How many strats before you give up?

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Hick81Hick81 Frets: 122
edited May 2018 in Guitar
I decided to log all the guitars I’ve ever owned since I started playing in 1996, roughly what they cost and what I sold them for. This was to make a point to my wife that guitars are a sound financial investments akin to long term ISA’s or London property.

£500 down over 22 years excluding the guitars I still own. 

In total 
3 LPs
3 Teles
2 335’s
5 Acoustics 
1 gretsch cg
1 vintage epi
and 10 strats 

When do I give up on trying to find a Strat I’ll keep for for than a year? 

Ive has JVs, AVRI, Nash, partscaster etc but never fall in love 
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Comments

  • paulphoenixpaulphoenix Frets: 141
    ..didn't go well then.
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  • ElwoodElwood Frets: 452
    edited May 2018
    Have you made 3%p/a, after inflation, on any of your guitars?
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  • Hick81Hick81 Frets: 122
    It only posted half of the message, let me try and finish 
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959
    edited May 2018
    I think I've only owned four Fender Strats... a '77, two USA Standards, and a Highway One. (Edit: and a JV Squier, which should also count.) I now have another one of what I started out with in the first place, an Aria RS, which is not quite a Strat but which I prefer, so I won't be buying another Strat.

    Overall I have very rarely lost money on a guitar, because I almost never buy new and I try not to pay too much even second hand. The only one I can think of that I lost a lot on was my PRS Standard, which I bought new (even though discounted) and sold at quite a loss, but it had been my main working guitar for about seven years so I think I had my money's worth.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • 57Deluxe57Deluxe Frets: 7329
    you know when you stand all night at the fruit machine in the pub... or takeaway, or motorway service area... cross channel ferry... Do you do it just for the 3%pa ??
    <Vintage BOSS Upgrades>
    __________________________________
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  • CountryDaveCountryDave Frets: 842

    I have the same problem with strats.  Must have been through a dozen over the years.  I like the in between sounds (position 2&4) and the neck.  The thing that I can never get right is the bridge pickup.  I've tried replacement pickups, over wound, really over wound, humbucking single coil sized and full buckers.  Of all I found humbuckers the most to my taste, but could never get that punch I was looking for.  Tried blocking off the trem which improved things a little, but still fell short.

    Decided to approach it from a different direction and went with the Nashville style telecaster with a super switch.  Gives me all three telecaster sounds I like with the 2&4 replicating strat sounds.  The twisted telecaster neck pickup made a difference too.

    This has me happier than anything else.


    The biggest frustration was when I had a Road Worn strat that had a gorgeous neck.  I played that guitar unplugged on the couch for many an hour.  Every time I plugged it in I got the three sounds I like, plus frustration. 

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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12645

      Every time I plugged it in I got the three sounds I like, plus frustration. 

    A strat was only ever designed to give three sounds... ;-)

    I've owned loads of Strats too - and been around every house and ended up (almost) where I started with a Jap Squier.

    Although I've now learnt that certain pickups suit me more than others - and that Fender really don't make them.
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • GrunfeldGrunfeld Frets: 4027
    I stopped at Strat number three.  That's when the penny dropped.
    You might as well give me a trombone.
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    I've played the same Strat for the last 6 years, except it was made by Tom Anderson and not Fender.
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  • Fishboy7Fishboy7 Frets: 2178
    edited May 2018
    I'm really impatient so tend to buy high and sell low.

    I would absolutely not want to know how much I've lost over the years.......
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  • LegionreturnsLegionreturns Frets: 7965
    I've had 4 strats, and that's the point that I gave up.

    Again. 

    It's possible I might be tempted again one day, but I'll be disappointed again I'm sure. Just can't like them. 

    My Trading Feedback    |    You Bring The Band

    Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    octatonic said:
    I've played the same Strat for the last 6 years
    Arms not aching yet?
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  • amarok1971amarok1971 Frets: 338
    1 for me, i've been spoiled with prsus's  ;)
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  • tone1tone1 Frets: 5112
    Since I got my Angry Angus Strat I’ve stopped looking :)
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513
    Hick81 said:
    It only posted half of the message, let me try and finish 

    OK...

    http://hiphople.com/files/attach/images/965/592/374/001/de308b98bf505bcf5417430e6498c350.jpg

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  • Strat54Strat54 Frets: 2331
    Best thing I ever did to my Strats was fit a blend for the bridge and neck pickups and then just one decent tone pot. That made it all the more usable. I know others that have had success with fitting tele style base plates to the bridge pickup like these  (scroll down)  http://www.radioshoppickups.com/accessories/
    Took me a good 30 plus Strats to get to that conclusion. 
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  • dazzajldazzajl Frets: 5653
    My old beater cheap as chips Mexi Strat is hands down my favourite guitar to play. I also really want to have the same love with a LP and there’s always a beautiful honeymoon period when I get one but ultimately, it’s just a fling. 

    Perhaps if one side really speaks to you, the other side never will??
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  • DulcetJonesDulcetJones Frets: 515
    I tried one strat and found that it was a great guitar but not my thing.  I was a Les Paul player for a lot of years, now I'm a confirmed tele player,  although acoustics are creeping back into my life in a big way lately.

    “Theory is something that is written down after the music has been made so we can explain it to others”– Levi Clay


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  • welshboyowelshboyo Frets: 1808
    I have had umpteen Strats over the years from CS mega bucks models through to cheapo Squiers.

    The one guitar that has seen them all off is an '82 JV...


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  • FreebirdFreebird Frets: 5821
    It sounds like you are in dire straits.
    If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.
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