Limited Edition Stratocaster with Direct-Mount Pickups

[jasongins]

So I finally got my first real Fender Stratocaster, though this one is a little different than most. It is a limited edition MIM standard strat with direct mount pickups, and no pickguard. I didn't really have enough together to buy a regular standard strat, but I saw this one on MF and was intrigued. They regularly have it for $349 (and still do), but I ordered this one as a blem at a time they were taking an additional 10% off blems. The net price was $268. When it arrived, I could see that it had been out of the box once and very carefully repacked, but I've gone over it carefully and cannot find anything else that would qualify it as a blem. It was very well set up out of the box and I've not had to make any adjustments. As a major bonus to me, it came through with a maple fretboard when the picture on MF and Music123 show rosewood. It feels great, sounds great, and I like the cream color knobs and pickup covers much more than I thought it would. It has one tone knob rather than two, and the volume knob is a little further from the bridge area than a regular standard strat. That suits me well because my clumsy knuckles would tend to hit the volume knob on the Squier strat I had. It also has a small 60th Anniversary coin on the back of the headstock.

[Algonquin]

Very nice looking guitar you've got yourself. Black is a great looking finish, but you may want to keep the polish cloth close if it's anything like mine... it tends to show off the finger prints.

Hope you enjoy it for many, many years.

It's a keeper!

Cheers...

[ted s]

Very nice indeed, I don't think I have ever seen one like that.

[warren0728]

sweeeeeet....once you go black...... :

ww

[duhvoodooman***]

Very nice axe, and a great deal!! Me, I'd swap the p'up covers and knobs for black (very cheap to do) and turn that bad boy into Darth Strat. Black is beautiful, baby!! ude:

[warren0728]

I'd swap the p'up covers and knobs for black (very cheap to do) and turn that bad boy into Darth Strat. Black is beautiful, baby!!

that would be way awesome!! :

ww

[stingx]

Beautiful looking guitar - great score!

I saw that model on Guitartrader and was very tempted to purchase it. Kinda wish I did after looking at your pictures. :

[Spudman***]

Score!

Is the body standard thickness?

[jasongins]

I believe it is standard thickness, but I don't have another here to compare against.

[Adrian30]

Congrats. A beatiful strat for a very reasonable amount of money. Sweeeeet!




.

[M29]

Congrats jasongins, :

M29

[Jampy]

That is a cool looking strat, I am sure you'll get many people thinking you built it yourself as that is a config we don't normally see, well at least me..

Love it !!

[duhvoodooman***]

A little black trim vs. white trim comparison, courtesy of the very nifty Kisikae Virtual Guitar Builder:

[jasongins]

Interesting alternative, but I think I am going to stick with the cream pickup covers and knobs. I don't want it to wind up looking too much like my black Fullerton ST4.

[duhvoodooman***]

Interesting alternative, but I think I am going to stick with the cream pickup covers and knobs. I don't want it to wind up looking too much like my black Fullerton ST4.

Ahhh, excellent point!! Yes, that would make the two guitars look an awful lot alike. Not a good idea, I agree.

Besides, your new Strat has that Gilmourish look to it! So go dish out some brain damage with it.... ude:

[Strat Vader]

Hi everyone. Great forum.

Hey Jason...I too have one of these MIM Strats. Same thing happened for me, in terms of the picture showing a rosewood fingerboard, and receiving a maple fingerboard. I bet MF didn't get too many complaints about that snag.

Did you know there were only 250 of these made? Also, did yours come with a small brown pamphlet telling you it has the old 1950's "lacquer" paint job, instead of the modern-day polyurethane finish? Be advised these old-style finishes are quite vulnerable compared to the hard ones of today. Be careful not to use a silicone-based polish etc.

As your guitar ages the finish will begin to "dissolve" the way Gilmore's, Hendrix's, Jaco's instruments of the past did. Also I have a question for you. My primary instrument (I'm a pro and play for a living) is the new Fender American Standard, which is amazing in every way, not to mention the lightest Strat I've ever played. Question: Does your 60th Anniversary Deluxe Limited Edition MIM have extremely noisy pickup's? Mine are very powerful, but so noisy, I couldn't even record with it. I guess I'll swap them out for some high-end pup's soon. Wondering if yours had the same problem. I took it to a well-known luthier/set-up man in North Hollywood and he shielded the heck out of it...and still the noise. He said it was just a "super-hot" configuration, not a grounding problem.

The only thing I don't like about this guitar is the input jack being on the side of the guitar instead of the usual Strat input on the surface. Small thing, but I hate having the input jack jabbing me in the leg when seated.

If you ever get a chance, go to a store and try an American Standard. These are no more than two/three piece bodies, whereas the MIM's are usually five/seven piece...waaaaay heavier, but still a good and very interesting Strat. Anyway...congrats on your instrument and be well.

[MAXIFUNK]

I have one of these 60th Anniversary Deluxe Limited Edition MIM on hold at a local Store here in socal for $385.00.
My question is "is it worth that price and is a good guitar for my 1st STRAT?

[duhvoodooman***]

I have one of these 60th Anniversary Deluxe Limited Edition MIM on hold at a local Store here in socal for $385.00.
My question is "is it worth that price and is a good guitar for my 1st STRAT?"

That seems like a good price, given that MIM Standard Strats sell for $549 since Fender raised all their prices for the 2009 model year. As far as "is it worth it?", only you can answer that. If you like the way that it plays and sounds, then it probably is!

I assume this is a new guitar?

[MAXIFUNK]

That seems like a good price, given that MIM Standard Strats sell for $549 since Fender raised all their prices for the 2009 model year. As far as "is it worth it?", only you can answer that. If you like the way that it plays and sounds, then it probably is!

I assume this is a new guitar?

Thanks for answering.

Yes its new. Yeah your also right about is it worth it.
I was just wondering if anyone had this model and would buy it again or recommend it. Nothing like hearing what someone who owns one thinks.