Fender Standard Stratocaster

Basic MIM Strat made in 2008. What more do you need to know?
21 Frets.
3 ceramic single coils.
Black w/ white pickguard.
No fancy features - but these are great guitars for the money.

I play blues-based hard rock and classic metal stuff.
I have a Hot Rod Deluxe & Metal Muff, MXR Classic Distortion, Crybaby Wah & Boss Bluesdriver pedals

Here's another take on a typical MIM Strat search: I must have played 10 different MIM Strats and tehy were all just OK. Then I played this one and I had to see if it was actually an American Standard. They were both new leftover black ones from 2008 and on really good clearance prices (of the American one was still 3 times the price). What I found was that the resonance of the MIM was outstanding. It was louder than any guitar that I have played unplugged. It was much louder than the other MIMs. I went home with both figuring that I would sell one or the other after I played them on my gear (kept both btw!). Much as I tried to tell myself that my American made Strats were better, every time I played this guitar I couldn't believe how good it sounded. The weak link was the ceramic pups (not bad though). I changed them out for CS '69's and now I play this thing more than any other.

Moral of the story: the Americans are more consistently good, but if you play a barrel of these you'll find some gems.

By the way, about CS '69 pickups. They are both noisy & hissy and wonderful all at the same time. From way too much money spent on trying to get the perfect noiseless Strat tone, I found that it can't be done IMHO. If you can't stand the noise from the pups, then you either get an artificial sound or you put up with the noise and get some pups wound like the CS '69's - and you're in Strat Heaven.

Very good - not perfect. All it took was a good set up from my guitar tech.

No problems & I don't expect any from a Strat. I own 3 of them.

Spoke to someone once who was quite helpful, but not about this guitar.

How long have you been playing? What other gear do you own? See above
Is there something you wish you had asked before buying this guitar? Nope, just play 'em.
If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else? Try to find another gem.
What do you love about it? What do you hate? What is your favorite feature? The resonance
Did you compare it to other guitars? Which ones? Why did you choose this one? All types of Strats
Anything you wish it had? Better factory pups - but then the price would go from a good buy to the going rate.
Anything else you'd like to share? If you seek, you shall find. Play 'em all and you can't go wrong. You'll find a good one...These are easily upgradable and rock solid.

Fender Strat Mex Standard. Olymic White/Maple fingerboard. 2006 Model (with the little badge!)Price around ??300 UK. (dealer was selling it off cheaper as it has a couple of Dings on the back where someone trying it out clouted it on an amp).

I also have A us Strat Deluxe 2006S1 and a Telecaster FMT. I bought this as some animal thought he'd like to aquire one of my guitars at a gig without me noticing! The Factory set up was playable but........! The dealers guitar tech set it up for me and also replaced the string at no extra cost. The frets are a bit on the rough side but are now wearing in nicely. Pick up heights needed restting but this seems usual, my Tele had the back humbucker almost toughing the strings. It doesn't play as nice as my US model but it was shedloads cheaper!I play mostly blues and old metal and its fine for that. I use a Boss distortion stompbox to beef it up a bit when I need to

Set up - see above.
Other than the slight marks on the back it is fine.

Live its fine. fits me well, (you know - old rocker/beer gut combo!)
So far its not given any cause for concern. It's the only one I take out most of the time now. No probs with the hardware either. Hardware should be fine but I always wipe it down after the gig as I sweat a lot on stage and thats what rots 'em out!

I've had dealings with Fender UK and the guys are really helpful so far. They've always got back to me within a couple of days if I had to leave a query.
Warranty is 12 months.

Been playing mostly Bass for last 33 years, guitar live since 2005 semi pro. Too much gear to list over the years. I'm currently using Fender Twin, Roland 60w cube.
If it were lost/stolen I'd buy another definately, i got really lucky with this one. Just proves you should always try out before buying and get to know your dealer and staff. You get l;ooked after better. To Steve, the Afghan Vet,Make sure you phone your dealer if you can't get in, they will look after you better if they think you're a real person, not just a postal address.Try and get the same person too, that helps.
I'd like it to have had a humbucker at the bridge but...
I compared it to a Epiphone Les Paul, and a couple of Ibanez but found the necks on those to be too deep for my stubby fingers!

This is a standard mexican stratocaster in sunburst.

No modifications whatsoever, brilliant as a strat is bound to be.

I play through a Fender amp with a ZOOM G1X multi-fx pedal and the versatility is amazing. I play mostly muse, franz ferdinand and silverchair, so ranging from light to heavy but always rock. I also play a little jazz and it fits everything perfectly. The 5-way pickup system and 2 tone controls really gives it versatility.

Guitar was set up perfectly, had to readjust the bridge drastically after fitting heavier strings. The whammy bar hardly ever puts it out of tune, but if it does, its usually the G-string and only if you really push hard on the whammy and fully depress it. The sunburst finish is, as i've said, stunning.

I've dropped a piano on this guitar, didnt make a dent, a hole or a break in the finish, just a small black scuff. The strap buttons are solid and i can always depend on it.

Never dealt

I've been playing for three year and its the only guitar i've ever really needed, although i'm getting an ibanez soon. If it was stolen i'd chase them down and slice their neck open with a rusty spoon, slow and painful. Favourite feature is the pickup versatility. I chose this one as a total guitar novice and glad i lucked into such an amazing guitar. With it had a second volume knob for tom morello style kill-switching.

Artic White with a maple neck only it wasn't Artic white as advertised and like the color they use on the Rosewood fretboard models, It's an Olympic White 2009 strat and you have all seen multiple listings of features but the new strats have a tremendous improvement in the quality of the neck and the finnishing of the frets. the one I ordered however came with the middle pickup screwed completely flat to the body and had to be sent back..and to the last poster Shawn who blasted John for not trying out 10 to find a good one. I lost both my legs in Afghanistan and don't have the luxury of going to a music store to try out 10 or 15 hoping to find a good one. I have to hope that Fender has some sembelence of quality control (of which I find they are probably the WORST in the music industry) and can put out a quality product that someone actually checks before they ship it out. Obviously they don't and I'll keep sending them back untill I get a good one. yeah you may have the luxury of going in a store (up the steps here in Rochester-which makes it IMPOSSIBLE for me) and trying 10 to get 1 good one . but what does that say about Fender. You can pick up 10 Schecters or ESP's and get 10 GREAT guitars. You sure can't say that about Fender but not everbody can try them first so don't be so hard on us who have to order-DUH-online. I WISH with all my heart I could go try 15 out but my legs are buried in Afghanistan so I don't have much of a choice. I have to hope someone took the time to make a good one and I luck out and get it. If I didn't LOVE Strats I would have stayed with my Schecters (I have several and Love them and they all came GREAT- right out of the box!!) I'll still give it a 7 with the hope the next one is OK

When you get a good one they sound like nothing else. they have a distinctive tone that no one else has been able to mimic (and everyone has tried) They are ver versatile and tremendously unique

Mine feel short by far and I'm dissapointed that Fender would let a guitar like this pass inspection but like I said..they have the WORST quality control of any guitar company in the Music Industry. Yeah, if you can, try as many as you can. If you lost your legs fighting for your country I guess you have to just hope.

They last a lifetime if you get a good one

NON EXISTANT

I LOVE starts and I'm really hoping that the next one is a good one. I DREAM of going into a music store but that's just a dream for me...Every store that sells Fenders where I live has a ton of steps just to get in the door and I'm too embaressed to sit outside with my Service Dog in my wheelchair with an extension chord pluged into an amp as the bring me guitar after guitar so I guess I have to take my cances with a reputable music company that has a satisfaction guarantee and I'll keep sending them back until I get a good one...Just don't blast those of us that have to order online. Sometimes it's not due to laziness. Sometimes people have to

No news, everyone knows whats in a Strat.

Awesome sound. Just like a MIA, only cheaper.

To the last reviewer...John Smith...like did you not check out your guitar before buying? All of the problems you reported...did you not notice them when you tried out the guitar?

Oh...I think I see. You bought it sight unseen. Like on Ebay, or through mail order. Uh huh. Like you doled out 485 clams and didn't even know what you were getting. Boy, that's intelligent.

Advice to novices: NEVER BUY A GUITAR YOU HAVEN'T MET IN PERSON!!

In case you haven't noticed John, guitar's aren't like cans of Pepsi. You don't just pick one up and it tastes like the last 1000 you gulped. Guitars are like people. They are all different. No two are alike. Even of the same make and model, even of the same date of manufacture, you will have winners and losers.

With guitars on any make or model you will have mostly losers. It's up to you to find the winners. You do this by PLAYING THEM. LOTS OF THEM.

My Mexican Standard Strat is an incredible sounding instrument. I have no doubt it outplays and out-tones any guitar you own. Know why? I know how to pick a guitar. I don't do it though Ebay or Musicians Freind. DUH!!!

Rock Solid MIM Strat, oh yeah.

Never will neeed it.

The Strat whether Mexican or American needs no defense on my part. If you try a few out (IN PERSON) you will find a great guitar.

Geeze John, grow up.

I bought a 2006 Chrome Red Stratocaster new in November 2008. This puppy was supposedly A-grade, but I don't know about that.

They used to fit this model with nice sounding Alnico pickups, but they got cheap and put lifeless ceramic pickups in the guitar. I had a 2003 model that was much better sounding and playing. I'm not wasting good money on a cheaply made guitar by installing expensive after-market pickups. It's just not worth it.

Frets were uneven. Finished cracked and Fender would not cover it, because they have this nice list with Limitations and Exclusions that absolve them of any responsibility.

The paint job was nice. The chrome looks nice.

But I've seen a $299 Ibanez that plays way better than this guitar.

I would give it average reliability, since it already cracked in the finish where the body fits the neck. It probably can take a fiar amount of abuse, though I would never abuse a guitar.

Awful. I sent them two complaints about the paint crack in this guitar and a crooked bridge installation on a Fender Standard Tele. No response.

I also sent them a question about purchasing a Custom Shop guitar and voila! I got a quick response.

Go Fender Go. Above all else keep your shareholders happy.

I have bought many Fenders over the years but no more. They don't stand behind there entry-level products, and they don't deserve my cash.

I'll be spending my money next on G&L ASAT & Legacy instead.

2000
21
classic Fender Statocaster design
Black white pickguard
MEDIUM FRETS
C Neckish

this is a 2000ish FENDER mexi strat it's left handed but I've got it strung up righty.
I bought on a whim one day to flop it over and play a la Hendrix, Very soon after I bought it, I grew board w/it seeing how I have lot's of guitars and this one was pretty much on the bottem wrung cause I've got a lot of other guitars, old new strats teles Ricks, yeah, yeah and on and on.
I just rediscovered discovered this one, this left handed ****** strung right handed really cooks pickupwise I love the sound, better than my 1962 original Fender Stratocaster.
That's right you heard it right...this thing is more likable soundwise to me than the old '62. A bit more punchy sounding than the standard Strat p/ups almost a little like P-90s on a strat.
I don't know what p/ups they put on 'em these days, but the p/ups on my 2000 standard strat are very cool and unique.

setup ok but needed a bit of tweaking

It's pretty tough I guess? as long you don't smash it up.
Body seems a bit soft, the screws don't hold well into the body.

Helpfull,
But don't expect them to Bake up a Bunt Cake fer ya' onboard.

Good solid guitar, the soft body and screw problem sucks otherwise ok.

I own a 2006 standard fender stratocaster with a rosewood fretboard. It has 21 frets and a standard strat body. Since it's a 2006 model it has all of the 2006 models features.

Fender strats are very versatile. I mostly play rock and blues and this guitar absolutely suits my style. I use it with a 25R Frontman and they sound pretty good together. This guitar fits for any kind of rock exists except of metal of course.

When I got the guitar the set-up was perfect. The action is pretty good, but too bad it doesn't have a humbucker pickup.

This guitar is very reliable. I've played with it live couple of times and there wasn't any kind of problems. It is pretty strong and the finish is great.

I never needed the customer support because the guitar is very reliable.

I've been playing for two years and don't have any other gear than my Fender strat and my fender frontman amp. This is my first electric guitar and I think it's perfect for a first electric guitar. I love it's sound but like I've said before I wish it had a humbucker pickup. If it was stolen I would buy it again and make the thief's life as miserable as it can be for taking this great guitar from me. I chose this one because it is very comfortable and reliable and most of the people who played it would agree with me. It's a great guitar but not a perfect one so it deserves a 9.

This is an '07 model purchased in '08. Midnight wine. IMO very beautiful color. I think everybody knows the features of a no frills standard MIM strat. According to the add, this is a vintage style, upgraded model, whatever that means. & on the label on the pickgaurd, it says it's electronics are shielded. Which is probably why this is fairly quiet for single coils. FYI, I've been playing this guitar now for 4 months.

When I bought it, I had to wait for it to be delivered. & I was already preparing to order pickup upgrades. But when I got it, I was pleased enough with the sound. The pickups are apparently vintage wound, not hot, but that suits me fine. They do give that vintage strat sound. I know people criticized the pickups on older models, but perhaps this is what they meant by upgraded. They are slightly noisier than my Gibson Les Paul humbuckers, but not problematically so. If you like higher gain you would probably want to change them. I did get pings from the nut, & off tuning, but graphite in the nut grooves seemed to solve that. It doesn't stay tuned as well as my LP, but I expected that. Stop tails are more stable. I don't use the tremolo arm much, but I keep the bridge the way the factory adjusted it. This is a very dynamic sounding guitar. Good for most genres. Probably not suited for high gain shredders though.

This was pulled out of the box before my eyes. I honestly didn't find any flaws anywhere. The finish is as close to perfect as possible. The action was exactly what you would expect for a light stringed strat. Truss adjustment spot on. & so on. All it needed was to be retuned.

This guitar IMHO is good enough for any professional gig. This thing is as solid as any quality strat. I wouldn't be ashamed to play this in front of a large audience. & yes, without a backup. But probably with slightly heavier gauge strings. Not that anybody would want to hear me. I haven't had any problems with the stock tuners yet either.

1 year warranty.

I jammed when I was younger & I rekindled my interest recently. Mid life scenario, I guess. For the first 2 years I was playing my Gibson LP studio w/2 practice amps & now also a Boss GT10 processor. But I wanted a 2nd guitar. & what better than a strat to compliment a LP. This is the first strat I ever played & owned. Now I see why they're so popular among pros & amateurs alike. Don't get me wrong, I still like the LP. This guitar though is much better value for money, which may not be the case for the more expensive Fenders. But I've grown to love the strat sound, especially in the switches 4th position, & also the fact that they're much lighter, which is good for my bad back. If this were stolen, I would buy another one assuming that the quality & price were the same. Excellent for beginners & pros alike. There's nothing that I hate about this guitar.

I have FENDERS 60th anniversary Stratocaster. 2006 for you guys who aren't up on your guitar history. It's made in Mexico. It's supposedly a limited edition. But what does this mean today. Because the Blizzard pear finish is now part of Fenders color chart. Your typical pickup configuration S/S/S. Pots V/T/T and 5-way. But the pickups are the Tex-Mex reverse wound. Very nice sounding but, not as dynamic as some of the American series single coils. I think the Tex-Mex are sweeter and hotter. But I am told I wrong about this. I played a lot of strats over a few months and the 60th strat just sounded unique for the price range. The neck is what got me, although I thought the frets could have been bigger. I think they are med-jumbo. The satin finish on the maple neck is gorgeous. It has a vintage look that's unbelievable and the neck plate stamp is a nice touch.

Good guitar for that squawk , growl , bell like chime and some really nice sustain on bends and finger vibrato. With the tremolo arm in. The sustain is better, even though I have it blocked. I player though a twin reverb and I use a Vox 50watt valvetronic modeling amp and the tones you get are amazing. Also a Zoom G4, Boss comp, Ibanez flanger from the 80,s and a very old morley wah. The single coils are noisy at times that's typical. But what you get out of them out weighs the noise. The bridge pickup I replace with a Seymour Duncan hot rails w/coil tap. Hot for this guitar? yeah.. But I still sounds like a strat and always will. That abrupt decay ...how do I say it ..strat players know what I mean ... you could put Gibson P90's ,P.A.F's or the hottest humbuckers on the planet in a Fender Stratocaster and she still going to sound like her self because of her scale length and bolt on neck. That's why we love them so much. I don't like the 3ply pick guard. Should have been a one ply more vintage look and all that writing on the head stock that standards have. It's not because it says made in Mexico. Made in the U.S.A and the nomenclature would look tacky as well. Stamp it on back. The guitars a blast to play and the price was right.

Action was poor. Maybe it's me? And probably is. After a few string changes on a Strat's (PHYSCO-NIZED)synchronized tremolo I can windup having the thing at a 45 degree angle to the body no matter how care full I am. So I have it block. It's not a Floyd rose and should be expected to be use as one. The action was high to start with. A setup was needed. There is some over spray on the body. But it's such a beautiful finish. After a good wipe of "65" it's no biggie. Pick guard warping because the screw patterns wrong. The 5-way is tight. Your person touch or not, its still a great guitar.

I turn the key and she starts every time. The finish looks deep like a car finish I don't care i it dulls. As long as it keeps it brightness I will be happy. The frets a flatting sooner than expected. And I wouldn't use it without strap-locks. A mega switch and a 500k pot. Maybe a different bridge pickup and I think is a durable as they come.Don't forget....Change your strings after you change your strings and then change them again. Your at your gig.. You buy cigarettes and beers all night. Your not happy with the sound. Buy some "DAM STRINGS STUPID". It's not the Strat its you.

My Luther says Fender does OK in the warranty department. They were going to replace my neck even after a small turn of the old rod straighten her up.

25 years of playing charvels, washburns and I-BEEN EZ. A wore out 79 Strat opened my eyes to the real vintage sound. I love this fender sound new and old. Play a strat and its the most unique experience in find your sound than any guitar. The versatility is almost! Almost endless.

I've got a 2006 electron blue MIM stratocaster with a rosewood fretboard. It has the typical standard strat features with the 2006+ upgrades: medium jumbo frets, thicker bridge block, and gig bag.

Strats are very versatile. I play blues and some rock so the guitar fits me. The pickups do buzz depending on your pickup selection. Neck/middle or middle/bridge cancels it out. The pickups aren't that bad. That being said, I play through a pretty wimpy amp. I'm sure they'll sound even better through a better amp.

I bought it used. The guy I bought it from rarely played it and it showed. Not a scratch on it. The setup was not the best. Just me being particular. But, its a beautiful guitar. It just looks mean and dangerous.

For all that has been said of MIM strats, this is a quality guitar. It feels solid enough to me. I use heavy gauge strings and really wail away. It stays in tone pretty well.

I looked at four used strats before settling on this one. I called to check serials numbers, get specs, and ask about differences between various years. The guys at fender were great. They gave me all the info I asked for and educated me on the subtle differences between models and years.

I love the guitar. I'm actually already looking for another with a maple neck. I prefer maple necks but after playing this, its not a big deal. I'll likely eventually throw on some Texas Special pickups. I already have a cheap acoustic and an Epi Les Paul Special II.

Mine is a 1998 MIM standard strat in brown burst. It has a rosewood fretboard, and is a typical strat. What other features do you need?

This is my first strat, but I have been playing for many years. I have been a Gibson/Guild fan, and have never considered a strat until a guy in my band got a new one, and told me to check it out. I liked the way it played. Now as for the sound of this guitar, it is good even though it appears to have the stock pickups. I play Blues/Rock and it fits the style fine. I tend to use a distortion pedal, and sometimes delay in front of my amp which can be a Peavey classic 50/50 - Fender 115xp speakers, or a Vox Ac30 I also have a crate palomino that I keep at home for practice. I've always heard about 60hz hum from these things, but haven't had that problem, this is why I qualified the "original pickups" with "appears". The 5 way switch give noticeable difference in tone, and with the tone knobs the sounds you get can be tailored to your liking. It is not a guitar that will get dirty without some form of distortion pedal, but it is a strat.

The set up was pure Sh#@. It was bought used so I can't blame it all on the factory. My dislikes were: Poor fret work - spent about an hour and a half filing and polishing the frets. The quality of the tuners was ridiculously poor, and were upgraded to to locking tuners right away.
The finish on the body is surprisingly good as you can see the wood grain very nicely. The neck was strait and playable, but the "skunk" stripe was rough and needed some steel wool to smooth it out. I hear that Fender is now producing better quality in Mexico, or lets hope so.

It looks reliable, and should be, but I've only had it for a few months so we'll see.
I haven't giged it yet as I'm still a Gibson guy, but I may in the future. I'll probably start it as a backup, I don't play shows without several tuned up guitars. I may through this beside my Guild Bluesbird in the line.

Fender has been good to me in the past when I have needed help with amps. So I'll base my rating on that.

I have been playing for about 25 years, and I've come to the place where I don't need a lot of extra gear that I don't use. So the list of what I own has become smaller over the past few years, but is still too large to name. The basic guitars I play at shows are Gibson Les Paul's (2) a Guild Blues Bird, and a Gibson S-1 (the fender my replace this). If buying again I would do the same thing and get one on E/bay as the ones I have seen are not that much better, and all of them seem to need some improvements (pickups, tuners ect...) unless you pay Big $$$$.$$ I did look at a Jeff Beck Model in a music store and it was nice! I would hate to have something That I would be afraid to scuff up. This is why I went with the used Mex. You can find the same pickups and slap them in for under $200 and still pay less than a third on the Beck model. After my setup with the fret work, neck work, new locking tuners and adjustment to the floating bridge (fender describes how to do this in the old American manuals) I'll be very happy with this guitar. It seems to have wider frets than the Gibsons, and Guilds, but that is not an issue, just a difference. The strings bend a little easier than the Gibsons, but my Guild has a roller bridge and is about the same. Overall it is now a good playable guitar (nothing is a 10)

This is an update 7 years after my first review of the same guitar...a standard Mexican-built Strat. I bought it in Y2K, so it's either a 1999 or 2000 product. Midnight wine finish, maple neck and fretboard. Lovely.

Features? It's a Strat with a 5-way switch. I must say that the standard tuners on this guitar hold tune remarkably well, unless I get too heavy handed with the whammy bar. I do use the tremolo bar, but just to put a bit of shimmy on a minor 9th chord, stuff like that.

I've made a couple modifcations to the guitar. See below in the sound category.

The other major change is my style of playing...I'm pretty much a blues and blues/rock guy now, though dabble in some country-ish styles from time to time.

Just a personal note here. For a lesson on GREAT Strat and Tele tones, listen to the 1999 John Fogerty album Blue Moon Swamp. Good, good guitar on that album.

This category merits a 10 because after owning the guitar for 8 years, the damn thing is ALWAYS in tune!

Okay. Perhaps I was a excessively effusive in my initial assessment of this particular guitar's sound, with the stock pickups and poplar body. (Standard strats now are made with alder bodies). The original ceramic magnet pickups were okay, with the middle pickup being RWRP, so the notch positions were, and still are, quiet. Not a lot of classic Strat glass, twang or bite. Not enough of that good Strat sting. But nice pickups for slide playing with a good bit of dirt dialed in on a tube amp.

So I put in new pickups. Fralin Vintage Hots, with a base plate on the bridge pickup. This brought the guitar to life in a major way. All the essential qualities one associates with a great sounding Strat were obvious with the pickup change.

The other mod I made is one I HIGHLY recommend. I installed a Fat-O-Caster rotary switch from Deaf Eddie parts. This, in conjunction with the stock 5-way switch, gives a total of 10 different tones, including 3 humbucking options. So now I have master volume and master tone and the 3-way rotary switch for selecting the different pickup configurations. The one I like a LOT is the neck/bridge combo, which is quite Tele-like. Other tones I get are similar in tone to a bridge position humbucker and also a neck position humbucker. All sounds retain Strat-like qualities, though. I'm quite surprised Fender hasn't bought Deaf Eddie's operation and made this mod a standard feature on Strats.

I'd say the sound with the stock ceramic magnet pickups was a 6 or so. Easily a 9 with the Fralins. Sometimes a 10.

Other changes I've made...I no longer play thru a Peavey Classic 50. I use a Laney VC-30 tube amp. Class A, 30 British watts, EL-84 powered amp. Amazing little amp. Cleaner than the Peavey but a righteous little blues amp.

I had the guitar set up by a guitar tech when I installed the Fralins...he set it up to Fender factory specs. I use Ernie Ball 10's and this guitar is easily one of the best playing I've ever had. I've played this thing for 8 years and the only thing I've done is replace the volume pot and add 2 more trem springs...aside from the pickup change and the Deaf Eddie Fatocaster switch.

Tuners hold tuning amazingly well. Neck is sweet, all parts work as they should. This is a rock solid workhorse guitar that still looks great and sounds amazing with the mods I made.

It's withstood live playing for 8 years. It's the only electric I have. Hardware still works great. Finish is indestructable. I installed strap locks (personal preference). I ALWAYS use it without a backup because I'm so friggin poor I can't afford a backup guitar. I'm sure it will easily last another 8 years without giving me any problems.

The neck feels custom made for my rather small hands. I love it and will never get rid of this guitar.

Never dealt with Fender.

I'm obviously very, very satisfied with this guitar as it is now. I might eventually put 11's on, as I like to play a lot of slide.

Based on my great results with this guitar, I'm probably gonna buy a Standard Tele, do a pickup swap and then I'll have a backup guitar.

For a guitar to have performed as flawlessly as this for 8 years with moderate to heavy playing with only a replaced volume pot, and now with the amazing tonal texture of the guitar, I gotta say this was an amazing value.

I have a blue 2004 Fender Standard Strat. It has everything a strat should have, 5-way selector, tremolo, medium jumbo frets and things like that. Mine has a maple neck and fretboard with medium jumbo frets and I believe the body is alder. I like to bend allot and the medium jumbo frets do effect how easy it is to bend. I prefer bigger frets, but you can get by with the medium jumbos.

The original pickups sounded terrible. The stock pickups on my Squier Affinity Strat sounded way better. It was bright, sharp and noisy. So I changed them. Now I have Fender Vintage Noiseless Strat pickups in it, the same pickups come standard on the Eric Clapton Strat. It improved the sound greatly, now it sounds like a real Strat. It's clear and it rings like a Strat should. It can also growl if you get your amp set right. I have the middle and bridge pickup wired to the second tone knob so I can roll off a bit so it's not so piercing. I use a Peavey Classic 30 and I play everything from blues to praise and worship to metal to classic rock. I wouldn't use this guitar for metal, humbuckers work best for that. But I'd use it for every other type of music in the world. Since mine has the maple neck and the Vintage Noiseless pickups it's much brighter than my Squier Strat, which has a rosewood fretboard and Texas Specials. I use it mostly for cleaner, softer songs and I use the Squier for warmer, dirtier tones.
I'd give the stock Fender pickups a 6 in sound, but now that it's upgraded I'd give it an 8.

I got it from a guitar store that was going out of business, and I don't know whether or not they set up their guitars or left the factory set up alone. Either way when I got it it was playable. When I added my modifications I had a set up done on it and added 10s. The next time I get it set up I'm thinking of adding 11s or 12s to get a bigger tone. The overall quality is great. It's very well put together, I'd have to say even better than my USA Gibson Les Paul BFG. The finish is thick and I think I'd have to run over it to even ding it. I've put a few dings in the neck, but it's just minor and I don't even notice it unless I think about it.

Everything about this guitar is rock solid. The hardware is great and it stays in tune when I use the whammy bar, unlike my Squier Strat. If you want tuning stability make sure you have 4 or 5 springs in the back. The finish is good enough that unless you drag your guitar across the stage by the whammy bar, it won't get banged up. Strap buttons are solid, but I don't sit perfectly still when I play so I'm putting schaller straplocks on it anyway. It's also heavier then most Strats I've played, and if it fell on my foot it'd hurt me worse then it'd hurt the guitar.
If it were a little gig and there was another guitar player to pick up the slack I wouldn't use a backup. But if it was a long set and I was the only guitar player I'd always bring a backup, no matter how solid the guitar is.

Never dealt with Fender, if I have a problem the guys at my local guitar store can fix it up for me.

I've been playing for five years (seriously for 3) and I own several guitars. A Michael Kelly Valor Limited, a Gibson Les Paul BFG, a Squier Affinity Strat and Tele, and a 1979 Peavey T-60. The Fender Stratocaster is my favorite guitar ever, since even before I started playing. I still wish there were some things different about it, I've modified everything I can. I added a new pickguard, black with a nebula. I just thought white was boring. I added Gibson Speed Knobs since it matches the pickguard. The pickups were the most important mod, and the most worthwhile. I don't know if I want to spend $200 refretting it. I wish it had bigger frets. Without modifications it's a good, solid guitar. With modifications to make it how you like it it's a great guitar and for the price it can't be beat. The neck feels amazing, but the American necks are just a bit more amazing. If it were lost (I'll never loose it) or stolen I would probably buy a Jimmie Vaughan Fender Strat instead of another Standard. That way I wouldn't have to modify the pickups since it already has good ones in it. Someday I will have an American Stratocaster since they're so awesome. I haven't made up my mind between the Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat or the '62 Vintage Hot Rod. But I don't really have to worry about that right now since I don't have the money. LOL

2008 Standard Strat, Olympic white with maple board, medium jumbo frets. It has the vintage style (it is not a true vintage) bridge. Three standard single coil pickups and five way switch. The neck is "C" shaped. I came with a gig bag.

I play mostly Blues, some Blues-based rock, and R&B. The sock pickups are actually decent. I do not use a lot of effects, usually just a wah, OD, and perhaps a phase or chorus into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with a Weber speaker (12F150). It sounds nice with some mild dirt. The cleans are clear and it does really sound like a Strat. The bridge p/u is not too bright and the neck is nice and thick. The tone pots are not as responsive as I would like them to be. You do not get any real change until the last 30% on either side.

How this guitar played was why I bought it. I had to adjust the action to raise it, but it played well before that. The neck is a dream, just as good as my '05 American Strat. The finish looks good and the neck is not the highly finished/laquered maple. The neck pocket was tight. There were rough edges on the pickup switch tip, but that was easily remedied. The frets were super nasty.

The guitar seems solid and well made. The nut was not bad and I have had no problems after setting it up. I do not use a trem so I have no idea how well it stays in tune using one. I bought this because it played well. I will probably wind up using it to spare my other Strats the dangers of gigging.

Never had to use them. The paperwork, IIRC, says there is a limited lifetime warranty.

Over all, this is a great guitar. It has good vintage tone, a great neck, and is solidly built. I wish the tone pots worked better and I miss the rolled edges on the neck. If it were stolen I would replace it. It's not flashy and it may not have the sex appeal of more expensive Fenders, but it does what a working guitar should do: hold tune, sound good, don't break. I owned a MIM Strat years ago and got rid of it because it just wasn't quite right. The quality of the new MIMs has improved vastly.

This is a Standard Strat from Mexico. You all know the features already, and I'm too tired to list them all over again.

I got the arctic white with a rosewood neck. I have grown to really like white Strats after years of having custom colors. There's something really sexy about a white Strat.

How does it sound? Like a Strat! Duh. I think the Mexicans have made great strides in the last couple of years as far as overall quality. I suppose I could put some Fralins or Lollars in there and it would sound a little better and maybe put out a little more volume, but for now, the stock Fender pups are fine. They do what they're supposed to do. One thing I really like is the guitar's resonance. The body and neck are very bright and responsive. I tapped the entire guitar, both acoustically and plugged in, and it rings like a bell either way. Nice.

The guitar came to me brand new and I ordered it from a store in Louisiana sight unseen. I asked them to pick me a good one. Who knows if they even did, but it seems like I got a very good one. The action was a little high because of a slight bow in the neck, and the fretboard was a little dried out, so I tweaked the neck. End of problem. The fit and finish is just dandy. The fretwork is very good. No sharp edges. No complaints. I know, I know, the bodies are made out of multiple pieces of wood, but so what? The guitar is a winner. It was basically gig-ready after I adusted the neck, changed the strings, and got rid of those idiotic .009 rubber bands they ship them with. I will get it set up soon.

Having owned pre-CBS vintage Strats, American, Japanese and Mexican ones, I can say this guitar feels pretty solid and should last a long time. I always take multiple guitars on gigs and use them all for different sounds. The Strat is another flavor. I use Les Pauls, a Rick 12, a Gretsch, and others.

Takes a LONG TIME to get anyone from Fender on the phone, but once you do, they're cool.

My only beef: I wish the neck was chunkier. It's a little too thin, but I may swap it out for a WD soft V with a rosewood board, or something similar that's fatter. Overall, a great value and a very good player. MIM Strats are like any guitar; you get good ones and not so good ones. This guitar is a very good one.

I believe I submitted my first Stratocaster review into the wrong category, so I'm re-writing it here...after all, its a STANDARD Strat, right?

Anyway...2008 MiM model, made earlier in the year, brown sunburst finish, S/S/S (ceramic) pickup combo. Alder body with a maple neck and maple fingerboard. "Synchronized" Strat bridge, which I blocked off. A 5-way pickup selector switch, with two tone knobs and a volume knob. And of course, standard Strat tuners.

Hot damn!! This guitar is great! I play a variety of music, except for pop, rap, and country. It has a bit of twang to it on a clean channel, but not like a Telecaster. Its got a warm sound to it, definitely full and strong. I play it through a Fender G-DEC Jr. (my first amp and I can't afford much else)- and a Digitech "Grunge" pedal, although the amp doesn't sound good unless I activate the pedal through a clean channel...not the point though.

This guitar, with that pedal, can either get you a nice overdriven sound, or it can get you the heavier-than-hell Pantera sound. It handles distortion so well, even when you're playing through one pickup. Whatever distortion DOES go through it is pure and clean. My only beef being that when playing through only one pickup, this thing can hum, LOUD.

I have made a few friends jealous with this, and for the price, its hard not to.

I bought it at my local dealer, so it was already set up, which was nice. They even blocked off the bridge to my liking, and for free to! After the bridge was blocked off though, this thing gained a new, considerable amount of sustain. Not as much as a Les Paul or anything, but it still gained quite a bit.

This thing is also so easy to play! The neck is very slim and built for low-action. When they say its hard to change to something else after playing a Strat, they aren't kidding. I traded this guitar in for a Jackson DKMG for 2 weeks and went back to this guitar. Primarily for its comfortability and tone.

Although...the little "inlay" on the back of the neck is either chipped or scratched or something. Not very bad and its something that a little buffing and polish can't handle.

Also, when I first got it, the nut was cluttered up or something and the strings would get caught in it, which also resulted the death of my high-e string. After changing strings, this problem just magically went away somehow...

This thing is built like a tank. And everything is quite solid. Though the tuning heads "feel" a bit loose to me, they keep me in tune very very well. But the fact that they're easy to turn really grinds my gears and I'm thinking of switching to Grovers.

Other than that, I was balancing this on my foot while talking to one of the employees at my local dealership and literally ACCIDENTALLY dropped this flat on the floor. This thing sustained absolutely NO damage at all. No neck damage, no dents, scratches, nothing. The guy I was talking to said if I had dropped a Gibson it probably would of totaled it.

Its hard NOT to depend on a Strat. They're built strong, lots of output, lots of tonal options, its got it all.

Never dealt with Fender, hope I don't have to.

Pros.

1. Its sounds beautiful for everything.
2. Its built to be thrown across a room (not that I'd try that).
3. Distortion is pure when played through this.
4. Super-slim-tapered, low-action neck.
5. A decent array of tonal options
6. Contoured body for extra comfort.

Cons.

1. Tuning heads SEEM loose, but although they can keep you in tune really well.

This guitar has made me less fond of my 1961 Gibson Melody Maker on many levels. Of course I still love the Gibson, sounds great, but the playability and tone of this Strat is something thats hard to find now days! The neck doesn't expand as you get into the higher frets, so even accessing the higher frets is more than easy to handle.

I'm also thinking of comparing this to a few MIA Strats for consideration of replacing the ceramic pups with American-Strat-Alcino pickups. Although, I have a feeling in my gut that I probably won't be doing that...

If this were stolen or lost I'd be trying my hardest to afford another, but this thing is my pride and joy so I have a feeling it'd be both hard to lose and replace. After all, if this thing isn't up sitting on its stand in my room, then its with ME.

And for $400, this thing is really hard to beat. Folks, throw away your EMG 81/85 sets and your fancy Jackson guitars and get one of these!

2008 chrome-red--with an eye-popping "WOW" factor--maple neck, maple fretboard, 21 frets, and alder body MIM strat. It's an S-S-S Stratocaster...describing a Strat to guitar afficionados is analogous to describing a baseball glove a Yankees fan. My strat's neck feels like the V model (although I believe it's supposed to be the C shape).

Who knew how well it would fit my style: jazz. Yup, I bought it because when played through a Fender Super Champ XD at voice 15 (aka "jazz"), it projected EXACTLY the tone I was looking for, for years. That's right, ladies 'n gennelmen: Just as Les Paul developed the Gibson LP for his style--jazz--a Fender Manufactured-in-the-USA-and-assembled-in-Mexico strat is versatile enough for jazz. There are several sweet spots on the neck and on 2nd through 4th strings that sound heavenly, tonally divine for jazz.

I had to remove the jack plug to tighten the nut, but that was it. Honestly, I looked for any sign of screw-up in fit and finish, and could find none. The action is smooth, low and fast.

Fender Strats have been a musical standard for 60 years--it's their 60th anniversary this year!--so, I'm going to assume that my axe is as reliable and durable as any other. No one can predict the future with accuracy, so I'm going to hedge my bets by treating the guitar with respect.

I sent an email to Fender's customer relations last week, and received a response within 24 hours. At least someone is responsive.

I feel fortunate to have put back the Epi Dot Semi-hollow, Casino and AlleyKat in their places in the rack and meander on over to the Strats.

2007, Built in the Corona, California USA then put together in Mexico. So it's got to mention on the neck "Made in Mexico" But really it's an American Strat but I savedover a thousand dollars because of where it was put together. I affectionately call it my "Tacocastor".
22 frets, I believe a basswood body painted black like Eric Clapton's Strat model and a naturally finished maple neck. Standard 3 pick up set up with 5 position toggle switch with one volume and 2 tone knobs. standard tremolo bridge (whichis useless) and Fender machineheads. Came with a gig bag.

I play everything from hard rock to worship & praise And this guitar can handle it all. It's a Strat. Everyone knows what a Strat ith single coil pick ups can and can not do. I run through a BOSS GT8 (which is beyond awesome) into a Randall RG75 single 12" or my PEAVEY Deuce 2 x12". The only time this guitar's pick up's are noisy is when I would use the HiGain setting on my Boss GT8. This is why I replaced the pick ups with Bill Lawrence Colbalt noiseless P/U's. Problem solved. Except the pick up covers were cream coloured and didn't go with the white pick guard. So, Being the type of person who likes to "Hot Rod" up my guitars I bought black volume & tone knobs a black toggle top, an I had to paint the cream coloured P/U covers black which worked out awesome. I hen bought a purple tortise shell pick guard. So needless to say the guitar looked HOT. Oh yes I got rid of the thing Fender calls a bridge and replaced it with a Trem King bridge. I can now wail on the whammy bar UP & Down and it stays in tune. I recommend it for Everybody who has a strat and doesn't want to get a locking tremolo system. Finally I added an Earvana nut which just solidified the intonation on this guitar.

Th action off the rack was find but of course my guitar tech after putting in the Trem King and the earvana nut the action is great. Low enough to shred but high enough not to have my fingers slip when doing bends.
The finish was great it's black how screwed up could it get?
Basiscally I'm not overly worried how a guitar will fit or play right off the rack as I have found you ALWAYS have to tweak and adjust things to get the guitar exactly how you like it. It definitely was very playable right off the rack or I wouldn't have even considered purchasing it.

This guitar was meant for live playing and I used it without a back up for our churches live DVD recording. The strap buttons are large so I had no worries of my strap coming off while playing. It's a Fender and it's aStrat of course it's reliable especially after all the extras I did.

Never had to deal with them and don't expect too. If I have any problems I go to my Guitar tech who's been working on Fenders for over 20 years.

I've been playing for over 25 years and I own a Larrivee D-03 acoustic an Ovation Dreadnaught 12 string from 1974. A Parker P42 and my latest is an Ibanez AK95 archtop Hollowbody. (Review to follow shortly, I need to play it some more)
If it was stolen I'd hunt down the dude and make it impossible for them to ever attempt having children. I've just been blown away that after all these years of playing many different electric guitars from Tele's, Les Paul's, Ibanez's Explorer's etc. that I would come back to owning a Fender Strat. I've come home and this guitar is my main axe and I never ever plan on trading it in or selling it period.

2003 MIM Standard Strat, Blue Agave (since discontinued) with 21 fret 1 piece maple neck. Truss rod adjust at headstock, walnut skunk stripe. Nice C shape neck. Standard Strat electronics: 5 way switch, S/S/S, 1 Vol/ 2 Tone. Standard p/us. Vintage 6 point tremolo bridge. Standard reliable tuners.

We all know what strats look like...

This guitar, without any exaggeration, is the single best sounding guitar I have ever played. Period. I play a variety of rock and blues, and this guitar does it all. I fully understand that there is quite a bit of variation between guitars, so bear that in mind while reading my honest opinion about my guitar. Mine is a bit special, and seems "hotter" than all the other ones I played that fateful day at GC. It can really nail that SRV tone. Roll back the tone and you've got that smooth Clapton sound. All in all I ended up with classic Fender tone for $350. I play into a Vox Clyde McCoy, 2 TS9s, FullTone DejaVibe, H2O liquid chorus/ echo, all into either my Epi Valve Junior combo (bedroom) or my '72 Bassman 50 Stack (band).

I have another MIM Standard (Artic White/ Maple) which is more of a round "bell-tone" sounding guitar, not so hot but delightfully mellow and smooth. Like I said, no 2 are the same. That's the best part: For the money you can buy a whole arsonal of different sounding strats!

Ok, so Fender cuts costs here. Mexican strats are notorious for not so great factory set-ups. But that's half the fun! Buy it, take it home, and make it yours. It was playable though, but a floating bridge on a Strat is a recipe for disaster... or at least a guitar that won't stay in tune! I cranked that bad-boy down to the body, fudged the saddles a bit and set the pickup height. Over the course of the last 5 years I've had to make minor adjustments and play with the truss rod maybe twice?

The only flaw was some numb-skull at GC "love tapped" the bottom edge of the guitar. You can't see it while playing, and I have since added "character" myself.

This guitar will last. Just look at all the vintage stuff floating around. And besides, these are all poly finished so we know that will last at least (for better or for worse). I've played through a few of the original frets (and have been procrastinating getting it fixed). The poly is coming off the edges of the fretboard a bit. The clear coat is yellowing a bit in places (I know, weird since its not nitro!). The pickguard screws are rusting a bit, and some of the saddles are too. But you need to understand that I have played the crap out of this guitar 365 days a year for the last 5 years. A worn in guitar says something: It must sound great if the owner played it that much! I have taken great care of it, but some things are inevedible. The only reason I gig with a back up is in case I break a string (plus I still like a little variety).

Never dealt with

I have been playing for 7 years or so. I own this, an '04 Standard strat, a '79 Strat, '76 Musicmaster (think a one pickup mustang), '84 Tokai '64 reissue strat, have a '06 HW1 in the mail :), a '00 Parker P38, a First Act Delia, and a '69 Teisco e110. I only wish I tried to haggle on the price, but with MIM Strats going for $450 these days I guess I can't complain. If this was stolen I would hunt down whoever did and and steal it back. I have other strats so "replacing" it would be futile, because this one is special. If I could only keep one of my guitars this would be it without hesitation. I love everything about it. I actually hated the color when I bought it (you can't buy a guitar based on color, the only preference I had was maple fretboard.) , but have since changed out the pickguard with a pearl moto one and added aged plastic parts and it looks real sharp now. I played 10 MIM strats when I bought this one, and mine was waaay better than the others. I only wish that I'll have it forever. Don't buy an American Strat! :p

2000 MIM, 21 vintage sized frets (filed the sharp edges off) replaced stock tuners with Fender locking tuners, replaced stock ceramic pickups with GFS alnico, replaced nut with Graphtech nut,replaced stock trem block with Callaham machined steel block and added two more trem springs for five total, replaced stock tone capacitor with .047 uf paper-in-oil type, added bridge pickup to middle tone control, replaced stock saddles with solid stainless steel saddles. Still looks stock with black alder body and maple neck, white pickguard. I also shielded the routing and underside of pickguard with aluminum tape.

It was noisy when I first started playing it, I had bought it for the body, but a friend talked me out of taking it apart. So I thought a few upgrades and it would be okay. After several years of adding this and changing that, I realized how great these MIM strats are for modding. This one sounds great with effects or without, stays in tune with extreme whammy use. It's rather mundane appearance belies it's sonic capabilities. Through a Fender silverface champ I can hear the Beatles' "Nowhere Man"

Only issues were sharp fret ends, and stock nut was cut funny, the "b" slot was closer to the "g" slot rather than an equal distance apart like the other slots. I've taken care of this baby since it was almost new when I got it, it still looks new even though I play it a lot, considering I have other guitars.

After the aforementioned upgrades, I don't foresee any issues or problems that can't be rectified, Stratocasters are so popular and aftermarket products are readily available and reasonably priced. Heck I might get a stock one just to have another project.

Uhhh..found it in the classifieds of local newspaper.

Been playing seriously about 26 years, I have a '90 Strat Plus, '97 Epiphone Les Paul, Laney LC-30, silverface Fender Champ, assorted practice amps and effects. If it were stolen I would be very angry considering the amount of time I've invested in this guitar. I could always get another, however. I bought this for only $250 and spent maybe $200 over several years and I don't think I could replace it at retail. There is nothing right now that I wish it had.

2008, Made in Mexico Strat, 21 frets, we all know what a Strat looks like, right :-), S/S/S, Alder, Fender non-locking tuners, 25.5 scale, fairly thin C Shape neck. Rosewood Fingerboard(I only dig rosewood & ebony).

Giving this a 9 for features. The Strat is incredibly flexible --can find a jazz tone with a little experimenting, country, rock & pop.
Has 6 screw tremolo & very comfortable body.

As-is with the thin strings it came with I was still impressed. This guitar excels at a shiny, glassy sounds. It has some nice bite in position one(bridge pup). I adore position 5(neck pup). And 2 & 4 are interesting and noiseless. Middle pickup alone is nice for riddem.

Excellent variety, I find all the positions usable and working the tone knob can get you into jazz territory.

I'd love to have no noise and the same 1 & 5 position tones. Maybe will upgrade the pickups but the stocks are good. Their out maybe a little low but doesn't bother me.

I tried three lefties out at two different stores. The setups and quality vary great from Strat to Mexi Strat. The one I fell in love with was set up really nicely. The trem was set to floating position and in balance with the tension of the light Bullet strings. The neck felt fantastic in my hands.

I actually had the idea to relic/distress a sunburst Strat but the brown busrt on mine is way too stunning to mess with. It's freaking gorgeous.

I got lucky. Someone set this up well and it was only sitting in the store for a day or too before I got her.

This is a very solid guitar. It will last. I always bring a back up.
Strap buttons are solid. You can enjoy this guitar for 50 years, I bet.

Never dealt. I'm afraid of large corporate support systems.

Been playing about 25 years.
GEAR: Carvin AE185, Ibanez MIJ Roadstar II, MIM Jazz bass w/badass, Short Scale SX Jazz bass, Yamaha Acoustic, M-Audio 88ES. ProCo Rat, Zoom GFX-1, SansAmp bass DI, Carvin bass amp, Peavy Combo.

I asked if it had swimming pool routing the guy didn't know, I found out later it doesn't but position 1 & 5 are routed for humbuckers just in case. I would get another Strat if this one was thieved.

I LOVE: The body, neck & tones. I HATE: the location of the volume knob and I hit the 5 way switch a lot when its in 4 or 5 position.
I wish it came with Sperzel locking tuners but I ordered them and will install them very soon.

Now that I've played it for a week I see that it actually doesn't NEED locking tuners. I was lucky, the tremolo springs/claw were set up well and bending is very musical. I believe you can make the case that this guitar sounds as good as $3k PRS or a $3K Les Paul in its own way. I don't know if the PRS has 5 usable tones or can shimmer like a Strat. IT DOES SOUND LIKE A STRAT. Also important is that the 25.5 scale works better for me. A very flexible instrument. With upgrades LOOK OUT!

2008 upgrade. mexico. 21 medium jumbo frets. s/s/s. pickups. alder body. midnight wine w/ rosewood fretboard. vintage tremolo. w/nice padded fender gigbag.

sounds good. fits my oldies music style. pickups needed adjusting. no problem though since it comes with a nice, informative instruction booklet explaining how to set it up.

here is the category where i have to warn: buyer beware. action needed adjusting too. poor set up from the factory, and dealer didn't bother. the edges of the frets were sticking out and sharp. and the worst problem of all is it had high frets causing buzzing on the 5th and 6th strings near the middle of the board. i returned it and they ar first just raised the strings and i said it still buzzes, which they did, and so they finally agreed to keep it and re-dress the frets. took about a week, but at least they did fix it. in honesty i blame myself partly for the problem though, because i didn't try it out before buying. always try it our first! if you mail order you can't try it till you get it of course, but i have bought many guitars by mail order and have always had good luck that way, so i figured a new guitar hanging at the store would surely have been quality checked and set up. WRONG. don't take anything for granted at music stores.

i think it is okay for live playing... now that i had the defective fretboard corrected! seems generally durable all around. i would use a backup guitar though at a gig with any guitar, so that question is really pointless to me.

as stated above, i had to have the frets dressed under warranty. comes w/ limited lifetime warranty. never dealt with the company directly. would have rated this category higher, but they tried to get away with fixing it on the cheap, by just raising the strings and hoping i didn't know anything about guitars and wouldn't notice. hell i could have done that if i thought that was a good enough way to fix it. but i like low as possible string action thank you! and anyway raising the strings also has adverse effect on intonation, so don't let anyone try to "fix" buzzing frets on your axe by raising the strings, unless it's a miniscule amount. they DID fix it, but omly after i had to complain twice about the same problem. but i've bought many guitars from them before and they have given me good service always except this one time, so all in all i still recommend them. just stick to your guns when you know you're right.

been playing off and on 35 yrs. or so. if stolen, i would buy it again, but only after a thorough going over. i love the strat tone. oh the tremolo arm spring was missing too, but they gave me one free so no problem. the only thing i don't like about strats is the chopped off "comfort contoured body". i think it would look better and have better sustain if the body was the same thickness througout. i mean come on. it's just a thin body electric, not a big jumbo flattop. it doesn't need the angles cut off the body to be comfortable. teles and les pauls don't have that and are perfectly comfortable to play. but anyway overall it's still a great guitar value. would have rated this higher except for the poor quality control at the factory and disingenousness at dealership.

Fender Standard Stratocaster MIM.2006. 21 frets. Slightly hotter 3 single coils. Upgrade version. Vintage style bridge. Standard tuners. Fairly thin and playable neck.

A great deal more tonal variety on the upgrade MIM stratocasters. Substantially more beef in the neck and greater variety and flexibility in bridge pickup...perhaps a little less harsh and more responsive to rolling off a little tone. This is a backup guitar, intended as a cheap substitute for a much more expensive VG stratocaster when I don't feel like traveling with the VG. I play it through a great 1964 Princeton -non-reverb- primarily. If this is going to be your main axe you probably still want to swap out the pickups.

Here's the problem. I've had a couple of the MIMs and the real problem is that every single one has some sort of quirk or flaw. The quirk on this one is that there's substantial buzz on the 14th fret only when the action is set low. To avoiid it is to raise the action to a point at which the axe isn't nearly as playable or comfortable. Tightening the truss rod, readjusting the bridge saddles, ...noting quite achieves the end of the buzzing without substantially raising the string height and sacrificing a little playability.
Unless you're buying one of the higher end MIM strats, including the Baja or the 60th anniversary blizzard pearl edition, you cannot be assured of 100% quality with MIM strats. They've upgradded the pups but the quality control still lags behind.

No problem here. It's workhouse like all strats, MIM, MIA or MIJ. BTW the MIJs were so much better than the average MIMs and certainly there's no comparison to an MIA.

I'd love this guitar but for the fret buzz. I'll probably have to swap out the nut or the bridge, but certainly invest more in it than I had intended.

Ash body, Clear Poly finish, light RW fretboard MIM, 99/00 model yr
Bought used $300. +$50 generic hardshell case, from local shop Dec 96

Comparable to the newer models. Ash gives slightly diff tone than the 96' painted bodies. Actually set up & fretwork better overall than the new ones, plays great. My first Strat, always been a humbucker guy. S/S/S ceramic pups sound fine to me. For what it is and considering the cost, a 9.

Just fine for what I do. Classic rock covers, Country, Americana, and Church Praise. Love the classic front/mid pup combo. Good cleans, and decent grit thru some tubes or OD box.
I play straight into a Crate VC2110. A small one ch class A tube amp from 95' or so with a small reverb tank w/no effects.
Very quiet for a single coil axe.
Classic Strat chime and jangle.
Likes: Comfortable to play, nice variety of tones.
Dislikes: Threw the trem arm in the case, nothing wrong with it tho. Kind of a hassell to restring, moreso than a stop tail or tune-o-matic bridge. . Took a while to get used to position of 5 way switch, kept hitting it, but got used to it in about a week.

Guitar was used but in excell cond. Well set up. Have not found any flaws really.

Solid guitar. Dependable enough to gig w/out backup.

Not applicable, bought used.

Been playing 30 yrs. Upright, Martin D28, and various banjos and such. Bought as replacement for sold Epi LP Custom. Covers the country stuff better than the Epi LP, a little more versatile, but I still miss my humbuckers and Gibson scale occasionally.