What is the best modern stratocaster you have ever played?

An early 60's Relic w/ a BIG neck.

Second place would be a late 80's/early 90's MIJ '54 reissue w/ an even BIGGER neck.

 

CIJ '62 reissue from the mid 2000's..came new with Texas Specials and US steel block bridge/ trem assy- very similar in feel and sound to my friend's original '62 Strat. Also had a early 90's Strat Plus with the roller bridge and three different Lace Sensors- probably the best sounding Strat I've heard by a country mile.

 

I bought this on for my son on his 13 birthday a couple of years ago. Great player good sounding Strat. He won't let anyone touch it these days.


MIM Deluxe Strat

 

This is an easy one...

My '84 Squier 70's RI, bone stock. I bought it the same day I bought my AC15. I don't plan on ever getting rid of either.

 

g&l legacy and the AV '62 hot rod from a few years ago. not sure if fender still makes those

 

Wow, you read my mind. This is exactly what I was going to write. I had a few Strat Pluses back when you could buy them used in the $6-700 range (strangely each one happened to be an E4). I would love to get another, but they seem to be creeping up closer to $1000 these days for a decent one and that's just too much for me.

I'm currently playing a Legacy and I love it. The only Fenders I've played that compare to it are those old Strat Pluses.

 

I'd have to vote for my CS Clapton strat with the vintage noiseless pups rather than Lace Sensors. Sounds and feels beautiful - and so versatile.

A close second though would be my recently purchased Road Worn Player strat with Texas Specials. It really is a great guitar - and at a very affordable price. It's really light and resonant. I wasn't convinced about the TS pups at first but they work really well in this guitar.

 

Eric Johnson strat, period. It cost way more money than I could ever imagine spending for a bolt neck guitar, but I bought mine anyway.

Every last detail has been thought out really well and virtually every one of these design choices coincides with my preference.

George

 

This butt ugly '80's MIJ Squier. It's light, has a dream neck and rings like a bell. I have changed the PU's for D. Allens; but the originals were fine.

 

I usually head straight for the Tele section at my music store but I played a Rory Gallagher Strat through a 57 Tweed Twin reissue and it was stunning. The John Cruz pickups are a lot of the magic but the guitar is so freakin' resonant it's crazy. The aging on it makes it as comfortable as an old shoe. I notice they seem to hold their resale value really well, too.

 

For me it's got to be my Am. Deluxe HSS Strat. Very versatile guitar.

 

Generally I am not a prude when it comes to equipment, but my main guitar, a 1990 American Strat Plus with the Clapton Mid Boost circuit added to it, is the hands down winner. I have had it since new and quite frankly have yet to find another guitar I like playing more. I have changed the gold lace sensors over the years to several different colors, but keep coming back to the three gold, it is the winning setup.

The others I own, including the Tele all have purposes that they work best for, but if I am playing out and can only take one guitar it is the Strat.

-Harry

 

My brother's strat. Played it while I was in Fla. visiting. American, don't know if it's a standard, Deluxe or what, but U.S. made. 2011, I think. Two tone sunburst, alder body, maple neck. Really sleek, very comfortable, and a great neck.

 

Best strat in the lineup in my opinion.

 

I have a black Clapton strat with the gold lace sensors - and it does sound very good! But the best strat I've played without any on-board trickery is my bro's John Cruz masterbuilt - that thing is just fantastic, sounds exactly how a strat should, to my ears at least.

 

Hmm...have had a sea of strats in my life...
Got a CS JB strat now....gotta be one the most comfy and feel right at home guitar I ever had played.

 

A lot of good advice here. However, if you want to venture into non-Fender territory, look at Danocaster (guy does amazing vintage recreations), Suhr Classic, Lentz, Grosh, Fano, and many more. Nash does well made ones as well, but many people don't like his relic work.

 

i look at Strats as sort of a "blank slate" if you will, so i'm not particular to one specific model because i can always swap parts around (which is why i love Fenders in the first place!)

but if i had to pick one, it would be the Jimmy Vaughan sig Strat: that soft V neck is my absolute favorite neck of all time. combined with the Tex-Mex pups, it's got both the sound and feel of what i picture in my head as a "perfect" classic Strat. i still regret selling mine several years ago, and one of these days i need to get another one.

 

EC!


but the trad frets are TOO SMALL for me

 

Classic Player '60s Strat

Saw one in a shop, just thought I'd have a play. Had the exact Strat tone I'd had in my head for years. 30mins later I owned it...! I had no intention of buying a guitar that day, but lightening struck!