Fender Classic Player - why get a USA standard?

GuitarZero

Neil said:

johnhe said:

I much prefer the more vintage-like hardware on the Classic Players than the modern look of the standards. But then again, I sold my AM Std and bought a Classic Player 60's strat, so I'm clearly biased.

Only the tuners surely?

They both have the modern style two point trem which TBH I find a bit incongruous on a vintage style guitar. 

The point of the Classic Player series was that it's new meets old.  So whilst it has a number of vintage style appointments, it also has the modern trem and a flatter fretboard and larger frets for example.

guitars4you

GuitarZero said:

Neil said:

johnhe said:

I much prefer the more vintage-like hardware on the Classic Players than the modern look of the standards. But then again, I sold my AM Std and bought a Classic Player 60's strat, so I'm clearly biased.

Only the tuners surely?

They both have the modern style two point trem which TBH I find a bit incongruous on a vintage style guitar. 

The point of the Classic Player series was that it's new meets old.  So whilst it has a number of vintage style appointments, it also has the modern trem and a flatter fretboard and larger frets for example.

my error in quoting old radius on a Classic (see above) - Yes a Classic Player 60's has a flatter 12" board and not the 7.25 as found on the Classic 60's model - Plus big frets on the CP version - similar name on the Clasic Series and Classic Player and I got mixed up, without checking - oooops and sorry - comments regarding feel and tone still apply in that try each and see which grabs you - I do feel that IMO the CP is probably the best none USA Strat you can buy

4114Effects

Sold my USA to buy a Classic Series. (Plus a little profit). Not regretted it one bit. Love the neck profile, small frets, vintage trem etc. Just suits me as a guitar. 

Neil

GuitarZero said:

Neil said:

johnhe said:

I much prefer the more vintage-like hardware on the Classic Players than the modern look of the standards. But then again, I sold my AM Std and bought a Classic Player 60's strat, so I'm clearly biased.

Only the tuners surely?

They both have the modern style two point trem which TBH I find a bit incongruous on a vintage style guitar. 

The point of the Classic Player series was that it's new meets old.  So whilst it has a number of vintage style appointments, it also has the modern trem and a flatter fretboard and larger frets for example.

I know.

I was simply pointing out to johnhe that the only "vintage-like hardware" on a CP was the tuners. 

BigLicks67

I've played 2 Classic Players and they were both uniformly awful. The American Standard has its problems but it feels & looks like a professional instrument. If I was going Mex the standards are fine by my reckoning.

Legionreturns

I've got nothing to compare it to as this is my first foray into fender territory, but having had my CP for only a couple of days, it looks and sounds great and is so easy to play. I don't have anything else sc though. I'm definitely a hb man at heart! 

Elwood

Legionreturns said:

I've got nothing to compare it to as this is my first foray into fender territory, but having had my CP for only a couple of days, it looks and sounds great and is so easy to play. I don't have anything else sc though. I'm definitely a hb man at heart! 

Are you going to keep it SC or put in sc humbucker?

Legionreturns

Elwood said:

Legionreturns said:

I've got nothing to compare it to as this is my first foray into fender territory, but having had my CP for only a couple of days, it looks and sounds great and is so easy to play. I don't have anything else sc though. I'm definitely a hb man at heart! 

Are you going to keep it SC or put in sc humbucker?

Would seem silly to change my only sc guitar tbh

zepp76

This thread is of great interest to me as I'm currently on the hunt for a 60th anniversary 50's classic player. How are the necks on 50's classic players? I'm hoping for a good thick baseball bat style neck.

HAL9000

zepp76 said:

This thread is of great interest to me as I'm currently on the hunt for a 60th anniversary 50's classic player. How are the necks on 50's classic players? I'm hoping for a good thick baseball bat style neck.

Very comfortable soft 'v' neck with a 9.5" fretboard radius. Not a baseball bat, but not too skinny either.

lovestrat74

zepp76 said:

This thread is of great interest to me as I'm currently on the hunt for a 60th anniversary 50's classic player. How are the necks on 50's classic players? I'm hoping for a good thick baseball bat style neck.

Hi @zepp76 Not as chunky as I was hoping for. Nowhere near the baja if you are looking for a comparison. Apparently the 10/56 neck is as close to the baja as it gets for a Strat. 

lovestrat74

Elwood said:

guitars4you said:

Elwood said:

jeztone2 said:

If you sent me out now to buy a new Fender for £900-1500 new I'd probably buy an American Special Tele or a Am Elite Strat

I was more thinking of £400ish for a CP60 vs 600ish for an Am Standard!

1500 I would go for a PRS!

if you are looking at a Used AM Std, then look for a latter version with rolled fingerboard edges and Custom Shop p/ups - IMO a better guitar than earlier models - even if a touch more than £600

Cheers G4you. It's some way down the line as i've not been able to make my mind up. Would proberbly end up with a bridge humbucker at some point, or more, so the AM standard might be the way to go. I think CP's are only routed for single coils - if it's good enough for Dave Murray though, it's definitely good enough for me! 

I had a deluxe lonestar with the pearly gates hb in the bridge and 2 Texas special single coils. Really good bang for your buck nd no routing required. The CP is SSS under the bonnet. 

zepp76

HAL9000 said:

zepp76 said:

This thread is of great interest to me as I'm currently on the hunt for a 60th anniversary 50's classic player. How are the necks on 50's classic players? I'm hoping for a good thick baseball bat style neck.

Very comfortable soft 'v' neck with a 9.5" fretboard radius. Not a baseball bat, but not too skinny either.

Thank you for that, it's a shame I can't try one out before buying. Is there a Strat still in production that has a similar neck? I could go to my local guitar shop and try one out if so.

lovestrat74 said:

zepp76 said:

This thread is of great interest to me as I'm currently on the hunt for a 60th anniversary 50's classic player. How are the necks on 50's classic players? I'm hoping for a good thick baseball bat style neck.

Hi @zepp76 Not as chunky as I was hoping for. Nowhere near the baja if you are looking for a comparison. Apparently the 10/56 neck is as close to the baja as it gets for a Strat. 

Thanks @lovestrat74 I'll check the Baja's out, they might be a better bet. It's a shame as I've kind of got my heart set on the 60th anniversary desert sand Strat but I don't want to compromise on the neck, it really does need to be thick for my oversize paws! 

HAL9000

zepp76 said:

Is there a Strat still in production that has a similar neck? I could go to my local guitar shop and try one out if so.

As far as I know, the 50's Classic Player Strat is still in production - just not the anniversary one. 

lovestrat74

Thanks @lovestrat74 I'll check the Baja's out, they might be a better bet. It's a shame as I've kind of got my heart set on the 60th anniversary desert sand Strat but I don't want to compromise on the neck, it really does need to be thick for my oversize paws! 

Baja should fit like a glove although they are pretty heavy on the poly - mine has had all the poly removed for that natural feel and it's a great neck.  If you have a bit more of a budget there is an Eternal Tele in Guitar Classics (Clapham) for sale and this has a really beefy neck.  It's a lovely guitar.

http://www.guitar-classics.co.uk/pages/other.html

Scroll down until you see the sonic blue "Eternal Guitars Single Pick-up T-Type" it says sold but he has it back in his shop and it is now £1100 (I think)

zepp76

HAL9000 said:

zepp76 said:

Is there a Strat still in production that has a similar neck? I could go to my local guitar shop and try one out if so.

As far as I know, the 50's Classic Player Strat is still in production - just not the anniversary one. 

Ah cool, I'll pop into the shop this weekend when I've got time and have a look at a few options.

HAL9000

zepp76 said:

HAL9000 said:

zepp76 said:

Is there a Strat still in production that has a similar neck? I could go to my local guitar shop and try one out if so.

As far as I know, the 50's Classic Player Strat is still in production - just not the anniversary one. 

Ah cool, I'll pop into the shop this weekend when I've got time and have a look at a few options.

Just bear in mind that there's a Classic and a Classic Player. The Classic has the smaller 7.25" fretboard radius and skinny frets. The Classic Player has the 9.5" radius and, IIRC, medium frets. 

crunchman

I think it's been said above, but the Classic also has the vintage style 6 screw bridge rather than the 2 point trem of the Classic Player and US Standard.

zepp76

crunchman said:

I think it's been said above, but the Classic also has the vintage style 6 screw bridge rather than the 2 point trem of the Classic Player and US Standard.

@crunchman Are there pro's and con's to either? I'm not really schooled in the differences of trems.

Thanks to everyone for your input on this subject, it's been a great help.

crunchman

@zepp76 - there is a school of thought (that I will admit to being part of) that the vintage style 6 screw trem sounds better than the 2 point one.

There are quite prominent people who think along those lines - like Paul Reed Smith.  The PRS trem is a tweaked version of the 6 screw trem.

@gassage is normally quite vocal on this subject as well.

I've played good sounding Strats with the modern 2 point bridge, but I'd say that the very best sounding ones I've played have had a vintage trem.

It does depend what you want to do with it.  If you do want to go for a lot of whammy bar abuse then the 2 point trem would make more sense.

The other issue is what other features you want on the guitar.  If you do want a flatter fingerboard radius,  I'm pretty sure that there is a gap in the Fender range for a 9.5" radius with a vintage style bridge - unless you go Custom Shop.  Ironically, it's probably the most common configuration on Custom Shop guitars. The cynic in me thinks that is a deliberate ploy by Fender to get people to spend more on Custom Shop models.  I actually like the traditional 7.25" radius anyway.  There is also the argument that it was good enough for Hendrix, Knopfler, Blackmore, SRV etc.