NGD - Fender Stratosonic

I don't ordinarily do NGD threads but I figured this one might be of interest. I just picked up a 2005 Stratosonic. I had been watching this one for a couple of months and it was recently relisted at a lower price. I made an offer a little lower than listed and after a bit of back and forth we struck a deal.

These often come with P-90s but I was really interested in the humbucker model. I also really liked the color (butterscotch yellow). Here are the specs I found online:

• Chambered Honduran Mahogany Body
• Maple Neck (Modern C-Shape)
• 24 3/4-inch Scale Length
• Rosewood Fretboard With 22 MJ Frets
• Dual DE-9000 Black Dove Humbuckers
• Master Volume & Tone Controls
• 3-Way Pickup Switching
• Fender Tech-Tonic Bridge
• 6-Saddle Locking Bridge (Low Profile)
• Fender/Schaller Straplocks
• Fender/Schaller Deluxe Tuners
• Chrome Hardware
• Five Tone Chambers

Not shown here is a volume push pot which splits the pickups.

I've only got a few hours on it so I'll reserve any real critique of the guitar until I've live with it for a while but thus far it's extremely comfortable to play and sounds very nice. I was most curious if I'd get on with the pickups and so far I do. They do cleans very well and seem to dirty up nicely. When split you get some volume drop but not too bad and while no one will confuse the split coils for true singles, it does a convincing enough job for my purposes. The chambered body is most prominent when playing unplugged and resonates similar to a semi-hollow guitar. I'll have to see how that translates when plugged in. I'll be taking it to band practice tomorrow and will have a better opinion but as of now I don't envision not loving this guitar.

Here are a few gripes which are more against the seller's lack of description than the guitar itself. The first thing that jumps out are the ultra sharp fret ends. I'm not sure if that's due to fret sprout or if the guitar left the factory that way but those will definitely need a filing. Not a huge deal. Second was the neck pickup. The two pickup height screws weren't threaded into the pickup so one side is just flopping about. Again, an easy fix but WTF??? Who ships a guitar like that. Lastly, the toggle is a little sticky and I've since ordered a replacement for $16.

Here are some pics:

 

Here's also a tune I did with it about 10 minutes after unpacking it. This is cleanish tone with the bridge humbucker (not split).

 

Cheers guys. No one has the collection doglet has!

 

Thanks Albala. Apart from the hiccups with the frets, pickup and switch, it's very clean with no real dings that I can see. I don't think the pics show it well but it's got a transparent finish so a good amount of grain shows through on the body.

 

Thanks Nun and Percy. Yes, visually it looks like any other Strat body but I can hear the chambers when I knock around the body. I can definitely hear it when played unplugged. It's got a vaguely hollow sound. Almost in resonator territory but not quite. It's a unique sound for me. Plugged in it seems to get a good rounded distortion and sounds good clean. Tomorrow at practice through my rig and a real amp will be the real test.

I don't think this particular model came with F holes but I can't say for sure. I know they did a Tele version too (Telesonic?)

 

Thanks Vindi and Sam. Check out the hole. I put a heavier tune up. So far I'm liking it but these are still all modelers. I can't wait to play through an amp at good volume.

 

Thanks @mshivy and @Ebidis

They were MIA and I think you're right that they were Fender attempting to move into Gibson territory. It's a shame they never caught on as they seem like very nice guitars.