Best Years for Strats - 70s and beyond

[johnnyc]

in the market for a strat, what years do people like/dislike??

[Dervish Riff]

I'd stay away from 1974-84 unless you get a helluva deal, I wouldn't consider spending the going rate on these, the majority of them are pretty bad. I had a '74, and changed out everything but the body, neck, and pickguard. I've also worked on quite a few of them that were just as bad or worse.

Once Fender got back on it's feet and started the US production back up, you have a lot better chance of getting a decent instrument.

[johnnyc]

Originally Posted by Dervish Riff

I'd stay away from 1974-84

this is what i've been hearing, thanks for the input. some of the newer custom shops are nice but unsure i wanna spend $2k+

[Dervish Riff]

I guess it comes down to how nice a guitar you want--at this point, if I wanted a really fancy Strat, I'd probably get out the Warmoth catalog and go nuts.

As it is, my ProTone and Peavey Predator with mods are fine with me, plus I don't worry about them too much if I take them out.

[ButchP]

I feel like I'm Fender bashing but.......I say you have about the same chance of getting a gtr that works well(no major flaws) with almost any other brand for about $200 less(Yamaha Pacifica,,, Peavy etc)When it comes to custom shop just about anyone above 2k has got Fender beat IMO.At this stage of the game it's strictly branding.

BP

[Max3000]

Originally Posted by Dervish Riff

I'd stay away from 1974-84

I'd say stay away from 1972 to 1980.

I've got an '83 and the neck is amazing. I found the 70's necks to be too thin for me and I hate the large palatte headstocks.

If you can find an '83 onwards I'd say go for it. But my favourites are from early 1990's. Great, great guitars.

[Jay Dee]

There were some nice Japanese Strats made in the early 80's.

[Ron Vogel]

Fender really came on strong to improve it's image in the early to mid '90's. I have a 94 tele, and had a 95 blues deville, both were just great. The newer devilles seem chepish to me, and many of their new guitars just don't seem to have the quality.

[Musiclab]

anytime you see that bullet truss rod hanging out the top of the headstock, I'd avoid it.
With Gibsons when you see that valutte on the back of the head stock=NG

[kafka]

I picked up an EJ Strat, which is the first Strat I've owned in close to 20 years. I'm not a Strat connoisseur, but the difficulty in selecting and setting one up well is maybe the main thing that kept me away for so long. Plus, if you've played enough really fine pre-CBS Strats, it's sometimes a little hard to settle for some of the other stuff Fender has put out.

I like the EJ well enough. I think it was a good value for the $1400 or so I paid for it new. However, I'm not sure I'd jump so fast at the latest updated prices. That said, I do consider the EJ refinements to be significant and positive. Of the 5 or 6 I've played, they were all very consistent in quality and feel. I think I can say I categorically like it better than any 3 bolt Strat I've ever touched, and anything made in the 80's.

[FFTT]

'93 was a very strong year for Fender and still somewhat reasonable

[Beyersound]

Originally Posted by Jay Dee

There were some nice Japanese Strats made in the early 80's.

+1 They were nice through the end of the 80s, arguably some of Fenders best. I have an 89 or 90' Japanese 62' reissue that is outstanding, got it for a few hundred dollars. One of the best purchases I ever made. Amazing neck, even good and fairly warm stock pickups. I have played many vintage pre-CBS Strats, these are right there with them.

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by Beyersound

+1 They were nice through the end of the 80s, arguably some of Fenders best. I have an 89 or 90' Japanese 62' reissue that is outstanding, got it for a few hundred dollars. One of the best purchases I ever made. Amazing neck, even good and fairly warm stock pickups. I have played many vintage pre-CBS Strats, these are right there with them.

+1.

After the sad event of my late-60ies Tele being stolen I got a Japanese Tele that way my first ever e-bay purchase. It's my main guitar now and it would take a very serious Tele (probably a 50ies original) to make me want to change.

I like the fact that my Japanese Tele is pretty light. I changed the mediocre stock pickups to Seymour Duncan Antiquities and also Antiquity Brass saddles, that made a real difference. I advise you also to experiment with the volume pot values, that can make a big difference as well.

[Beyersound]

Originally Posted by doorknocker

+1.

After the sad event of my late-60ies Tele being stolen I got a Japanese Tele that way my first ever e-bay purchase. It's my main guitar now and it would take a very serious Tele (probably a 50ies original) to make me want to change.

I like the fact that my Japanese Tele is pretty light. I changed the mediocre stock pickups to Seymout Duncan Antiquities and also Antiquity Brass saddles, that made a real difference. I advise you also to experiment with the volume pot values, that can make a big difference as well.

Very nice, I put Antiquities in mine as well. They are my favorite for the sound I am going for. I have also played tons of Strats and Teles all the way back to the 50s, and I hear that sound in the Antiquities.

[Football]

I have a 1974 Strat. Love it. Neck hasn't needed an adjustment in over ten years and it's seen extreme cold and heat in that time period.

My friend has an American Standard, had a setup by a great luthier, one year later the neck is a mess.

Doesn't mean I'm saying all 74's are great (I only have experience with mine) nor am I saying that all new American Standards have shit necks. However, it does seem pretty lame that his neck went to so far out of whack in such a short time. Doesn't give me a ton of confidence in what Fender is doing when a $1,300 guitar does that so quick.

[johnnyc]

yeah never cared much for the american standard ones

[huarez]

Originally Posted by Dervish Riff

I'd stay away from 1974-84 unless you get a helluva deal, I wouldn't consider spending the going rate on these, the majority of them are pretty bad. I had a '74, and changed out everything but the body, neck, and pickguard. I've also worked on quite a few of them that were just as bad or worse.

Once Fender got back on it's feet and started the US production back up, you have a lot better chance of getting a decent instrument.

I´ve a 74 and it´s excellent. It changes somewhere in 74 , when they stopped using the staggered PU´s.

[Chris Lago]

I have a Japanese Fender made in 87, HSS, no pickguard, all black. Locking floyd tremolo, alnico humbuckers

It's as old as me!

[robertshaw]

Originally Posted by johnnyc

in the market for a strat, what years do people like/dislike??

I like the 3 bolt neck era. 76? 77?
very nice

[drbob1]

I've owned a crateload of fenders from the late 50s to the early 00s. First off, why are you asking from 72 on? A refinned, beat, late 60s strat or tele with changed electronics is going to set you back a couple of grand, same as a really nice 72, and it's likely going to be a better guitar. Moving on, some of the specialty teles from the early 70s were killer guitars: especially the ones with the Seth Lover designed humbuckers. You can't get a 4 bolt Thinline tele with buckers for example, but my 73 and my 73 Tele Deluxe (2 buckers, 4 knobs) are great sounding and playing guitars and NOT too heavy. You should play before you buy, though because there are some 13# dogs with bad necks.

Moving on, the early 80s saw one year with no American production then the short restart in the old factory before the move to the current one. Those 82 "reissues" sound great and are pretty pricey. The Japanese Fenders thru the 80s are well worth looking at: mostly great workmanship.

I've enjoyed most American Standards I've owned, but not enough to keep them. The "artist" guitars from the 80s-00s are the best deals going I think. A used SRV or EJ strat is as good as any 70s guitar and many 60s guitars with killer necks, great electronics and fretwork and decent cosmetics. The only reason I don't still own my SRV is I fell in love with a 64.

Hope that helps a little? Remember, too, a stable, lightweight Fender that sounds good unplugged can be upgraded with decent electronics to sound killer!

[Igotsoul4u]

I think it a little bit more personal then finding a specific era strat. I had an amazing custom shop strat but got rid of it after a chance playing of an off the rack mid 90's US strat. For some reason this random strat felt and sounded amazing to me and the weight was spot on for my tastes. I pulled out the pickups and tremolo and I have my Cinderella guitar. I have found trumpets are the same way. When you find the right one, you know.

[johnnyc]

Originally Posted by drbob1

First off, why are you asking from 72 on? A refinned, beat, late 60s strat or tele with changed electronics is going to set you back a couple of grand, same as a really nice 72, and it's likely going to be a better guitar

More of a price thing, figured the 60s ones would be too expensive. I played a peekamoose strat style a while back, easily one of the best guitars i've played but they are like $4k+

[b0ssa]

You can still pick up plenty of revival series Fernandes Strats that are 70's - 80's and are probably way better than the Fenders of the time. My 50th Anniversary Strat is nice but I just can't see it as the real deal for some reason. It's too light and the neck is too thin.
I've got a Fernandes "Super Grade" Les Paul however, which craps on 90% of the Gibsons that aren't Custom Shop. My '57 Gold Top VOS is another story though; that is probably the best guitar I have ever owned, better than my 72 Gold Top easily.

I'd say that if you are after a decent guitar to gig then just grab a 20 yo Fernandes Revival Strat off ebay and add some custom pickups. I can't see many new *name brand* guitars being an investment like a '59 LP Standard in the future anyway.

[at4033]

My '83 Strat Elite is hands down one of the best playing Strats I've ever laid hands on. Everyone that plays it (especially) loves the neck. AFAIK, no current production Strat has a neck like it. The top-loaded strings add to the low string tension and ease of playing.

I have asked Fender which current production model most closely approximates the '83-'84 Elite necks and have never gotten an answer. Thanks Fender. I love it so much I've even asked Fender how to contact the Custom Shop and explore the idea of having a new one built to my exacts specs. No one at Fender has ever responded to that question, either.

[Bubbakron]

Get a 69' re issue body/custom shop texas specials pick-ups/fossilized mammoth ivory bone nut/wilkonsin bridge/and vintage tuners off eaby. THEN go to Warmoth Custom Guitar Parts - Custom bass and guitar bodies, necks, pickups, pickguards and hardware and custom order a pre-cbs neck(mines the wenge w pao ferra fret board-jumbo frets- the stevie ray vaughn slant). Take to local hot rod guitar shop and you have the baddest Axe in the planet!!!!

[gregl]

Been playing since the early 70's, have a 69/70 "mutt" since about 75, played lots of Strats. A lot of the 70's ones are not so hot (in fact I'd have to say most are not so hot), but I've played a couple that were excellent (playing and sounding).

Actually I just picked up a "Classic Vibe " Squire that just kills every Strat I've tried lately. A friend of mine (who is very discerning about gear) has another one that is also killer. Not all examples of these are great but at $350 it might be a good idea to go looking. There are also some very nice Fernandes (as mentioned previously) and Burns has/had a killer Strat look alike for a while.

I really think that if you are at a price point, don't rule out anything and keep looking until you find the magic one.

[souldeep]

Originally Posted by Dervish Riff

I'd stay away from 1974-84 unless you get a helluva deal, I wouldn't consider spending the going rate on these, the majority of them are pretty bad. I had a '74, and changed out everything but the body, neck, and pickguard. I've also worked on quite a few of them that were just as bad or worse.

Really? Wow...it's different here. I have '74 , '82 t and '68 strat. For my taste, the 74 hardtail strat and 82 dan smith Dan smith gold hardware beat up my older 68 strat, soundwise.

[Scott Whigham]

I might be a little late to the party but I was surprised no one mentioned the '57 reissue/Eric Johnson strats. I love mine - for the price, it's a friggin monster.

[Dervish Riff]

I also had one of the Tele Deluxe guitars, it was much better made than the Strats. In fact, all I did to it was put a .001 cap on the bridge volume pot so I'd have a pseudo coil tap--it worked pretty well.

Unfortunately that guitar got burned up in a fire. I was lucky to get some insurance money for it, but couldn't find another one.

[patshep]

i find the g&l legacy and asat guitars are really well made, sound great and are cheaper used