Fender Stratocaster

[thearabianmage]

Yep, listed in my sig below. It's a DST-3. Here's my review of it and here are some pictures. The single coils are now black, having been replaced by Dimarzio Area 61s. I got the guitar on closeout for $149, so even with replacing all three pickups and a bit of rewiring, it's still cheaper than a MIM Strat.

Dude, that is almost exactly like Jule's FR!!! Except his, I remember him saying, cost a helluva lot more (went to the US to get it). . .it looks a bit more like this one here:

http://shredguitars.com/collections/...dium/body2.JPG

$149? Fair play! These are really nice guitars - as you've mentioned in your review. Definitely one I have to keep an eye out for - even though they don't sell them in the UK (I don't think so, at least.)

[marnold***]

Dude, that is almost exactly like Jule's FR!!! Except his, I remember him saying, cost a helluva lot more (went to the US to get it). . .it looks a bit more like this one here:

http://shredguitars.com/collections/...dium/body2.JPG

$149? Fair play! These are really nice guitars - as you've mentioned in your review. Definitely one I have to keep an eye out for - even though they don't sell them in the UK (I don't think so, at least.)

They stopped making them. Nobody was buying them. Musician's Friend was blowing them out for quite some time. I don't get it--other than the fact that people hated the headstock. I really wanted to get one with the "fly" pick guard like the one you pictured, but I couldn't get one. I could have gotten a second-hand DST-2 (two humbuckers) in black with that pickguard, but he wanted >$100 more than my DST-3 was new. They pop up on eBay every so often, if you can get someone who will ship it to the UK.

The only place the name "Fender" really matters is if you are trying to get a session gig. Otherwise, as has been pointed out, there are plenty of Strat clones out there.

Lest I get accused of hypocrisy, yes, I have a Fender as well, although it's about as non-traditional as you can get: one humbucker, fixed bridge, 24 frets, flat fretboard, thin neck, set neck. That one is one of their Korean models. It originally retailed for $899 but I got it for $249 IIRC.