Conference napalm::guitar

    Alder body.  I own one, and *love* it.  But, I wouldn't pay $579 for
    it.  I got mine for $525 with case, including tax.  And I bet there are
    even better deals other places.  
    
    Like I said, I *love* mine, but Strat's aren't for everyone.  If you
    play it and like it, then it'll make you happy for a lot of years. 
    They're good workhorses ... 8^)
    
    Scary

    List price recently went up to $850, so $579 is over 30% off.  There
    may be better deals out there, but I'd say $579 is pretty good...
    
    	Jim
    

    Harvey's Music in Milford, N.H. has them for $400.00! He has three, or
    four of them. Nice tone, nice feel...  I played all the ones he had
    in the shop. I especially liked that all white with the maple neck
    one...
    
    			Fred (who's CrAzY for Strats)

    You sure these aren't Squire's ?  That's a *great* price if they are
    indeed Standards.  But in all honesty, I've played a couple Squires
    that play every bit as good as my Standard ....
    
    Scary (what's in name if the damn thing plays like you want !)

    For 400$ they could be original Fender Strats also - the ones they
    build in Japan - at least they sell those in Germany for about that
    much. Can be recognized by the old style vibrato, no TBX tone control
    and the decal "MAde in Japan" on the headstock.
    
    
    sascha

    Thanks guys I'll shop around.
    
    Kham
    

    They could be the Made in Japan Strats, but I suspect not, those
    usually go for a little less.  They're probably American Standards
    without the case.  Then they'll hit you another $100 or so for the case
    and the price will be back inline with what you're used to hearing.  
    
    A lot of places play that game, pricing the guitars without cases and
    then nail you extra for the case after you're already hooked on the
    idea.
    
    Greg

    Nonetheless,.. Fred,. if you know for sure that $400 gets you a 
    "made in America" standard,.. and with or without case,.. I'd
    like to check them out at Harvey's.
    
    Got the details mon?
    
    							/Bill
    

    Fender is making some Strats in Mexico now. I saw one and thought it
    looked pretty good. Better than any of the asian ones I've seen.

    --rjb

I have seen (and played) the Mexican Strats here in the UK. I have seen
some of these with "Made in USA" stickers on the headstock, and I've also
seen some stores advertise them as "New USA Standard Strats".
The Mexican Strats are not at all the same beast as my new USA Standard
Strat quality-wise (feel the difference in weight, pickup output etc.etc.etc.).

See the note on thses for more ("Bueno LaBambacasters")

    Yeah - gotta watch out for the case scam - they tried to gaff me with
    that one too.
    
    "OK, that'll be $525 including tax .... could I interest you in a case ?"
    
    Scary (who got a 10' cord *and* a tres_neato strap too ... comes with
    the case ...  8^)

    Nope...   Harvey told me these were "American" made Strats. They have
    the vintage type trems, but do not have the TBX ckt. I also didn't see 
    "made in Japan" anywhere on them. They do come with a "gig" bag I was told. 
    
    Give Harvey a call if you want more information at (603)-673-8245 and
    mention my name.
    
    			Rock on (in blue),
    					  Fred

      What can I tell ya...  I had to see for myself. I visited Harvey's
    last night and on the back of the neck at the body is stamped (not a
    decal) "MADE IN USA". All of them had the stamp. He had a few new ones 
    too. He had a black strat with a maple neck/white pickguard combination
    that looked and played really nice. I thought about it for a few
    minutes, but I could never justify another Strat to my wife. Not even 
    this one at this price!
    
    			Nice guitars for the money!
    
    
    				Rock on,
    				  	 Fred

    That sounds like a good price, Fred.  Not to sound skeptical, but it
    did say "Fender" on the front of the headstock and not "Squire", right? 
    There are some USA made Squire Strats around (see my review note in
    here somewhere).  

    Greg

    re: -1
    
    um,
    
    I thought they both said "Fender" on them, one labeled "Stratocaster"
    and one labeled "Squire".....?
    
    -S

    ...
    
    	Ummmmm
    
    	I though the Squire had all three demarkations:
    
    		"Fender"
    		"Squire"
    		"Stratocaster"
    
    	appearing on the headstock,...
    
    	A "standard" strat r other model has both "Fender" and
    "Stratocaster",.. 
    
    		Yes?
    						/Bill
    

    Why not call him and ask? Not to be a nit, but they are USA Fender
    "Standard" Stratocasters *not* Squire Strats. Harvey had a new Squire
    Strat that had a sold sticker on it for $200.00 with the gig bag. To 
    clarify, I didn't see the word Squire anywhere on these other Strats.
    BTW, the Squire said "Squire" on the headstock, the others had the
    typical Fender logo and smaller Stratocaster logo under it if my
    memory serves me right, but I'm 1000% sure it didn't read Squire.
    If you're interested either call, or go down and check them out for
    yourself. 
    
    			Fred (who'll keep his '69 Strat thank you) 

    Fred,..
    
    	I wasn't doubting anything youy said,.. just replying to .16(?)
    
    							/Bill
    

    This is the part I don't understand... (and I am in the market):
    
    .13>  Harvey told me these were "American" made Strats. They have
    .13>  the vintage type trems, but do not have the TBX ckt.
    
    Why would a "standard" American Standard Strat not have 
    the TBX control?
    
    \Gary

	> Why would a "standard" American Standard Strat not have the
	> TBX control?

	Yes.

	Fender makes 2 Strats with the "Standard" name:

	Model:     American Standard              Standard
	Made in:   USA                            ?
	Body:      Alder                          Poplar
	Frets:     22 AmStd (large) frets         22 standard frets
	Neck:      9.5" radius                    7.25" radius
	PUs:       3 AmStd SCs (middle pu         3 SCs
	           is reverse polarity)
	TBX:       Yes                            No
	Part #s:   010-7402 (maple neck)          013-4602 (maple neck)
	           010-7400 (rosewood neck)       013-4600 (rosewood neck)
	           010-7422 (maple, leftie)       027-4620 (maple, leftie)
	           010-7420 (rosewood, leftie)    027-4600 (rosewood, leftie)

    
    The Music Workshop on Broadway (route 28) in Salem, NH has a fairly
    large selection Fender Stratocasters and amps.
    
    The salesman told me that, believe it or not, there are now
    40 (!) versions of the Stratocaster being marketed by Fender.
    
    He also said that only *one* model of the entire 40 comes with
    no vibrato (strings go through ferrules in the back of the body)
    and that is the Robert Cray model, which clocks in well over a
    thousand dollars.
    
    Anyhow, back to the discussion at hand:  There are probably quite
    a few things you should look for before laying down the cash.
    
    Brian_who_wishes_he_had_the_courage_to_buy_the_Pink_Paisely_strat
    
    PS.  And the bucks.

    Wow, with 40 versions of the Strat, I doubt mine is anything unusual
    anymore. I have one that has two dual coil humbuckers, from the
    factory! The only mod I made was to replace the original rickups with
    DiMarzio Super distortion HB'ers. But then again seein as how my Strat
    has this Made in Japan decal, I doubt it'll ever amount to a collectors
    item (eeeeewwwwwww, its Japanese, eeeeewwwwwww)
    
    "sakman" who really would prefer to buy American just to keep the $$$
    in the homeland.

    
    	Pink paisley...yech.
    
    	8^)

    COOL!!
    
                                           staynz

    I played one of these yesterday (I think, I'm no strat expert!).  It
    was REALLY nice...beautiful finish, nice neck, and gave forth a killer
    clean sound!!  The dirty sound still wasn't my bag, but it was a good
    sound nonetheless.
    
    Buck, whod buy one if I had the bucks