Fender US Stratocaster with Dimarzio pickups (opinions)

Magic Eight Ball · 08-01-2009 05:11PM #1

Hey,
Currently interested in picking up this guitar (second hand of course) and was wondering if any of you good people in the know would dish out some advise.

It’s a US Stratocaster (early 2004) Modified with Dimarzio pickups as follows:
YJM in bridge position
HS-3 in middle position
YJM in neck position

Now I’m not going to pretend I have the first clue about pickups cause I don’t but I’m wondering, what effect will this have on the guitars sound?

Would it be much different from the original pickups and the sound they produced? Have these new pickups modified the guitar to a certain sound?? ie (country/jazz) or something like that??

And lastly, is it worth €500/600 in your educated opinions?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers.

Oh and here's a pic

Kenny_D · 08-01-2009 05:18PM

Those are Yngwie Malmsteen's signature pickups I think. I'd guess they'd be suited for shred rock. Seems like a good price for a US strat with those pickups. I'd say go for it if you play heavier styles. It prob won't have a classic strat sound if that's what you're after though

Fingers Mcginty · 08-01-2009 05:38PM

Seems like a good deal to me. Are you buying it without playing it? eg ebay?

NoQuarter · 08-01-2009 06:20PM

yeah its a nice guitar an all but why buy a strat if not for that beautiful tone that comes with it???

if you want to shred dont get a strat, of course opinions will vary on this!!

you could get it and swap out the pickups some something strattier!

Magic Eight Ball · 08-01-2009 06:43PM

Cheers for the quick replies there lads.

Yeah it’s on eBay, (and on the other side of the world) so I wouldn’t have a chance to play it before buying.

I’m not at all interested in all that metal and heavier styles.

The only thing that was putting me of was the pickups and how’d they effect the Stratocaster sound.

I guess for the price I could still buy it, sell those pickups and pick normal Stratocaster one’s back in.

Buying the guitar new (in Ireland) and left handed would cost over a grand, so I guess it’s still a bargain.

If it helps at all, this is the kinda sound i like outta the Stratocaster.

Not big into country but I love Josh Zee, amazing player. I love the sound when he plays the scale.

68 lost souls · 08-01-2009 06:43PM

Certainly looks like someone was a malmstein fan, all its missing is the larger headstock, brass nut and scalloped frets. Actually that is a lot to be missing. It wont be a classic strat tone but if your looking for something like malmstein thats what youll get.

This is closer to the sound you might get, with a little less sutain.

Gary ITR · 08-01-2009 07:17PM

Don't forget to factor in Duty and VAT if it's coming from the states.

Personally the only reason I would but a strat is for that strat tone, I wouldn't be buying one with those pups anyway. I would imagine the cost of buying standard pups coupled with the cost of fitting them would outweigh any saving you'd make when you factor in the cost of the guitar, shipping/insurance, Duty and VAT

NoQuarter · 08-01-2009 09:35PM

just a suggestion but have you thought about a mexican strat and maybe putting in kinman pickups, i have a set and the general saying is that they sound more like a strat than a strat does!!

youd get a new one for the 500 mark and i think the kinmans were...emm..well i cant remember but anyways!

the thin is you could try out the mexican strat in a music shop and just make sure you like the feel of it, swap the pups and your laughing!

ball ox · 08-01-2009 11:27PM

king-stew wrote: »

just a suggestion but have you thought about a mexican strat and maybe putting in kinman pickups, i have a set and the general saying is that they sound more like a strat than a strat does!!

youd get a new one for the 500 mark and i think the kinmans were...emm..well i cant remember but anyways!

the thin is you could try out the mexican strat in a music shop and just make sure you like the feel of it, swap the pups and your laughing!

what he said, and get the callaham bridge upgrade. Then get a decent set up and you win. I did this with a mexican strat (although I got Jeff Beck hot noiseless pups as opposed to kinman) and I would pick it over my American strat any day.

Ancient1 · 08-01-2009 11:31PM

I'd go for it - but then again I'm biased coz I have the very same Strat and I love it to bits. :pac:

You'll be able to sell those pups easily enough and swap them out with something more to your liking. €500-€600 is a great price for that Strat.

Trevor Coulahan wrote: »

Not big into country but I love Josh Zee, amazing player.

Well goddamn! Didn't think anyone heard of Josh Zee around these parts!
Good call! :pac:

Fingers Mcginty · 09-01-2009 07:15AM

Does the seller have the original pickups?

Magic Eight Ball · 09-01-2009 11:33AM

I spoke to the seller and he’s agreed to mark the guitar as a gift to avoid tax & VAT.

The guitar itself is $699.00
The shipping is $125.00
Total: $824.00

That in euros works out at €601

Not to bad..

NoQuarter · 09-01-2009 01:47PM

yeah for €601 i suppose ya cant go wrong, ya might like the sound from the pickups!

now i know this is a VERY obvious thing to say but ya know its a left handed guitar dont ya! im sure ya know that but in all the excitment of getting a new guitar sometimes ya miss out on these "minor" things and it would be an awful pity if that happened haha! :pac:

Magic Eight Ball · 09-01-2009 01:58PM

I'm not THAT bad just yet.. :pac:

Southpaw right here.

Eoin Madsen · 09-01-2009 02:25PM

Items marked "gift" over the value of €44 are still taxable.

Magic Eight Ball · 09-01-2009 03:30PM

Really? That's interesting. I ordered an entire drum kit from the states before, they marked it as gift and it slipped in free of charge.

If I do decide to go for it, what ball park figure who they slap on a guitar?

Kenny_D · 09-01-2009 03:42PM

25% of the total price including shipping (marked on the box)

Fender US Stratocaster with Dimarzio pickups (opinions)

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