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View Full Version : Fullerton ST-4 HSS strat type (newbie review)



sunvalleylaw
April 13th, 2007, 11:26 PM
I copied over my post from the Fullerton close out thread as a review. Sorry so much is a comparison against my 60th Ann. MIM Strat, but that is my first electric guitar and my point of reference. Hope the review is helpful. EDITED SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2007.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/P1010022.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/P1010001.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/P1010023.jpg

Standard Features: (copied from Music 123 site here: http://www.music123.com/Fullerton-ST4-Fat-style-Solid-Body-Electric-Guitar-(Closeout)-i291049.music)

Pickups 2 single coil, 1 humbucker
Case Included No
Neck Joint Bolt-On
Pickup Type 1 Humbucker/ 2 Single Coil Pickups
Neck Material Maple
Body Hardwood
Frets 22
Inlays Dots
Bridge/Tremolo Vintage
Scale 25 1/2"
Fingerboard Rosewood
Machine Heads Die Cast
Controls 1 volume, 1 tone and, 5-way pickup select switch
Pickguard None

UPDATE/INITIAL REVIEW: Brought the Fullerton ST-4 (fat strat type, HSS) home and set up my stuff, I plugged in to my Peavey C-30, and played it alternating with my 60th strat. I started with no pedals, clean channel on the amph. Then I started adding pedals and such. Bottom line, I was really pleasantly impressed! For the price, it seems like a steal! Now the down and dirty:

Robert, now that I have played around a little harder with it, I do get a little fret buzz. Not super bad, but there. And this is with the action higher than on my 60th. I was getting it particularly with some open E minor chords I was playing. Low E string, up near or around the first - third frets. The fret ends definately need work. They are sharp all the way up and down the neck, and I was starting to get a sliver or two on my fret hand, and/or some chafing. The rosewood on the fret board does not seem too dry or anything, and the edges of the fret board itself seems nice. The neck on my 60th is just finished way nicer, both how it feels, and looks. As it should be for the difference in price, even before the blowout on these. The Fender neck is a little more substantial and rounded, and of course the fret radius is different. The fret wire is thinner than the medium jumbos on my Fender.

Weight is very close to the same as my 60th. Maybe a touch lighter. Shape is comfortable, but not quite as refined in my opinion, both looks and smoothness of contours. Big K, I have no idea what the body is made of, but it seems quite a bit lighter than a ply squire I borrowed for a while. The body paint seems finished very well in black. It is a glossy, pretty, black thing. Spud is right, it it too pretty to cover up with stickers as I had originally thought I might. No really noticeable flaws or orange peel, etc. I have noticed so far. No pickguard on this one. I might like to add one later. I think tortoise shell would look good. There is some kind of natural irregulartiy in the grain on the fret board. A light swirl up near the second and third frets. Feels smooth, and does not have a warp or divet in the area or anything, and actually gives it an interesting character.

The tone knob does not turn very smoothly and freely. (pot issue?) Works fine but is a little stiff. No noise issues. The volume pot works well. If I am careful, I can get it quiet by turning very carefully at the beginning of the range. Obviously, because it is a two knob guitar, the volume control is in farther away from my pinky than my 3 knob strat. The 5 way switch works fine. Does not feel as "solid" and "precise" as my strat though.

The pickups sound pretty good to me. Overall, louder than my strat. Not as dynamic, warm, responsive and toneful as the tex mex pups on my strat, however, but really not bad. Compared to the tex mex ones, the sound seems to "thin out" as you move the switch up from bridge to neck. The guitar has five very distinct tones with the switch. On the first night, I tend to like the bridge position, with the bucker, or one off, best. Overall, they just are not quite as full somehow. That said, if I am not sitting there comparing the two, the pups do just fine, My pedals really liven the guitar up. Also, it is now staying in tune a lot better. EDIT: It is really fun just to sit there and crank on the bridge bucker and rawk out!

Once the ST-4 gets the frets cleaned up, and some set up to address the little bit of buzzing, it will do very nicely for my purposes. The MIM 60th Ann. Strat is certainly nicer, and more toneful, as it should be. But this is certainly a good second guitar. It seems like it will be a fun little rocker I don't have to worry about much. I am excited to have it! Anyway, those are the thoughts of a semi-newbie experiencing his second electric guitar.

Spudman
May 27th, 2008, 11:27 PM
Sunvalley
Is your action still this high? http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/P1010001.jpg

If it is please have me adjust it next time I'm over...unless you have plans to use it for the spring limbo carnival.

sunvalleylaw
May 28th, 2008, 06:12 AM
No it is not that high any more. You fixed that when we went to Steve Miller. :-)