Don't forget about the Jimmy Shine edition that Fender did about the same time as the So-Cal. The Shine version seems to be somewhat scarce.
+1 I miss Danny Gatton, too. So much of his music still sounds like it could have just been recorded last week. I guess that pretty much goes for SRV as well.
Yep... As somebody said earlier, every one is different...but my '87 Japanese Strat sounds better, to my ears anyway, than the later American ones. Even Fender employees were shocked at how good the Japanese Strats sounded. Now, if only I could play worth a shit.
the '87 jap stat mite be one of thous years where everything worked for just that year. The '86, '88 mite not be able to stand up to that one year. I miss having a '59 Supro custom, but the '72 reissue mexiy fend tele custom holds up well...
LOL. No kidding. Just did a quick inventory and came up with 17 electrics, 4 acoustics, 2 mandolins, 1 bass and a 6 string banjo. Since my playing is better described as "playing with guitars" than "playing guitar", I have opted for the quantity over quality. Mainly asian stratocopies and telecopies. Most are rewired with 500K pots, lighter caps and a few have TBX tone controls. One stratocopy has a set of Graphtech acoustic bridge saddles and preamp in it that cost more than what I paid for the guitar in the first place! Back on topic of the somewhat off topic topic, I was excited to hear that there was a SoCal Fender strat, but the first look of it, with painted neck and fretboard, I was disappointed in the look.
Mark Knopfler (dIRE sTRAITS), Hank Marvin (the Shadows), David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Jimmy Vaughn, Clapton, Jeff Beck (staying on topic), Buddy Guy, Dick Dale, and the list goes on and on.
Asian made Strats are garbage, though I have played a fair share of nice Mexican ones. If you can't swing the price of an American one, the Mexican strats are the next best. Among many others, I have a beautiful 93 Strat Plus Deluxe that I fit with 3 gold lace sensors. One of the best sounding Strats I've ever played.
While there's no doubting that the old Stratocasters hold their place in the heart of rock 'n' roll, blues and rockabilly, and are known for possessing a sound that enhances some genres of music far better than any other brand of guitar, I've always tended to lean more to the old Gibson Les Pauls (w/Marshall amplification)... Below is a youtube video covering many of the places throughout America I've been fortunate enough to play-- some of the halls truly are "classic", like the old Cain's Ballroom and the Diamond Ballroom in OK (very HAMB-esque places!), and there's also a trip to Sun Studios in Memphis, where the studio manager was kind enough to give us (Big Stick) a tour... "The Doc" (Celebrity Drag Racing Authority & Visionary)... Hope ya enjoy... <iframe width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xTFvqwC6E04" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Agreed. All I buy now a days are the japanese ones, when I can find 'em! They don't import new ones to the US anymore so the big auction site is the best way to find 'em. Never liked how the new US made Fenders played. The best US made Fender was a '78 Telecaster that I owned for a while. Then again, it was original '78, not a repop.
agreed... never said anything otherwise just mentioning he loved his strats, thats all but remember...he did more than just "play" that strat..and he did sing too
So is the general consensus that the So-cals are Korean? I sorta want a Gretch thunderbird, and Laney amp.
yup, socal is made in Korea and the high end Gretschs are made in japan low end made in korea low low end China.
Being a life long Strat player, it kind of makes me cringe to see something like this marketed as a "Stratocaster". To me, this kind of thing is about as lame as an OCC "Theme Bike".........
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