Help me with a choice between two strats

[Gr8tfulEd]

Howdy all. I was sitting around, minding my own b'niss, when this guitar bug came and bit me in the keester. Now I have to make a choice.
I have a line on a new Thin-skin '54 strat ($1,500) or a new '06 Custom Shop Closet Classic '60 strat (maple board, two-color burst)($2,999ish). I can only get one. I grant there is a big difference in the price, but there are also significant differences in the axe. The thin-skin is from the same herd as the Wildwood guitars, so it has non-54 specs (bigger frets, moved string tree, etc). The '60 strat more or less speaks for itself. I'm not a big fan of the whole "relic" thing, but whoever did this did it JUST right. Real, real subtle: soft swirly polish marks in the nitro finish and very slightly oxidized tuners. That's about it. It's also worth pointing out that I talked to Fender today, and I guess they discontinued the Closet Classic finish in '08. This particular example was built in '06.

I'm torn between the two, but leaning for the '60. But I'd love to hear any thoughts or opinions you might have.

Thanks!

[Old Cane]

Boy, that's the question, huh? One is double the cost of the other. Are you getting your hands on either or is long distance? I guess whichever one you like better. I think you'd love either.

[Del Pickup]

I'd go for the Thin Skin myself. Apparently they're great guitars with a good mix of vintage and popular modern mods.

If you're not a fan of the relic idea then at least any bumps and dings on the Thin Skin will be of your own making rather than done in a factory.

And you've saved yourself a pile of cash that can go towards another goodie!

[Rabog]

CS, IMO, no contest....great, great guitars. Closet Classic being discontinued may even make it more collectable in the future???

But hey, either way a pair of nice guitars.....buy both!

[Guinness]

I've got two thin-skins (54 Strat & 52 Tele) and really enjoy both. I wonder if they are custom shop guitars without the CS logo...?

Check out Music Machine in WA state. I got my '54 from them in March for about $1300.

I've played some of the CS strats, and they are very nice too. For the money, I'd go with the thin-skin, mainly due to the difference in price. If money is no problem, you really cant go wrong with either.

Good luck!

~Randy

[Gr8tfulEd]

Thanks folks.
I pulled the trigger and put the CS on layaway until I can thin the herd a little. I respect the opinions about the thin-skins. In fact, I was noodling on my thin-skin '52 Tele when the bug hit. But I went and played the CS again, and it just sort of leapt into my hands and wouldn't come out. Real soft-touch guitar, almost like it was playing me. So, I nabbed it. I'll toss some photos out when I get them.

[sa paine]

I say , play them both and decide. But I have to say, there is just something about a CS Strat........(Says me anyway)

[Hiker]

And the winner is....CS, oh yeah!

[BritishBluesBoy]

For that money I'd go with a USACG body and neck - have them finish them in nitro to your spces and then build it up with Callaham hardware and a set of Lindy Fralin Vintage Hot pickups and you're good to go. Oh, and for a lot less than three grand too.

Sorry, not what you asked at all. Just what I'd do in your position.

[Gr8tfulEd]

Originally Posted by BritishBluesBoy

For that money I'd go with a USACG body and neck - have them finish them in nitro to your spces and then build it up with Callaham hardware and a set of Lindy Fralin Vintage Hot pickups and you're good to go. Oh, and for a lot less than three grand too.

Sorry, not what you asked at all. Just what I'd do in your position.

No no. That's cool. I wanted opinions. Sounds like that would be one heck of a players guitar too. For that kind of coin there are lots of great options. But, I'm must confess I'm a narrow minded Fender Fan Boy. Lots of guitars look like a Strat, and probably a fair number play better than a Strat too. But, and again this is only my humble, narrow-minded opinion and not meant to spark The Debate: if it don't say Fender, it ain't a Stratocaster (to me.) And I wanted a vintage style strat with a nitro finish. Peace!

[Gr8tfulEd]

Hey all, I promised some pictures when I got a chance: so here you go.
BTW, come to find out this is an interesting animal: built in 2006, this guitar was designed or requested by Portland Music Company as an example of what Team Built dealers could offer. Essentially, it is a combination of the '56 Strat and the '60's strat: It has the 10/56 neck with a maple finger board (there is no skunk stripe) and the two-tone burst of the '56; it has the 3-ply pickguard and CS 60's pups. The body is two-piece alder. Can't wait to bring this girl home!

[Paulie13]

Gorgeous. I really how subtle the "aging" is. I love weather checking.

[Del Pickup]

Looks like you got yourself a good 'un.

[Gr8tfulEd]

Thanks folks. I appreciate it. Yeah, she's a predy one. I had to stand back while taking the pictures for fear my drool might react with the nitro finish.

[sa paine]

VERY, VERY NICE !! Have you played it yet ?

[Gr8tfulEd]

Originally Posted by sa paine

VERY, VERY NICE !! Have you played it yet ?

Oohhhh Yeahhh. In fact, it's kind of funny. The first time I saw it, a couple of weeks ago, my sales guy tried to hand it to me to try on for size. I said, No no. I knew what would happen. But as mentioned at the top of the thread, the bug bit anyway after playing my thin-skin tele. So I went back to the store over the weekend (when he wasn't there ) and noodled a bit to see if it sounded as good as it looked and felt right. Yep. Dang! But I was still toying with the thin-skin choice. But by Tuesday I found myself hoping it hadn't been sold yet. So I went back. After noodling again for about 3 minutes, I knew. But, you know, just to make it interesting I heemed and hawwed and tried it through several different amps. I've bought a lot of guitars from this fella, and I didn't want to make it too easy. Finally, I pulled the trigger. Come to find out that he'd been holding it behind the counter (out of sight and off the floor) ever since he first showed it to me. I guess my eyes must have popped out of my head because he said he knew right then I was going to be the one to buy it!

[Mark Davis]

Thats a nice Strat enjoy!

[irishtele]

I love the aging on that strat!!
Not too much but not too little!!

[Zmatko]

Originally Posted by Gr8tfulEd

Come to find out that he'd been holding it behind the counter (out of sight and off the floor) ever since he first showed it to me. I guess my eyes must have popped out of my head because he said he knew right then I was going to be the one to buy it!

that's a beautiful axe, congrats!

[otterhound]

Beautiful . Work on that Poker face .