Aspen Strat Copy

I bought it in 1983 or so from a friend who bought it while playing on the road for $150. "Made in Japan" stamped into neck plate. Funky silver "aspen" on big 70s style headstock. Chrome plate over truss rod hole (lawsuit avoidance?) I did recently change the pickguard and electronics when the bridge pup quit. THe original pup wires are/were tiny. Squier Vint Mod pickguard and elctronics drop right in.

Neck is really thick compared to other Strats I've played. But the nut on mine is 1.5" which is narrower than I would like. I did replace the original nut with a bone nut. Still plays pretty good, just can't get too fancy chording if ya got big fingers. Easy for bar chords, though, and reasonably good for leads. Nice maple neck and fretboard.

Body is 2 pieces with an excellent bookmatch grain. Nice yellowed clear finish that is really thick. Holds up well when compared to specs on authentic fender strats. Bridge is recently replaced with allparts economy bridge, which replaced original easily.

Tuners were replaced long ago with schallers.

Feels as good, maybe heavier than any strat I've held.

I like blues. Playing thru an old Peavey decade or an RMS bass practice amp. Sounds best thru the bass amp, but I think it's more the amp than the guitar. It sounds quite good actually, but it is quickly becoming a partscaster. The bridge and nut change increased sustain greatly.

Nice stratty sound.

The stock electronics were "hotter" than the Squier stuff. It was louder, more overdriven with the stock config.

Action is very low. Frets are showing wear, so it can have low action, but at the cost of big smooth bends and vibrato. Neck has always been set by me and works properly. Doesn't buzz.

Allparts economy bridge ($24) dropped right on.

Bone nut had to be hand cut from blank, due to narrow width.

Body wood is also as good as any authentic Fender. Heavy

It does have a larger gap between neck and pocket than is necessary.

It has been an ongoing experiment by me, so no opinion really.

Yes, this guitar can take about anything you can throw at it. It has been with me for 25 years now and has been dropped (always make sure the strap is on the buttons properly); has fallen over; knocked over; and nearly any other accidental abuse you can imagine. It has some nicks, but is still holding up well. Finish is extremely tough. One of it's drops was on a thick glass ashtray. It did bust the finish, but also killed the ashtray. You would never WEAR the finish off without a belt sander. It does have a few cracks in it. Neck finish not as thick, but still tough.

The hardware has been an ongoing search for better, so can't say about all the original stuff. Tuners were crappy. Bridge has been replaced with roller saddles in the 80s, trem block was bent steel (!).

Buttons are solid.

I could and would use this guitar without a backup. Took 25 years for a pickup to fail.

Yeah right. : ) Who knows where these things came from.... the internet can't even identify their origins. You just buy new strat stuff and move on.

I've been playing since 82. Quit for several years but started again recently with my son. I have a 66 Fender MusicmasterII and a 08 Squier Classic Vibe 60s. Lower action than the Squier.

To replace it would take at least a high end squier, like a vint mod or classic vibe, or even a MIM Fender to get same quality. I like it as good as any of the MIM I've played. And it just keeps playing.

I hate that the frets are wearing out and the neck is probably not worth refretting. But I also hate the narrow nut and will probably buy a new neck when the time comes. I hated the natural finish and repainted it.

Old (late 70's?) Strat copy made in Japan (stamped on the neck plate). Natural blond with maple neck and fretboard. Neck is dead on for Strat neck, C-profile and thick. Headpiece is olarger, post CBS style. You can see why Fender initiated lawsuits....this is an almost clone of a Stratocaster

I bought this guitar on e-bay with every intention of swapping the pickups out for some GFS. After a month of playing, I'm changing nothing. These pups are amazing. Like another reviewer said, they are a little nasal, but not to the point of distraction. They have a fantastic bite to them and the sustain is excellent. Best part is the middle pup is wound in the same direction as the bridge and neck. Put her in position 2 or 4 and you have the vintage Strat "out of phase" slap sound (Slowhand, SRV).

Like I said earlier, I got this on e-bay from a guy who got it in a pawn shop. That being said, I made minor bridge adjustments after changing the strings and she plays great. Nice action, comfortable feel, smooth neck.

Seems solid...30 year old guitar and still rocks...must be pretty durable

Been playing 35 plus years. I have an 84 Tele, an Austin Tour Pro (PRS copy) and Dano U2. Never a big Strat fan (play lots of Zeppelin, so I gravitate toward humbuckers), but I wanted one for certain songs (CCR, SRV, Purple, EVH). This guitar sounds amazing. I've played this for several people, including friends who swear by Strats. They can't beleive this isn't a Fender. Is someone stole this, I'd have to hunt them down and castrate them with a rusty guitar string. I strongly reccommend that, if you ever have the chance, grab one of these.

See below.

As the previuious reviewer stated it's a Japanese Strat copy.I'm sure it was made in the 70s as most Aspen products I know of were.It is microscopically different from the Fender in a number of tiny details such as heel width,vibrato screw spacing,pickguard screw points,body has a top and bottom 1/8" cap on an ash looking center (which may contribute to it's unique,crying tone)nut dimensions(it's bigger than a fender)and the drop to the headstock face is deeper as it is so easy to do the pitch raise there.It also has a stamped steel trem "block"(Leo Fender would have loved this!)that adds a natural reverb to the guitar sound-I'm not kidding.I am going to experiment with a traditional Fender vibrato on this guitar as it has been routed for a bridge humbucking pickup,so originality is out the window here.The tuners require constant attention so they will be getting replaced with kluson types so I don't have to drill the neck and also to minimize the tone soaking effect I think high quality cast steel tuners have.Stevie Ray stuck with Klusons-gotta wonder...The stock pickups have a very nasally but tonefull sound that may be interesting but I am going to use this guitar to gig with so I will be putting fatter American Standards in it and maybe an old FAT STRAT I have in my portly collection of pickups.I have an old GOTOH PAF in the tail and it sounds perfect there.Pulled the INVADER out that was in it-too hot.This guitar does what an old rosewood Strat does unplugged-sing with a glow and bite,twang and pop when you dig in.I have a stock 88 American Standard and have owned 61 and 66 Stratocasters for over 20 years.This Aspen is so close to the feel and sound of my 61 that I was able to part with the Fender,knowing this guitar could be made into the superstrat I want to use live.Again,it's what it sounds like UNPLUGGED.This has always been my test of ANY solid electric.

I don't need a brand name on my guitar.I play what works.The neck of this guitar is fabulous and a dead ringer for the ebony like rosewood feel of my 1961 Stratocaster.It is the reason I acquired the guitar and eventually sold my 61.The frets and setup are perfection.It is truly a personification of the Pre-CBS Strat neck.It is 1/16" smaller at the heel(lawsuit protection?)The finish on this guitar is the 60s black/red/orange sunburst and it is beautiful.The top and bottom caps appear to be a tightly grained spruce or basswood.Electronics are passable imitations of Fender tone,even more twangy,but lack body.The money went into the neck and body on this guitar.

This guitar's flaw is the tuners.Everything else is good to go as is for a basic strat sound though pickups are one trick ponys.It could be trusted at a gig.

Long gone.If you have one of these and need the neck and middle pickups with the whole wiring harness,tuners,and complete vibrato including claw,springs and arm,I will sell them.The pickguard has a humbucking hole in the tail,but is in nice cosmetic shape.Whole batch for 100.

I am 50 and have played since 14.Strats are my main addiction and Teles to a lesser extent.Certain old SGs that friends own make me play like a man possessed but I have never found one to call my own.Every Les Paul I ever had stayed in tune all night and got sold the next day.I own a vintage Marshall Super Bass 100,a Vox AC 30 TB Redtop,and various Fender Silverface amps but haul a Classic 30 with a Greenback(critical) to gigs as I don't play for 5000 people anymore.I use a Real Tube,A King Vox Wah,an EP-2 and 2 Ibanez Echomachines and ride the balance of clean and saturation for my basic sparkling,single coil tone.I love delay as I am a 3 piece guitarist and it makes me sound like 2 guitars.I play with soul over technique at all times and am the sloppiest live performer around but have lifelong fans.

I don,t know what year It was made,the neck plate has only japan stamped on It.21 frets,The neck and body are solid maple.It has one volume knob and Two tone,with a five way selector switch.I guess s/s/h It has three.I don,t know the make or model of pickups or if the electronics are passive or active.solid maple,transparent finish. stratocaster body style.bridge style string thru body.tuners are non locking.there are no letters on the tuners only a funny emblem maby an IandU orV combined.thin neck. PS if you were to see this guitar from across the room ,or were to play it in the dark you wood think it was a strat. if any one has one or any info please let me know .the only identifiable marks are japan on the neck plate,and aspen on the headstock In60,s hippy style letters

this guitar don,t care, I play blues,country,rock,gospel and finger pick it .I use an early 70s kustom 100,and a 80s peavey reknown,no it is not noisy, thru the reknown,chunky fender sound ,the kustom good clean rythm.I guess I have just grown very fond IT ,there is nothing i dislike about it.

A good friend of mine was a very acomplished guitarist I Inherited from him he was also an electronics genius made his own guitars and foot pedals he found it in a pawn shop and played all the time to the styles of frank zappa and hendrics.as far as Iknow he didn,t change any thing on It It also has a transparent pick gaurd.

this guitar is very durable,great hardware, finish is still close to perfect, strap buttons are tight,very dependable,and I never take a back up with me just strings in case i need them. i got this guitar ten years ago my ex pawned it ayear later, i found almost five years later in a new pawn shop owned by the same man who just brought it out of storeage I bought it back with a smile for$250.00

I HAVE NO IDEA WHO MADE IT.

I have been playing for fourty years,62 ric 330,62 strat,74fender mustang,early 70s vox elec.12 string,epiphoneles paul,ric electro lap steele.etc. I lost it one time and was not vey happy about it.It is avery playable guitar,there is really nothing i dislike about other than i can find no history on it,I have no idea what it,s worth. my favorite feature is that it is just a pleasure to play.