Fender '57 Reissue Stratocaster

This is an American Vintage 1957 Stratocaster in White Blonde with an ash body. Otherwise it has all the same features of the original EXCEPT that there is indeed a layer of urethane beneath the nitrocellulose finish and the bridge parts aren't the same as the original.

The specs are listed in detail on Fender's website, so I won't go into depth here.

There isn't really anything stand-out about the sound of this guitar.

It sounds good enough to use for practices and performances, but I just don't think it's good enough to be featured on recordings.

It has flabby lows and harsh highs and overall it's pretty thin sounding.

The fretwork on this guitar is totally mediocre. The action can go fairly low, but I don't like anything under 4/32" at the 12th fret on this.
The neck has a V-shaped back contour, 7.25" fret board radius, and small fret wire. This fit is pretty accurate, but kind of uncomfortable and unwieldy. The Custom Shop has been using 9.5" radii and 6105 fret wire on their Relic reissue models lately, so... maybe they should rethink some of these other models as well.

The finish is nice looking, but as I said earlier, there's urethane beneath the nitro, so it's not totally accurate to the original, and the fact that the back of the neck is glossed makes it kinda sticky if your hand sweats during a gig.

Quality control is lax at Fender and almost none of their guitars are ready-to-gig right out of the box.

This guitar is totally solid construction and I wouldn't worry about anything breaking... except strings. Fender "orignal syncronized tremolos" are terrible. TERRIBLE. If Fender just went back to pre-CBS bridge design, they'd make me and about a million other guitarists much happier with their products. The bridge block is wrong, and the saddles are wrong. The plate's are pretty accurate, but dated and unstable. The bridge is going to break your strings. It's that simple. Everything else is reliable as well as durable.

The customer support is lackluster.

I wish I had asked to play a Ron Kirn strat, or a D'Pergo strat, or even a Tokai or Greco strat before I bought this guitar. It's just not very good, especially for the money.

I see that they upped the price considerably on this model and that's just sad. Save your money. There are other, MUCH BETTER options in this price range.

If I had known then what I know now, I would have tried to find a Tokai Gold Star Sound in good condition and have it re-fretted, change the the electronics, change the bridge, and change the pickups probably all for less money than what I spent on this totally mediocre axe.

Mine was made in 2008, has the white blonde finish and the ash body.

The features should be known to anybody who reads this: vintage style vibrato, three-way switching with optional 5-way switch included, Kluson style Fender/Gotoh tuners, 7.25" fretboard radius, Fender 57/62 vintage pickups etc.

The body seems to be a single piece of wood and the wood shines through the finish.

I really like most of the features of this guitar. Especially the nitro finish and beautiful ash body, the vintage pickups and the purist three-way switching (I hate the 2nd and 4th positions of the 5-way switches anyway).

On such a guitar, everything has to be like it used to be in 1957, so maybe you should not complain about features like the Kluson style vintage tuners, that make restringing rather complicated, and the trussrod, that can only be accessed after taking all the strings of and removing the pickguard. But the latter "feature" can really give you pain, if you are trying to restring your guitar with a different string gauge. This is why the guitar only gets a 9 from me in this category.

Great! Simply the best Fender Stratocaster I have ever heard. Very bright, but never harsh or biting. Very clear and defined with a very fast attack and response. A fresh and "juicy" tone. Sustain is not the major strength of this guitar, of course, unlike someone else has written here, but this is not what you would expect from a Strat anyway and there is still enough sustain for things like distorted leads.

The biggest surprise for me was that this guitar sounds really great with distortion. Okay, I do not play Heavy Metal, but singing leads a la Gary Moore or Jeff Beck are absolutely no problem with this guitar.

What is more it is the first Strat I have heard that can almost compete with my Rickenbackers for jangly rhythm guitar sounds (the middle pickup is excellent for this purpose).

AND it has THAT Hank Marvin tone, everybody is looking for.

I play guitars with all kinds of different fretboard sizes, finishes and radiuses as well as different scale lengths. Nevertheless this guitar took me some getting used to. Now it feels great. But you have got to work on it.

The V-shape neck was a surprise to me as it feels much thinner in my rather small left hand than I had expected. I like it.

1-ply pickguard. Do I need to say more? There was a reason that these were later replaced with 3-ply pickguards.

And a nitro finish needs much more care than a polyurethane finish, of course. But it also sounds much better.

Aside from that, the guitar seems to be very reliable.

I am playing guitar for 26 years and work as a professional music teacher. Aside from this Strat I have a Burns Marvin and a few Rickenbacker guitars as well as two acoustic guitars and a bass guitar. The school where I work as a teacher has a Fender Highway One Strat and I have owned an American Standard Strat for a while. I am also used to various Strats or Strat-type guitars that my students bring along.

Of all these Strats that I know, the ??57 American Vintage Stratocaster with its ash body (only available with the white blonde finish) clearly is the best one for me. The sound is unique and I love the nitro finish. I will replace the tuners with Gotoh locking machine heads and maybe replace one pickup with a Kinman noiseless pickup, because a three-way switching can sometimes be noisy. On the other hand this would be a shame: the sound of the Fender vintage pickups on this guitar is just perfect!

I simply love it.

Mine is a white/blonde over ash, maple neck and fingerboard etc. Made approximately 2005/6. I don't care to remove the neck and find out the exact date - they never feel quite the same when the neck has been removed...

I think a Strat has all the features you could ever need on a guitar, and even though the parts found on this guitar are reproductions on those used in the 50's they are of top quality. Beautifully resonant wood, smooth pots and tuning keys and damn does it look good. That slight tint on the neck is beautiful, adds a nice touch of luxury.

Fantastic. Nothing short of fantastic. I agree with everyone else who has said that these are great Strats. Has every Strat sound you could want. The pickups really are superb. They sound amazing - sparkly and smooth. The bridge position can get some really awesome biting lead sounds, snappy country leads sound great. In the neck position the the sound glassy and transparent. I love single coil pickups despite the inevitable hum. In fact, the hum doesn't bother me, and when the guitar that the hum is coming from sounds this good it really doesn't matter. If when you play a slight hum bothers you then, in my opinion, you aren't playing properly!

I play mainly blues and country, with some surf inspired sounds in there. Dick Dale is my all time Guitar Hero in the category of Stratocaster, though I don't really play like him. He has great tone!

I bought mine second hand, but the set up is superb. Given the narrow frets the big test is fret edges here, and they are beautifully done.

This is the first guitar I have owned with a nitrocellulose finish and I really didn't think that it would have much of an effect on the overall feel and sound. I was WRONG! At first it had a very sticky feel to it, in fact it was so bad that I thought I had made a bad decision in buying it. This has since passed and the stickyness is now gone. I attribute this stickness to the change in climate between place of purchase and where I live. I love the feel of the nitro finish. It feels more natural and (at the risk of sounding like a douche) more organic (I hate to use this as a descriptor but it is the easiest way I can describe it!!). I am looking forwards to wearing through the finish, it's going to look even better then. Fuck taking super good care of it, that's for fairies.

The 7.25" radius fingerboard took me some getting used to, as did the vintage style thin frets. Now I love them and when I go to my other main squeeze, a G&L ASAT Classic S with a 12" radius 'board and the jumbo-est frets ever, it seems that the ASAT is missing a certain finesse that is present in the Strat. And the V-shape neck! Oh sweet Jesus.

As an American Fender I'm sure it will handle a buttload of gigs and sweaty rehearsals. My band tend to get a bit messy due to substance use (definately not abuse) so I expect that smoke and alcohol will take its toll both on the guitar and myself at some point, but until then I saw play on. My greatest concern is the tuning keys. They don't look that sturdy and I expect they will be bent up sooner or later, but a nice set of Sperzels is only $60. The vintage trem system doesn't feel as strudy as the new one but I can only imagine breaking it if one were to use it in an improper manner.

This is a truly fantastic guitar. I haven't played a Fender Custom Shop instrument, but they had better be something truly extraordinary to be better than this guitar. I think they represent superb value for money.

If you want a great vintage sound this ought to do it. Very highly recommended. I think this is my favourite guitar in my collection.

Typical vintage strat, with extra 5-way (i actually prefer 3) a crap-strap & a sweet vintage case (might not be the same tanks clapton & beck lugged around, but it's sturdy enough & way better/cooler than the standard ones). One-piece neck! It looks cool and feels better (and mabye just to me sounds better). And i just love the ashtray, although it's useless as anything but an ashtray...

I play blues, rock, psykedelic, prog. you know, hendrix, yes, all the good old guys i guess. Basicly the same as most other fender-players. Playing through some dist. pedals tubescreamer or mp blue sky or somethin'into whatever Fender Twin or Hotrod or even an old gibson amp. The pups were pretty bright sorto hank marvinish, but swaped those for some fralins and wow! I've got the white one with ash body and (I've tried the normal quite a few times and the ash body rocks it) and it sings like a bird, you can actually feel it vibrate it's amazing! Its a controlled fat sound with a hint of brightness thats really sweet & good. One of the Best!

Action from factory was crap (as always & i mean it, always) But the rod was ok, did a minor adjustment to it but it sits pretty loose seeing as its new. Hardware was standars vintage nickel stuff, dont mess with a classic! All pretty good! No flaws, and wood was very good. The neck shape on this is incredible, at least for tumb-over style playing... love it! only drawback is the machineheads, no biggie but could use a change.

Its a strat! nuff said. naturally the top layer is old nitro laquer so it will wear a little easy compared to new plastic, but no worries...

No dealings with fender support.

looks awsome! Sounds like a strat should. And yes id get a new one! I have tried a lot of guitars and a lot of strats (fenders & others) & this is the best, unless you wanna pay twice for an old looking customshop replica, or you prefer the new deluxe style guitar (but seriously who would?). Only thing: had it been another brand it could've been cheaper (but not that much).

I have the modern reissue '57. Made in the USA. 21 fret maple board, two tone sunburst, single ply pick guard. It goes on. It looks really nice, and the V-contoured neck really fits your hand well....and it really breaks in well with time.

It sounds authentic, what else could ever be said. I've tried it through lame amps, and awesome rigs and is easily tweaked to whatever you want, again this is a Strat...it's a guitar that's known for versatility. I recommend putting in the 5-way for this one though. I gave the 3-way a good run but....

I bought it new so I had it set up to my taste. The pickups are amazing. They're incredibly responsive. You really hear what you put in. One flaw with the guitar, I have a bit of splay on the saddle for the D string. But I must admit it only adds to the character of the guitar. I also replaced the string guide with a rolling one instead just to reduce friction. I have to say that before that the guitar held tune fine, but afterwards...it would take a alot to through it out. Listen I use to be a Gibson man. This guitar is well made, needs love when it needs it(and you'll give it), and breaks in really well.

I only use this guitar, I have backups but thank god I haven't had to use them! The hardware is the best you can get, they really put some effort into this model. The finish wears off with use just like 1957. Strap buttons like all strap buttons have to be worked on after a while. Incredibly dependable guitar.

I wanted to have a Strat and I tried them all(I really did). This is the one that felt the most at home in my hands, but that's a personal thing. I like that it doesn't have jumbo frets. The first year was a learning experience but it really comes alive in your hands! It has great range, I've used it for heavy stuff, psychadelic stuff, funk, punk. This is the only guitar that I've been able to do all of that with quality tone.

I have the original Fender reissue. My 57 ri was made in 1982, the first year for Fender to reissue guiitars. It is just under 7 pounds.

-alder body - nitro finish
-7.25 maple neck -nitro finish
-3 single coils
-volume, tone, tone controls
-real bone nut
-vintage style trem and tuners
-etc...
T
Its a pretty simple guitar, no unbelievable features here. Although, I give the guitar an 8 in this category because it is an accurate recreation of an original '57.

This guitar suits my style to a tee. I play fusion, blues, and a bit of classic rock (the Eagles). I play out of a Fender Blues Deluxe for shows and recordings, and a Crate V5 (5 watt tube) for at home practice. The Crate, being a low wattage amp, allows me to get to the amp's sweet spot without angering my neighbours.

The guitar has the expected hum from a single coil guitar, but it is what I am used to. I mean, when you aren't playing just turn down the volume knob.

The guitar sounds exactly like a vintage strat should. It is spanky and full of treble, while it growls and snarls at the same time. Every note of every chord is so well pronounced that it sounds like each note is being played by a different guitar. It has a true "bell tone". Truthfully, it only got better with time, it is almost 27 years old now. (Older than the original 57's were when this guitar was made)

When i first bought the guitar it looked gorgeous, and played great as well. Now it has a lot of wear and looks awful, but plays better by the day. It seems the older and dryer that the wood gets, the better the guitar sounds. The more the paint wears off the better the guitar resonates. The finish has completely worn off the back of the neck and it feels sooooo good. It could, however, use a refret at this point.

All of the routing was done nicely, the pickups were done beautifuly. But keep in mind that mine was made during the famous "Dan Smith years". Even the custom shop has a difficult time making them this nicely now - and for this reason my review could be biased.

My rating for this category is based on the guitar back when it was new.

This guitar will outlast the player as long as it is respected. I mean, its a Strat, there can't be a more durable guitar out there. (Well, maybe the Tele). I have played this guitar on countless shows ( I mean hundreds and hundreds of shows), and only pull out my backup due to broken strings - which are then replaced between sets. In the 26+ years I have owned this guitar I have never had it repaired, but have it set-up atleast twice a year.

Never had to deal with them.

I have been playing for 30+ years.

My guitars:
-1957 Fender Stratocaster reissue (made in '82)
-1989 American Standard Stratocaster (rosewood fretboard)
-1964 Tele (bought this in '79 when it was chopped liver)
-Epiphone Goldtop P90 dealio (piece of crap, always something wrong)
-newer Martin Dm-18.
-1971 Yamaha FG-180 (Red Label)

Amps and effects:
- Fender Blues Deluxe
- Crate V5
- Ibanez TS9
- 1969 Fender FuzzWah
- Big Muff
- a tonne of studio gear

I've compared this to many guitars. I have only ever heard one guitar that I have liked better, and it was a maple neck 1962 Fender Strat. A friend of mine in the 80's owned it - it was unbelievable. But, other than that guitar, nothing beets MY Strat.

If it were stolen I could not replace it as I have only ever heard one other guitar sounds this nice.

I got the 2 tone sunburst. It's beautiful. 21 vintage frets, 7.5 radius. Made in the USA. I installed the 5 way, which is a pretty good idea imo. 3 great sounding 57/62 fender pickups, i got it second hand but it came with the vintage leather strap, bridge cover, springs etc and a tremolo bar. Also came with the vintage tweed case.

I give it an 8, because it doesnt have everything a modern strat does, but if you need all that stuff buy an american standard. I give it a 9 for reproducing the 57, it loses a point for the fact that one of the finish layers is poly rather than all nitro like the real 57s.

I play blues/rock/funk mostly. It suits it great. The bridge pickup is a bit sharp and bitey, but it might just be my ultra trebly fender blues junior amp. Havent tried any effects yet. Its got the normal single coil hum..

Pretty bright sounding, full and woody too.

It is very versatile. Sounds amazing. Very vintage sound.

I dislike the biteyness of the bridge pickup, everything else seems good.

Action was AMAZING. My only gripe was the bridge was too low, but that can be easily fixed.

I'd gig without a backup with this, for sure. Just make sure you change your strings before the show. Like a day before.

Stays in tune well, strap buttons work well. Finish is great, but will wear in with playing but not in a bad way.

N/A

I've been playing around 3 years. I have an epiphone sg, this kicks its ass. I'd buy it again I reckon. I LOVE THE NECK!!!

I wish I got the vintage lead with it...

My fav strat probably.

I'd rate it a 10, because I got it 1000 dollars cheaper than the australian shop value.

ok, sunburst (and i mean the most beautiful burst i've ever seen, so mellow and smooth) 21 tiny frets, vintage fender 6 screw bridge/old trem, 1 ply guard, 3 57/62 pickups, vintage tuners, 1 piece maple neck, 2 piece alder body (2 piece body of something anyway), 3 way swtich, contoured body, nitro/poly finish, ntiro finished neck.

wierd part (i apolgise if i didn't spell wierd right, i can never remember) - ok i know for sure this is an american vintage strat, 57 reissue through various little checks i've done, however, the guitar came in the new USA standard's SKB case with all the USA standard strat's case candy, so no spare 5 way or ashtray :(, and the strap and lead are the modern type :(

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yyyeeaaaaaaaa, damn this is a awesome sounding guitar. i run it though an electro harmonix big muff PI NY (knobs at 12) into a Marshall Vintage Modern on the 1st gain stage with the mid moost NOT engaged (all knobs on usuall positions with both detail and body knobs full, EQs at around 12, presence off, reverb off, and master vol wherever depending on room/venue). i would say the inevitable that this is a treble heavy guitar, however, the natural bass thud with these pickups and treble work so well with the EH muff as to give a really even sound, i used to use only the neck pickup on strats when playing other peoples, however in the band the neck pickups looses clarity because it mixes frequency with the bassist playing high notes so i now use the bridge pickup. i left the three way in, i would have done anyway despite the fact i wasn't given a 5 way with it. you can still get the inbetween sound but i never bother. like i said i use the bridge PU.

tuning instability like a *****, but i havent replaced the original strings yet and it sounds like its only the nut so a bit of lube in there should be sorted, having said this i did a rehearsal for hours and it barely went out at all with frequent heavy vibrato use. the action was low for me (having played an un-setup gibson SG) and amazingly there's no fret buzz. gauge 10s have always been the ones for me so thats fine, the neck radius is so small and the frets so tiny compared to the SG so it took some getting used to, but by the end of the band rehearsal we were jamming tatoo'd lady for about half an hour and i was just happily soloing away getting well into it, so its not too hard to get used to.

its a strat so the guitar itself is BUILT. lol the tuners should be ok, may need replacing but we'll see. the nut annoyed me caus the strings dont slide well at all. but a bit of lubricant or even a nut change isn't a big job (just dont have any money left lol) the bridge is all good high quality metal. the knobs have a smooth turn in them (i use the volume pot to vary my sound, i dont switch channels or hit different pedals, i use the old method which sounds far smoother and organic)... i wouldn't like to gig with one guitar ever, but i will be honest i would rather gig with my Gibson SG if i had to rely on just one for a whole show because of tuning stability. but unfortunately for my SG, the strat is in danger of becoming my main guitar.

i go to a good music shop frequently who are friendly and professional and will set my guitars up for me becasue i've bought a fair bit from them. they even chucked in two packs of strings for me lol.

i've been playing for not even 3 years yet, i be 18 now and as much as i'm not up my own ****, i am better than alot of players who think they are good who have been playing for longer (modest aren't we?) i've played some awesome guitars and own two of them now. i knew everything about this guitar before i bought it, and when i finally had it i was not let down, in fact it exceeded my expectations. i was gonna buy a 62 sunburst, i went to the music shop and the chap said he had a new custom shop heavy relic 57 which he let me play, it was amazing (and i hate pre-worn guitars) and i said to him i'll have a 57 as i love the V shapped neck. i was half expecting the USA 57 to be crap compared to the custom shop heavy relic, but its every bit the guitar, and with more original specs (the heavy relic having modern apointments like a 9.5 radius and upgraded pickups etc etc)

You know what it is. At first worried about only 3 postion switch, but this is not a problem for me at this point. I like the soft V neck shape. So far the high radius neck is not a problem, but I'm not shredding any lead stuff. The small vintage frets don't appear to be an isuue. Athough a fan of locking tuners, these vintage slotted type work great and hold tune very well.

Best sounding guitar I've heard. A friend of mine who is a very accomplished professional player tried it and agreed. They nailed it w/ these pickups. Very punchy in the low end. Sure it does that Fender 'chime' thing, but can growl when played at high gains. Much more versitile than you might think. Not just a 'surf' music machine.

I'm amazed at how well it sustains. Ads for neck though body guitar maker want you to believe they have an edge here, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

First rate. Nary a speck of dust, crack, chip, etc anywhere in the finish, either painted or clear coated. Stetup nicely. This thing is a work of art.

Dunno at this point. I do worry about damaging the nitro finish. But it sure looks good and smells great. However, it's a Fender and should last a lifetime.

Lifetime warranty. They did forget to include the accessory kit, which includes the trem arm, pickup cover, but the dealer was able to get from Fender. Guess I'll have to take a point off for this oversight.

I've only been playing 3 years and still suck, but I love this guitar. It was my dream instrument. I only hope I can learn to do it justice.

I play it through both a Roland Cube 30 (sweet little amp for the money) and an Epiphone Valve Std, with a Boss DS1 for distortion.

I always wanted a Surf Green Strat.....I wasn't sure I wanted a vintage style, thinking I'd like modern features like SC pickups, S1 switching, and locking tuners.....in other words....a Deluxe. But after playing this one, I'd never switch. Beautiful and sounds great.

I've got a Carvin DC-127 and doesn't come close in sound or fit and finish.

You already know all this. If you wouldn't give it a 10, then don't buy it, it's not for you. There's plenty of other strats (or other guitars) out there.

I never realized how good it sounded until I compared it to my American strat. So nice and clear. So much so that I had to get rid of the American. It sounded dead compared to the 57. You won't get the huge, thick down and dirty SRV type tones, but that's not why you play this one. There's some pickup buzzing. That's the "vintage" part shining thru. Maybe something to do with the shielding?? But you don't buy a guitar and then complain or modify it.

Got it used and pretty beat up, but the nitro finish wears nicely.

16 years old and still going strong. I don't foresee any probs. If you doubt the durability of a well-made, high quality strat, watch Third Stone from El Mocambo.

I resisted this guitar for so long. I bought it before I really knew what was what, mainly because it looked cool and I got a good deal on it. The 7.25 radius really ticked me off after a while and I spent a ton of time looking for a good replacement neck. Then one day it just came to me. I picked it up and was just noodling around and realized how smooth playing the neck was. My fingers moved effortlessly. The one piece maple had such snap yet still wasn't too bright sounding. A light bulb went off and everything fell into place. The one ply pickguard looked so nice and simple. The shape of the body just melted into my body. I know it sounds stupid, but that's how it happened. I wanted a strat with a nice rich rosewood neck with a 9.5 radius, but instead, I was falling in love with this 57.

Alder body, white finish, gold vintage hardware, tweed case, 21 vintage frets, maple soft v neck. Mine is the 50th anniversary 57 reissue so it has a couple of added attractions like a commemorative neck plate and the gold hardware. It's beautiful.

Play it unplugged and it tells you it wants to sing baby. Plug it in and it sounds way way way strat. Cooler than cool. Lots of overtones and woody sounds. Takes me back to whe strats were strats and Gibsons were scared..

Nut needs a little tweaking, but other than that, solid as a rock.

See above.

? They could sponsor me if they want.

This is the real deal for strat players and lovers. This guitar oozes reality, oozes hipness, oozes got-it-right-the-first time. I can't thank my pal at the guitar store enough for saving this one for me. These anniversary models had a tag of 1600 dollars and they blew them out at the end of the year for a grand. What a steal! I've owned real 57 strats and this is like a trip down memory lane. You gotta try one of these on for size! This axe is a sheer joy to play.

Made in Corona, CA
This strat features a white blonde nitro satin finished alder body and a v-shaped neck. Also a special neck plate with the 50th anniverary of the 1957 strat with gold plate on all hardware. it has 21 huge frets and alnico 3 vintage pickups. one piece maple with a 7 1/4" radius V neck nitro finish. 1 ply 8 hole pickguard. Vintage tweed case and bunch of case candy.

I have too many guitars (if possible) this is just fun to play - different history felt in it.

came with a nice setup - very playable from the case

usa fender

never used it

been playing since '66 and collecting since '73
have about 89 currently mostly
mostly strats - favorites are fender subsonic with a standard tuning setup with a set of 8's, '63 gibson melody maker, '67 fender mustang bass from the band days of the 80's, peavey t-26 ash board and my itialia 12 string great guitar!

You know what your getting, If Volume is used excessively for clever semi tones with a delay or whatever, you can get some crackle, but this is because dirt/dust gets in the resister, so just get a vacuum cleaner and give it a blast, (gets the dust out)

I play rock, blues, and mellow, and it does it all, I think this guitar comes into its own when I play it lead over an acoustic or bass. I think it benefits from some sustain and compression, the compression acts as kind of EQ. (sort of) this is because sometimes you get louder string like on mine its the ???G??? string, it just plays louder, the compression really lets all the string be heard as individuals. I use a boss CS-3, with this pedal its probably the best clean guitar I???ve ever heard. Also if you can afford one of these then you can afford new strings, keep fairly new string on it, don???t let them get old and start oxidising, it doesn???t do the guitar justice and it can damage the hardware.

When I got mine the action was odd, I just changed it, it???s really easy, I think any serious player needs to change the action on a new guitar so this is no different. Be careful when lowering the action though, when the action is really low you can get some noise, which is never good.

My jack plug has come loose a couple of times, that???s it. This is a guitar that should be looked after therefore I cant comment on its ability to destroy a drum kit

never needed it. nor will you

if you can afford to buy the real thing the fine, if you cant then buy one of these, they are better in every single way than the modern day strat (which is still pretty good)

This '57 Strat is Surf Green lacquer and shiny as a new penny! Golly! The neck too. 'Cept it's aged solid maple with a 7.25 radius and real nice vintage frets, no railroad ties here. Has the famous Fender Vintage Stratocaster Pickups, and aged plastic parts (that's the knobs and pickup covers and such). Comes with the famous G&G deluxe tweed case with ORANGE fur inside. Orange. Well, that's what they had in '57. Also comes with a '57 strap, some wipe-o-clean and a nice rag, a '57 chrome bridge cover, a '57 cable, you know, all that o-re-genny stuff. Comes with a three position switch installed and a five position you can put in yourself.

The guitar is very exactly like in '57. Very.

This beauty has got some serious TONE! That's why I bought it. I use a Fender Blues Deluxe (40 watt tube) amp and the combination is just as cool as can be! That is, if you like to actually hear your guitar. Nice and clean with a little reverb (at about 150 decibels!) Ahh. It has the original type pickups (single coil) so it does get some noise from fluorescent lights and such, but not too bad. I absolutely love the sound of this guitar. It is real, uh, Strat! Yeah, that's it. What made the Fender Strat so popular is here. They did a great job of re-inventing their most popular guitar ever.

The guitar sounds very exactly like in '57. Really.

This guitar was perfectly set-up from the factory. I mean just right. You pay a little extra for that, you know. Beautifully smooth nickel-silver frets. Shiny. Whoa. Hand-rolled edges on the fretboard. Nice. Very nice. Won't be going to the guitar-guy for this one.

Fender Stratocaster: See; Rock. See; Sturdy. See; Un-breakable. See; Tough. See; Totally dependable. See; What is an electric guitar, and who did everybody else copy and why.

It has the lifetime Fender Warranty. I use a Fender dealer to settle any problems I have, and though I've had only one little one concerning something else, it was no problem.

I done been a-playin' ge-tar for nigh-on fourdy-fi year. Well, long enough anyway. I've pretty much spelled it out about this guitar, you know, after looking at a whole mess of others (Fenders, of course), and came away digging this one the most. I like the cool Surf Green color too. I mean, where you gonna find a 'Surf Green' guitar? But mainly, and I mean mainly, now I can say I have me a real live, honest to God, made in America Fender '57 re-issue Stratocaster! Where you gonna get one of these, hmm? I like it 'specially because of its simplicity and down-right accurate reproducto-ness. The word we're all looking for here is 'cool.' Never mind the incredible resale value of this particular guitar. I won' EVER sell it! You can't make me!

Made in USA, Jan '96., maple neck, alder body, 2 tone sunburst, vintage tuners and bridge, single ply pickguard, vintage style frets, 3way switch, vintage tweed case...evrything you asked from a strat!

This is a BLUES MACHINE, very rich in sound!Plugged into my '71. vox ac30 sounds unbelievable!Creamy, soft, mellow, thin, high, cutting, you name it!Also gets that crack when you hit the string, not at all like theese new fenders...

Bought used.Took me about an hour to adjust it for myself...has some cracks and dents on it, i don't mind.sohuld be nitro lacquer, but it seems not to be, i guess it's a big lie by fender benders...

Definitely great quality overall, i think it will outlast me and my grandsons too!

N/A

Guitar player for six years now.Blues all the way!I'm not planning on selling this guitar ever, this seems to be the ultimate stratocaster for me...Buy it if you can ;)

Ok, this is a review of my main axe,and it's pretty interesting. This is a 1982 VOO serial number 57 reissue that I bought from none other than Tom Murphy when he was at Gibson in 1990. It was road worn and incomplete when I got it- Tom refinned the body to a sweet 2-tone burst-the neck was so worn all over that it looked like a real 57!It only lacked pickups when I got it, the rest was there. Tom got it at the Arlington show and laid it on me for 250 bucks. The neck needed a refret and was really very small in profile.It had the "v" shape.After fitting in some dimarzio HS3 hum-cancelling single coils, I removed the neck, neck plate, and tuners, and sold them for 400 bucks to a buddy of mine. This paid for the axe and the pickups. I installed a left-handed Mighty-Mite tele neck that had a coat of sealer on it,schallers,and a generic neck plate that I bought used for 60 bucks. The profile is huge. The guitar remains in this form today and has been my main gigging tool for all these years.The vibrato is stock, but is blocked off with a length of drumstick. It has no case, but travels in a coffin with my other 4 stage guitars, so no bother.It's a marvelous unique strat that weighs 5 pounds-high marks here...

I just love it for the hard alt rock style I have. I primarily use a vox wha, ancient RAT distortion, 60's tube Echoplex,Hush noise gate/compressor, and MXR phase 100 for effects. My rig is 2 Blackface Bandmaster heads that have been modded with a master volume, an extra gain stage,and have 70 watts output each. These are each fed to 412 Ampeg cabinets from the 70's that have 4 EV SRO 12 inch speakers in each of them. Great rig that works great with single coils and has been very dependable for 15 years. The guitar has a very ballsy Strat sound and can get swampy blues to screaming high gain well. It also excels at smooth clean tones, and can get quite glassy. This strat as well as my other strats has been modded to have 1 volume, a master tone for all three pickups,and where the bottom tone is, a 3 position passive preamp that I have made for me by a tech I know.This preamp gives me Lo Impedence,+/-6 db gain,or phase reversal on the middle p/up depending on where it's set.I just love the versatility and tone of this axe! Just can't say enuff how much I love it!

I'm sure it was great, but I modded the hell out of it! I can't blame the stock neck..it was too small for my hand, but the guy I sold it too restored a late 60's Strat with it and still uses it today! Honestly,these are pretty darn nice guitars stock, and this one has been modded and taken care of by one of the best techs in Nashville,so it's always been perfect.

It will withstand horrific beatings and stay in tune while sounding incredible! It's as stout as a Mack Truck! I depend on it utterly and would be lost without it. The finish Tom put on is ass-whupped, but it's been gigged hundreds of times sice I got it together.It has spent years locked in a coffin out on the road in all kinds of weather.The strap locks are schallers I put on all my guitars.I never kick it without backup,too much could go wrong!

No warranty on a mutt like this!

Been playing close to 20 years, in one band the past 16.I have a lot vintage gear at home. I described my rig above; in addition to this modded 57 Strat reissue, I have for stage use a modded refinned 64 Jazzmaster,a stock(except for preamp mod above) 60's reissue Strat,a beat to death runover by a burning tank 68 Telecaster,and a 2003 single cut Les Paul Junior.Acoustic is a 71 Guild D25 with a Fishman Matrix preamp and a bluestick saddle transducer.I also have a 72 reissue Mex Strat with EMG's that is used by the rhythm guitarist in my band(he runs 2 late model Les Paul Classics the rest of the time)
If it were stolen or lost, there is no way to replace it. I suppose I'd have to have a copy built from parts.I love it's slapped together, beat to shit looks and it's incredible tone,as well as it's light weight. This axe along with my beloved 68 Tele and 64 Jazzmaster,are completely irreplaceable, but I'm not worried about losing them-they aren't out of my sight these days. My band hs gone on an indefinite hiatus, as we all have children,wives, homes, other careers, etc. Wev'e had a long run and a good time, but it's time to move on with life, and pass the torch on to the many fine young rockers coming along now!These relics of mine will stay in my home studio and get outed once in a while for special shows we choose to do. I'm not done by any means, just older and needing the balance in life that the road cannot yield.This guitar paid for everything I own, and for that, I can't thank it enough!

This is an 84 1957 reissue, Fullerton plant model. 2 tone sunburst, very faithful to the original 57 (I own a 58, so I can compare) Maple neck, with trem, and even ashtray. I bought this from the sleeping salespeople at a national chain music store for 1/3 of its real value. It was filthy, with a few small dings. Once TLCd at home it came alive and is UNBELIEVABLE to play. Came with the original case, hangtag, and original purchase certificate!

UNREAL! It mimics almost perfectly my 58. The 58 is ash, and this is alder so there is a slight difference. sound just jumps off the fingerboard, and it has those chimy midrange clean sounds. It also has the harmonic overtones when played up on the neck, that always drive old strat players nuts. I was stunned by the sound. I can't put the darn thing down.

Just like a 57, with the old-style finish. It has checked only slightly, but I believe it will check more over the years. It was used so I have no idea what the factory setup was. There is no swimming pool here. Correct routing. 3 way switch is not as springy as my 58 (good) and the vol/tone controls allow unlimited turning clockwise, but stop solid when returned (not like the original).

I don't know how it will hold up. It's not going to see abuse from me. It got ignored at the store and sat there for a year while people bought shiny new mexican strats. I confess I feel like I rescued it. I'll play it on stage but protect it. I always take a backup on stage anyway. Usually a G&L tele.

Never dealt with Fender

35 years playing. 53LP Goldtop; 58 Mary Kaye strat; 94 Heritage H-535; 99 G&L Asat classic; 67 Gibson Hummingbird; cheapo squier strat with DG20 pickups; 2003 carved top tele. Matchless Chieftain, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, Carvin Legacy 100 watt all tube. IT'S NEVER LEAVING. I've actually thought about trying to find a second one in case this one gets hurt. FIND ONE.

Bought 2004 beautiful white blonde finish on alder body with V maple neck made in USA.3pickups,3 sounds but you can get in between if you try.Basic but very good.

This is a great gigging guitar that does the business and sounds great.Not quite up to the sound of my 52 Tele so gets a 9.
Feels good when you play.
Sounds much better than a modern USA Strat.

This was set up well and looks well made-no problems to report.

Should stay the distance as a gigging guitar and again no problems.

I've been playing a long time and find this the best Strat sound so far.Highly recommend this for any serious guitarist.
Beats most other guitars apart from my 52 Tele which sounds amazing.

Mine is a brand new 2005 in two-toned sunburst. Fairly lightweight at about 7.5 lbs. You all know the specs so I won't bother with listing all of that. The action, fit and finish were perfect right out of the case.

This is where this guitar shines. First played unplugged, the body is very resonant, which is the first sign of a great guitar. Plugged in, HOLY MOLY!!! I think I have finally found the sound I have been looking for for the past 30 years. The redesigned 57/62 pickups are the best sounding strat pickups I have ever heard. I've played Kinman, Lindy Fralin, Fender CS 54's and Fat 50's and nothing comes close to these. I've had older model reissue strats with the older pickups and they were junk. If you own a strat, go out and buy a set of these pickups. I play this through a Victoria 20112(tweed Deluxe) with a Celestion Blue Alnico. The sound of the two together is just amazing. This might have just ended my Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Well, probably not. But it has sure slowed it down a lot.

Action, fit and finish were perfect right out of the case. I tuned it up and away we went. I have never had any guitar from Fender that had any problems

Well, it's a Fender. You can through them down a flight of stairs and they'll still be in tune.

I've never had to call Fender with any issue. If I have a question regarding a product, I have my buddy at the local music store call them. And of course he has a direct line to them.

I've been playing for over 30 years. I don't have a lot of gear as all I need is one guitar and one amp.(But I've been through a lot of them over the years). If it were stolen, I would not hesitate to buy another one.

American-made '57 Strat re-issue, made in 1992, 2-tone sunburst with maple fretboard, 21 frets, vintage-style tuners. I think these originally came with a 3-way pickup switch, but the previous owner converted this to a 5-way. I bought this one used. No case was included, but they did throw in a heavily padded gig bag. Not as good as a hardshell case, but it'll do.

I play mostly country and classic rock, and this guitar is perfect for both. I also have a 2001 American Series Strat, and it sounds great too, but this is a different animal. These have different pickups than the regular American Standards/Series. This guitar has a very warm, vintage sound. I can't describe it, really, it just sings. The "in-between" settings aren't as strong as on my new American Series Strat, but they still sound great. This guitar sounds good, no matter what I play. I don't notice any excessive hum, but I can hear my pick hit the pickups on this guitar. My new Strat doesn't do this, so I can only assume it goes with the whole vintage sound thing. I absolutely love this sound!

Others have mentioned that the older re-issues have a C-shaped neck, but I'm almost positive that this one is a V-shape. The V-shape is so much more comfortable, it's not even funny. I like the vintage tint on the neck and fretboard, and I love the vintage tuners. String changing is so much easier, and the guitar stays in tune much better than my American Series Strat. They should put the vintage ones on all Strats. The 2-tone sunburst looks great, even after 13 years. There are the usual belt-buckle scratches and one ding on the end of the body by the strap button, but everything else is fine. I'll give it a 9, because of the scratches and ding.

As with my American Series Strat, I know I can depend on it. Strats and Teles are bulletproof. I'll probably switch between this and my American Series Strat for gigging. I'll bring the other Strat as a backup, just because a string may break, or something like that.

Never dealt with them.

I've been playing for 20 years. I really just got into Strats last year. Before that, it was all Rickenbackers and Gretsches. Don't get me wrong I still love my other guitars, but if I had to pick one type of guitar to play for the rest of my life, it would be a Strat. My American Series Strat is the 3-tone sunburst with a rosewood neck. I can't say I like this one better than my other Strat, it's just different. I do think the reissue Strats are Fender's best kept secret, though. If you like the vintage Strat sound, this is your ticket. Even at $1300 new, they're still a good buy.

It's a stock 57 reissue strat, what can I say. Made in 1982-1983 Japan. So we're going to consider a guitar that is over 20 years old at this point. At the time I bought it new in 1989, it was considered 2nd rate, or even junk compared to a new American-made strat, but now I understand they are quite desirable.

Exremely light-weight guitar, lightest strat I've ever seen, I suspect it is not an alder body, but rather basswood, as I've heard that some Japanese strats intended for US market were made this way to cut costs. The probable basswood body is why I give features an 8 rating.

It came with 5-way switch installed however.

Have used with Crate, Fender, Marshall amps.
Presently use with Fender Roc Pro 1000 amp, and also a Berenger V-AMP 2 effects box.

I have tried out all manner of strats (except more 57 reissues, cause I haven't seen any) and none of them feel or sound like mine. The classic pups, and the 7-1/4 rad C neck are unique.

Sounds better now than when I bought it 15 years ago. I wasn't really completely happy with the sound the first few years I had it...I think partly it was the amp and effects I had at the time.

I play blues and can get all the sounds I want out of it. It gets better all the time.

The neck pup is a wonderful hollow bell sound that goes to a beautiful raspy sound with distortion
The center pup, which I used to hate, has mellowed, and I like it for classic rock tunes.
The center and bridge pup combo gives a classic clunky sound clean, always has.

There's some hum but turn down the vol knob between songs, right?

I wish the guitar had more sustain, the notes seem to die too soon, but compression helps add sustain! This is probably because of the basswood body. Going up to 5 strings on the tremelo, or blocking it might help in this regard. I haven't done either.

I can't recall what the setup was like when new, I was a kid and just happy to have a strat.

The bridge routing is a little off, and there's a gap on one side of the neck, the little E will fall off if you don't string it right, but minor deal.

I set the guitar up with 1/8 inch string height from nut to body, and have filed the frets a few times to elimate scalloping, may consider a refret some day, but not yet.

Finish is basic nitrocellulose black. No body finish flaws, excepting scratches and dents from use, neck is holding up well. The edges of the neck have no finish...all worn off from playing, and the lacquer is breaking down between frets, no raw wood there yet.

Have replaced string saddles twice, with vintage style parts. I always use a little 3-in-1 oil on the saddles and the string tee to keep the strings limber, and let them float a bit.

Still

I have used it on many gigs with no backup...it's the only guitar I own period. It has held up really well, except the tone knobs no longer affect sound when turned.

The guitar has been dropped on its end, which left a huge asphalt pavement dent above the rear strap button. The damage sustained is further indication that the body is basswood. Its been knocked into things, fallen over, and generally suffered careless handling, but it keeps on going.

If anything the guitar has gotten better with every passing year and scratch, dent, ding, and bump on it.

Have no idea about customer support...never needed it.

I would like to get another one that is in less-played condition, in the event this guitar gives out...which is not likely. And with prices such as they are, I can't afford another one. If I was w/o a guitar, I would not even consider anything but either this or the Clapton strat (9-1/2 radius though)...I'd like to put a 25db boost circuit in this guitar! I love the 7-1/4 in radius of the 57 reissue strat.

This one is an '05 USA made, 21 fret, ash body because it has a see-thru Mary-Kaye Blonde finish; $150 US extra, but worth it. S/S/S/ pickups but you knew that. as a matter of course, you all about this guitar already, so I won't waste your time. Old school features for an old school guitar.

I've only had it for a few hours, and have only played it for about an hour, because it came from Wisconsin where it is very cold right now, so I put it back in the case to acclimate over night.
I play everything; it suits my styles very well. That is why strat's are so popular, they are indestructible and can do anything but maybe flamenco. As for amps, I use a variety from a kick-ass super reverb with Webers to a Vibrolux reverb to a Rectoverb 50 to a dual rectifier 412 to a JTM 45 to a '58 Tweed twin. I have many effects pedals but really don't use them because they aren't really needed. The sound of this axe is snappier than a regular Alder body. Almost Tele-ish, but with a more versatile sound palette. The 57/62 standard pickups are adequate, but I think Fralins are on the horizon for this one. I like everything about this strat, even though it's a crude instrument, it does everything it should.

In this category, Fender has come a long way. I have played for nearky thirty years now and have almost that many guitars. I have four strats and my real '57 doesn't play as well as this guy. The attention to detail is excellant, wire routing is pristine, finish is gorgeous and neck is flawless. i'm picky as hell but I feel like I really got a good one here. Love the soft V-neck too! Although the nut isn't as good as my'93 '57 R.I., it's still a very nearly perfect guitar.

C'mon; these guitars will outlast all of their non-Hendrix/Woodstock/Townshend owners. This stuff is generational. I've promised my collection to my teenage son and I'm sure his kids will have these Fenders long after guitar-driven music is a distant memory. The thing is, they just keep getting better with age as the wood and finish cures. I wish I did.

Never used them for support but they're always there for my nit-picky ass questions.

I've played a long time and own almost everything. Then again, do we really own anything? If stolen, I would hope to get another winner like this one.... and I'd papercut the thieve's eyes. This guitar is the best there is for what it does. Sure you can buy an Anderson or Grosh and the like, but why? I used to do that but I found that the drunk in the audience at the club wants to hussle the chick next to him and really could give a shit if your tone is "Holy Grail" or not. All those classic amps going to waste...

Update on an earlier review I made:

I've now owned it for about 4 years. A few mods:
* Re-installed 3-pos switch, rewired it like a tele (master volume and switch acts on the outer pups, the middle one uses the middle pot as volume so I can mix it in any combination, master tone)

* Graphite saddles to cut back on string-expenses.
They were installed at the same time as I did the wiring mod, dunno what caused the most tonal changes but it does sound a bit different.

It's still a strat and it's still very versatile. Even more so now.

The sound got a bit less bright after those mods, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I simply add a bit tremble on the amp-side if I want to compensate. The 7 pickup combinations are all great, the "all 3 at once" is fat and overwhelming, the "bridge+neck" sounds bigger than the 2nd pos out of phase (more tele-ish perhaps?).You all know the stock sounds, these two additional ones are great too.

It's still noisy, maybe even a bit more now with my poor soldering skills, but I'm gonna have it re-soldered to stock 5-pos. setup and add a miniswitch for the neck pup instead. Gives me all 7 sounds with less hassle.

It is now very well played in, I've adjusted everything to my taste as well. The 7.5 inch radius does mean that you need a bit higher action than on modern guitars, but I like to really "dig in" so I need high action anyway. I do keep the neck fairly straight so that I get a touch of fret-buzz when I hit it hard, adds a nice personality to the sound. The feel more than compensates for the disadvantages of radius and small frets, I still recommmend it.

I always bring a backup to gigs, but after installing the graphite saddles it hasn't broken a single string.

The finish has cracked a bit on the fretboard, exposing a hard and bright white polyester undercoat. Doesn't look good at all, but I can't feel it when I play.

The pickguard has also warped a bit, but that might have to do with my bad habit of sticking plectrums underneath it.

Overall: it doesn't look better with age, but it can still withstand a nuclear assault. Really solid construction and quality hardware.

The shop I bought it from had removed the small key that adjusts saddle height, so I e-mailed the scandinavian Fender importer and asked for one. It was in my mailbox 2 days later, free of charge.

This is the only guitar I've kept for this long. I've sort of grown more and more attached to it. Get one!

This is a follow up review of my 2001 aztec gold us '57 reissue. I've had it a few years now and just want to update my previous review. I havn't done anything to the guitar, no mods, not even installed the 5 way switch, don't need to, for position 2 and 4 you can just lodge it in between the settings on the switch. Isn't that what they used to do anyway before they invented the 5way switch?!

I still think that this guitar is THE strat to get. I think it has more character than the standard series, the 57 is just the basic strat, and it gets those classic strat sounds. Since getting this strat I have started using the bridge/middle and the bridge pickups selections a lot more, I used to find them to bright on other strats but they sound decent on this, obviously they can get a bit bright but as long as you play low down the neck it just sounds great, I find them excellent for playing with ur fingers, no pick, its a really organic kind of expirience. The neck pickup is still great and even a gorilla playing this guitar whilst wearing boxing gloves could get a great tone out of it. Ive even been using the middle pick-up on its own, how often do people bother with that, i think it sounds kinda decent. Overall it is a great strat that sounds like all the strat tones and sounds you have in ur head or uve heard on cd.

The guitar is now a good three or four years old, the nickel parts have dulled, personaly i quite like how it looks like now, i wouldn't say this was a defect, just the passage of time. Also the finish is starting to wear a little in places, mostly on where my right arm rests on the body, this isn't really a flaw, it is just what happens with nitro finishes, and as more years pass it will get even thiner and dry out, really letting the wood vibrate and resonate, I cant wait!

One thing that has happened is the pickgaurd seems to have warped a little bit on the top by the neck pickup, there is a good 2-3mm gap between the bottom of the pickgaurd and the body, it is a defect i suppose but it dosn;t really bother me, it makes a handy plectrum holder, it is probably keeping them there that has made the problem worst so its probably my fault.

All in all the guitar still looks absolutly beautiful! I'm giving it a 7 cos it dosn;t look exaxctly like it did brand new, it shows a few small signs of age, but these are all purely cosmetic. To me this dosn;t detract to how the guitar looks at all, infact i think it makes it look quite cool, but I know there are some people who don't like this kind of thing happening to their guitars.

I loved it when I got this guitar and I still love it now, it is starting to show signs of wear but then I have played it alot, i liked it so much, and ive played it hard, a few gigs here and there too.

The only downside with the guitar is that it constantly distracts me from uni and studying, I'm supposed to be revising now and I've only stopped playing the thing to write this cos my fingers actually hurt I've been putting of revising that long! I guess I should move it out of my study.

That is a 2001 '57 brand new sunburst stratocaster and when i said brand new it is brand new I open the carton box .with all case candy ... vintage gray wire ,vintage strap, polish cloth, ashtray bridge cover,5 way switching,tweed case.It the most simply guitar it is really easy to use.

This strat for me is not a shreded metal machine but that is what I wanted a vintage sound for playin' oldie (buddy holly). It sound like a vintage strat ...fully noisy when playing in the front of my computer.
I add the 5 way a year later when I understand I could not do the SRV tone in cold shot and many other song .

the factory set up is very look like a crap ... highly curved neck it take me 3 or 4 full turn of trusts rod adjustement screw. Floting tremolo with 3 springs is really bad it eat the sound of the guitar I reset with 5 springs .the strings are set too high ... after 3 years of playing I found in the finish a wood dust and the body where selected with the worst wood i seen the top of the guitar have a carved hole is not high but is there and the wood look like be scraped by a bear . The finish of the neck wear under and on the side of the neck start to show wear.

Fender exist for more than fifty years I think that is ok but for the case is another thing the case lactche spring broke after 10 month of use .

For the case waranty repair thats take more than 6 months to have another case and the music store dont pass me another case to put it in :S that is very bad

I been playing for 4 years and that is my main axe I loved it and if it is stole i re-buy again or i buy '52 r-i telecaster or a Sdr les paul maybe ?? not I re-buy a strat :) but I turn for a custom shop this time .If fender listen that I want pat. pendind saddle with right string guide placement.
for all its a great guitar for is price