the best site to buy from? It's one brand i'd love to try, and seeing the reputation they have here i can only imagine how impressive they are for the cash.

johnboy8

i have the deluxe strat hss,it has the 5 way switch with the s1 button,and i find i use the out of phase settings more than the standard settings,altogether a great guitar.

68 lost souls

I agree that a phase switch is a nice addition to a HSS strat but not sure what it will sound like on a sss strat. I love mine but I have a set of Seymour Mini-buckers in. If you liked the SRV strat then maybe a set of texas specials would suit the sound your looking for.

Another thing you might think about is adding a neck on switch using a push/pull pot. If you have a 5 way selector and a neck on you can get some nice extra combinations.

I'd love to see what that S-1 switch sounds like. havent used one yet myself but reading the PDF makes it very attractive.

Leadership

johnboy8 wrote: »

i have the deluxe strat hss,it has the 5 way switch with the s1 button,and i find i use the out of phase settings more than the standard settings,altogether a great guitar.

I 2nd the delux, the workmanship and feel of it in your hands is stunning. I have the single coil version and the S1 switch does give you a lot more options to play with.

MattKid

Have a look at http://rocketfireguitars.com/

I've heard nothing but good things about his work on The gear pages

Alanstrainor

Thanks MattKid, just sent off a mail asking about his stuff.

darrenw5094

I noticed some Bachuss Strats with birds eye maple necks with look and feel fantastic. You are after a maple neck, check out the birds eye maple necks.

Alanstrainor

I was just checking out the bacchus guitars available on ebay, Bacchus 54, something like that caught my eye, but she is expensive when you take into account delivery and tax, it comes to around the €1200 mark. Here's the question, is it worth that price? Or would i be better off with a fender equivalent?

darrenw5094

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I was just checking out the bacchus guitars available on ebay, Bacchus 54, something like that caught my eye, but she is expensive when you take into account delivery and tax, it comes to around the €1200 mark. Here's the question, is it worth that price? Or would i be better off with a fender equivalent?

A €1200 Bacchus would be savage boy...she has the birds eye maple neck too. The quality of that would rival anything out there.

You only live once....you might keep regretting it if you didn't go for the expensive one.

Alanstrainor

Well i got in contact with that seller, about the Bacchus '54 model. And apparently it's built exactly as a 1954 strat would have been, so that means skinny frets and a large neck radius.

Johnny Storm

Any strat that has a year in its name is going to to have vintage frets, probably. (not sure about the '70s). FWIW many people prefer vintage frets. I find that because the tips of my fingers are pressing against the fretboard more they get sore and ache-ey which, for me, doesn't happen with modern taller frets.
Also, just personally, neck radius makes no difference whatsoever, although it does to some people.
I think what I'm saying is - there's no replacement for going into a shop and trying out a bunch of different strats to see which ones you prefer.

Quattroste

Alanstrainor! Sorry for taking so long to get to this thread but I up to and beyond my bollox in this **** hole I work in! :mad:

Anywho, if you would like to try the Bacchus I recently received from that very same seller Hisashi, then let me know. You can drop up any evening and have a play. I wouldn't buy a Strat for the money you have without trying this. Seriously!

Doctor J

Quattroste wrote: »

Anywho, if you would like to try the Bacchus I recently received from that very same seller Hisashi, then let me know. You can drop up any evening and have a play.

Very sound of you!

Alan, I'd take him up on that

Alanstrainor

Hey there fellas, i doing a bit of a search on Ebay and came across this Bacchus which caught my eye. 02 G-player Stratocaster, i've sent a mail to the seller and am waiting for a reply, but i noticed it says the fret board is "slightly scalloped". Now i know what a fully scalloped fret board is ala yngie or yngwie? but how would a slightly scalloped fret board affect the playability of the guitar?

Doctor J

I don't see any surface scalloping on that one, they might mean side-scallops, which is somebody employed to hand-file the sides of the fretboard so it feels completely broken in. Possibly the greatest addition to electric guitars since pickups were invented :pac: The 02 should have them alright.

It's a very good thing.

Dord

Doctor J wrote: »

I don't see any surface scalloping on that one, they might mean side-scallops, which is somebody employed to hand-file the sides of the fretboard so it feels completely broken in. Possibly the greatest addition to electric guitars since pickups were invented :pac: The 02 should have them alright.

It's a very good thing.

Jaysus! again with the side scallops... You should get a job in marketing for Deviser!

Johnny Storm

This link might give you a very little bit more info. It appears to have a tone blender knob and a 280mm radius neck (11 inches).

Doctor J

Dord wrote: »

Jaysus! again with the side scallops...

Hey, he asked

Found a pic. This is what the side scallops are

Alanstrainor

Right lads, i think i've made mind up, even before playing Quattroste's strat. Bacchus G-Player '08. I found one online for 840 delivered. I will wait 'till next week before buying but i can't wait!
This is the site,http://www.japanvintageguitars.com dont suppose anyone's had any dealings with them? They seem alright. I'll be getting it in Red with maple finger board.
G Player
Something like that!
Cheers for all the help lads!
Alan.

Johnny Storm

Looks really nice!

boycey

Very nice Alan. Im sure you'll have a cracking strat there.
BTW I bought my Duke from the swiss site in the G Player link. Excellent service, ordered on a Sunday night, delivered on the Thursday. Didnt get hit for any customs either. I was very impressed (especially as I was a 0 feedback buyer and Ebay virgin).

For what its worth I havent played a Bacchus Strat yet (still casing Quattrostes gaff, just as soon as the house is left unattended long enough:D), but I did play a nicely set up SRV Fender and was left a bit underwhelmed. I did expect more.
Anyways, best of luck, Doc & Quattroste will fill you in on the initiation ceremony when it arrives....

Ancient1

Jezus! What's going on around here?!

I don't log in for a few weeks and suddenly everyone has a Bacchus!:pac:

Congrats man!

And you know what owning a Bacchus means? It means your attendance at the next Instruments meet-up is compulsory, whether you like it or not.