The new Ed O'Brien Strat

Philly_Q

darthed1981 said:
No band really NEEDS three guitarists I suppose

Molly Hatchet did.

(Although in fact they've managed well enough with two for much of their existence.  Likewise Iron Maiden, The Outlaws and Lynyrd Skynyrd - although I think the latter have pretty much always had three).

impmann

No band needs any guitarists... refer ELP, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode (although Martin does write 90% on guitar and does play guitar with them these days) etc etc...

I get the criticism about the price and I've also owned some duff MiM stuff too - but having had the opportunity recently to play a genuine 1970s Tele Deluxe with tremelo and compare it to my MiM one (albeit with Mojo pickups), there wasn't a lot in it... and I actually preferred the flatter board on mine, plus it was *A LOT* better made in terms of fit and finish.

I've also had some fairly meh US built Fenders cross my path - that AVRI '62 Jazzmaster I had was a prime example... it looked nice and didn't sound *dreadful* but it really wasn't a great guitar and no amount of set up (pro or otherwise) was going to change it. I flogged it and built a partcaster for a lot less that ate the AVRI for breakfast.

But back to the EOB guitar - its not going to appeal to everyone and that's what makes it great. WELL DONE Fender for doing something unusual and that isn't going to be yet another 50s/60s/70s clone. I genuinely don't think £1k is a lot these days for a good quality guitar new - and if it lives up to the story, I know one is going to end up in my overcrowded collection.

darthed1981

impmann said:

But back to the EOB guitar - its not going to appeal to everyone and that's what makes it great. WELL DONE Fender for doing something unusual and that isn't going to be yet another 50s/60s/70s clone. I genuinely don't think £1k is a lot these days for a good quality guitar new - and if it lives up to the story, I know one is going to end up in my overcrowded collection.

I'll get one as well and we can do some Radiohead at one of the jams

Musicman20

I had a store looking into keeping one aside when they come in, but they wanted 50% up front, and said they aren't sure exactly when it will come in now...so to be honest I'll give it some time to hit the stores.

I don't like having large deposits on normal stuff that any shop can get. Like the Flea Bass, after a few months it'll be everywhere, and I don't want money committed into stuff with Black Friday and Xmas coming up.

usedtobe

I thought he was a stand up comic..

moogie72

Right, mine landed here a few days back.

im not big on writing reviews, as that’s just my point of view about an item. 

But so far I’m happy about 70 percent.....

Bear in mind it’s the first mexi Fender I’ve ever owned. Not for snobbish reasons, I only had japs and USA builds. 

First off off it’s well made , very tight finish paints law, body and neck, clean and nice.

sounds decent too, and pretty quiet too. I tend to have noisless pups due to a very noisy old cottage I live in . 

Right so the sustainer set set up by fender is not the best, they give you the useless instruction sheet showing how to work it,! And they seem to have set it up very weakly. So much so I was worried at first it’s not working properly.seemed to only vibrate certain strings. 
Also I was expecting an ebow type response....ie if you are not touching the strings....they would all start to vibrate of there own accord...so you don’t have to pick and strum...

but it so far, I’m only gettin an ‘after vibration sustain feedback type thing, if I have actually engaged myself to a string.....

so im not sure if that’s how it should be

by the vids they sent out.....more lame poetic guff speech by O’Brien than info laden advert....
’Born out of necessity ‘ I woke from a dream’ .....come on fender....flower of life ....

but so far I’m not sounding anything like ED......(although I’m not sure what he actually does sound like....other than in the demo vid....) .....( oh please....I do love some Radiohead stuff but he no hero to me)


anhow....I digress...why the ‘F’ couldn’t fender put in the actual instructions from Fernandez I don’t know...
so for those who don’t know , there are 4 internal trip pots on the back  of the circuit , so you can tailor the sustainer 
ive taken the plate off to check and the pots are pretty simple. So going to get tweaking. See how I can get it to sound.

so will update this.

nice of fender to send out strap locks though, then not include the buttons and screws...

redrighthand

Awesome - look forward to hearing how this develops.

ps where's the unboxing video, pics etc ;-)

moogie72

But I was pleasantly surprised with SD mini humbucker and Texas Special, 

oh forgot, the Fernandez working as a pup sounds ok too, bit trebly and thin but tweaking the tone and any eq you have you can fatten it out pretty well.

ok, Tremelo

not happy, it’s as stiff as an old Etonian in the showers after rugby 

Took back off to find its already only got 2springs.  I can’t take one out! ....is this right?and pointer on this would be helpful.....as I’m already hammering Fender CR an out the niggles...why only 2? Money saving? I can’t tweak trem. 
Trem arm, unless you over screw so it’s tight......it’s as loose and floppy as(......make your own mind up ther!)
so once in bang tight, it gets bit more musical....

ok anyone who can help me on this, as I wanted a floating trem really, specialy with the sustainer, smooth vibes and drops.....not somthing that seems a bit steampunk.

happy to answer any questions...

moogie72

redrighthand said:

Awesome - look forward to hearing how this develops.

ps where's the unboxing video, pics etc ;-)

Haha, my god, if you thought ed ob was sad in his ethereal advert.....I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on if you saw and heard me...

but it I have taken pics of the bits Ive opened on the back.....but I’m gash at getting them added in the thread, as been using google pics for my Sales on the fret board

moogie72

I just sat through,,, the compelling I had a dream, this guitar should be made speech.....only to see the the Tec in the first shot of the guitar, popping in 3springs in the the trem , 

im confused now.......false advertising?...

mort

Send it back under the Distance Selling Regulations ........

Musicman20

I really want to get one of these but the initial excitement has worn off as I don't think I'd use the sustainer much at all....but still a cool guitar!

moogie72

mort said:

Send it back under the Distance Selling Regulations ........

If the wife had her way!!!! Haha

she doesn’t like white strats....says I look like a member of Hugh and Cry’s backing band...

once im over the initials, I do think it’s a keeper though, it’s generally a really good move by Fender to create it....I went through options like discussed in the thread about price build , sustainer on its own into a parts caster etc . So knew what I was getting into spending the cash, plus a bit of wife birthday input....hence she has an opinion !

rico

DannyP said:

rico said:

I can't put my finger on the reason why but signature guitars really don't do it for me - I would never buy one. 

Dude, your profile picture is of Gibson's popular "Les Paul" model.

Only just saw this. Well played that man. 

moogie72

Musicman20 said:

I really want to get one of these but the initial excitement has worn off as I don't think I'd use the sustainer much at all....but still a cool guitar!

The sustainer is really addictive  though, I read suwhere on a review about developing a different playing style with it. So I recon it grows as you become one with it. So far tinkering with it when you find something that works it gives you goose bumps with some of the tones it creates on all 3 settings , and I’m yet to tinker with the trim pots in the back

impmann

If its stiff, and it only has two springs it needs adjusting or it needs different springs - I've found the black springs fitted to US Standards too floppy for my use, but may suit you (I'll check my drawer but I may have some). Otherwise, it may be just a case of adjusting the springs to suit you. Are you comparing this stiffness to other six-screw trems or to two-post modern jobs, as they really feel different?
As for the floppy arm - this is my pet hatred. Fender *NEED* to wake up to the 21st century - the likes of Callaham etc have been using nylon bushes in the block for years and this totally transforms the Strat trem into something useable. That daft, crappy spring that you are supposed to drop down into the hole to take up the slack does not work as well and always gets lost. Its high time Fender changed to this system - they only grudgingly did so on the Johnny Marr Jag (similar principal, different application) and accepted that it *IS* an upgrade. Rant over.

stickyfiddle

moogie72 said:

Musicman20 said:

I really want to get one of these but the initial excitement has worn off as I don't think I'd use the sustainer much at all....but still a cool guitar!

The sustainer is really addictive  though, I read suwhere on a review about developing a different playing style with it. So I recon it grows as you become one with it. So far tinkering with it when you find something that works it gives you goose bumps with some of the tones it creates on all 3 settings , and I’m yet to tinker with the trim pots in the back

Wait, 3 settings? I knew of on & harmonic? Are there mulitple harmonic modes? +8ve and +5th or something?

moogie72

impmann said:

If its stiff, and it only has two springs it needs adjusting or it needs different springs - I've found the black springs fitted to US Standards too floppy for my use, but may suit you (I'll check my drawer but I may have some). Otherwise, it may be just a case of adjusting the springs to suit you. Are you comparing this stiffness to other six-screw trems or to two-post modern jobs, as they really feel different?
As for the floppy arm - this is my pet hatred. Fender *NEED* to wake up to the 21st century - the likes of Callaham etc have been using nylon bushes in the block for years and this totally transforms the Strat trem into something useable. That daft, crappy spring that you are supposed to drop down into the hole to take up the slack does not work as well and always gets lost. Its high time Fender changed to this system - they only grudgingly did so on the Johnny Marr Jag (similar principal, different application) and accepted that it *IS* an upgrade. Rant over.

Was comparing to my only other Strat ...a us deluxe ...whole different ball game Trem wise , so I spose I’m used to something that I shouldn’t use as a comparison 

totaly agree trem arm wise, it’s a massive let down 

I saw some replacement trem arm springs with a ball bearing in the top, apparently the bearing makes a big difference....anyone tried this? 

impmann

moogie72 said:

impmann said:

If its stiff, and it only has two springs it needs adjusting or it needs different springs - I've found the black springs fitted to US Standards too floppy for my use, but may suit you (I'll check my drawer but I may have some). Otherwise, it may be just a case of adjusting the springs to suit you. Are you comparing this stiffness to other six-screw trems or to two-post modern jobs, as they really feel different?
As for the floppy arm - this is my pet hatred. Fender *NEED* to wake up to the 21st century - the likes of Callaham etc have been using nylon bushes in the block for years and this totally transforms the Strat trem into something useable. That daft, crappy spring that you are supposed to drop down into the hole to take up the slack does not work as well and always gets lost. Its high time Fender changed to this system - they only grudgingly did so on the Johnny Marr Jag (similar principal, different application) and accepted that it *IS* an upgrade. Rant over.

Was comparing to my only other Strat ...a us deluxe ...whole different ball game Trem wise , so I spose I’m used to something that I shouldn’t use as a comparison 

totaly agree trem arm wise, it’s a massive let down 

I saw some replacement trem arm springs with a ball bearing in the top, apparently the bearing makes a big difference....anyone tried this? 

Ah - if you are comparing it to the US two post... yes, it will be stiffer. I'd argue there's more control over gentle shimmers (with a replacement block with a nylon insert).

Genuinely, look out for a replacement trem block with a nylon insert - sadly the chap in Wales has stopped making them, so you are looking at a Callaham. Or you could try Wudtone. Its a great pity that Fender don't make replacement upgrade blocks with a nylon arm insert -I have suggested it on many occasions but all I get is "we supply a tension spring to insert in the hole"... yes, I know but its shit. @MattFGBI is there anything you can do?

Not tried ball bearing topped springs - I'm not sure it'll make it less stiff though.

moogie72

stickyfiddle said:

moogie72 said:

Musicman20 said:

I really want to get one of these but the initial excitement has worn off as I don't think I'd use the sustainer much at all....but still a cool guitar!

The sustainer is really addictive  though, I read suwhere on a review about developing a different playing style with it. So I recon it grows as you become one with it. So far tinkering with it when you find something that works it gives you goose bumps with some of the tones it creates on all 3 settings , and I’m yet to tinker with the trim pots in the back

Wait, 3 settings? I knew of on & harmonic? Are there mulitple harmonic modes? +8ve and +5th or something?

Yep natural/mix/harmonic

independant on off switch....

forgot to rant on those....think they are stock Fernandes....look awful , feel ok quality though

would have been nice if fender had wired in some of their own switches though, going to get some coloured tips I think