Fender American Strat Plus

You see the guy's review just below mine? From Xhefri? Well, ya know you're the bomb when Wikipedia uses YOU as a reference - and that's exactly what Wikipedia has done with our friend Xhefri, there. As a matter of fact, his review may be a little too modest, because that guy knows what he's talkin' about. Do yourself a favor and go check out his Strat Plus website. It's chock full of good and useful information and you're sure to learn a little somethin' about these guitars that you didn't know before. I did.

These Plus Strats hold a certain mystic about them, kinda like old Harleys.
I bought my 1990 model in Silverburst a few weeks ago and sure as the world, the guy who sold it to me knew all about it. Turns out most everything he told me about it was flat out wrong. To make matters worse, on this particular Saturday he had placed yard-sale type signs on the sides of the roadway stating "GUITARS FOR SALE" and had opened up his business's warehouse to display about 15 guitars he had for sale - so I stopped in - and he had some really nice, quality pieces, this Strat Plus among them.

First thing right off he tells me this Plus is a 1999 year model. Hmmm.....OK....then he plugs her up to a small practice amp and shows me that it plays great - only problem was I could see the Wilkinson roller nut wasn't strung properly so the strings weren't ringing out like they should, but sitting around me for sale was a damn fine Rick, a Guild to die for, and some other big gun, big name axes - so who am I to argue? We talked price and I owned me a Strat Plus. I kept my mouth shut about the Strat. A first for me.

As soon as I got home I pulled up our friend Xhefri'S Strat Plus website to confirm what I had suspected about the year model, but the Fender serial number on the headstock had already clued me in, and followed up on some other info while I was there.
Took me (and the wife) a couple of hours to re-string her and do a proper set up. The Wilkinson nut can be a bear to deal with when re-stringing and and extra pair of hands or a little Jack Black will go a long way in making the task easier.
Plugged her up and saw visions of Jimi and SRV in the distance. Or maybe that was Jack Black.....

Last time I talked to a Fender rep they were owned by CBS.
I own 13 - now make that 14 - axes(I hate that word), and the only ones that can hang with this Plus for quality, fit and finish, sound and playability, are my beloved and cherished 1980 Kramer XL5 Alumaneck and my mint 1986 Carvin V220.
Another axe I also own is a lovely 2005 MIM Fat Strat with factory routed Floyd Rose that I modded with two single coil Hot Alnico V's from the good folks at Reliable Fender and a DiMarzio Double Whammy hummer at the bridge. I thought this guitar was the sheeit until I brought this Plus home. When compared, the MIM falls flat on its face. The Plus just outshines and outperforms it in every way.

I been playin' since geezus was a baby, 'round about 1968. Never ceases to amaze me what '60's era Strats and LP's sell for on eBay. Hell, I sold mine and made a small fortune. But people seem to forget that just because something is old and vintage doesn't always mean it's better. Just ask any Harley driver that ever owned a hog that had AMX on the side of it. Same era. About the same build quality.
These Strat Plus' are head and shoulders above that. Well made instruments hand crafted in that rarest of all places. The USA.

Hi, I have owned around 250 Strat Plus guitar and love almost all of them. They range from the Standard Plus with 3 Gold Lace to Customized Plus' with various combinations of colors. You can see these www.xhefriguitars.com

Like many people have indicated. your will love or hate Lace Sensors. I love them and the tone is great. I have noticed that they can be weak on the high E string sometimes, especially using .09s. My favorite combination is found by using Fender's Ultra wiring and a Gold/Gold/Gold-Red dually in the bridge. With the use of a mini-switch you can have all the standard Plus tones (bells and quack) but also a humbucker sound and even Tele bite. Lace introduced some new colors (tonal flavors) of Laces a few years ago and they have proved nice to obtain some new voices. The Golds are a 50s tone, where as the other colors voice various types of pickups from the P-90 to a humbucker.

As with all guitars, set up is critical. Ever Plus I get I do a complete set-up from top to bottom. Like tonight, i picked up a Midnight Wine Plus made in 1991. I checked the truss rod adjustment on the neck, reset it and the guitar played 85% better with just 1 turn on the truss rod. I was thinking, I wonder how many years someone played this with the strings buzzing of above the 12 fret and set high all the way down. So setup is critical. One can judge all guitars by just getting one and comparing it too all the rest!

The Plus guitar we well built...hand down. Compared to the late 70s CBS era Strats they were a marked improvement. The features of the bi-flex truss rod, hip-shot tremsetter, roller nut and finished, made them a good deal for the price. Some of the guys that moved into Fender's Custom Shop made a lot of the necks on these guitars.

Fender is usually pretty user friendly....

Great guitars for the price. They are becoming more of a collectors item, especially the 87-90s models.

My plus is an 89'fiesta red U.S.A. model. Standard SSS,rosewood board,
gold lace sensors,Wilkinson R'nut,Sperzel locking tuners etc. Neck is
a med.'C'satin finish. For my style of playing(blues/blues rock:A'Bros.
Jeff beck,SRV et al),It's 'THE BOMB'.

I'm using a Furman powered P'board with(from guitar),Fulltone Clyde
Deluxe Wah,Dunlop vol. pedal,Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive,Fulltone Full-
driveII mosfet,Boss DD-5 delay,vintage T.C.Electronics chorus/pitch
modulator/flanger,Keeley Katana clean boost & Boss TU-2 tuner into
various vintage Fender amps(BF Deluxe Reverbs,Vibroluxe reverbs etc.)
Absolutely 'NOISELESS' no matter what O'drive or distortion setting!
This guitar gives me whatever sound I require.No dislikes at all.
All cables are GeorgeL'S thru & thru.

I bought It used, 2006. It needed a minor set-up but, overall, It was
playable right out of the case.All hardware was xlnt(for an almost)20
year old axe.

As far as I'm concerned, my 'PLUS' is bulletproof! This is one solid,
dependable guitar. I'm a 'HEAVY' string bender & she stays in tune perfectly.I bring a backup axe to gigs but,I've never had to 'uncase'
it. A totally solid dependable guitar!!!

Have not needed support or repair so far.(knock on wood!).

I've been playing 30+ yrs.& own 30-40 vintage Fender & Gibson guitars
& amps.I have two other 'PLUS'S'that are great but, 'FIESTA' is my
'*****'!! She tells me how to spank her.

Strat Plus '88, mint green with 3 SC's (Lace Sensor Gold). Former tour guitar so we are better not talking about the finish (a lot of scratches, dongs...), this one is aged the classical way :-). Schaller straplocks, Sperzels, AM-style tremolo

The sound of the Lace Sensors is a love/hate thing. If you want a classic Strat-sound go for the newer Fender noiseless PU's. I really love 'em for percussive clean or bluesy crunch sounds, but playing in a cover band I needed a bit more distortion also. So I replaced the perloid pickguard by a white one with HSS routing and put a DiMarzio Fred in the Bridge-Position.

Don't know about the factory setup. This one has been setup by the former players guitar-tech so it was near to perfect. As said the finish is that of a heavy used and abused guitar, everything else is in perfect working condition and the main thing: I took it, started to play it and it initially felt good in my hands. It's always the same (and still is) with Fender: You can try a hundred of them and every single one feels different.

This one already prove that it will withstand live playing, dropping it on the stage and so on... Since changing the bridge PU I even play it as my main guitar sometimes. When it comes to guitars I never play without a backup as there is always a chance a string breaks during a long set.

Don't know, never had contact to Fender

playing classical guitar since 1979, electric since 1983, more than 20 years on stage with different bands. Originally I bought this one because I was missing a Fender for studio and this one is also noiseless. I'm not a collector - I'm a player, so I didn't care for the finish, the electronics, hardware and neck-condition is fine and this is just a good working-horse for the job. The sound was good and after modding the Bridge-PU it is just perfect for my needs. The price was great compared to the original price, not to mention the prices you have to pay for such a Strat nowadays... so I doubt that I would get another one like this if it was stolen - but I would surely try.

95 American standard plus, olympic white finish, 3 gold lace sensors, LSR roller nut, locking tuners, Hipshot tremsetter, maple fretboard, alder body.

For me this is the utltimate strat feature wise, add any more and it is not a strat any longer, take away and it's not as versatile.

Versatile, this is the word, been used on the road for everything from a blues to heavy metal covers band, always managed to get the sound i wanted no compromises (within reason of course).

the beauty of the laces is that they're virtually noiseless and will stand driven hard, better use that tone control though, the bridge pickup can snap necks.

I've thought about replacing the bridge pickup for a stacked bucker ala Malsmteen, but found no reason to, with my GT-8 I can recreate the tone down to a tee.

One thing that can be negatory, is that those pickups will do you no favours if you've anything less than a totally clean technique, they're very transparent and will not cover up mistakes.

I honestly can not remember the setup condition when it was new -this was 11 years ago-. But the guitar has no flows build wise, very nice fret work and finish on the body/fret board

Work horse, this guitar has been gigged for 11 years and apart from a couple of scratches still looks new, it is unbelievable, the hardware still shines, if you know how to take care of'em strats will outlast its owner, I've replaced the saddled with some graphie variety cause a screw fell off one of the old ones.

No electrical problems what so ever

Never dealt with them.

Been playin' for 16 years now, she's my baby and has never let me down in 11 years

This one was made in usa in 1989, 22-frets, 2 Lace sencor pickups and one Dimarzio chopper in bridge position with a singelcoil-effect-switch.

It sounds just beautiful! I play it through a Line6 flextone HD II and i just love the sound. The Laces has great blues n' jazz sound and the dimarzio is a badass distortion-bucker haha. It's a very "overall" guitar.

Nothing to say, it's a strat!

I totally trust this guitar!

I've been playing sicne 1997 (im born in 1989) and i own this strat, an Ibanez RG570 and a levin stratocaster copy, i've also had a les paul with emg's and this strat plays better than all of those! If it was stolen i would buy another one, i would not find one simular to this but i would deffinetly buy a strat :D . Im sorry for my spelling and grammar stuff.

hello, this review is for a 1997 Strat plus made in usa, bought at jeff blochs guitar centre in brooklyn new york in august 2005, and flown back to australia with me

frets etc same as other reviews,

nice ice green silver colour with pearloid guards, maple neck, really is in mint condition, ie brand new, didnt get a case and actually think i paid a bit much, it was a consignment piece and he wouldnt budge on price

features are good, like sperzels and lsr

hmmm, i came here to see what reviewers think of pickups, cause i am a bit concerned the gold lace sensors havent got enough bite

my brother has a 94 standard, and we compared the sponds through same amp, same settings etc

honestly, his sounded more bitier (bite) and start style, mine sounded a lot cleaner, bit like a new modern car versus an old muscle car

i play this a lot for acousticy style sounds

excellent set up, mint condition, no flaws wotsoeva

seems reliable and hasnt broken a string yet, despite some hard playing and chronic sring bending, ie making it go yawhaoooeee a lot

have to watch the strap coming off, dont kno if it is the strap buttons or strap, but i am always mindful, after catching it twice when it has dropped

no details here,

i would recommend this guitar

i also have a 2003 fat tele usa, and a 93 gibson les paul standard,

the gibson is 3-4 times louder on the same amp setting than the strat plus, and the tele is louder also than the strat, is that a problem? maybe it is the pickups, i would possibly change them but in australia they are quite expensive, (we get ripped off for all guitar stuff, ie strings are $15.95 a packet, say $12 us, yet in the us they are six bucks)

overall a good guitar, but a bit like the efficency of a modern hyundai compared to the unpredictability of a gto muscle car,

if it was stolen i would buy a standard strat (hope my plus cant read)

This guitar is made in the U.S.A. It has a '50 year' sticker on it saying 1946-1996, I bought it new around '99. Mine is antique white I believe with a rosewood fingerboard .It has gold lace sensor pup's and a wilkinson nut, 5 way selector and locking tuners. It has one volume and two tone controls

I play a lot of 70-90's rock/metal and this guitar has a perfect tone as far as i am concerned. I use a digitech RP2000 multi effect unit for recording and a Marshall DSL201 valve amp. I own a Gibson LP standard double cut and a 1980 Ibanez iceman. The iceman has the most comfortable neck to play but sound wise this strat blows them both away for tone.

Finish is perfect after 6-7 years. I had it set up when I bought it and haven't touched it since(action slightly lowered). Everything about the fit and finish is perfect. Its not my favorite colour but thats a personal choice

I have not gigged this guitar but I have no doubt it would cope perfectly (I have gigged with plenty of cheap crap in my younger days). Everything about this guitar is as solid as the day I bought it. I would gig without a back up except for the occasional string break when using the whammy. My only 2 complaints with this guitar are 1) goes out of tune if I use the whammy and 2)The occasional string break if I use the whammy. Both problems solved by using my RP2000 to make the 'divebombs'

No knowledge.

I have been playing over 30 years. Always liked the strat sound but found the neck too narrow for my fingers on ones I had tried. I bought this as my first guitar with a whammy bar but I don't use it 'cos the guitar goes out of tune and string (top e) breaks. I use the Digitech RP2000 for the same effect now. The tone of this guitar is awsome and nothing else matters now. I have even got used to the narrow f/board. Always wanted an LP standard but don't see the need now.

I own an awesome 87 plus. It's got the standard stuff; maple neck, sperzel tuners,lsr nut, candy apple red, gold lace sensor pups. I could tell all about the body style and woods and metal configuration of the bridge, but after all it is an 87; I think they have all been researsh enough by now.

I play in a texas blues trio, doing our own stuff and of course covering SRV, Clapton, Hendrix, Gary Moore, along with the standrad Blues brothers and BB King shit. The guitar was originally my dads when he tours out west in the eighties with all kinds of country bands. Subsequently, Most of them sign the guitar; So now I have a killer blues guitar that is ironically sign by Merl Haggard, Patti Loveless, David Allen Coe, and Dottie West. It's A sick irony I know. Anyway I play out of a marshall avt50 half stack and an effects chain consisting of a crybaby, ts9, and a boss analog delay. I get the sound that dreams are made of man let me tell you. Although it doesn't have a lot of edge and you have to kick it in the balls with the ts9, it gets the srv sound that so many players are after. I just want to clear one thing up though, I get the sound but I play my own shit. Anyone who says,"stop trying to sound like someone else and look for your own sound", you people can suck my balls because the wheel is round and there are a plethora of automobiles, Get it? So in effect it is a great tool to biuld your perfect sound upon.

I don't know how well this guitar was set up from the factory besuase honestly it is eighteen years old. I do know that my dad had the ton controls bypassed to give it a full on hard on all the time. it is great because I have played other guitarist'd strats and were digusted by the sound and not know why only to find that the tone knobs were all the way down,DUH! The finish itself is holding up very well to the test of time. The candy apple red fish only has one little group of superficial scratches wear my dad and my belt buckles have pounded it for 18 years. The neck is a different story though. The bar scene has done more for the maple tint than anything giving it a golden orange color. The laquer has chipped off in spots on the fret board<mainly becuase the guy that refretted it last year had a bitch of a time with the extra jumbo frets>and the finish has all but worn off of the back of the neck. I don't know exactly why but I think it has to do with the acidity of my palm sweat because it wasn't like that when I inherited it in 96 for my 16th b-day. Kinda wierd though. I have to replace the saddles soon because of oxidation and rust. The d-string is especially bad because it has pitted in the string guide and keeps busting strings. I think I'll put some of those string saver saddles on or maby some factory ones.

This guitar has withstood ten years of professional five night a week playing and another eight of me banging oround on it until I was good enough to forge into the blues scene. So I would definately, and have done it many times, take it out solo w/out a backup. I've always loved the fact that it was so versatile that I could cover such a broad range of tones moving from the neck to bridge pups. Although the coveted sound is the neck pickup full out honk that makes the birds sing in the morning and the nipples ahrd at night.

I've never delt with fender straight on but I assume they are pretty reputable being as they've been around since the single coil.

I have been playing for twelve years and have experemented with god knows haow many guitars but the sound is just a srtat through a Marshall and The strat plus has been there since the beginning. Now there is another point that needs to be brought to the table. With everyone that I have talked to,and I have talked to alot of musicians in my career as a technician and salesman at a promeninent music store in Peoria IL,they have all said that their favorite guitar is the one that they started out on. Gibson Players have all started on Gibsons, Fender Players have all started on Fenders; as a rule, now there are always exceptions.The bottom line is that if your starting out playing or are just looking for something that is just plain "right", Start with comfort and playability and then go from there. For me it was the strat. God Bless It!

Thus endeth the sermon

I just bought a 91 strat plus black with a rosewood fretboard. Very simple and cool. It has the typical locking tuners, wilkinson nut, and block tremelo. It has all the strat features with some nice updates compared to the old ones, and reissues. It has lace sensors-blue, gold, and red from neck to bridge.

As far as the combo of pickups as described above...it sounds like what I would expect. I really can't trash this guitar because I bought it based on what was available on the guitar-which I wish others would do. It's sounds good for what it is. I do favor Fralins or CS 69 pickups, but I don't think they suit this style of guitar. The red pickup is a little nasal sounding, but has decent output. The gold is nice and bell like without noise. The blue is a bit too bassy, but can get some cool tones. It's a very versatile guitar and it makes a great live guitar because it doesn't go out of tune very often and gets a lot of good tones quickly. No it isn't the most organic earthy pickup, but I knew that when I bought it. You really can't expect a true humbucker out a single coil without pole pieces and you can't expect to sound like Hendrix either. It's just good for different situations when you need more than one guitar tone on a song live or in the studio.

Very comfy neck. I love Fenders mainly for the body contours and the way the controls are set up. Very well made and built like a tank. Much sturdier than a vintage reissue.

This is where this guitar is way better than all of the other Fenders period. It may be the best made guitar that Fender ever made-yes, ever. You could change a string in less than 5 minutes and that includes digging in your guitar case and tuning. The vintage reissues look good, but don't deliver and the real vintage ones aren't worth the money that guitar prison, or I mean guitar center sells them for out here in L.A.

This is where Fender sucks like a porn star. They are just so so which isn't good enough for what they charge for guitars these days.

I have been playing for 17 years and I am your typical tone dork. I am very particular and I have played/owned everything. I own a Victoria amp, a Silvertone combo, and an Ibanez les paul copy (best guitar I have ever owned). I have owned 7 strats, 1 tele 62 vintage reissue, and I always go back to my Ibanez. I bought this strat plus as a backup for my Ibanez. I only like to own 2 electrics at a time. I think less is more and if a guitar doesn't blow me away I don't keep it. I really dig the strat plus so far because I was tired of trying vintage reissues that had nice looks, but didn't deliver live. I believe this strat plus is just a great live guitar. You can always go for the vintage tone in the studio and mix and match tones, but live you just want a guitar that sounds good overall and plays solid. I have a real dirty reverb drenched tone and this guitar actually can do it-tone is all in your hands. The lace sensors have some pro & cons, but so do all pickups. Just use your ears and hands as much as possible and try not to get too tied up on wood type, finish, pickup brands, and even name brands. If you're tired of paying too much on vintage reissues that go out of tune or just for the price then try one of these-you may love them. I'm sure that in about 10 years people will start falling in love with these pickups because they will be retro or vintage like everything else-locking tuners rule. I apologize for rambling, but I hope this was helpful to someone who has been searching on ebay or in their local papers and wondering if it will work for them.

This is my second Strat Plus. Had one stolen in Bible college of all places. It was a late 80's model and graffiti yellow. I loved that guitar. If you have it I want it back!

Current: '95 22 frets, tobacco sunburst finish, maple neck, deluxe locking tuners, etc., gold lace pickups (I've replaced with TX Specials).

After changing the lace pick ups to Texas Specials it sounds great. The lace picks ups were alright for a clean noiseless sound, but when over driven they just didn't have the edge I wanted. The TX Spec have a more traditional fender strat sound - they are based off of one of SRV's guitars.

I play it through a Fender Blues Deluxe. Has a great warm, glassy tone that is to be expected with played through a tube amp.

I use the neck pickup the most. Very bright and full. I occasionally use the middle and neck together for a more percussive rhythm sound. I'm not a big fan of the bridge position because it's just to thin of a sound.

The first one I owned had an incredible action. Seriously! It seemed that everyone that played it loved the action. I've never had so many people surprised by the action of a strat. I even had a Gibson SG player compliment the thing. That is what I miss most about that guitar. The only problem I had with it was a hair line crack where the neck met the body.

My '95 Strat Plus has a decent action. I put 10's on it so that may be why it doesn't play as well as my first one. However, I play mostly blue/rock and do a lot of bending...I don't mind the feel.

I'm not a fan of the LRS nut. You can't really replace it because they cut such a huge groove in the neck that it would be impossible to fill it with anything else...espcially a bone nut.

I've had no problems with the '95. I had to tweak the neck a bit after increasing the size of the strings but that is to be expected. I've put the guitar through so changes over the years. Changed the pick ups, pick guard, blocked the tremolo, unblocked the tremolo and it still plays well, and sounds great.

Never had to deal with Fender directly.

This has been a great guitar. The only thing I would change is the LRS nut. Don't get me wrong it's a great nut, but I would prefer a bone nut. I think that is what they are doing with the deluxes now (they replaced the plus) along with adding a S-1 switching system.

I'm a big fan of the Fender Strat. Now that I've played for 14 years and know what I like I may build my own through Warmoth. I play a custom '56 relic a couple of days ago made by the Fender Custom shop and I loved it, but it cost $2,500. That is way over priced if you ask me.

I've giged for years without a backup to this guitar and will continue to.

I write this review for those who are looking for a great second hand guitar.

1994 Model.
American Made
22 Frets / SSS configuration
The upgrades are Gold Lace Sensor pickups, Locking Tuners,LSR Roller Nut, Hip Shot Tremsetter, Nice pearloid pickguard.

All of the upgrades make good sense, but if you want that classic Hendrix or SRV tone you probably won't be crazy about the Lace Sensors. That being said, I think the Plus was the best Strat Fender ever made. I wanted quiet pickups which are really versatile, to always be in tune and durability. This guitar is excellent

Versatile sound and no noise. I'm not sure how a rosewood neck would sound, but the maple neck has nice warmth. If play jazz, blues or Rock (classic or modern, You'll get all the sounds you need. If you're into metal this is not the guitar for you.

The Plus was a really well built guitar from the start. I am the original owner of this particular guitar, so I can say that all of the hardware has aged very well for the amount of playing I've done with it.

Very reliable. This model came with Strap locks, which I think are important. My guitar is metallic red and the finish is still quite good.

I've never needed support with this guitar. I have had good and bad experiences with Fender. Recently Fender has been better than they were in the late 90's. I think it's always important to buy a guitar from a store you know. You'll get better service and they can help you deal with a manufacturer. I have bought many guitars at 8th Street Music in Philly and I would recommend them.

This guitar is a really good deal in the $600-$700 range. I think it is better than the American Series Strat of recent years. So if you see one that isn't beaten up too badly at your local shop, you won't regret your purchase.

1989 american standard strat plus, sperzel locking tuners, lsr roller nut, gold lace sensor pickups, maple neck, american standard bridge, hardshell case. black body, pearloid pickguard.

i play blues rock along the lines or SRV, Clapton, Hendrix, Santana, eric johnson, ect. i'm plugging it into a silverface Fender super reverb, using a reissue tube screamer for overdrive.... the classic "blues" setup. this guitar SINGS! i'm a long time strat player, i've played regular american standards, 62 reissue and 50's reissue. all awesome guitars in their own way. what is particularly great about the strat plus is it's unique voice. i'm really not sure why many of the other reviewers state that the lace sensors don't provide true strat tones? if anything, the sound is enhanced by the lack of noise and the extra clarity and glassiness. i've gotten nothing but compliments on my tone. true, the sound is not the same as, say, the texas specials or 50's pickups, but these lace sensors outshine any stock american standard pickups by a mile. i guess it's all a matter of how it sounds to your ear, but with 13 years experience and a good ear for guitar tones, i'm of the opinion that these pickups not only do the strat thing, they have a uniqueness that allows you to stand out from the run of the mill strat sound. other great features include the awesome LSR roller nut insuring zero string binding, sperzel locking tuners keep the thing in tune superbly, modern style bridge allows for perfect intonation and just looks classy. mine has a great maple neck, perfectly aged to a beautiful honey color (not like the white maple necks on the new ones) and an upgraded whire perloid pickgaurd... stunning looking guitar with an awesome vibe and tone for days!!

like all fender strats i've owned, the guitar is built very well. 15 years old and still going strong. i've not had experience with the lower end standard mexico strats, but i know (at least from my experience) that the american models are made to high standards. my guitar is black, so the woodgrain isn't important because you'll never see it. the finish is great however, it's held up nicely over 15 years! the neck feels awesome, frets are smooth. LSR nut is great, Sperzel tuners are fail proof....

i'd gig with this guitar and no backup because i don't break strings. can't even remember my last broken string! i have a light touch and don't beat my guitars up. that, along with frequent string changes, keeps me playing instead of switching guitars. it's always good to have a backup though.

haven't delt with fender's customer service department. web-site has a wealth of information though.

13 years of playing lots of guitars and amps have led me to the conclusion that nothing beats a strat through a twin or super reverb..... at least for me. don't bite on the talk about the lace sensors not being "stratty" enough, it's just simply not true. if you want texas blues, go with the texas specials.... but, if you are looking for a guitar with a unique, enhanced stat vibe, check out lace sensor loaded strat plus. you'll be glad you did! if mine ever got stolen, i'd be on the look out for another one the next day.

i really just wanted comment on this topic. you can read other reviews and see about the specs. of this guitar. many reviewers have stated that the guitar doesn't have the traditional strat sound. this simply isn't the case. true, it doesn't have traditional magnetic pole pickups, but being a long time strat player, i can tell you that the tone from my 89 strat plus with gold lace sensors will sound better than your new american standard strat hands down. plus, the lace sensors are very quiet. if you want "vintage" strat tones, get the texas special pickups, or the 57 reissue pickups. if you're after nice, glassy, bell like strat tones without noise, the lace sensors are the ticket. i highly recommend these pickups, don't overlook them as a replacement or upgrade from stock until you've tried them yourself.

1990 American made Strat plus. Maple neck with Wilkinson roller nut. I think the neck radius is a 9.5, (standard factory stuff but I've since had it modified). Three Gold Lace Sensor pick-ups, locking tuners,(a must have though I'm not sure what brand It came with), with either an adler or poplar body, (actually I changed that, too). I'll get to the changes later.

Well, like one earlier reveiwer said about gold lace pick-ups, either you love them or you hate them. I love them and I get a lot of compliments from audience members when I play live. Usually something to the effect of "Wow, for whatever reason, your guitar sounds EXTRA nice". But, I have had a one or two very "discriminating" Strat owners say they didn't like them at all but I didn't find the sound of their Strats to be anything out of the ordinary or special an any way so maybe that's why they didn't like the gold laces. Because these are definitly not ordinary. I'm no Strat officianado nor pretend to be but there's just something about these pick-ups that pluck all my taste strings. Yes, they're a little brighter/glassey, but I play a Vox AC15 with a blue AlNiCo speaker which as British amps go, can be a little dark sounding. So for me, the extra brightness is the perfect match for my amp. The Vox is also famous for it's "chimey" sound and the gold laces, IMO, are the perfect match for this attribute as well. They lend just a touch more definition and clarity while maintaining all that rich, creamy sound that Vox amps are legendary for. I've played in bands that cover country, rock, punk, blues and reggae and this guitar performs beautifully in all those genres. These pick-ups are probably a bad choice for metal or thrash and I leave that stuff up to my '61 SG reissue. Gold lace pick-ups are relativly quiet, compared to other single coils I've used, but no in way as quiet as humbuckers, of course.

The action is another story. I've been playing guitar since I was a wee lad in the mid-70's and until I bought the Strat + in 1990, I only played Les Pauls. This probably ruined me for life when it comes to Fender necks. It's rare and I mean rare when I can pick up any Fender product and be happy with the factory neck. Mind you, I haven't played any of the "Artists series" Strats that claim to have flat necks. I'm just talking about the usual stuff you find at Guitat Center,etc. I had my neck customized to a compound radius, (10-16), and installed jumbo frets. This improved the action in a huge way! I also had a different bridge with graphite(?) saddles installed. This helps the guitar stay in tune a little better when whammying and eliminates oxidizing as my hands tend to sweat a bit when I play.

The factory body seemed to be just fine. No flaws no errors, but I changed that, too. The reason being that I have a bad back and found the heavier adler body to be just plain painful. So, I got an ultra-light swamp ash body from Warmoth, (just under 3lbs), and man, what a difference. Not only is it the lightest Strat I've ever held but it actually improved the sound quality, not that it needed it.

These are very subjective improvements, but hey, there might be someone out there in need this kind of info so there it is.

PS. When I told the guys at the Fender custom shop I was willing to spend a lot of $$ for a light-weight guitar for health reasons they were jerks about it. They said I'd have to settle for whatever they gave me and didn't have time to look through they're bodies to find light one, (nice way to treat someone who's about to drop 3 or 4 grand with you). The guys at Warmoth were awesome in this regard. Not only were they happy to accomidate my needs, they're a helluva lot cheaper than Fender's custom shop. Warmoth can build really bitchin, totally custom guitars for a fraction of the Fender custom shop. No shit!

Very reliable. Never had a problem.

Like I said I've only dealt with the Fender custom shop and they were extremely pricey with lots of attitude. If your doing any custom work or replacing stuff go to www.warmoth.com. There workmanship is stellar and they're very helpful. I've had Warmoth build me a copmlete Jazzmaster with loads of custom goodies for a fraction of the cost of the Fender custom shop.

Been playing approx. 30 years. As I mentioned earlier I also play a '61 SG reissue, a Warmoth jazzmaster with a coversion neck (to Les Paul scale) with a 59 trembucker and 2 hot strat pick-ups and many other goodies, a 30-year-old Guild g-37 and a Conrad "Dobro" style guitar. I've also owned 2 other strats and 2 other Les Pauls at one time or another. I'm giving this an overall rating of a 8 based on the fact that I don't like stock Fender necks. every thing else gets a 10. If stolen I'd probably get Warmoth to rebuild another one just like it, minus the Fender logo on the head stock. I have my own logo for that.

Fender Stratocaster American Standard Plus, made in USA in 1991 (Serial no. N1015765) bought second hand in november 2002. Traditional controls, Volume, Tone and TBX Tone Control. There is a difference though on the Strat Plus controls which very much pleases me.

The first Tone control after the Volume takes care of the neck pup. Both middle and bridge pups are controlled by the TBX Tone which allows you to cut those ice-picking frequencies in gig situations and actually controling your Strat which can be very evil sometimes.

The guitar comes with three Gold Lace Sensors, Wilkinson Roller Nut, Fender Schaller locking tuners, new American Standard bridge with two screws instead of six, alder body and a thin rosewood fingerboard (smooth neck!!!). It came without a case (second hand). This guitar is BEAUTIFUL. I always thought Fenders looked way too ordinary because everyone have them but this one is one step above, definitely. And it is the best guitar I've ever played.

The finish is something I can't get around to know what colour it is. It's a purple finish grained with a kind of brilliant powder all over it. It could look cheap but it fails to do so when you get 4 feet away from it. It looks ace.

The features this particular guitar brings is everything I could dream of. I'm more of a classic guitarist so I don'tmind the whammy bar. Keep in mind that the Deluxe Strat has the Trem-Setter to make sure the strings don't detune when using the thing, but the Strat Plus does not feature the Trem-Setter.

This guitar does never go out of tune and is a TONE MACHINE. The Lace Sensors never failed to surprise me at any moment and I'm not hanging them any soon. Great buy!!!

Surprisingly enough, this guitar CAN cover Les Paul territory if you are not too harsh on it. The Sensors are somehow quiet that you can push it under high gain situations and it not only will sing but sing back at you. I play general rock from Hendrix to Oasis and it just is heaven tone.

I use it through a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 401 and the clean sound of this baby is the same, and I mean the SAME as the intro to Sweet Home Alabama when pups in position 4 (bridge and middle). I was one of those guitarists that thought Fender amps owns the clean tone but plug a high-end Strat in this baby DSL 401 and you'll see what is a clean tone with punch and enough clarity to enlight the whole club you're rocking at.

The Sensors manage to deliver a bright sound miles, but MILES away from any LP you'll ever play. I use 0.10 gauge strings coz you can't go wrong with them. The bridge pup CAN be very good if it is used correctly because it is more bright than I would like it to be. So, I almost don't use it. When I use, I have to turn the Tone knob down and the pup lose some character. The TBX tone is useful in studio situations but using a Marshall live, I can't get advantage of it because the guitar would bleed some ears if I fret the 19th fret.

Overall, the only thing that maybe I'd change in this guitar is the bridge pup but I'm not sure what would solve the brightness problem, so I keep it because when used together with the middle pup, I can smell the air which sorrounded the 1970's Strats.

Other than that, PEFECTION! A 9 just cause the bridge pup brightness can be a hassle.

Pefectly set (as it was second hand) and plays smoothly. The neck is very thin and the playability of this axe is tremendous. It allows you to ride on the neck as easily as can be. There is absolutely NO flaws on the finishing. The neck is beautiful and so is the satin chrome of the hardware. It balance well with the clear wood of the headstock.

A perfect axe.

I've read in these reviews this guitar can break some strings in live situations. It happened once to me (G string, I think). It happened quickly considering I never break strings. It was because of the bridge, definitely (it has broken right down there). I assume that using the whammy bar can cause trouble to you. I don't know how to make it not cut the strings but so far, happened just once.

The hardware will last forever as well as the straps which are rock solid. I'm not sure if I would depend on it because of the string problem BUT it is damn easy to replace strings with locking tuners. But I always bring a backup and I'm not doing any different with this guitar. Just for practical reasons.

A 9 because I am not so sure the string issue will get on my way again. Other than that, built to last.

Been playing for seven years.

Gear:

1996 Epi Sheraton II - Gibson '57 Classic/Duncan '59b
1998 Epi Les Paul Standard - Duncan '59/Duncan Custom 5b
1991 Fender Stratocaster American Standard Plus - Gold Lace Sensors (stock)
1996 Epi EJ-200/VS
1999 Yamaha APX-4-12A
Washburn Lyon Series Fat Strat copy
Fender Jazz Bass Southern Cross Series
Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 401
Boss ME-8, Boss FV300L, Boss DD-3, Boss CE-3
Dunlop Wah Crybaby

I wouldn't ask for anything else. This guitar just had what I need. I'm still shocked by the quality of this instrument. And to think you have to pay 6 times as much to have a high-end Gibson LP... This guitar would knock any Gibson down in a second. I'm not saying that coz I don't own a Gibson but because I am pretty sure that sound wise, this Fender is match for any Gibson and costs a sixth of the price.

I love the looks and the tone. My favorite feature has gotta be the locking tuners and the roller nut which never fails to keep it in tune.

I compared this baby with three other American Standards in the same price range, all second hand. I didn't think it was the best looking of the lot but nowadays, I know I did the right thing. I bought it because of the Sensors (noiseless) and because of the tuners, nut and bridge which are way better than the vintage Am Std. But it came without a case and the others had a case... but oh well, I had a Strat case gathering dust here so I picked it and it's my baby now.

I wish it had a Strap-lock just so I feel safe when playing although the strap buttons are rock solid.

I'd like to share with you my satisfaction with this guitar. If you ever find a Strat Plus from 1991 earlier, try it. You might as well get yourself a great piece of instrument for a cheap price. It is the dog's, this guitar! Great!

1989 Strat Plus, 9 gauge (only) roler nut, gold sensors.

I play country and rock. This Strat Plus is perfect for both. For rock
I can use a lot of distortion yet the Plus still sounds clean and rigns like a bell. For country I get 50% of Tele 50% Strat sound on bridge pickup how ever with less sustain (if playing clean). This one is en exeptional Plus, not all have a great sound. Be very selective of these made after 1990 as I've not found one yet near as good as mine.
As the say, they early models are always the best. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't experience it. Recently I compared new one to Mexican and it wasn't much diference unfortunetly - very dead sound.

Finish has very thick paint. It won't wear off like the old Strats but will chip if knocked hard enough. I've chipped mine and can see under the paint
some metalic coating or something. I wonder what that actually is. If you know, Email me.
Action is ok, I can't say it low but it depends on playing style really. Guitars sound better with higher action anyway.

Here is a strange one. The roler nun only take 9 gauge strings! I've routed them a bit and fitted 10 gauge strings but suddenly the guitar didn't sound any good. Perhaps it was designed for 9s only but that sound unusuall to me. Sounds great with 9s though.
Also frets are wearing bit too fast in my opinion and it does go
out of tune more than my other guitars (even cheap copies) in varying temperatures for example on stage under lights but one gets used to tuning more often if have to be.
One BIG problem was the saddles while using tremolo (when I bought it). The saddles had a very stupid square edge and when tremolo was used, strings would brake all the time. I've filed gently the saddle groves to a round shape and since than no problems. Bad design I guess.
Also, I bought the Strat in LA and when I brought it back to Sydney I found the trust rod was stuck. How can a new guitar can be sold like this I can't explain. Very sloppy!!! Here Fender Australia didn't want to hear about my problem even though guitar had International warranty. But after a phone call to Fender factory boss in US they
changed the neck for me here while lamenting something like "you guys buy thes cheaper overseas and then want us to fix 'em under waranty"
so here is my message...Up yours! It's your job to do it!

Here goes 10 to USA Fender for support and hmmm... ok I'll give them 5 here in AU for changing the neck fairly soon after they've been ordered by Fender US.

I've been playing 25 years or so. If this guitar got lost I am sure I'd never find another "new" one that would sound as good as this. I hope that never happens but if it does, I'll be looking for pre 1990 Plus or maybe 70 strat.
I'll give 10 for the sound but 8 for the rest so make it 9 :-)

This cost about a grand in 1994--prices went down a litlle later. American made (damn straight). LSR nut and locking tuners. Thinner neck which is perfect for me--don't like the baseball bat necks. These were only so-so popular which is why they were eventually discontinued--but they are definitely a pro-level strat. Anyone wanting a Strat should try to find one of these used--the build quality is exceptional.

I liked the Gold Lace Sensor, but they just don't sound the same as regular magnet pick-ups. They don't cut through and distort in the "right" way--even if they are real quiet which was a plus. I've changed to Seymour Duncan Antiquities as my style has changed. I can strongly recommend the the neck position Antiquity--It is perfect. Still looking for the right bridge PU.

I don't like to give out 10 for just anything, but it really deserves it on this one.

I have never once had a problem with this guitar. No broken strings despite my style which is very bending and tremolo heavy--no tuning problems, nothing. Just a damn good workhorse.

The neck has a satin finish that is just so nice. Just great, unified design all around.

Really elegant "crimson sunburst" with ruby-red wood grain coming through. It's one of the most beautiful finishes I've ever seen on any guitar from any manufacturer--Fender didn't make too many with that finish and they should make more--it's really fine. A joy to look at every time. Calls out "touch me" like a beautiful woman you'll never get bored with.

Ten years later and after way too much abuse, everything is still just about perfect. The finish doesn't flake off despite the abuse I've dished out. Some of the frets are slightly showing the wear of thousands of hours of playing and string-bending. All metal components are fresh and non-corroded. Truly a tank. I've taken the neck off for some suitacase traveling--goes back on like a charm and ready to play.

Never needed it. Wouldn't expect too much.

I've played a number of other guitars Hofner Veri-thins, 335s, Les Pauls, Telecasters, PRS, G&L--basically you name it. I've never wished I had something else: this guitar is my friend and companion for life. Older PRS are just great for playability and "balance" but I never fell in love with their pick-ups. I also play a Gibson 355TDSV for the humbucker sounds it's best for--but single coil it's still hard to beat a Strat or a Tele.

I've played through a blonde Fender Showman, BF Bassman, Deluxe Reverb, and a Mesa/Boogie Formula Pre. This guitar loved them all.

If it were stolen, I'd look for another one just like it. I've not played another Strat that I liked better. Could probably get one fairly cheap these days used. I might try some of the boutique strat copies if I had the cash--some of those are real nice too. It goes without saying that the import Fenders should be avoided--you'll end up selling it pretty soon if you're serious about your playing. Buy a used American Strat and customize it. Most of the imports are basically junk with problems that show up pretty quick (intonation, neck warping and quality tuners are so important)

The axe was built in 98, in the US. It came with Sperzel locking tuners, Lace gold pickups, TBX tone controls, roller nut and a trem-setter tremolo arm. The finish is silver with a mother of pearl pickguard. The fretboard is rosewood. The body is alder. It also had a deluxe aero case, cable, cleaning cloth. I bought it at Sam Ash, NYC. It was the last in stock at a closeout (sold 50% off the real price!).Tim, a very competent salesman, urged me to pick that bargain up before it was too late! In the beginning I was slightly disappointed by the sound (glassy-bell all the way). But after becoming familiar with the axe, I changed the pickups and I found a formula to meet my versatility demands. I put a Blue Lace at the neck (vintage humbucker sound), a standard '82 in the middle (big and twangy strat sound with prominent midrange) and an '82 X-1 at the bridge (hot with bite, open and balanced). I also switched to bigger strings (11-49) to get a bigger sound and get the most out of the rosewood fretboard (Clean an deep bass, snappy edge if you pick hard). With these changes, the guitar blossomed.

When I bought the axe I was switching from traditional, clean electric blues (T-Bone Walker, Lowell Fulsom) and country to jazz. My jazz style is boppish, but somehow traditional (Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, but also Grant Green). Thus I could integrate most of my older chops into my new playing. Even the touch and the technique could be recycled into the new style. My axe was the physical incarnation of that evolution. It is so versatile that I could reasonably play all of these styles with one instrument! In 2000 I attended some jam sessions in NYC and carried my strat indifferently at the Red Lion (blues) and at Small's! (jazz). The main quality of this guitar is that, no matter which amp you get at a jam or in a rehearsing room or at a gig, you will be able to produce at least a couple of good sounds. With tone and volume at 8 the neck pickup will give you a warm and clean tone, big, smooth and with enough definition to play a convincing jazz phrasing. With volume at 6 or below you can comp or chunk pretty well. The other pickups give you a variety of fine strat tones for other styles.The responsivness to the touch of this axe is very good, and it will spell out clearly every nuance of your playng. I guess the good woods and the roller nut add extra definition and strings separation to the strat tone, giving this instrument an extra dimension and more versatility. I say the rating is 8 because to me a 10 is the 1959 D'Angelico owned by my friend Bob. Proportions should always be kept in mind.

As I explained before, I changed pickups and strings. Thus I had to completely change the guitar settings (bridge, neck, etc.) I had the octave thing and the trem-setter thing done by a pro. The guitar had no flaws, except for a loose volume knob (fixed by the shop the day I bought it). The finish is the usual, rugged, Fender finish

The axe is a very reliable working instrument. Easy to tune up, holds the tuning well (thanks to the lock tuners and roller nut) and never, never ever breaks strings.Woods are stable and the neck needs no readjusting (not until now). The professional session man can go out to work bringing along only one guitar: this one. It will suit a lot of differnt jobs both live and in the recording studio, and it doesn't need a backup.

I never dealt with it.

I have been playing for more than 20 years. I own a 1982 ash standard strat with maple neck, a 1999 american telly with maple neck, a Martin acoustic and a semi-artisanal archtop. The amps are a Fender 75, a Peavy Classic 30, a Fender Frontman 25 and a Fender Sideckick R 15. I never use pedals, but care very much for good cables, which make a difference! If the ideal solid body was 10, this guitar would be 9. When you play blues or rock in loud live sets it has the sustain, the body and the twang you need with more definition than any Gibson. If you like it muddy, then you can always close the tone. If you want to play a jazz set without carrying a big archtop, then you CAN do it with this ergonomic and good sounding guitar. It is by far the best guitar I have ever had (with the exception of the Martin) and the best Fender I have ever played (probably also because I carefully adapted it to my needs) I could sell the rest of my equipment tomorrow, keeping only this Strat and the Martin, and I would be happy with it.

1989 American Strat Plus,
black finish that fades to a midnight blue,
originaly came with 3 gold lace sensor pickups,
maple neck,
I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming the body is alder because everything else on the guitar is top of the line for that time
LSR roller nut - the string rides between two ball bearings
Locking tuners
The volume and tone controls are TBX but the later strat plus's may have the newer delta-tone controls

To be honest, the lace sensors don't fit my style very well. I play blues and blues influenced classic rock with influences of Eric Clapton, Hendrix (and I'm not just saying that like so many people do), Dickie Betts and Santana. The pickups seem like they're lacking something. You just can't get that true early strat sound('54-early 70's).

Currently I use a crybaby and then go clean into a Fender Hott Rod Deville 4x10 (suprising common from the other reviews)
I replaced the gold lace sensors with silver because they have more mid range and increased output. I did that because Eric Clapton's first signature model( the one with gold lace sensors) had a mid boost put in.
I have to agree that the gold lace sensors are great with eliminating noise, but you end up sacrificing the classic strat tones. I think I'm going to replace the LS's with either the fender 57/62's of the fender 69's.

one of the cool features of the LS's is that you can get as close to the string as you want and the magnets won't effect the string vibration. With the silver LS's I got too much of a bite though, so I backed them off.

The Locking tuners are awesome! they never go out of tune, it made me almost lazy though. I pick up other guitars and get annoyed cause they're going out of tune all the time!

I bought it used, but when I did, I had it set up for 11 gauges. it holds intonation, action and all that good stuff very well.
the pickup routing is different, not bad, actually probably better acousticly, instead of three single coil sized holes, there is one rectangular sized hole. I guess for humbucker installment.
The wiring was all very professionally done and not run threw.

I saw a tape of SRV holding onto the whammy bar and flapping his strat around the floor concocting his tremelo into shapes not intended, all the time slamming the guitar into amps and other random things to help the feedback and all around spectacle, then pick it up and then play the remainder of the song in perfect tuning. Give you an idea of how American Strats are built?

I've never dealt with the company in regards to problems with the strat, but their website makes it apparent that they care about their customers. Everything from helping you find out what year you guitar is, to giving advice on tube amps, guitar setups and other important things. Proud to say I own a fender.

I've been playing for five years which in comparison to some of these other guys makes me look pretty unexperienced huh? But I consider myself pretty educated as far as all this stuff goes. If this guitar were stolen, I would probably buy a used american strat, replace the pickups and put locking tuners on it. Gotta have the locking tuners.
Overall, I love the guitar, but I don't think the lace sensors or even the new noisless pickups are very personal. They are intended to be versatile and they do that well, but when you are looking for your own sound I think it's better to go for something else.

1987 USA Fender Strat Plus, 3 tone sunburst finish, rosewood fretboard
22 frets
1 volume, two tones. tone pots are TBX ones. First one affects middle & Bridge pickup.
3 Gold Lace Sensor pickups, Wilkinson roller nut, Sperzel locking machine heads, standard pivot tremolo system.
Came with Fender case, strap, strap locks, owners manual.

clean the guitar is very nice, very stratty, but no noise. Lace sensors are louder than normal strat pickups but still retain the sparkle. The TBX tone controls are great. Want the ZZ Top sound, Use the bridge pickup with the tbx turned way down & it's right on the button.First strat I've ever owned that growls.

Set-up was pretty average, ok if you don't have any quirks.
pickup adjustment on the lace sensors is not important. no matter how close they are to the strings there is no difference to the sound (check the owners' manual).
finish was immaculate, even the frets.

watch S.R.V. & see what a strat can take. Try it with a Les Paul. I don't think so.

company pretty good.
Nightmare to get spares from.

Been playing 20 years.
Own 2 '91 Gibson Les Pauls, '76 Strat, '57 USA re-issue (like Dave Gilmour's), '60's Japanese re-issue Strat (pink),60's Japanese fotoflame Strat (Red sunburst), White & Gold Custom shop Strat, '96 USA standard start (lake placid blue), USA Designer Series strat - silver sparkle finish, black headstock, silver logo, Yamaha APX7 electro-acoustic, Yamaha APX9A 12-string electro-acoustic, Danelectro twin neck (12 & 6),Yamaha LA8, Ibanez 80's Roadstar Pro Series active bass, Yamaha AE400,

'95; rosewood fretboard; roller nut; Lace Sensors; trem-setter installed; locking tuners.
Black and white (I assume alder body wood).

Good range. Bright and spanky to Jazzy through Tech 21 Trademark 60 amp. Useful for all the styles I use, which are mostly clean to Blues edge, a bit of grit, and sometimes soaring distortion leads (the amp makes most guitars sound pretty good, this one is no problem either).
I think it wants to play country clean, but quite a bit of variety is available through the TBX, and I like the tone controls set up for de-shrilling the bridge pu.

Bought used, but it plays great and is seven years old, without appreciable fret wear.
Neck is straight and action can be anywhere you want it, without buzzes.

Very solid, by design.
Passive electronics, no worries.

I use it alone all the time (I'm quick at string changes;)

N/A

Playin' about 40 years.

It's a good Strat.
I actually like the Lace Sensors: sound good; less hum.

USA made Strat from 1997. 22 frets, rosewood fretboard, 3 Lace sensor pickups Gold. 5-way pickup selector switch. Red Finish, white pickguard - don't know exactly what type but it's different from the plain white that you see on most Strats. Bought new w/ original fender case, cable, strap, and straplocks. What gives this guitar the high rating is the addition of the LSR roller-nut, and locking-tuners, and tremelo bridge.

Played through a 15W practice amp w/8" speaker and a Marshall JCM800 50W Combo w/12" speaker. Effects: Boss MT2, Dunlop Crybaby 535Q, MXR Flanger Reissue, Boss PH2, Boss DD5. Nice bright distinctive tone that one would expect from a Strat. No extra noise from the pickups. Sound is ideal for playing jazz, country, or blues, but falls short for playing rock or anything harder. The reason is because the pickups just don't seem to give that big enough output to make the guitar suitable for big tones and long sustain. Would be an ill fit to try playing anything at or heavier than...say Led Zeppelin. But it's nothing a little change of pickups can't fix. I thought that Fender should've stocked the bridge pickup with a Red Lace Sensor instead of a Gold LS where that little extra oomph is needed the most. Another thing I noticed is that I hardly use the tone controls because their effect on the sound is minimal, if any.

Excellent set-up. Was able to play a long time before making any adjustments. Stays in tune, thanks to the locking tuners and sturdy tremelo. I didn't realize what a blessing it was to have an LSR roller nut on this guitar until I start playing other guitars with bone/graphite nuts and start dealing with strings breaking and slipping off the slots. In my opinion Fender should make the LSR roller-nut and locking tuners standard in all their models, if they hadn't done so already, and other guitar manufacturers should follow. Gorgeous red finish and sparkly white pickguard makes this a nice piece of eye candy - good enough to just hang up on the wall and stare at it whenever you're not playing it. Neck and fretboard plays well, but I've played smoother ones in the past - thus explains the 9 rating instead of 10.

Had it for 3 1/2 years and so far no problems. Holds it own very well - I don't think a backup would be necessary, given that you have fresh strings on it and you treat it with care. One word of caution: if you buy one and it comes with straplocks that go on top of the buttons DONT USE THEM. They slip off very easily. You're better off fastening the strap directly onto the buttons.

Never had to deal with Fender directly.

I've been playing for a little less than 10 years and this was the second electric guitar I bought. I would recommend this guitar to anybody who's a Hendrix or SRV fan, or anybody who's looking to fill that Fender Strat void in their guitar collection. At a price of 600 new w/case it was quite a deal, compare to the $850+ that most new USA Strats go for. If it were stolen I most likely would buy another one, but this time from the used market where they sell for around 300-500. The best things about it were the finish, the hardware, and the fact that it's a discontinued model (makes it a little more special). What's keeps this guitar from being really kick-ass is the relatively low output from the LS Gold pickups. I'm planning to change the bridge pickup soon to something with a more powerful punch (single-coil size, don't want to butcher up the body for a humbucker). Any pickup suggestions from fellow Strat Plus owners would be appreciated.

This is an 80's strat plus, made in the US. comes w/ wilkenson nut, locking tuners, medium jumbo frets... my strats color is green w/ a hue of blue. pickups are 3 gold lace sensors...

the sound is what makes this model a winner, i have read tons of reviews sayin the problem is it doesnt produce the american standard sound.. theyre diffrent because of the pickups otherwise, its basically the same.... lace sensors provide a cleaner sound, though lesser output than the normal pick ups... so it depends on the user.. i prefer the cleaner tone,,, so im rating the sound 10 of 10..

i got my guitar second hand- but the action & feel of this guitar is superb, the best set up possible... good low action & very nice feel.. i have owned other strats, a japanese & a 40th anniversary stratocaster w/ LSR & locking tuners... i dont know why thw techs couldnt mannage to reproduce the feel of this guitar.. beats me..

fender products speak for themselves.... very durable... most of the vintage guitars from the 50s onwards are still very playable..so no problemo

i havent dealt w/ them

overall this is the best sounding guitar ive ever played.. especially when it comes to clean tone.. i have othe guitars such as a 96 gibson les paul standard, a 40th Anniversary strat upgraded w/ LSR & sperzel, a 52 reissue telecaster.... none of them seem to match the strat plus,.. this is my favorite guitar & i think its gonna stay this way

I would have liked to see a 7 way come stock, and mabye the tone pot wired to the bridge pup, but thats about it, Locking tuners, LSR nut, Locking trem, 22 frets, maple/maple, ash body. All in all alot of features.

I will have to give 2 ratings for this, 9 for the acoustic sound. It is just a great sounding guitar, very full and balanced. And 5 for the sound of the Laces. There not bad pickups, but if you want normal strat sounds they are not good. Not to big of a deal tho, you can sell them and buy some normal singles if you like, Thats what I am doing. I think the laces sound pretty good thro s.s. amps but thro tubes they sound like a blanket is over the amp.

I bought it used so its hard to say. The neck, actualy the whole guitar is just so comfortable. The sec. I put it in my hands it just felt like home, or your fav. chair. The finish is quite beautiful on the guitar. It is an ash body with a Translucent Blue Burst finish. I don't have a rating because, like I said, I bought it used.

Its a Fender. They are built to last. I do not abuse my gear so im not going to have any problems with it. The LSR nut and the locking tuners/bridge, keep the guitar in tune very well, and I never break strings, So this guitar is worthy of any live gig.

Never dealt with em.

I have been playing for a while now. My setup is the strat into a 1970 Fender Bassman. Simple with lots of tone. The pickups are not for everyone and I am putting in some cs 57/62's. Aside from that the guitar is great. And worth every penny. In response to the idiot that gave the guitar a 1. Why did you even buy the guitar? Did you not play the guitar before you bought it? I cant stand guys like you. You buy a piece of gear then come on hear and rip the hell out of it. Why? Does it make you feel better about yourself? You do not contribute anything to this site, so why do you even post a review. A copy of a strat that was run over with a tank, well that might deserve a 1. But get real man. You want to go spend 2 grand on a guitar well go ahead. Your not going to be a better player for it. Your just going to be a little lighter in the wallet. Now back to the review. These guitars go for a good price on the used market so they are one of the best bang for buck guitars out there. American strat, locking tuners/bridge and lsr nut. Dont like the pups? change them out. Either way you get a great guitar that you will keep for along time, for a great price. And isnt that what it is all about.