Tech Article On The New Hendrix Strat

http://www.cnet.com/news/how-fender-turned-jimi-hendrixs-strat-into-a-modern-players-guitar/

The little I understand about tech made this article kind of interesting.

C/S,
Rev J

 

Fender is acting like this is all new discovery. I was building these 20+ years ago.

 

Bolt-on neck guitars are cheap guitars, they are designed to be cheap to manufacture, always have been, always will be.

Leo Fender was not a guitarist, he was a businessman.

Jimi Hendrix could have played an inverted Teisco del ray and still sounded like Jimi Hendrix.

At 900$ the Hendrix strat not the most expensive bolt-on neck guitar on the market, but quite possibly the most over-hyped.

 

Though I'm sure your guitars had glued-on necks if not through-necks, right?

 

For the "lil' Jimmi" (Hendrix Strat) no... Bolt on was part of the sound.

 

What about the pete Townsend Strat ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/End-of-the-Road-Guitar-Looks-Smashed-Plays-Perfect-Roadworn-White-Black-Strat-/172035098474?hash=item280e17476a:g:rn8AAOSwSdZWdpOo

 

No comment....

 

It would probably be about the same price to buy a lower end left handed Strat and change the set up. I've known a couple of people who have done it and said it was kind of a bitch. Accidentally hitting knobs, switching pickups or breaking off the selector switch.

I love the Fender I have but am almost scared to leave the house with it as it was only made for a couple of years and discontinued. Kind of makes finding a replacement difficult.

C/S,
Rev J

 

my strat cost $500 with a couple trade in guitars, brought that down to $300
normally a guitar last me about two years/ three tops but this one is going on 8years now
I pretty happy with it
the pick up selector is getting shaky but other than that great guitar

 

Pickup selector is a pretty cheap and simple fix. The thing about modern guitar craft is that it does make a more consistent instrument. The only real variables now are wood quality. If you look back "Blackie" Eric Claptons main strat was put together from parts from 5 at the time brand new Strats. He just took the parts off each that he liked. John Entwistle from The Who had a Franken Fender that he used on a bunch of albums that was cobbled together from basses he smashed on stage. Then there were his famous "Fenderbirds" which were essentially Gibson Thunderbirds with Fender necks.

C/S,
Rev J

 

There's a lot more to making a good Strat than putting together some parts. Even the Squire Strats are essentially exact copys of the American standard Strat. Besides the woods, hardware and electronics, the main difference is the attention given to the neck, frets and final set-up. Professional guitar technicians command a fairly high hourly wage, and for good reason. Indeed, it takes time and experience to properly dress a fretboard, adjust truss-rod, neck angle and all the other details that go into a pro guitar set-up.

The big advantage Clapton, Entwistle, Beck and all the other mega-star fender players that ever dicked around with parts-casters had was a professional guitar tech on staff to make it all come together.

 

I have a Fender Squier Affinity and it plays soo nicely. It has the perfect action (distance of strings from fret board) and stays in tune even when I use the whammy bar (which I do with no talent). I'm a lousy instrumentalist but I am taking lessons for playing lead, so hopefully I will be getting better.

I'm very impressed with the craftsmanship on my guitar but I have seen and played others that just didn't feel right.

 

Sounds like you got a good one then! As with most cheap imports, Squires are definitely a 'play before you pay' kind of guitar

I was talking with a friend of mine that owns a music shop in town, he told me he was astonished to see Buddy Guy on tour last year, ripping it up onstage with nothing more than a squire Strat and a peavey bandit amp. Probably just a back-up but it says a lot about guitar rigs in general. Your sound is mostly in your head and fingers

 

I Also have a Squier "made in India" VM Strat that plays and sounds Better than my USA Strat ever did ( sold to buy a martin )
Bit of a lottery with guitars

Here !