strat for x-mas update...

Ho...well, I had a little time to kill between students last nite at the store....I commenced pluggin' in and playin' every budget strat in the store....that I had time for that is....disappointing to say the least...'course I wasn't expectin to be made real happy....anyway, the budget strats and teles were mixed in with a bunch of cheap clone guitars....nestled way in the back on a stand... I happened to see the the name *alvarez* on a headstock....nice looking axe...not a strat shape exactly...but similar....I dug it out and took a closer look...kluson type tuners, wilkerson bridge, RW board on a maple neck..WITH a skunk stripe....vintage neck tint...I was beginning to get interested....took it back to the lesson room and plugged in....the neck on this thing took me all the way back to the 60s....simply outstanding!!.....vintage radius, rolled edges, Fender type vintage frets..... tremendous action...I could just as easily been playing an old strat or jag....as it turns out, the guitar was one of 3 models designed with the pro player in mind....a fairly recent failed attempt for Alvarez to enter the electric guitar market....this axe, the ASG2 was designed for strat players...it also features a solid alder body and alnico pickups...the owner of the store said time and again this guitar had been passed up for woefully inferior budget Fenders at about the same price point...a Fender axe with this kinda workmanship and appointments would cost hundreds of dollars more than any lower shelf Fender in the store....anyway, as a favor ( and to move the axe) it was offered at cost....true, it doesn't have Fender on the headstock.....but its a Fender at heart....quality is quality....and thats something thats hard for me to ignore.....especially *at cost*....later, spyder

Then that's what counts. I've never seen any of these before. Is the mid pup R/W R/P ?

That's all that really counts: Quality build, and you like it. Some of my favorite guitars over the years have had the "wrong" label on the headstock. I still miss some of them.

Ho..its gotta HB in the bridge...SC in the mid and neck positions....the HB is wired to split when the switch is in the *outta phase* position....sounds like a strat to me....and certainly plays like a vintage piece as well...BTW, the tuners are lockin' klusons...probably Gotohs......word is, Alvarez was bitterly disappointed the line didn't do better...they made sure to include the best of the best in both feel and appointments....if this particular guitar is any indication of how all of 'em were built....I'd say research and developement did their job...marketing musta fumbled the ball.....later, spyder

you got a good 'un. Must look out for them. Have fun, bet you get one for yourself too. :wink:

Ho...well, I went ahead and bought the axe...took a big chunk outta the Xmas club...but I reckon thats what its for.....anyway, I took it to one of my gigs to see how it would do....I only got to play it for an hour....the other guitarist in the group wanted to try it on right off the bat....couldn't hardly get the thing back 'till the end of the evening....as expected it played wonderfully....stayed in tune and everything...pity I ain't a strat fan...I could make some money with the thing....Sun. I removed the neck and taped the frets off....leveled them off a hair....didn't take a bunch...just enough to flatten the crown....recrowned and beveled, restrung with Elixer 9s....smooth as silk action....truely a pro instrument....this axe will last my daughter a lifetime....unless of course shes got horse-trader tendencies like her dad...that remains to be seen....later, spyder