Help me find a strat

RedRabbit

I've never really got on with strats despite liking the noises they make.  I'm thinking that the reason might be that I'm so used to playing guitars with flatter fingerboards that the it may be the 9.5" radius that I don't like.

I've seen the 2016 mexican deluxe strat with a 12" radius and I know the EJ signature has the same.  I'm just wondering what else is out there with a flatter fingerboard.  

Doesn't necessarily have to be fender and I'm happy to look at second hand.  No real budget set at the moment.

adamm82

I quite like the Roadhouse strat I picked up a few months ago. good solid guitar, Not the biggest strat fan but the neck pickup tone is one of my favourites.

jakzek

Classic player 60's strats have a 12" radius and are great guitars for the money. Custom shop designed with really nice 69 pick ups, well worth a look. 

mudslide73

I'd suggest the partscaster route and get someone to make you a neck that fits your spec. GSPBasses, USACG, Musikraft etc. 

I used an EJ neck in the end on my MJT build because I'm used to Gibbos (and an even flatter Jackson before that). I wouldn't look past the EJ if I was looking for a non-CS Strat at the moment. 

builttospill

Check out K-Line guitars and the Springfield, if you can bag a used one do it! just superb guitars for the money. My Springfield has a lovely chunky but extremely comfortably neck, best neck I've played. 

RedRabbit

mudslide73 said:

I'd suggest the partscaster route and get someone to make you a neck that fits your spec. GSPBasses, USACG, Musikraft etc. 

I used an EJ neck in the end on my MJT build because I'm used to Gibbos (and an even flatter Jackson before that). I wouldn't look past the EJ if I was looking for a non-CS Strat at the moment. 

I'm ideally looking for something pre-built.  It takes make ages to finish off a partscaster for some reason.

I think a rosewood board EJ would be ideal but might be more than I'm wanting to spend.  I'll have to keep an eye on the classifieds and ebay.

jakzek said:

Classic player 60's strats have a 12" radius and are great guitars for the money. Custom shop designed with really nice 69 pick ups, well worth a look.

Thanks.  I know they are well regarded and there seem to be a few appearing on ebay regularly.

english_bob

Have a look at G&L. Their Strat-shaped guitar come in two flavours- the Legacy is the more vintage-styled one with the narrower fretboard radius, the S-500 has hotter pickups, a flatter fretboard (12" IIRC) and a "Gilmour switch" that gives you bridge/neck and bridge/middle/neck pickup combinations as well as the standard five.

New they're fairly pricey as they're made to order- the advantage is that you get to spec colours, neck shape and extras. Used they're among the best bargains about. I got my S-500, upgraded with edge binding and locking tuners, for a little over £600.

If your budget doesn't stretch to the USA models the far-east made Tribute guitars are also very good and considerably cheaper. They use the same pickups as the US models, and some of the other hardware is the same too I think. 

CasperCaster

As you and others have said, the 2016 upgrade of the Mexican Deluxe models introduced a 12" fingerboard radius. And as noted above the 60's version of the Mexican made classic player model has a 12" radius board too. 

The current Mexican Deluxe models have quite a few similarities with those produced a decade earlier, which had ash bodies (mine is honey blonde), noiseless pickups and 12" radius fingerboards, and similar colour choices. They are easy to distinguish as the older ones have a vintage trem, 50's/60's style headstock (not current CBS type) with 'deluxe series" script where the ' original contour body' script normally goes, and gold hardware. They are a decent foundation for modding and often sell around £300 - £400 secondhand. I mention these as the two-point trems definitely have a different feel and sound to vintage trems, and all of the current Mexican guitars with 12" radius boards have two-point trems. It probably depends where you are coming from - a two-point trem with locking tuners is probably the most efficient setup, but a vintage style trem feels and sounds better to my ears, and I don't use the trem very aggressively, so I tend not to have tuning problems. Either way you have some options.

peteri

I've got a USA Standard I'm looking to off load - plays beautifully, PM me if you're interested

Pete

BigLicks67

I've got a EJ strat but I spent most of my days playing Strats with 7.25 radius necks and to be honest they all felt and played like Strats irrespective of radius, so I'd keep your money in your pocket if I were you.

guitars4you

rising significantly in price so not sure if suitable but Fender Custom Shop Postmodern Strat with a 9.5" to 12" compound radius - Vintage flavoured Strat with a few modern tweaks (non unlike a EJ Strat)

TimmyO

Classic Player Strat - 12" 

or

track down a used AVRI Hot Rod '62 Strat - chunkier neck, flatter board - has turned out to be my perfect Strat and I used to have the same experience you did 

Frizer

I have a 10" - 16" compound radius neck from USACG on my strat. Plays great, either get a secondhand one and put a neck you spec on there or go the full partscaster route?