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Post by freddieg on Sept 11, 2018 19:42:07 GMT -7
OK Z Friends, I took the plunge, after playing many non-trem guitars for the last ~ 15 years, I finally broke down and bought a new Fender American Special Strat. I got the Sweetwater special run with a light weight 7lb ash body. The neck is burnt maple, which I was not familiar with, but it feels extra smooth out of the box. Feels worn in already, very nice. And I am a big fan of the jumbo frets and 1.6875" nut width on the American Specials. www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratASRMSAB--fender-american-special-stratocaster-sweetwater-exclusive-sapphire-blue-roasted-maple-neck-and-fingerboardOverall I am very happy with this purchase. The not so good: 1). It has a trem, LOL. I will block it soon enough. 2). The Texas Specials have the B string magnet actually recessed inside the pickup and the G and D magnets like 1/8" above the top surface of the pickup. I realize it is supposed to be a vintage stagger thing - or to add midrange zing, but - the setup wont be right until the magnets follow the fretboard radius ? Or it seems to me. It just makes me scratch my head. 3). The world's worst gig bag period. It has almost no padding. I have a Reunion Blues gig bag that I use on the rare occasions when i actulally have a gig- but also I have a used PRS SE guitar, and the PRS "low end" gig bag is far better quality. But those are pretty minor complaints, I bought it for the neck, the jumbo frets, the ash wood, and the fact that it is made in USA. I look forward to cranking it thru my Ghia this weekend. Thanks, Gray
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Post by mudman on Sept 11, 2018 19:48:09 GMT -7
Beautiful! Magnet height doesn’t need to follow the fretboard. Just look at nocaster tele pickups. All flat and all good.
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Post by ss "Shane" on Sept 11, 2018 22:11:38 GMT -7
I’m a big American Special fan. I bought two AS Teles and one AS strat. I believe that for a long time the American Specials have been the best thing going for fender. And yes, I agree with the necks being nice. For anybody who cares, my AS Tele necks measure .840...both of them. This shows consistency which I like. I’d like to try the baked maple neck mentioned in the OP.
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Post by freddieg on Sept 12, 2018 16:24:04 GMT -7
Shane, I also have a American Special Tele, I bought it used a few years ago, but it is a great guitar as well.
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Post by BritInvasion on Sept 13, 2018 3:58:12 GMT -7
Congrats , looks really cool!
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Post by Russell B on Sept 13, 2018 4:24:07 GMT -7
Looks very nice. I wouldn't worry about the pickup magnets. I don't use a tremolo either.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Sept 13, 2018 6:00:44 GMT -7
I very rarely, almost never, use a tremolo. But on a Strat I think the guitar sounds better with the bridge floating rather than locked down. The strings are slinkier too. Of course, then there's the downside of the whole thing going wonkers when you break a string and all the remaining strings are out of tune. I'd adjust those pickups to where they sound the best and not worry about the stagger either.
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Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Sept 13, 2018 6:35:37 GMT -7
A few comments on the subject, if I may:
1. That guitar looks sweet. You know what might be even sweeter, though? Swap those pickup covers and vol/tone knobs out for white, but keep the black pickguard. Think about it... maybe do a little photoshop on the pictures... That exact blue/black/white color layout has been an obsession of mine for a while. Now you got me wanting to buy that same guitar!
2. Don't pay much attention to the pickup heights, necessarily. I mean, DO pay attention to a good set-up to ensure good string-to-string balance, but don't think that the magnets have to be exactly matching the fretboard radius. I mean, does every string have the same diameter or tension? No. Each string--due to both its mass AND string tension--will respond differently in a given magnetic field. So, I'd say just let it be unless you feel it's not responding in a balanced or musical way.
3. I hardly ever use my tremolo bridge, either. BUT... the way the floating-fulcrum tremolo works on a Strat--and by that I mean how the guitar responds to hard or soft picking, bends, etc.--is critical to the very essence of how a Strat sounds and plays "like a Strat." If it's set-up properly and you observe good practices during restringing & everyday tuning, then it'll be fine. (Heck, my Les Paul gives me WAY more tuning-instability issues than my Strat.)
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