NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
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- Conway
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- meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
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NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
First off, thanks to Dave @ Rockshop for the Blue Friday deal.
Background: I've always had a love/hate relationship with Strats. I tend to own them for about 6 months then get annoyed with something and flick them, only to want another one 6 months later... and so the cycle goes. After about 15-20 Strats, I think I have finally figured out all the specs that I like and don't like. This led me to a couple of Suhrs and a Tom Anderson, which are outstanding guitars. The new(-ish) Fender Elite series caught my attention because, on paper, it has everything I like. So how does it rate?
1. Build and finish - excellent. Nice low action, no buzz. Best Fender I've come across.
2. Locking tuners, short posts - yep. Still has a string tree, but that's OK.
3. Bone nut - well cut.
4. Maple neck with maple fretboard - this is good for stability and construction (no skunk strip on back of neck). Nice grain.
5. Neck shape - decently solid C which morphs into a D up the neck, you notice it around 9-12th frets onwards. Also satin finish, feels really comfortable.
6. Fretboard - 9.5"-14" compound radius. Perfect! Medium jumbo frets, my preferred size. Fretwork is very good, nice feel all the way up the neck.
7. Cut away heel.
8. Truss rod adjustment - front bottom of neck. Easy.
9. Bridge - nice feeling Trem, pop in arm - yay! Stuff the screw in ones. Block saddles are more comfortable than bent steel ones.
10. Pickups - OK this is the one I was worried about. 4th generation noiseless. Stacked coils like Tom Anderson, as opposed to Suhr's inductive coil system. Much improved from previous Fender noiseless SCN and gen 3 that I've had before. Fairly neutral, not ultra twangy or bitey, not hot, but pretty damn good, typical Strat sound.
11. S1 switching - hmmm, jury still out. 2 positions are good and usable - neck and middle in series, and bridge and middle is series (making effectively wide humbuckers).
12. Case - very smart ABS moulded case.
All in all, this Elite is an outstanding Strat. It plays beautifully and looks great with the sky burst finish, which is metallic and looks bluer in different light. This is the most suited for me Fender Strat I've ever had, and it's right up there with Suhr and Tom Anderson Classic/Icon models (not hot pickup versions). Plus it has the proper shaped headstock. I might actually keep this one.
Background: I've always had a love/hate relationship with Strats. I tend to own them for about 6 months then get annoyed with something and flick them, only to want another one 6 months later... and so the cycle goes. After about 15-20 Strats, I think I have finally figured out all the specs that I like and don't like. This led me to a couple of Suhrs and a Tom Anderson, which are outstanding guitars. The new(-ish) Fender Elite series caught my attention because, on paper, it has everything I like. So how does it rate?
1. Build and finish - excellent. Nice low action, no buzz. Best Fender I've come across.
2. Locking tuners, short posts - yep. Still has a string tree, but that's OK.
3. Bone nut - well cut.
4. Maple neck with maple fretboard - this is good for stability and construction (no skunk strip on back of neck). Nice grain.
5. Neck shape - decently solid C which morphs into a D up the neck, you notice it around 9-12th frets onwards. Also satin finish, feels really comfortable.
6. Fretboard - 9.5"-14" compound radius. Perfect! Medium jumbo frets, my preferred size. Fretwork is very good, nice feel all the way up the neck.
7. Cut away heel.
8. Truss rod adjustment - front bottom of neck. Easy.
9. Bridge - nice feeling Trem, pop in arm - yay! Stuff the screw in ones. Block saddles are more comfortable than bent steel ones.
10. Pickups - OK this is the one I was worried about. 4th generation noiseless. Stacked coils like Tom Anderson, as opposed to Suhr's inductive coil system. Much improved from previous Fender noiseless SCN and gen 3 that I've had before. Fairly neutral, not ultra twangy or bitey, not hot, but pretty damn good, typical Strat sound.
11. S1 switching - hmmm, jury still out. 2 positions are good and usable - neck and middle in series, and bridge and middle is series (making effectively wide humbuckers).
12. Case - very smart ABS moulded case.
All in all, this Elite is an outstanding Strat. It plays beautifully and looks great with the sky burst finish, which is metallic and looks bluer in different light. This is the most suited for me Fender Strat I've ever had, and it's right up there with Suhr and Tom Anderson Classic/Icon models (not hot pickup versions). Plus it has the proper shaped headstock. I might actually keep this one.
- olegmcnoleg
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Re: NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
Is it for sale yet?Conway wrote:I might actually keep this one.
- Conway
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Re: NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
Ask again in 6 months.olegmcnoleg wrote:Is it for sale yet?Conway wrote:I might actually keep this one.
- jeremyb
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Re: NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
Hope you got a discount with the finish being so faded! Was it left in the shop window?
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
- sirvill
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Re: NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
tBH when I saw the pictures on the website I thought that looked like shit. With your photos though, I'm warming up to it! Fretboard grain is cool too.
- Danger Mouse
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Re: NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
Erm, that is... very tasteful. As is the PRS in your avatar, so it's not accidental. You ok Conway?
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.
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- Squier
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Re: NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
It's nice when you know exactly what you want and can buy it in one guitar off the shelf.
For me, if I'm buying a Strat it has to be a Fender. I don't want any imitation (no matter how good it might be). It's not hard to find a good Fender Strat, after all.
For me, if I'm buying a Strat it has to be a Fender. I don't want any imitation (no matter how good it might be). It's not hard to find a good Fender Strat, after all.
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Re: NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
So a Musicman is an imitation, a G&L is an imitation? Both Leo Fender products, designed by him and produced under his watch. Fender Musical Instruments have contracted manufacturing out to other countries, using completely different staff, altered designs away from Leo's original designs (hence the "reissues" of "classic" years).sunburster wrote:It's nice when you know exactly what you want and can buy it in one guitar off the shelf.
For me, if I'm buying a Strat it has to be a Fender. I don't want any imitation (no matter how good it might be). It's not hard to find a good Fender Strat, after all.
Not trolling, but how does a guitar become a Fender product?
Is it the headstock logo? In which case the dude/corporation with the most cash and desire can purchase it and employ whoever to pump out whatever product. Sound outlandish? The CBS era of Fender pretty much illustrates this scenario. Is it the team making it? In which case they are responsible for resurrecting more than just Fender branded product and a case could be made that anything they touch could be considered worthy of consideration.
What have I missed, what is your most Fenderessnessity aspect?
Tin arse!!
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- Squier
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Re: NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
Just made by Fender. The company that invented the Strat and still makes them today. I like the original headstock and the Fender logo. And the tradition of the Fender Strat, in general. Same story with the Jazzmaster and Jaguar. Rickenbackers too. As I said, I have no interest in imitations when I can buy the real deal, and it's as simple as that.Terexgeek wrote:[
What have I missed, what is your most Fenderessnessity aspect?
- Terexgeek
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Re: NGD & review: Fender Elite Strat
You are happy to buy a seventies Stratocaster sight unseen?sunburster wrote:Just made by Fender. The company that invented the Strat and still makes them today. I like the original headstock and the Fender logo. And the tradition of the Fender Strat, in general. Same story with the Jazzmaster and Jaguar. Rickenbackers too. As I said, I have no interest in imitations when I can buy the real deal, and it's as simple as that.Terexgeek wrote:[
What have I missed, what is your most Fenderessnessity aspect?
Tin arse!!