Calling all strat experts!!!

JVsearch said:

youami said:

...I dream of one day being able to get to Tokyo with some cash in my pocket. My wife also dreams of it, it's called a nightmare .

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This!

I also think the Duncans look great - 40 to 50k yen gets you the 90/100 model Strats, and 60 to 70k is where the flash ones start. They're made by ESP. I nearly had a DS-200, it just didn't work out in the end.

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This is SWEET!!! I e-mailed the shop, and to my surprise, they were very quick to get back to me, in English, to tell me that they can't ship abroad because they have never done it before. :roll:

I e-mailed back to see if they'd ship to my hotel room in Tokyo if I make a short trip. Still waiting for a reply.

As far as Van Zandts, I almost picked one up on my last trip but decided at the time it was too much money and more guitar than I needed for my skill level at that time. In hindsight, with the yen the way it was then, I should have bought two! This trip is going to be much more expensive!

Jason

Well, it's been a few days so I don't think I'm going to get a reply about the Seymour Duncan. Too bad too, since this is a definite contender in my search for a nice strat! Anyone have any suggestions on how I might procure this?

On a side note, I've been looking hard at a late '90s Fender Japan ST-54 with upgraded custom shop electronics. Price seems good and it's got amazing graining to the body.

So many choices... :-? especially considering I'm going to Tokyo for a few days at the end of this month. Part of me wants to just buy the Fender and be done with it (until I find more that I want and buy more there), and part of me wants to just wait until I get there and see what I can find. But, I'm going with the family so I can't be guitar slumming the entire time. :wink:

Jason

Big Willie Style said:

Well, it's been a few days so I don't think I'm going to get a reply about the Seymour Duncan. Too bad too, since this is a definite contender in my search for a nice strat! Anyone have any suggestions on how I might procure this?

On a side note, I've been looking hard at a late '90s Fender Japan ST-54 with upgraded custom shop electronics. Price seems good and it's got amazing graining to the body.

So many choices... :-? especially considering I'm going to Tokyo for a few days at the end of this month. Part of me wants to just buy the Fender and be done with it (until I find more that I want and buy more there), and part of me wants to just wait until I get there and see what I can find. But, I'm going with the family so I can't be guitar slumming the entire time. :wink:

Jason

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Jason, I will PM you on a 1991 Fender Japan ST54-128 Custom Edition/ExTrad; 2 pc./center seam large grained ash body, all original, minty clean, with docuementation/warranty card, and minty Fender black Tolex hard case 8) :wink:

maybe that would be your cup - o - tea :-? .............

You could buy the Duncan through Rinkya. I would personally wait until you get over there and see what's around.

Sounds good Rich. Send away...

Jason

What about this one?

http://www.digimart.net/inst_detail.do?instrument_id=DS00825765

Just popped up on Digimart. Looks minty fresh, though it's probably mid-90s being a 185.

I would look at these options:

1) A used Bacchus handmade strat (used cause the new ones are over $1000)
2) Mid-90s MIJ reissue strats (I think they only made them for a couple of years). Like say a 1995 MIJ 1964 reissue. Put some great pickups in these and you can literally have something that can hold it's own against a custom shop strat!
3) Used MIJ Richie Kotzen strat - if you can find one of the red ones... WOW those are beautiful!
4) Used Mayer strat w/ the Big Dipper pups
5) Used Jeff Beck Strat - either the ealy ones w/ Lace Sensors, or one of the current ones, but they are all pricey so you'd have better luck finding one of the original series under $1000

Now, after these there are a bunch of other that would require some work. So if it were me I would look at the following but expect to spend around $200 for replacement pups and electronics, and $125 on a callaham bridge, or at least ~$40 on a replacement steel trem block:
1) Road Worn strat - but from what I have read, do not order them online. Go into a store and play one. People seem tho think that they are either awesome or just OK, and thats people who tried out like 5 before they found one that they really liked and took home.
2) Squier Classic Vibe 50s or 60s strat - search Youtube. There is a vid of a guy comparing the CV 50s and CV 60s vs the $1500 John Mayer. THis is actually what I am going to do. I'm gonna get the white 50s and put a callaham bridge in it, and replace the pickups with either Don Mares, Kleins, or Suhrs.
3) You can probably get a finished Strat body and matching neck off of Warmoth.com's showcase for around $500-$600. Then spend about $400 in parts and have something that will kill a made in the USA strat!

Nice thoughts Brain, thx!

Jason

Anyone ever hear of/have experience with a Bacchus BST-118? There's one on Yahoo Japan right now that looks KILLER. I'm soooo tempted to snatch it up, but resisting (barely :lol: ) buying anythig until I actually go to Tokyo.

Jason

Well, I tried to resist but I just could bear it any longer. It felt like I was in some bad sci-fi movie with a big-*** green alien yelling at me, "Resistance is futile! Resistance is futile!" :lol:

Anyways, waiting for her to arrive at Rinkya to send to my hotel. Here are a few teasers:









So the strat hunt is over (unless I see a deal too sweet to pass up :lol: )

Now comes the dangerous part - going 'browsing' in a place with so much temptation and no clear objective in mind! Edwards JP? Always wanted one! Junior DC? same! P90 equipped guitar? Well, I think you all know where this is going.

Stay tuned for "It Could Get Loud: Part 2", starring my wife!!! :wink: :lol:

Jason

Big Willie Style said:

Stay tuned for "It Could Get Loud: Part 2", starring my wife!!! :wink: :lol:

Jason

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Nice Bacchus, should be an awesome player. If I were you, I'd change out the pickup covers/knobs for white ones, but that's just my taste.

I think you definitely need a P90 guitar, the Edwards 54 Custom style should fit the bill. Or maybe one of these:

http://www.digimart.net/images/4080/DS00418466_1.jpg

Now that would satisfy my Moon/Tele/P90 GAS all in one hit!

Definitely a nice one! I was also looking at the Bacchus T-master.

Jason

Hi guys.

I'm currently talking with a huge Japanese guitar store's web sales department about a brand new 2009 Fender ST57-VSP.

2pc alder body, oval maple neck, steel tremelo block, custom alnico pups, nitro two tone sunburst. MSRP 120,000 Yen. Selling price 90,000 Yen plus 14,000 Yen for shipping and insurance, which comes to about $1175. No previous owners, no suspect damage, or questionable repairs. I think that for the money it represents a better value than a lot of the other offerings out there in cyberspace.

Just my opinion though...

Went and odered it. Should be here in a week or so...

It has "DiMarzio Collection" pickups, anyone had experience of them?

Check the search engine for the '54 model. Somene bought it last year and gave a review of it (Luis maybe??). Anyways, it would've had the DMC as well.

Jason

Can anyone vouch for the sound of the Dimarzio collection pups?
Like a standard strat, Texas specials, or what?
Also, does anyone know if they have the single coil hum, or has that been addressed too?