USA strat, still a icon?

[RL21980]

Love my AO 50's tele. Lifetime keeper. Just sold my AVRI 62 strat last month. Couldn't get along with the neck profile.
I guess I'm am outlier in this conversation. The AVRI was a great guitar. Just not the one for me.

"Reverse Cork Sniffer" is the name of my new jazz fusion band. We bring the chords.

 

[SpeedKing]

The Stratocaster is a 69 year old and relatively simple (though undeniably genius) design.

If anyone here thinks that they can't be made anywhere else in the world to the same degree of quality as they are in the US then in my view that's pure jingoism.

The fact people might argue they are not has (once again in my view) more to do with the contractual obligations imposed on the licenses granted to those producing them outside the US than any actual deficiencies in materials or skills in those other places.

Strats are strats, some are good and some are not so good but not only is this distinction down to personal preferences it has nothing to do with where they are made.

 

[Pandamasque]

Yes and no. The quality gap between the benchmark guitars and more affordable models has never been smaller. When I started playing drums in bands in the late '90s, guitarists played things that must have been at best equal to today's entry-level Squiers. Not to mention that they weren't spoiled for choice. At one point a guy was playing blues rock on a borrowed superstrat type guitar into a crappy transistor amp... through a Boss Metal Zone because someone sold him one second hand at a good price, so it was better than no overdrive at all.

So, while the benchmarks are still where they used to be, it has become a lot easier to survive without them.

 

[Sparque]

 

[SeventySevenStrat]

I'd say 50s and 60s Stratocasters are iconic, after that, they're just another guitar, a good guitar but nothing special, these days there are better guitars for the money.

 

[Eddiebaby1]

I have an early build CS 50s Strat but my Am Pro II Strat seems pretty freaking iconic when folk see it. Colour, neck, playability all tick the boxes.
People like it.

 

[Wrighty]

Just wondering since this a Stratocaster focused site(I’m assuming) is a USA Stratocaster still a big milestone?

I remember when first starting out playing I had the cheaper guitars. Years later I finally started getting some cash coming in and knew it was a USA strat I’d be after. Is this still a thing?

I know there’s threads out there saying the $100 guitar can do it all but I ask why? Budget or is it just to prove a point? We’re all obviously into the fender Stratocaster or we wouldn’t have signed up here.

For me, it was always a MIA Strat and Tele that were my goal. Never changed.

 

[jvin248]

Just wondering ... is a USA Stratocaster still a big milestone?...

Some players chase headstock shapes and logos like every other product out there, Nike, Starbucks, Cadillac, and on and on

Festooned with corporate logos like lining up for the big race...

Some have the need to display the brands and others have the need to poke fun at those displaying the brands.

Generally, as people get older they care less and less about the brands and more about how the products perform.

Get a PLEK done on any $100 beater guitar and you can get Custom Shop playability out of it ... but you don't have that special little logo/headstock shape -- which matters to some.

.

 

[Wrighty]

What really annoys me is decent Clothing only available the brand advertised right across it. Superdry are a prime example.

 

[FrieAsABird]

What really annoys me is decent Clothing only available the brand advertised right across it. Superdry are a prime example. View attachment 560452

This is a trend I’ve never understood, but these Superdry ones really hit it out of the park… Plus, they are ridiculously expensive! A sweatshirt like that one is easily a 100 bucks….

 

[Intune]

Some players chase headstock shapes and logos like every other product out there, Nike, Starbucks, Cadillac, and on and on

Festooned with corporate logos like lining up for the big race...

Some have the need to display the brands and others have the need to poke fun at those displaying the brands.

Generally, as people get older they care less and less about the brands and more about how the products perform.

Get a PLEK done on any $100 beater guitar and you can get Custom Shop playability out of it ... but you don't have that special little logo/headstock shape -- which matters to some.

.

Yeah I hear you. That logo matters to lots actually. This is a site dedicated to the strat which is obviously made by fender. I get that a good set up beater can perform like a custom shop. This is what I’m hearing lots lately which made me wonder if it’s ok to still post about a actual fender strat without the cork sniffer stereotype.

 

[Mr Dunlop]

If it's fender I mainly buy used USA guitars.

 

[Ebidis]

Yeah I hear you. That logo matters to lots actually. This is a site dedicated to the strat which is obviously made by fender. I get that a good set up beater can perform like a custom shop. This is what I’m hearing lots lately which made me wonder if it’s ok to still post about a actual fender strat without the cork sniffer stereotype.

I own 3 guitars that say Fender on the headstock. I don't think that makes me a cork sniffer.

Besides, I have guitars that I like, that I bond with for one reason or another, and I seriously do not give a flip what anyone else thinks of my guitars. I'm the only one that has to like them.

 

[fos1]

I still have my first and only MIA 2020 Strat Ultra. It is to me what my parent's Cadillac was to them.

It has met all of my expectations.

 

[Intune]

I own 3 guitars that say Fender on the headstock. I don't think that makes me a cork sniffer.

Besides, I have guitars that I like, that I bond with for one reason or another, and I seriously do not give a flip what anyone else thinks of my guitars. I'm the only one that has to like them.

Yup, I love fenders and will continue to buy them like most other members on here. So when I hear the response that so and so guitars can do the same thing at a fraction of the price I want to give a big thumbs up.

 

[Ebidis]

Yup, I love fenders and will continue to buy them like most other members on here. So when I hear the response that so and so guitars can do the same thing at a fraction of the price I want to give a big thumbs up.

There are guitars that can do the same at a fraction of the price. Doesn't mean I'm gonna like 'em. There are also guitars that cost a lot more, and have arguably better quality. Doesn't mean I'm gonna like them either.

Everyone spends in their comfort zone. the trick is to find the best guitar you can in your comfort zone.

I can probably find a decent guitar for $200, but that's not my comfort zone. $2000 ain't my comfort zone either.

 

[Ronnie Fn D]

This is what I’m hearing lots lately which made me wonder if it’s ok to still post about a actual fender strat without the cork sniffer stereotype.

Probably not but who cares lol. I love Fenders, love my Gibson, and super love my Dean custom shop. If you want to work and save your money to buy what you want that's perfectly fine (that's what I do), if you want to spend $89 and argue looking for validation for your need to own 34 guitars under $100 that's perfectly fine too lol.

 

[Ebidis]

Probably not but who cares lol. I love Fenders, love my Gibson, and super love my Dean custom shop. If you want to work and save your money to buy what you want that's perfectly fine (that's what I do), if you want to spend $89 and argue looking for validation for your need to own 34 guitars under $100 that's perfectly fine too lol.

There is a reason that brands matter.

If I buy a guitar that says Fender, Squier, Gibson, or Epiphone on the headstock, I'm going to expect a certain consistent level of quality from those brands. Barring a few outliers, I'm usually going to get that consistent level of expected quality.

If I buy a guitar made with a non established brand, that is made in a mystery factory in China, and sold in bulk on Amazon, I don't know what the hell I'm gonna get.

I know a guy that has a Glarry "Strat". I have seen some really good reviews of Glarry on youtube. "Good for the money" is the usual conclusion. Anyway, I picked up this guys Glarry and checked it out. Felt like a cheap guitar. I was not at all impressed.

That is why brands matter.

 

[Ronnie Fn D]

"Good for the money"

When someone says that what I hear is that it sucks but I'm trying to defend my purchase lol.

 

[Lucius Paisley]

The last time I checked, Mexico is in America. But sure, be racist.