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Thanks guys. Can't wait to bring it to nz.
Very tasty! That's a great pickup combo... now you make me want an HSS strat again! That wouldn't be a problem had I not sold my pickups and harness to a forumiteMarshmallow wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 2:58 pmThanks guys. Can't wait to bring it to nz.
Did a quick recording of my gear as well. If you have time, please check it out!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cv6Fgl4B ... BiNWFlZA==
codedog wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 3:05 pmVery tasty! That's a great pickup combo... now you make me want an HSS strat again! That wouldn't be a problem had I not sold my pickups and harness to a forumiteMarshmallow wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 2:58 pmThanks guys. Can't wait to bring it to nz.
Did a quick recording of my gear as well. If you have time, please check it out!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cv6Fgl4B ... BiNWFlZA==
IMOCD wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 3:39 pmcodedog wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 3:05 pmVery tasty! That's a great pickup combo... now you make me want an HSS strat again! That wouldn't be a problem had I not sold my pickups and harness to a forumiteMarshmallow wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 2:58 pm
Thanks guys. Can't wait to bring it to nz.
Did a quick recording of my gear as well. If you have time, please check it out!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cv6Fgl4B ... BiNWFlZA==
I couldn't remember who it was!Haha it would be nice to have all types of combination in a strat. HSS, SSS, HH. Thinking of converting the other one to an HHcodedog wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 3:05 pmVery tasty! That's a great pickup combo... now you make me want an HSS strat again! That wouldn't be a problem had I not sold my pickups and harness to a forumiteMarshmallow wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 2:58 pmThanks guys. Can't wait to bring it to nz.
Did a quick recording of my gear as well. If you have time, please check it out!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cv6Fgl4B ... BiNWFlZA==
I had it in my hands for over an hour and I never noticed the switch!olegmcnoleg wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2023 9:25 amI did not notice the WRHB earlier, was on my phone. I need to hear this guitar.
That's a bummer, man. Fender are making genuine CuNiFe WRHBs, even SCs...so why they didn't put 'em in thisSlowy wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2023 8:46 pmI had it in my hands for over an hour and I never noticed the switch!olegmcnoleg wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2023 9:25 amI did not notice the WRHB earlier, was on my phone. I need to hear this guitar.
The owner has been telling me gleefully for weeks that he had a surprise and I'd never guess. He was right.
Fender Parallell Universe, Uptown Strat. (This turns up while I'm still recovering from refusing to allow myself to buy that Parallell Universe Jazz/Tele which I really liked.)
So...Polarising instrument. First thing I'd say about the Parallell Universe range is that everyone else is free to mash up Fenders, why shouldn't Fender have some fun too.
The neck feels good; not big, not small. I've always considered neck binding on an electric to be irrelevant but that's just my Telecaster aesthetic coming out. Speaking of Telecasters, the lack of a rear body carve may alienate Strat lovers but the top bevel makes it more comfortable than a Tele.
I like the black doghair finish Collings do and this is a white version. The apparent texture in the photos is there; there's no grain filler in this body and it's pleasingly tactile if you're into that sort of thing.
Controls are pure Gibson and the pots have a smooth taper. Both tone pots pull up for coil tap.
It's really rather nice and different enough to be very appealing but there is a serious problem:
Those of you not already bored to death will have seen the start of it.
WRHB - coil tap.
These are not WRHB's; they're just humbuckers in a fancy suit.
The controls work well. 20 minutes of knob twiddling produced a variety of low gain tones punctuated by the occasional, "Wait, that sounded ok."
But the truth is, these pickups aren't bad. They're utterly contemptible. Turn up the gain and the bottom end completely obscures the midrange and the only respite is the nasty rasp of the ugliest treble I think I've ever heard from an expensive guitar. Imagine your expectations from a pair of $5 Ali Express humbuckers and Fender have realised it. Well done lads!
A pair of Lollar WRHB's, Duncan Seth Lovers, HB size P90s, anything and this becomes a standout, very cool instrument but how anyone got to sign off on these abominations is beyond me.
Tl:Dr?
Don't plug it in until you've done a pickup swap.
Sounds like it might be all Browntown 
The owner never mentioned price. I knew they weren't cheap but pickups excluded I thought it every inch a $3000 Fender .
Slowy wrote: ↑Wed Aug 16, 2023 9:14 pmThe owner never mentioned price. I knew they weren't cheap but pickups excluded I thought it every inch a $3000 Fender .
But I just saw this
https://reverb.com/p/fender-parallel-un ... ratocaster
is right! Someone's asking $5683.67 + $668.67 shipping for a 'mint' used. Hope the owner got a good deal. Man, that's such a shame that it doesn't sound as cool as it looks and plays. I kinda dig it...the idea of it, even. Could go quite nicely with an Elvis jump-suit or a Canadian tux. But I'd put it back on the hanger if it didn't sound like the WRHB look-alikes promised.