Fender Big Apple Strat

99 candy apple red with mother of pearl pick guard, fr hb p/u.

I used to play only les paul until I saw this one in 99, I played it just for kicks and was amazed at the sound and playability. To be honest I've played every other guitar made since and before and I can't find one that I like as much. If I were to lose it I would be devestated. main ax by A long shot. I love the thick sounds and the warm creamy sounds. but then I can make it scream with the best of them as well. Way to go fender thank you.

I mean, Duncan HBs that you can tap....need I say more? That seems to be the main reason for buying this instrument, all other features are pretty close to an American Standard, near as I can tell...... American made, solid as a rock. Came with a case when I bought it new (98ish?) but that was retired a few years ago.....

Pos1 - bridge HB full, thick and raunchy, though I sometimes would like some more output.

Pos2 - Bridge Split, again more output would be nice, but Nile Rodgers would probably like the funkiness of this setting.

Pos3 - Both HB Full, Full and bold with clean tone, don't make it too dirty though, or you risk muddiness.

Pos4 - Neck HB Split, would sound like a sweet tele if I could get the blasted thing to stop buzzing!

Pos5 - Neck HB full, not a Gibson L5, but it'll do, if you take my meaning.

No serious flaws, but I have every instrument setup by my guy once a year, so factory condition means little to me....

Both stock PUs crapped out at about 7 years, not sure what happened there, but no problems since....finish has cracked due to a few nights (Ok, more than a few) in freezing temperatures, but the playability has always been impeccable..... the jack has worked itself loose a time or two, but not since a trip to the shop..... All told nothing that wouldn't happen to most electric instruments has happened with this, aside from the PUs which was probably my fault anyway! I would totally use it without a backup. It's a workhorse.

Please.

Had this for a long time, and has consistently performed well under any circumstances. If it were lost for some reason, I would absolutely have to replace it. It completes me.

Standard with rosewood fretboard, tremelo, Shoreline Gold finish,

This guitar sounds amazing through my rig, which basically consists of a Vox Cambridge Reverb amp and Electro Harmonix Big Muff effects pedal.
I only use the humbuckers and don't particularly like the single coils. Maybe its my rig but they don't sound as warm or full as a standard strat. If you want a standard strat then buy one. If on the other hand you want a versatile guitar that can match the thickness of a Les Paul (with the right distortion pedal) - while retaining some of the characteristics of a Fender, then this is the axe for you.
Through the clean channel of my amp, with healthy reverb and the tone turned to ten, position 3 (both humbuckers) sound adorable - all meaty and dripping with bluesy tone - not a million miles away from SRV in fact.
I felt that the guitar was wasted on the dirty channel of my amp, which is where the Big Muff comes in. With the pedal's vollume and gain turned all the way up, the noise is unbelievable - all growling and snarling like a pitbull on steroids!! When I bought this guitar a few years ago, I wanted an axe that sounded like Billie Joe Armstrong's, and I was not to be disappointed. Now that I've gravitated towards more bluesy players like Freddie King, SRV and Hendrix, I'm delighted to say that the Big Apple can easily dial into such tones - that's the beauty of having such a versatile guitar.

No problems here. All as you would expect from a guitar with the famous spaghetti logo.

Could do with a clean and being properly set up. Still plays well though.

This is a 1997 Fender American Big Apple Strat. Black and slick and a mother of bowling ball deep red sparkle pickguard. This one has a rosewood fretboard and the tremolo option. Everything is stock on this guitar, same tuners and C shape neck, thin and fast with a "flat spot" perfect for thumb backing while playing.

I immediately through a black leather strap and dunlop straplocks on this guitar. I saved the original strap pegs.

As noted previously, a pearly gates plus humbucker in the bridge and a '59 SD in the neck slot.

I will give this a nine- and I will explain. This is the first production american stratocaster with double Humbuckers.

All aspect of the Humbucker sound on this axe are "10" The bridge is crisp and present and fizzy at times, but welcome, and the middle pickup slot is a great blend. The Neck Humbucker is really big and meaty and still tonal and rich.

At position 4- one notch back off the neck pick-up, there is a sound that could be most identified with a telecaster neck sound, all beit not as creamy and tonal , but still perhaps somewhere between the neck on a strat and tele.

The one serious demerit is for the position "2"- one away form the bridge- made to simulate a single coil of a strat or tele is not so usable, and sounds more like an acoustic guitar simulation pedal.

No noise, no feedback, at the loudest of the loud. I've heard this called a Fender Les Paul- but it is so much more, it loses some versatility with the humbuckers, but there is a vintage bite to sound that is only enhanced with all the qualities of a strat- body shape, neck playability, bridge style. If you like a les paul, buy a less paul, this feels and plays and even sounds like a strat- but it has that present growl that you have come to love from the Gibson side.
Whats really nice about the sound is that the pickups were designed well to fit each other and the guitar- also, a desicion was mad not to make it a h/s/s model. I like the boldness of this decision. It is what it is, not trying to be all things.

This was a used guitar, which the guy at the store immediately said was given TLC before resale. This was obvious. I would not consider using the tremolo, and it was appropriately ratcheted close to the slab; tight, alright and out of sight. There is so much lemon oil on the fretboard that the thing just begs your fingers to bend bend bend the strings. Teh action is super low without buzz. The neck is orange from brek in and gigging I suppose. This is the most playable strat style neck I have ever played. Just buttery. The tune holds fine, but I guess it could use a pro set up at some point.

I have to say that becuse of the style of this guitar, the obvious heavy use it took, and the way it still looks and plays, I would have to say that it is super reliable. I am not going to noodle under the pickguard and go changing the pots and such, so hopefully it will stay perfect.

Its an 11 year old guitar, extensively played. what can I ask Fender to do? No opinion/

I have been playing since the 80's. In bands and gigging just as long. My main guitar is a black 1983 telecaster American Standard. This is bright and sweet and creamy and biting. I also own a 1985 Roadstar II from Ibanez, and a 1990's epiphone coronet reissue.
I play through three amplifier setups; A 1965 Magnatone M15a (65 watt combo 2x12 all tube) loaded with celestion vintage 30's. At home I use an Epiphone galaxie class A ten watt tube amp. And I also use a 2 x 12 Vox ad120vt for mostly recording situations. I use a OD pedal, eq and chorus at times.

If this was stolen, I might buy something else, but I would certainly look for a brother of this guitar as a replacemnet

Bought used on Ebay, LIKE NEW (no kidding), 1998, USA, Ash body, Sunset orange, rosewood board, Am Std trem, Hard shell case, SD '59/Pearly gates, 5-way switch. You know the rest by now.

I have a couple Am Std strats, but I wanted a HH guitar. The strat is my fave, so this was a no brainer. I play country, blues, southern rock, and contemporary Christian. I specifically wanted a big apple so I could get the SD pickups. I played the current double fat strat at GC and wasn't moved. Currently playing through a Peavey classic 30 with JJ tubes, a fender G-DEC 30, or a line 6 pod xt straight to the house system. LOVE the humbucker sound. The pearly gates in the bridge is a little bright, but it's like a strat s/c bridge pup on steroids. The neck '59 is powerful and full. Positions 2 and 4 are a close enough approximation of S/C tone to be useable, and middle position works well also. I am well satisfied. Very versatile.

I bought this used, but I swear it didn't even have scratches on the pickguard. I assume the set up was factory. Regardless, all I did was polish it, lemon oil the RW board, and install a set of Ernie Ball 10-46. Perfect finish. Beautiful, well matched ash grain with the transparent finish. Fret edges are definitely rougher than the new American series. They should have addressed this a long time ago. Lower rating only for the rough fret edges as compared to 2000- newer models.

Am. Std. Strat. Seymour Duncans. 'Nough said.

Never dealt with Fender personally. I once had an am std strat plus that the truss rod wouldn't fully adjust, and they sent in a new neck. Took about a month and a half. I think it was the diligence of my local music shop that got this done more than Fender.

Been playing 16 years. Owned more gear than I care to list. Suffice to say; Strats, Tele, Ibanez's, Taylor, Takamine, Alvarez Yairi, Amps, P.A.'s, Effect pedals, Multi effect processors, recording equipment. This is my first HH guitar. I'm kind of a S/C purist, but I love this guitar. I wanted the tone of a HH guitar, but one that could split coils for a reasonable S/C sound. Originally, I wanted a hardtail big apple, but the ash body and beautiful orange translucent finish on this one sealed the deal for me. I'm not saying it's the perfect guitar, but it fills the niche I wanted it to

What we got here is an off-white Fender Big Apple with the SD humbuckers, 5-way selector, 1 volume, 2 tone, American Standard fittings, all-maple neck, made in 97/98. 22 frets, came with a gig bag. Bought it in 2001, I think, new. This is the tremolo version, though I've never been able to screw the arm in...it just doesn't quite fit. But I'm not a whammy person anyway.

This has been my primary guitar since I got it. I was never a fan of Strats, until I picked up this thing, and what hooked me was the great tone, the variety of said tones, and the playability. This is my first guitar without a rosewood fretboard, and I'm not going back. I've tried the rosewood-outfitted Big Apples, and I'm not as impressed. It has something to do with the clarity of the sound.

Going clean and naked into the amp, the settings:
1 [neck humbucker]: Lots of signal, will push the input stage a little, and it's thin, as many here have said, but I like it. It's thin, but it's fuzzy. I like it clean, and crunchy.

2 [both single]: This is the closes to a "Stratocaster" sound as this thing is capable of. Nice clean blues/country sound. Plucky and funky. A little twangy. The difference between this setting and the first could have a Mack truck driven through it.

3 [both humbucker]: Round. Big. Swell.

4 [neck single]: This hums a bit, surprise surprise, but it also is a really sweet tone. Woody and bluesy, flute-bell tones, very funky.

5 [neck humbucker]: FAT.

This is, no matter how cheesy it is to say, like two differnt guitars in one. Split personalities, but it's nice to get to know them both.

What would be cool is to have a third single-coil in the middle. But why mess with a good thing?

I got this guitar from a shop that was going out of business, and it was set up by one of the guys who worked there, I was told, because he had had his eye on buying it himself. But he changed his mind. Lucky me! It came very well set-up. I usually play it with 9-46s, and I haven't had it set up since (about 200 gigs later!). It could probably use a little tweaking here and there. The bottom string has always had a little sitar action on it, but I'm a sucker for character.

The flaws are few. Like I said earlier, the whammy bar doesn't screw in. Somehow, the alignment of the tailpiece is off just a hair, and it doesn't affect anything except rendering the tremolo useless. That can be a good thing, or a bad thing. Doesn't bother me.

The volume pot was a little loose, too. Eventually this led to a wire from the neck pickup breaking free of its soldering. When I went in to resolder it, I was sure to tighten the crap out of that volume pot.

I use this without a backup all the time. I play it fairly fast and rough, a lot of funk strumming, a bit of slapping it around, I hit it with frozen fish, etc. Just kidding. Takes a licking, keeps on rocking. It's an American Strat. It's just fine.

N/A

I've been playing for 14 years, somewhere around 350 gigs in the last ten years, and this is my main axe. It's a good friend. I don't really have any alliegences with any guitar makers. I like good guitars, and I like unusual sounds. My other guitars are a Japanese Jaguar reissue, a 1980sish Ibanez SG-sorta thing, a couple Danelectros (for kicks), and a Les Paul copy that was made by Ibanez "before they were called Ibanez", I was told. The Big Apple strat can pull off 95% of the styles you want to throw at it, it's well-made, a joy to play. If I lost it, I would definitely replace it with a twin, if I could find it. I almost bought a second one used a couple years ago, and I've been kicking myself ever since for not doing it.

Without going into the $1000+ category, it's the only guitar I really want. You know, except for that one and that one....

The Big Apple strat can be your essential guitar.

Review is for a 1997, American made Big Apple Strat, as per serial#.
everyone else has already given plenty of detail about features. This is the tremolo version - 2 Seymour Duncan humbucking pickups; 5-way switch; black paint; rosewood board, and crazy red bowling-ball swirl style pick-guard.
Bought this used - no case; no candy; no nothing special.
Rating is based on this being an all around good guitar - has all the features I was looking for.

Have found this to be versatile - have used if for blues, country, disco, rock, jazz and a few other styles. My primary music is 60s and 70s rock. It can more than adequately cover my needs depending on where our set-list/singer takes us.

Using mainly with a Fender Twin, and occasionally with a Traynor Bassmate combo (early 70s with tube pre and power - 15 inch speaker.
What kind of sounds can the guitar make? Good and bad depending on what type of night I'm having ...

I like this guitar and its different sounds. Had previously been using mainly single coil/P90 equipped guitars. Thought this might be a more Gibson-esque sound. This ain't no Les-Paul-o-Caster. But truly it is a double fat Strat. It will go places my Teles and my Legacy won't.

Big, beefy, bold sound - with still some hints of spank and sparkle depending on how much dirt and processing happens between guitar and amp.

So what would make it a 10? me being able to dial in the right sound all the time - but that's why I take a back up.

no rating here, as I bought this used and it was already 7 years old by the time I got.
have done some adjustments to pick-up height; action; intonation, etc...
most of the features on this guitar are pretty good - like any company, I have seen some really amazing quality and some really poor quality Fenders.

neck to body fit is pretty good - not the best, but certainly nowhere near as bad as some I have seen.
everything else looks like it was put together fairly well.

Have used this guitar steady for the past year - basement/studio playing; live shows; etc.
This is a good Fender - as mentioned in previous category, I have seen some things from the big F that range from good to bad to ugly.
would never gig without a back-up... that's just crazy

I have been playing for the better part of 20 years - and like many other reviewers on H.C. have owned, played, traded far too many guitars and amplifiers over the years.
I did not expect to hang onto this guitar - took me the better part of the first six months to 'get-it'. Changed from 9s to 10s, readjusted the action a couple of times, messed around with pick-up height, etc...

I had been playing a couple of the vintage reissue Telecasters and an old Les Paul Special (nobody said I had to have good taste).
Anyway, now that I have had this thing for a while, and figured out some choice amp settings and other tricks ... I will be hanging onto this one. Lose it? don't even want to think about that.

Why did I choose this? because I wanted something that would be versatile enough and durable enough for playing everywhere and anywhere without worrying. also, I wanted something that would be relatively quiet (i.e. humbucking)and, I didn't want to rip-apart any of my 'old-favorites'.

Bottom line? this thing rocks and will probably outlast anything else in the collection. am very happy that I kept it.

1997 (USA Shoreline Gold) which I believe was the first year of manufacture for this model. Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates plus, in the bridge with SD 59 at the neck. Sperzel locking tuners, rectangular Fender black case. All the usual USA standard guitar spec.

I have been into Fender custom shop models for several years and just wanted a strat with a humbuckers on it. I am pleasantly surprised. The pearly gates is a bit thin but back off the tone and I really like it. Very versatile but forget the in between tones. I may change the pickups as she is routed to take any combination so I will change it to HSS. SD 59 is a bit flat for lead on this model.

I bought this second hand but she is in great condition. It took me a couple of hours to set her up but after years of ignoring the standard models I am amazed how Fender's quality has improved. Neck join, weight, neck contour, action, tuning, everything is excellent.
Had to raise the action but could not believe how low it was without fret buzz. Tremolo goes out of tune like every other strat. Buy hardtail if you get the chance.

Standard USA Fender, look after them and they look after you.

Bought it second hand but if you get a problem how can you get it touch with Fender. Near impossible in the UK.

This is one of ten Fender, Gibson, PRS guitars that I now own.
No more a Custom Shop snob, but then its been twenty years since I had one. Should have gone back years ago and saved a lot of cash.
It makes a change from logging a Les Paul around and will be great until I get bored again. Do try one though, you won't be disappointed.

98, Transparent Orange, Ash Body, H/H all stock. Case was included

The sound was OK stock. I have since swapped the bridge pickup to a Duncan JB and moved the Pearly Gates into the neck position. Now the guitar sounds as good as it plays. The tone cannot be described. The JB is the best sounding pickup I have ever heard. The Pearly Gates seemed thin in the bridge position.

Perfect setup for my playing. I bought the guitar used from Ebay and had to change the strings and setup the action where I like it. Once that was done the guitar plays like butter. The neck and body material is first rate. USA Strat all the way..

I am sure this guitar will last for years. Built like a tank. The finish is stunning to look at. Everything seems solid, no loose screws etc.

Would not deal with any customer support. I would prefer to fix problems myself.

Almost perfect, add a JB to the bridge and it is perfect!!!

1997 USA, rose fingerboard, 3-color sunburst, seymour duncan '59 in neck position and pearly gates plus at bridge, 5-way switch, standard(9.5inch radius) c-shape neck. pearloid pickguard. lame hardware.

i play bluesy stuff and classical with this one. i use marshall amps with boss bluesdriver. i first bought this guitar in 2001 and was in a good condition and i didnt touch it for a year because i didnt like its sound. than i noticed the set up sucked so i set it correctly and it was a miracle. this is a really uniqe sound if you set pgp high you get the classic feel of strat without hum and a real long sustain with guts. i started using it in recordings after a few replacements. some people doesnt like the sound of pearly gates but it evolves greatly in time.

i bought it second hand and was setup really bad. it has shiny gloss finish.

this ones like wine it just gets better. neck is loosened a bit because of agrressive playing. (i dont use the tremolo arm i use the neck instead.)seems durable.

theres no support in my country

playing since 1988. this guitar sure needs replacements like a vintage sync strat tremolo. i dont use the stock switch. if it was lost i wouldnt buy another but id be really sorry because of evolved pgp. this is not really a strat if you want a real strat buy a '56 or '57 or '69... i really like the tone. its a good choice if you want something familiar to strat. i prefer this to the new SRV with pau ferro fingerboard.