NGD - It's a Stratty EVH blackburst thing!

Mr Swisher

Tele-Meister
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Posts
291
Age
50
Location
Englan
I Love a Strat', I have a nice Players that I have upgraded, and have previously owned some full vintage spec' SSS Custom Shops. But they didn't stay because my rock leanings always lead me to wanting more in the bridge.

I'm a rock guy mainly, but anything from indie pop/rock, The Smiths, Stone roses etc, through The Police and into classic rock, prog and up to mainstream metal. So that's what lead me here. I wasn't looking, I just had GAS.

So here we have a 2022 CS '61 HSS Strat' in Heavy Relic Black over Sunburst.

I love the sound, it still has the position 2 and 4 lovelyness and sparkly Strat' cleans, it does those clean Andy Summers tones, runs through Gilmour and the EVH Bridge humbucker...wow that nails all the rock/metal tones I could ever want.

The neck is fantastic, super fast and smooth, perfect fretwork and rolled edges. Effortless. 12" 'board. The feel of the whole guitar is just really great.

It's not the best relic job i've seen, it didn't need the sunburst IMO. For the money it cost that should be better. The sunburst up close looks average. The lacquer checking is very subtle and looks really good though. I think a tort' pickguard maybe called for and some vintage cream covers and control knobs. Just to soften the look. We'll see. As with all relics, no qualms about playing it hard from the off.

The guitar arrived dirty, covered in other people's grime, the strings were rusty, action stupidly high and the driest fingerboard ever. That really annoys me on a brand new guitar. I'd rather the shop kept it a day longer and sent me a clean, set up instrument. That's unacceptable on a cheap guitar let alone this (very not cheap) guitar.

I spent an hour setting it up this afternoon, needed the truss rod, action and pick up height all tweaking. Its much better now...and clean of other people's dirt 🤣

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Blackmore Fan

Friend of Leo's
Joined
Nov 22, 2013
Posts
2,560
Location
USA
I Love a Strat', I have a nice Players that I have upgraded, and have previously owned some full vintage spec' SSS Custom Shops. But they didn't stay because my rock leanings always lead me to wanting more in the bridge.

I'm a rock guy mainly, but anything from indie pop/rock, The Smiths, Stone roses etc, through The Police and into classic rock, prog and up to mainstream metal. So that's what lead me here. I wasn't looking, I just had GAS.

So here we have a 2022 CS '61 HSS Strat' in Heavy Relic Black over Sunburst.

I love the sound, it still has the position 2 and 4 lovelyness and sparkly Strat' cleans, it does those clean Andy Summers tones, runs through Gilmour and the EVH Bridge humbucker...wow that nails all the rock/metal tones I could ever want.

The neck is fantastic, super fast and smooth, perfect fretwork and rolled edges. Effortless. 12" 'board. The feel of the whole guitar is just really great.

It's not the best relic job i've seen, it didn't need the sunburst IMO. For the money it cost that should be better. The sunburst up close looks average. The lacquer checking is very subtle and looks really good though. I think a tort' pickguard maybe called for and some vintage cream covers and control knobs. Just to soften the look. We'll see. As with all relics, no qualms about playing it hard from the off.

The guitar arrived dirty, covered in other people's grime, the strings were rusty, action stupidly high and the driest fingerboard ever. That really annoys me on a brand new guitar. I'd rather the shop kept it a day longer and sent me a clean, set up instrument. That's unacceptable on a cheap guitar let alone this (very not cheap) guitar.

I spent an hour setting it up this afternoon, needed the truss rod, action and pick up height all tweaking. Its much better now...and clean of other people's dirt 🤣

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What a beautiful Strat! I think it would look "classic" with a mint pickguard.
 

giogolf

Tele-Holic
Joined
Jan 15, 2008
Posts
575
Location
Crab Country!

giogolf

Tele-Holic
Joined
Jan 15, 2008
Posts
575
Location
Crab Country!
What I wonder is, how do you get around the Pot choices (250k vs 500K) in a HSS strat.. Do you just end up with a brighter Bridge and use the tone control a lot more?
 

Mr Swisher

Tele-Meister
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Posts
291
Age
50
Location
Englan
What I wonder is, how do you get around the Pot choices (250k vs 500K) in a HSS strat.. Do you just end up with a brighter Bridge and use the tone control a lot more?

Yes the tone controls are a must. I have always been someone who uses tone controls on guitars and amps a lot so it's fine. I've managed to find a nice blend for position two and ride the bridge tone depending on just how much I want to cut through

The tort guard was nice, but the black is way cooler!

Too bad that 'bucker has one white bobbin though...

Yes I am really liking the black, and I don't mind the black bobbin. Theirs always a third, Gilmouresque option...

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