Fender Yngwie Malmsteen Signature Stratocaster

I own a 2002 USA model, bought used in 2006. Its notable features are the brass nut, scalloped neck, DiMarzio pickups (YJM in the neck and middle and HS3 in the bridge), 3 way switch (neck, middle and bridge only), and tone control that disconnects when it's all the way up at 10. My YJM has a beautiful Sonic Blue finish which looks great against the aged/mint green pickguard and controls. It's faithful in all its replications of Malmsteen's specs, except the scallops aren't as deep.

I've used this guitar for three years now to play different styles of music in various recording and live situations. I've heard it through everything from 5 watt tube amps and digital recorders to 100 watt Marshall and Mesa stacks.

Pros: The neck DiMarzio YJM pickup is incredibly warm and handles lots of overdrive and distortion very well, unlike most single coils. It becomes very focused, full bodied, sweet and singing without any rough edges. During fast runs, each note remains fat yet articulate.
But the real thing people want to know is - does it sound like Yngwie? Yes, with the right overdrive you can get very close (you'll never be there 100% since you don't have his exact vintage Marshalls, DOD boosts, recording studio and fingers). This neck pickup tone (and the scalloped neck) is usually only what most shredders are after in this guitar in terms of sound. So in this area, it delivers exactly what an Yngwie fan is seeking.

Cons: The DiMarzio YJM however, does not have the best open, chimey, bouncey sparkling single coil sound that Strats are famous for. It's still there somewhere if you set the amp to be slightly dirty and bright, and play Hendrixy rhythms or blues licks, but this is not where the guitar shines (and is not what it's purpose is anyway). Also, the bridge DiMarzio HS3 retains the piercing quality that Strats are notorious for! It's not the most pleasing lead tone. Malmsteen himself uses the bridge pickup mostly for very clear power chords and riffs instead of leads. A knowledgeable guitarist will know how to tweak their amps and play accordingly to still make this guitar fit most things except the most extreme metal. Versatility is mostly in the player!

Bought used (4 years old), this guitar needed to get a full setup, refret, nut raised, and output jack tightened. Once all these issues were taken care of, I soon came to realize that this was the best feeling strat I'd ever played. I've compared it to most, if not all of Fender's other strats and there is definitely a special mojo going on with the YJM.. After three years of playing this, I am noticing that the G string in particular is a lot buzzier than the rest.. I can't nail it down to a fret or string height problem - I suspect it has to do with the nut slot being too low for the G.. I might replace the nut soon.

Do not fear the scalloped neck! It took no time for me to get used to it. After a couple of days I had already adapted and by comparison, non scalloped necks felt like a hindrance. With scallops, there is no resistance of wood on your fingers, so bends become extremely easy and smooth. Playing fast also gets easier - Malmsteen refutes this I know, but personally I find that playing a note requires less effort on a scalloped neck, since I don't have to press down as much. As a result, my touch has become extremely light and more comfortably flies across the neck.

The tremolo is a vintage non locking design that I like to keep floating like Malmsteen. If you don't know how to work and maintain a vintage trem, you will go out of tune very easily. There is a secret to staying in tune.. Notice in interviews that Yngwie purposely avoids giving a straight answer on how he keeps his tremolos in tune LOL.. Billy Sheehan also said that when he was in Talas opening for Yngwie, he noticed that Yngwie could pickup any vintage strat and do *things to it* and suddenly their tremolos would be in tune. The information is out there and it took me a lot of research to find it myself. I wish you good luck on your search for this answer! :D

The finish has started to chip and crack, but it adds character! It does look like a great vintage strat.. I have no worries at all about the hardware and my YJM has taken quite a beating since I've owned it. It's proven to be very reliable and not something that needs a lot of high maintenance (except the tremolo *hint*). The strap buttons did get loose after a few months after I made the purchase, but that was fixed easily by super glue. No string breakage so far (knock on wood!).. in general you should be playing with a light touch anyway on a scalloped neck and also if you are a shredder.

Yngwie fans will find their idols tone in this guitar and will have the joy of experiencing the unique feel of a scalloped neck, and also gain the bragging rights to a beautiful signature instrument. It delivers 100% on what it was made for. So for the fan in me, it is a pleasure to own this guitar.

For the all around versatile and demanding musician in me however, it is not enough, since it can't adequately convey vintage strat tones and I don't find the bridge pickup tone to be very useable for leads. I find that both these missing qualities are essential for other styles. I've used some EQing and effects to makeup for that, which in the end gives very passable results, but obviously other guitars can cover other styles much better than the YJM. There is still a need for Strats, LPs, 335s and Teles!

Not sure what year, probably 04? I have the sonic blue with maple fretboard. Other than that the features have been stated many times below. I will say the brass nut is really cool, and reminds me of the old Charvel Stats. VERY COOL!!!!!

The sound is a little tame for my taste since I prefer harder rock and metal. It does have a thick chime too it, and I can see why so many people give it a high rating. You really can dial in Yngwie's signature cleaned up tones, especially when you use the DOD Yngwie OD pedal. I actually love the look and feel of this guitar. The neck is a bit fatter than my Fender Am Std Strat, and fits my hands really good. I wish it was a little hotter, but it's an Yngwie model so it was correctly done to match what he prefers. I'll still give it an 8 because it does match the Yngwie sound so well.

I'm gonna say that I also have a problem w/ the high E Sting not wanting to stay on the fretboard. I don't think it makes the guitar unplayable, but it is a nuisance. I'm still not gonna dog this guitar, because in my hands it feels like butter!!!!

Seems to be holding up fine. With a strat you almost want it to look a bit worn.

I've never needed customer support from Fender.

Very cool guitar overall. I own many guitars including signature models from Lynch, Mustaine, Hammett, Vandenberg, and Vinnie Vincent. I play mostly metal, so single coils aren't normally my thing. With this guitar I dont' care. It plays so well and feels so good that I look past the single coils and target a tone more suitable for this guitar.

The pickups in this guitar are amazing. My main strat has EMG's and they pale in comparison.

I'm a long time blues player who ventures into the metal relm. This guitar covers your bases and then some. A friend of mine invited me over to check out his guitars and failed to mention he had a malmsteen in the back of his closet-o-guitars... He was hard pressed to get it out of my hands once I plugged it in. My rig is a rivera S-120 with matching 2x12 cab and a mesa boogie preamp and it just screamed but instantly quieted without hum. my lead style is a bit "gilmourish" with slow refined bends but high speed "malmsteen-esque" bursts of speed and this guitar did it all.

With the right amp settings you can get some get metal tones but half of that is purely in handling the guitar right...

The owner had the guitar setup where it was effortly playable so I can't say much in this respect.

I own a David gilmour replica stratocaster and a scalloped Strat thats setup similar but nothing beats the real deal. I just can't bring myself to get one until my playing gets up to par with even 5% of what this guitar is capable of. As for the scallops, I use my "clone" for all styles so as long as you've got the intonation nd everything and have a nice light touch you can play chords as well as dizzying leads...

New 2008 Malmsteen Strat, Sonic Blue, Rosewood board. This model has the machine screws in the neck, deeper scallops, and the bullet truss rod. Neck feels like a comfortable medium shape. Poly finish on body, nitro finish on the neck. Other features have been previously discussed. I love the features, no other instrument combines all of the elements this guitar has.

First of all, this is my fourth Malmsteen strat, and this one really resonates better than the previous versions. The vibration through the neck and body are very pronounced and the guitar has superb sustain, even for a strat. I don't know if this is due to the new machine screw neck mounting process, or just good construction, but this guitar is better than Malmsteen models I have owned in the past.

Pickups are dead quiet, even through high-gain distortion pedals and amps (Mesa Boogie amps, MI Audio and Fulltone pedals). I love the YJM and HS3 pickups and will install them in any strats I may purchase in the future. The sound is very warm, full, and balanced (even on the bridge pickup, which I use regularly). Not your typical vintage strat sound, which is exactly what I wanted. Pickups are smooth and handle lots of gain VERY well. As others have mentioned, the pickups are low output, but do not let this scare you. I have been playing Les Pauls for the last five years, and the switch to the Malmsteen strat has been liberating. Notes are very articulate and warm. If you like touch and nuance in your playing, this guitar will provide it. If you want tons of saturated gain look elsewhere. If you have good technique this guitar will show it off for you.

I play blues, rock, and 80's metal. I have been playing now for 13 years. I am a fan of Yngwie and love his tone, which is one reason I selected this guitar. This guitar covers all the styles I need to cover. This guitar is very versatile in my opinion. I have no trouble going from SRV to Hendrix to 80's metal. Try that with a Les Paul. If you are looking for the vintage "sparkly" strat chime this will not do it, and you may be better suited to a vintage reissue. If you like the basic vibe of the strat and want some more warmth you should check this out.

This guitar has some very minor finish flaws, nothing major. Guitar was set up for me, I don't know what the factory set-up was like. Scalloped neck is flawless and plays like a dream all the way up the fretboard. Pickups adjusted perfectly, and balanced well. Brass nut cut perfectly. Only real issue is a slight gap on one side of the neck pocket. However, this guitar sustains better than any strat I have ever owned, so the gap cannot be harming the guitar in any way. Not perfect, but close. Overall, a very stunning vintage-looking instrument.

Nitro finish will wear on the back of the neck (but it is supposed to). Otherwise this guitar is very solid and well made. No strat has ever let me down.

I have owned many Fender guitars over the years and feel the Malmsteen strats are the best if you are after versatility and something unique. I now wonder why I ever purchased Les Pauls. I am currently saving for my next Malmsteen strat, which will be Candy Apple Red with a Rosewood board. My goal is to have at least one of each color. The Malmsteen strat will handle a variety of styles and looks like something Jimi Hendrix would have used. I have owned guitars by Gibson, Ibanez, Jackson, Charvel, Guild, Gretsch and Heritage. The Malmsteen strat is my favorite, and has many unique features that add up to a great instrument.

I have bought 3 Yngwie Malmsteen Signature guitars this year alone.The first I bought in April 2007. Red/Rosewood neck.I felt action was high and compromised TONE & OVERALL FEEL in all aspects.However the Yngwie model is absolutely excellent quality!!!!Neck is very addicting.Great for ligattos ,arrpeggios ,pulloffs, and other virtuoso techniques.Great for person with large hands and great for always nailing bends , slides pulloffs and best of all BELIEVE THIS PHENOMEN you can get really technical runs smooth quickly because just barely hiting string /fret will sound out.Brass nut...Ooh La La SUSTAIN from the underworld.3 way switch great.Best tuning keys Ever .rate 10 However scallop depth varies from guitar to guitar.I bought two on the same day less than 120 days after I bought my first.Maple/White and Red/Rosewood.Beautiful difference first did not have as deep scallops and no bullet trussrod.Great guitar construction ....However if you don't play at super volume or lack gain on amp a person will not realize the beauty of the Dimarzio pickups .I can suggest to Fender that they should offer the option for coilsplit and Hot/Highout put humbucker for bridge I KNOW they would increase Sales and interest in the Guitar.Especially having to shell out 1399.00.Most customers hate the underpowered pickups and will not spend the money to convert even if their Hero is shredding a scallop necks would I buy another scallop.......What !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very dissappointing for the lamen or amatuer.The concepts works !!Maintain clear and strat belltone even at ear bleeding levels.However most people don't know this and this is a big turnoff since no option to customize or upgrade.Guitar great quality no option is lame!!!!!!!!!!!

Goes without being said....A no brainer..In my opinion having been playing strats for 25 years they are as good as it gets .Kick ass workmanship truely will in the future be known to be CLASSIC and especially 100% Fender elite quality.Good quality on Yngwie Malmsteen model...FOR SURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The best features of this amazing guitar are its vintage feel and association with Yngwie. Mine is a vintage white (cream) new 2007 model which has deeper scallops, white pickguard, bullet truss rod and the standard collection of dimarzio YJM and H3 stacked pickups.

I dont think you really need to be into Yngwie to appreciate this guitar as its features and fender legacy make it a great all round strat guitar.

Also it comes with a beautiful vintage tweed case.

I play all sorts of styles and the only thing this beaut can't do is excessive rythym chugga chug metallica style rock... like other strats its a more expressive weapon suitable for leads, dirty rythym or twangy clean tones. Im using it with a Bray modded Marshall plexi and it absolutely rips! The pickups are fairly low output but super quiet and depending on the setup is fliud and soulful. Being a maple neck model it leans towards a bright tone but I usually tilt back the tone knobs ever so slightly anyway with my strats. My amp is voiced to a darker tone and so this guitar os no problem. I can't really play a lot of malmsteen stuff but Its a super fast and toneful beast. The more I play it the more I like the pickups and the sustain is awesome. I dont dislike anything about this guitar at all...plus its based of a 72 strat and Im a child of 1972!

The guitar was setup way too low in action on the high strings so they had to be adjusted but I left the bottom strings at a fairly low action. Plays superb. The neck is super fast if you are comfortable with scalloped necks and I have no problems in chording or it going out of tune. Ive always loved fenders ability to stay in tune. The neck is divine with maple swirls in all the right places...nice chunks of wood went into making this thing.

Its a fender...Im sure most things will last or can be easily replaced. Ive never had any issues with fender. My other USA strat has a loose pickup selector but its no biggie. Its a shame this guitar doesn't come preinstalled with a dimarzio clip strap.

Never dealt with fender sorry

playing 20 years and own about 15 other guitars, of which one other is a USA sunburst fender. They are both different but Im finding myself playing this baby a lot. Actually I had always anted one and went and scalloped a squire at one stage but it was useless in comparison to this beast. I end up playing a lot of blues and jazz on this thing...its got a very sweet tone and playability to it and I adore the scalloped fretboard...you can miss notes with your right hand and your left hand will still sing them out...I dont know how to describe it but its very fluid and your fingers float over it. I have nimble fingers and dont ever use heavy guage strings...I like 009's and tune down half a step... this things squeals with the vibrato you can get. I really can't say anything bad about it. If you love strats definately worth a look no matter your style of playing. Shame its so expensive..but hey that just makes me treasure it even more.

Same features as the rest. Got it online at AMS. Best online site, in my opinion. This is the new 'upgraded' version also. White pickguard, machine screw neck mount... It is a Strat, and personally, I think it is the perfect Strat. That being said, it is my 3rd YJM. I had an '89 (red w/rosewood). Gave that away, spread the shred I guess you can say. I had an '03 (white/maple) which was a perfect 10 in every category. But drastic times call for drastic
measures and I had to sell it. Now I have an '07. This one is the Sonic Blue with Rosewood . If the '03 was a 10, then this one would be an 8. I am going to knock points off of the features part because my neck tone pot is not a no-load. It never clicks at 10. I have yet to pull the guard off and see if I can get a part number. It is either the wrong pot or it is not working properly. Although it functions well as a tone control. Other than that, had every other
feature that was listed, so can't complain. How could you possibly look at, pay for and bring home a Strat, a Signature Strat no less, buy it and then be dissapointed with it's features. Why would you buy it in the first place? Kinda like dating and then marrying someone you can't stand. If this guitar had the correct tone pot, it would get a 10 for having everthing that Fender said it would have when I went to buy it. I will say that this guitar feels much different than the '03, but I can't put my finger on just what exactly. Not better or worse, just different.
Feels more like the '89. Love the neck.

You guessed it, I have to give this a 10. Obvioulsy I love these Strats. I think they have a near perfect sound. You're not going to fool anyone into thinking you have AY Custom Shops', but the Dimarzios are perfectly silent and you can cover just about anything with them, though for any real heavy stuff you will need a traditional humbucker. I may drop a Virtual Vintage in the
middle and add a 5-way switch. Something I wanted to do to my last YJM but never got around to it. The Virtual Vintage bridge for the middle was recommended by DiMarzio, to add a little sparkle. I have a Boogie, but I have more fun using my Line 6. Between this guitar's
versatility and the Line 6 I can pretty much cover what ever it is I want. I write my own stuff now. I guess, like all other music in the US anyway, would be progressive blues, but I still indulge myself in previous pleasures. Ranging from Rainbow to Gary Moore and AC/DC to
Allan Holdsworth or Muddy Waters to Metallica. I will say that while this guitar seems much lighter than the '03, it resonates much more acoustically. I can really feel it in my chest when sitting. And my collar bone when standing. While the neck pick up sounds different because of the tone pot, I will not take off points because I have not decided if I will have it corrected. It gives it a different kind of sound , like your average tone knob and never really sounds like it is out of the circuit. They say we admire people for their qualities but we love them for their faults. I would have to agree that is true about guitars also...I am much more comfortable with
this guitar than I was with the '03. I was always worried about damaging the '03. This one is already somewhat less than perfect from the start. Similar to me, so we make a good pair.

I'll not count action. I set up my own guitars. If I can make it perfect to my taste with adjustments without the need for a 'pro' setup( fret level, nut cutting, etc..), then I am happy.
With this guitar, I can do that 99.999% The G string saddle intonation screw seems to be kinda screwy. Yes, that's the technical term I'm going with. I am a machinist and can fix it.
Seems to be cross threaded. But adjusting that saddle sucked. I wanted to get DeTemple replacement saddles anyway, but still, I would think someone should have noticed. Everything else, less the neck pocket of course, is as good or better as I could have expected. I will say that the fret work on this guitar really out-shined the others. No comparison really. On par with my Parker NiteFly M. Except for one scratch on the 21st fret of the high E that I can feel during vibratos, all others are mirror smooth. Everything tight, and well aligned. Bridge was set to float. Also, the nut was cut absolutely perfectly. Best of the 3 also. I personally don't care for the white pickguard and the mint pickups and knobs, but my name isn't on the headstock.
Easy enough to fix also. -1 for the 'screwy' saddle screw.

Should end up in my grand kids basement someday. That is if I ever have grand kids. With 2 daughters in College, probably sooner rather than later. I have never had problems with any strat, ever. Nothing major anyway. Could probably defend myself with it during a break in and then play it for the police. I am sure that the guitar is more worried about my durability than I am about its'.

Well, here we go.. I have been buying Fender stuff since, well since it was really Fender's stuff. The first time that I ever even thought about contacting them was for the tone pot on this guitar. I wasn't sure if a no-load can actually function without the 'click'. I e-mailed them at 3pm. I got an answer 24 hours later. Actually 24 hours, 3 minutes later. I received an e-mail, from an actual person, with an actual returnable e-mail address at 3:03pm the next day. The
e-mail thanked me for my support and interest in Fender products, addressed my question exactly, told me that if it didn't click, than it was not a no-load, and that if I thought it needed to be serviced, kindly added the generic Fender Service Center link in the e-mail. I couldn't have been happier. I mean it sucks that the guitar isn't perfect, but the response and CS, at least for me, was very impressive. Fender is huge and has dealers all over the world for a reason. If you drive a Chevy and tried to get ahold of General Motors in Detroit because your turn signal isn't working, you think you could?

I have been addicted to the electric guitar and it's tone since 1975. My father received a copy of Robin Trower's For Earth Below by mistake from one of those record clubs, and he gave me the cassette. At the time I was already taking accordian lessons. Yeah, I know. I started guitar in '76. I still love Trower and his tone, but it was Holdsworth that had the biggest influence on me. A quote from each sums up my overall perspective which really has taken 30+ years for me to realize.
Trower " The Stratocaster is the perfect guitar".
Holdsworth " You only need 2 sounds really. A clean and a distorted."

I am kinda bummed about the screwy screw and the tone pot, but other than that this is a really nice guitar. I have only 'not' played for the first 13 years of my life and I am looking at 50 too soon now, and have gone through all the same stages as everyone else. I currently have 10 guitars, 3 amps, 3 modelers and boxes of pedals. Guitars are both US and import, amps are both SS and Tube and modelers are Digitech and Line 6. I started at a time when you
needed to save your money for months just to add one effect, like a flanger. Now, for a few hundred dollars, you can have practically every amp and effect ever made digitally modeled and at your disposal. Don't get me wrong, I love the smell of tubes as much, if not more than the next guy. But I personally don't believe that you need tubes to get tone. I was reading an interview with a relatively famous guitar tech and they questioned him about what the public
would think was the most surprising bit of info to find out. He said that some guitarists, even those that are endorsees, have a wall of ( fill in any famous tube amp mfg) but actually use ss and/or modeled sound live and the 'wall' is just for show. I believe that Frank Gamable said about tube amps, "that it is like buying a steam powered laptop." I realize that it is mostly a matter of taste. I have had Steinbergers and Parkers and could never really appreciate the non-organic neck. And that is where your tone is hiding. At the junction between you and the guitar. I would love to have Vai, Eddie or Satch's rig in my house at my disposal. But that ain't gonna happen. Nor would it be needed or practical. I would still sound like me, just much louder. They could come and play through my gear and would still sound like them, incredible.
I can express myself with my Strat and my Line 6 gear. They say that you know when you have a good tone when the guitar seems to play itself. I can get that with my gear. That is what this is about after all. Expression and release. Of course, 30+ years in machine shops and in front of loud guitar amps and drummers may have rendered me unable to pass judgement on true tone. That's fine, cause now I get to be 'giddy kind of happy' with my new POD X3 and can retire my PODxt Live. I don't play anything like Mr. Malmsteen. I do appreciate his talent and the fact that he shares his insight into guitar tone and building with Fender so that they can then sell it to me. I realize that both Fender and Mr. Malmsteen are making some cash off of this guitar and I will gladly pay it. They both have earned and deserve it. That being said, the first thing I am going to do is remove Mr. Malmsteen's name from the headstock of MY guitar. This guitar is mine now, both spiritually and legally. The
money that I gladly paid to Fender and Mr. Malmsteen is money that I earned and I deserved. If Mr. Malmsteen would like his name back on the headstock of my guitar, he can stop by my house with a pen and his checkbook whenever he likes and I will gladly sell him some advertising space.

Had this thing for 5 years so thought it was about time.
It's a 2000 USA model in Vintage White with maple fretboard.
2x HS3 1xYJM pickups.
It has everything I expected - it's a signature model, you know what to expect !

I'm not that great at recreating other people's sounds but with this guitar it seems to happen without too much effort.
Not that it's a one trick pony - you can coax Hendrix or Gilmour tones out of it without too much effort.
It does clean stuff well too.

Arrived fairly well set up, action a little high but I got used to it rather than adjusting it, after all it's a scalloped neck and the action doesn't need to be that low.
Had to adjust the pickups a little for optimum response.
Top E falls off the neck a lot - it's a Strat.

Ashamed to say, have never gigged it - it's just too bloody valuable.
I leave that to my Ibanez RG and Epiphone Les Paul.
It has,however had some fairly rough treatment at home and come away unscathed, bar a few minor scratches.
Would I gig it ?
If I could afford to have someone guard it all night .

Have friends at Fender so is not an issue.

Been playing for over 30 years.
Other gear includes Ibanez RG, Epiphone guitars and basses, Tokai Strat,
Squier Strat, Fender Precision, Gibson, Marshall and Ashdown amps.
Have to give this guitar a 10 - I knew what I was getting when I bought it and it has delivered - after 5 years it looks even better than when I bought it - the maple neck has got darker with time and now has a gorgeous orange/honey hue.

This review is for the upgraded (late 2006) model with a deeper-scalloped fingerboard, White/Black/White pickguard, bullet truss rod nut and machine-screw neck mounting. The new signature guitar (Candy Apple red guitar with a Maple board) has been modified to be more like Yngwie's favourite vintage strats. If you are already used to playing a scalloped fingerboard you will probably love this guitar. However it is not for everyone since there is now zero contact with the wood. I agree with other reviewers that scallops don't lend you speed but do offer more control.
Besides the new features the guitar is more or less standard vintage strat but with DiMarzio pickups, super jumbo frets, brass nut and the scalloped fingerboard.

What can I say - A perfect 10!
Yngwie found out already in the early 80s that no other guitar+pickup combination will produce such a perfectly clean sound with high definition. The clean sound is very characteristic of the HS3 and YJM pickups, which helps to preserve the clarity of the original signal when played through a very clean and high-end tube amplifier like the Marshall 1987x.

I my opinion, the Malmsteen strat is the ultimate stratocaster and the best sounding guitars ever built. When the signal is boosted using a DOD250 or YJM308(+Boss-NS2) you get access to a wide range of sounds from perfectly clean to bluesy to a screaming overdrive.
However, it is NOT a guitar for heavily distorted metal. It is a very clean strat and a dream for blues and (neo)classical music.

I also read A.H.'s previous review and felt horrible for him. It is not too uncommon for the neck to shift in the neck pocket during shipping. The high E string could then end up on the edge of the neck. My recommendation to everyone is to take new the guitar to a professional luthier and to let him set up the guitar. Even if the guitar is set-up at the factory the nut often needs a fix and you also need to either fix the tremolo or set it to floating depending on your personal preferences. After that the guitar should play like a dream. My upgraded late 2006 model was already perfectly set up upon arrival but I have also seen several 2007 YJM's with several flaws. I wonder if Fender recently changed staff?

It seems to me as if the late 2006 models with new upgrades are indeed of much better quality and better set-up at the factory. I also had my huitar shipped to me and it arrived with the The guitar had been set up by the store I ordered it from before shipping so I was very concerned. The new one also had a pretty good size neck pocket gap. My first one was great. I brought the guitar to my repair guy who is approved by Fender for warranty work. After looking the giutar over he told me not to worry. He stood the gutar up on the end of the body and pushed on the neck. The neck made a popping sound. After that he tightened the neck plate screws. The high E string was no longer on the edge of the board. I was told by my repair guy that I was also told that it is not uncommon for this to happen. The The scallops are a little deeper than on my Blue/Maple board one. I am writting this review partially in hopes that A.H will read this and have similar success. I have prayed that he will. Both guitars are absolute beauties. The new guitar also had a buzz on the 11th fret because of a loose fret when it arrived. Still I have to give it a Rating of 10 because the problems were easily fixed, and it plays better than anything else.

With proper care these guitars should last a lifetime.

Fender Scandinavia have been very helpful answering all my questions. I received detailed information about the guitar set-up at the factory, Yngwie Malmsteens personal DiMarzio pickup settings and the neck pocket issue etc. They even recommended professional luthiers in the area etc. However, Fender's Customer Service in U.S had much longer response times and did not even seem to know all the details about their Fender artist models?

I have been playing Fender stratocasters for a long time. Indeed, the Malmsteen artist signature model is by far the best one I have ever played. The guitar encourages a VERY light touch and if pressed too hard one could easily push the strings sharp.

It has that great crystal clear violin tone when played through a very clean and high-end tube amplifier like the Marshall 1987x. Cheaper solid state amps do not work well with this guitar. The Malmsteen artist signature stratocasters are not cheap, but they are worth every penny. It is simply the best stratocaster model available!

The guitar is basically a vintage strat with a scalloped neck. This is my second Malmsteen strat. I reveiwed my first one here back in August 2006. I pray A.H. will read this review, and that it would be helpful in getting his guitar working properly.

I loved my first one so much that I desperately wanted to get another. My new one is Candy Apple red with a Rosewood board. Both guitars are the best sounding guitars that I have ever played. I have been playing since I was 15, and I am know 44. I my opinion, the Malmsteen strat is the ultimate Blues guitar. There is nothing like it. The HS3 and YJM pick ups are low out put which helps to preserve the clarity of the original signal. If you really want it to scream you will need to boost the signal sent to the amp by using an overdrive pedal. I use a DOD YJM 308 overdrive. Plugging into a Marshall or a Mesa with the gain cranked will really make it scream and squeal. I play at my church, which is a Calvary Chapel in the San Diego area. The music we play ranges from Hymns to almost Heavy Metal at times. My Malmsteen strats are the only electric guitars that use, or want to use.

Before writting this I read A.H.'s previous review and felt horrible for him. I also had my huitar shipped to me and it arrived with the high E string on the edge of the neck. The guitar had been set up by the store I ordered it from before shipping so I was very concerned. The new one also had a pretty good size neck pocket gap. My first one was great. I brought the guitar to my repair guy who is approved by Fender for warranty work. After looking the giutar over he told me not to worry. He stood the gutar up on the end of the body and pushed on the neck. The neck made a popping sound. After that he tightened the neck plate screws. The high E string was no longer on the edge of the board. I was told by my repair guy that the neck had shifted in the neck pocket during shipping. I was also told that it is not uncommon for this to happen. The guitar has since been set up again and it plays like a dream. The scallops are a little deeper than on my Blue/Maple board one. I am writting this review partially in hopes that A.H will read this and have similar success. I have prayed that he will. Both guitars are absolute beauties. The new guitar also had a buzz on the 11th fret because of a loose fret when it arrived. Still I have to give it a Rating of 10 because the problems were easily fixed, and it plays better than anything else.

With proper care these guitars should last a lifetime.

They have been helpful answering my questions. The tweed case for my new guitar, which is actually a brand new 2004 model, had a red interior. My 2005's case has a gold interior and so do the other Malmsteens that I have seen on EBAY. After several calls to Fender, I finaly informed by Fender's Customer Service that the artist models normaly ship with the gold interior, but Fender only states that the guitar comes with a tweed case. Fender will ship it with whatever tweed case the have on hand.

I thank my Lord Jesus for the blessing these guitars are to me. I plan to use them to worship Him in song for the rest of my life. The Malmsteen strats are not cheap, but they are worth every penny. I have owned a 1982 Fender strat, a Jackson Soloist Custom, 1984 San Dimas Charvel, Lynch ESP/LTD (with Floyd Rose and Duncan/Lynch P.U.) and plenty of other guitars as well. The Malmsteen strat blows the doors off everything else I have ever played. Do not be affraid of the scalloped neck. After a couple of weeks you will not want to play anything else. A set of 10's feels more like 9's because I can get a better grip on the strings for bends. Bends and vibrato are frictionless and easily controled for much subtle nuances. Yngwie used 10's earlier in his career as well. He still uses heavy low strings, but now has an .008 for his high E. I can live with having only 21 frets. Yngwie seems to get by. The notes are still there, you just have to bend to them.

For what I play (Rock/Blues) this thing absolutely rocks. The new deeper scalloped neck is truly one of the world's wonders. I bought mine from ebay. Also the new bullet truss rodd is very cool as is the machine screw neck mounting. Somehow it adds a little sustain and embelishes the overall tone. Paint job was just perfect. The tweed case is also a nice touch for what essentially is a vintage guitar. In comparison to some other guitars, the features on this may be spartan - but thats fine by me - its the sound that counts. It gets an 8 for the scalloped neck. Otherwise in terms of features the score would have been lower.

It really doesnt get any better for my musical taste. I mean does this thing scream or what. Its throaty and soulful in a way my jackson and prs are not. They really sound soulless in comparison. There is just something raw and mean about the JYM ! Elecrtronics are great (silent switching) and the pickups are just marvelous - you really can dial in the Malmsteen sound at the turn of a knob - although it is recommended to use a DOD YJM308 pverdrive pedal. Preferably the ones modded by analag man. (www.analogman.com - they do a truly wonderful version of the original "grey" 250's that Malmsteen prefers and uses himself).

Now - this is my 2nd 07' YJM I have purchased in a month. I had to sell the 1st at a significant loss. When I received the first one, the brass nut was cut totally wrong (how could this get threw QC ???), the nech was not flush in the necj joint and as if that was not enough, the high e string just didnt want to stay on the fretboard. No matter how I played or what I did. It came to a point where I was thinking more about the string than playing freely - not fun. Even my local luthier called it "unplayable". Since I purchased the guitar on ebay from the states and shipped it to London, I lost my warranty. To cut a long story short, I sold it at a significant loss. However, I ordered another one. I hate to say this but it really is an unbelievable piece of equipment - the sound just makes you wanna close your eyes and play until someone rips you away from it..... I finally received my second one last week. I can't describe how let down I feel. On this one, its the low e string that doesn't want to stay on the fretboard. The nut was fine on this one. However, that served me no purpose as it is once again, effectively unplayable. Which is such a pitty. I really feel as though Fender has broken my heart two times ina row. Unfortunately there is no money back guarantee from the store I bought it and Fender does not see the issue as being covered by the warranty. Which angers me because I am now stuck with a guitar that is not playable. You would think that a company like Fender would understand the emotions involved when a musician purchases an instrument. I feel let down by them after these two consecutive negative experiences. I definately think there must be some kind of quality control issue at fender since the introduction of these new 07 models. One thing to keep in mind is that on a Vintage Fender Bridge, the string spacing is much wider than on other makes (Gibson,prs,jackson - I own one of each)and hence the positioning of the bridge on the body really requires a close attention to detail. It is because of this that there is really zero margin for error when mounting the bridge on the body. If its off by even 1mm off the center of the body, you will either have a high e or low e string falling off the neck when played normally. I thought it may have been my playing that was inducing the problem but I tried an 06' model and that was perfectly set up. I played freely without any issues. It is clear that on both my YJMs the bridge may not have been perfectly routed. I cant believe this has happened to me twice in a row.

No opinion. Its unplayable and I have not owned it long enough to give any proper insight.

My rating says it all. I save up, I buy one, Its messed up, I take another leap of faith, and then II am told I am on my own. I could have had a master builder from the custom shop build me one by now. What a money pitt.

I have been playing for 20+ years. I own a 1987 San Dimas SL1, a 10 Top Custom 24 PRS, a 2004 American Strat (HS3 Pickups) and now an unplayable JYM. It really is a pitty that I have been so unlucky with this purchase. Despite not knowing what to do about the JYM now, I still have to be honest and say that none of my other guitars compare tonally to the YJM - everything else (apart from my American Strat) just sounds thin in comparison. So because of my problems with both YJM's I am giving a rating of 1.

2000 YJM fender custom shop USA, vintage trem vintage white(basically a soft yellow) All the rest has already been posted.

This suits my musical style perfectly. I am blues guitarist primiarily and also like to play a lot of nineties alternative and this YJM covers it all well. Very quiet, I own several Strats and this one has a really unique tone. It has a really rich sound when clean, very accurate. No dislikes yet and I do not think I will have any.

I bought this instrument second hand from Music go round in MN, came pretty well set up but I had it adjusted to my specs. Its a 2000 model, flawlesss and effortless to play they should make more of these Strats scalloped. And there is the catch...this is DEFINITELY not a guitar for everyone. It is not the Holy Grail and shit, just a unique take on a vintage Strat design with what I think has the greatest tone I have found yet in an electric guitar.

Its a 2000 model with a few dents and it still has a nice straight neck and all the componenets are well made and fit extremely well. Unlike other people here I would use this guitar without a back-up.

Never dealt with them

I have been playing since 1990. Ive gone through a shitload of strats and various other types but I have to give it to the YJM for sheer tone. Maybe its a one trick pony, but for a blues guitarist I would say this is the diggity and you will definitely bust a fat NUT all over yourself and anyone in proximity when you first play this biatch. Its that good, no shit.

The most unique feature is the scalloped neck. It is just a great old Strat even though it is a new guitar. It's main feature would be the incredible tone and playabilty.

This is the best guitar that I have ever played. I have been playing for 25 years and this beats everything. The guitar is everythingthing a great strat should be. I play guitar at my church which is a Calvary Chapel in the San Diego area. Our music can range from hymms to almost heavy metal at times. The guitar always sounds great. I would recommend the purchase of a DOD YJM 308 overdrive, or a Tube Screamer to realize the guitars full sonic potential. I have a 308 and it is pretty much always on. I can get a great Little Wing tone using my Marshalls clean channel with 308 engaged. This setting works well even on the softest songs though I do back down the guitars volume to between 5 and 7. Switching to the lead channel gives you Hendrix,Jeff Beck, Full on metal and of course Yngwie on a silver platter. This thing is the ultimate blues guitar. Another guitar player a church has a custom strat with EMG David Gilmour pick ups, but he sounds just like Gilmour when he plays my Malmteen strat.

The scalloped neck is amazing and also the best friend any blues guitarist could ever have. The Scalloped neck will take string bending and vibrato, key elements of blues playing to another level of expressiveness and control. This guitar is great for sloppy blues or precission Yngwie type runs. The scallops due facillitae a lighter touch which makes playing easier. I believe that any player would get used to the scallops in no time. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ that I have been blessed to own this guitar now for eight months. I got used to the scallops right away and now it just feels natural, and so much better than any other guitar. I have cought my self thinking " is thing still scalloped " because you don't even notice a different kind of feel any longer. It just feels great in my hands. I read another guys review of the Yngwie strat and he said that it played like baby oil and felt like a third arm. That pretty much nails it. My guitar is Sonic blue with a maple fret board and eveyone comments on what a beautiful guitar it is. Even people who don't play. All the Malmsteens that I have played have been stunning to look at. I would love to have a couple more, but I need to be greatful for the the amazing one that I have. Thank God.

You will need to lube the brass nut with GraphitALL or something else. The guitar is built like a tank and always stays in tune as long as you are not doing a lot of divebombs with the bar. The tuning holds up well even after extreme bends and moderate bar useage. When I play at church I don't even bring a back up.

I dont't know. I have not had a problem with the guitar.

By the grace of GOD I got this for 1300.00 out the door at Guitar Center since someone else had ordered it and their deal fell through. I realize that not all the work is done by hand, but this is a custom shop shop Strat that will beat any guitar on the planet as far as I am concerned. I would not even trade it for Yngwie's 1970 "The Duck" Strat. Not a chance. Most mail order places list it for 1399.99. The guitar is by no means cheap, but it is quite a bargin considering the guitar that you get for that price. I would like to get a Mesa Stiletto Ace 2/12 combo someday, Lord willing. That would truely be a rig to last a lifetime.

Candy-Apple Red,Maple scalloped fretboard,(21 frets),Alder body,brass nut, DiMarzio HS-3 & YJM pups, old-style tremelo bridge & tuners, mint color pickuard and cream controls.Three-position switch,tweed case.

I play Hard Rock,Metal,Acid Jazz. Plugged through a Mesa-Boogie MKIII Blue Stripe.Effects are: Teese Wah>Mojo Vibe>Tech 21 XXXl (or Tube Screamer)>Distortian Box>Dan-Echo

The HS-3 & YJM Pups are voiced like single coils, but without the buzz and the piercing high-end you can get through a hi-gain amp.
Great articulation for lead. Conclusion: these are toneful pups that sound great through a hi-gain amp.

Interestingly, the tone reminds me of Robin Trower.(Lots of nice mids rather than Texas jangle and glass.)

The scalloped neck isn't that difficult to get used to; more like playing a guitar with Jumbo frets.Plus it allows you to do some wild runs and bending.

3-position switch - great:less chance of knocking it out, and I mainly use the neck & bridge pups anyway.

This one is Candy-Apple Red with a maple fretboard. It looks like a 65-70's Strat from a distance.The tweed case is a nice touch, along with strap,cord,polish, and tools.

It stays in tune even with the old-style tremelo bridge.The point being that Strats with this type of bridge WILL stay in tune if you set them up properly.
Unless you really want to go nuts that is.

Received it with the high E falling off the fretboard! But after many years of dealing with Strat quirks,I know the necks are prone to shift in the pocket.This is a very common problem, and not a set-up issue.
Two minutes with a screwdriver and a yank,and viola'! Perfect;no worries,mate.
Note: Ritchie Blackmore used to glue his Strat necks in to prevent this common problem.

Everything else is perfect; no flaws.

Indeed;good Strats are built like tanks and the quality on this Axe is first rate.

Will replace the strap buttons with straplocks.

I ALWAYS have a back-up.

Fender has a "limited life-time warranty." But there's not much that can go wrong with these beasts unless you got a one out of a thousand lemon.

But you have to know about all the Strat quiks: neck shifting in pocket,pups too close to strings(so-called: "Strat-itis"),properly set up tremelo,etc.

I've been playing over 30 years and own a ton of gear.
I like this Strat a lot; it's rather like a jalopy with a hot-rod under the hood.
It's a good,solid,Strat with some modern upgrades for high-gain playing.

MAin features...

Scalloped fretboard, modern "C" neck profile, Vintage White in color, clear coated neck, waxed fretboard, brass nut, aged plastic parts, mint three ply pick guard, origional sycronized tremolo ( three springs ), single ply white trem cover, Maple neck, Rosewood fretboard, Alder body, Domarzio Pick Ups ( 2 of which are signature YJM , jumbo frets, dot inlays, large Fender headstock, YJM signature on headstock, vintage tuners ( covered ) Double cut away bolt on neck.

First off I just purchased a Fender Yngwie J. Malmsteen Stratocaster model 2006. I ordered it from the Fender Custom Shop thru Guitar Works In Calgary.
Maple Neck, Rosewood Fretboard, Alder body.
It suits my musical style just fine... bles Rock, Classic Rock, Classic Metal, Fusion. I use it thru a variety of amps that it compliments very well... Koch Multitone 100, Soldano Hot Rod 50, Marshall Jcm 800, Randal RG80. Effects are DOD YJM308 Overdrive, Visual Sound H2O, Roland C.O.S.M.
This is my second YJM strat my last was a 95 all maple and it was cool but I ended up selling it. This time I changed things up with the woods and voala... excellent tone. Nice full round not too bright exceptional really. I got lucky cuz I've played a tone of strats hanging on the walls of many guitar shops and owned by several players over the past 20 plus years and this one is absolutly the "one" that come along every now and then that sounds better than the rest... BEAUTIFUL. No lie everyone at the shop agrees... this strat has AWSOME TONE.
Not much noise except from the middle single coil whis is the only single coil in the guitar and it is not that bad at all. Dimarzio has done a great job on the Pick Ups and the circuitry is done well also.

Sounds from this guitar are cool jazz/fusion, sprakle clean, chimey clean, glassy clean with a perfect top end,warm clean, awsome barely breaking up tones that are never brittle, gritty blues, smooth strat cluck, classic crunch, exceptional neck PU tones for smooth fluid metal lead... excellent bridge PU tones for searing metal leads, classic american and brit rock tones abound.

Thanks to the Excellent three way toggle the five way cheats are easily had... so as for variety this guitar has got a lot going... add to that the no load tone controls and you have a lot of variables for pro quality tone at your disposal.

Absolulty no dislikes in the TONE category as I said this is an exceptional strat for tone... I am exceedinly pleased.

The action was a little high for me but was to the YJM strat spec as was the PU's... I needed to adjust them to my taste but they were to the YJM strat spec. Neck had good relief about .70mm at the 9th fret.
As for the other construction aspects... neck joint, fret install and dress, clear coat, paint, decals, trm unit, tuners fretboard, pick guard, wiring, routing... Everything and I mean EVERYTHING was perfect except for the nut. It had a poor cut and need to be recut... a quick fix easily done by the shops luthier. That was dissapointing for me however because as I said EVERYTHING was perfect... how could Fender miss such a poorly cut nut... the open low E, B, and High E strings all had nut BUZZ. Man that was a BAD ONE but easily fixed because it was also way to high ( distance from the frets to the nut ). Once that was repaired everything is perfect.
I checked the intonation and it was out on the high E string only but the guitar was in tune when I pulled it out of the Shipping Box.

The scallops are a different profile than the last YJM I had. The 95 had a semetrical half circle whereas the 2006 has a semetrical flat bottomed scallop. I like it way more because it still feels great at the playing surface ( fingertips )... it is everything a scalloped fretboard should be that way. Plus it has a profile that is smoother on the side of the had where the plam meets the edge of the fretboard... it feels more traditional, less obstruction for hand movement. AWSOME scallop design... I was pleasantly surprised.

The trem was set to spec... I changed it to my preferance.

A nut this poorly done gets Fender a 7 in this category.

Strats are classic tough guys... this guitar will serve well in the trenches.
I change all my strap buttons out to Schaller Strap Locks... thats a personal choice. The buttons on this guitar however will do the job but strap locks are far more reliable.
This is a well made professional guitar ofcoarse I could depend on it but a back up is allways the smart choice.

From Fender... I got a call back when I called about the absolutly deplorable nut job... they let the Gutar Shop handle it ofcoarse...
good idea. They were friendly and very helpful and reasuring.
Yes all the work on the nut was under warranty... no problems there.
Lifetime warranty.
A ten for the business I've had so far... but ya never know what the future holds.

I've been playing 20 plus years this is an exceptional Fender Product made very well with excellent detail and scrutiny of woods for tonal characteristics.
I own several other guitars and this one ranks in the top three for quality made guitars.
If it were stolen I'd "CRY" cuz not many strat sound this good... yeah I'd replace it.
I love the tone, the scallop profile the hardware, the finish, the wood, the large Fender headstock, the playability, etc...

I hate that such a terrible nut got thru the Fender QC... that looks bad on Fender in my opinion... but it is a small gripe that was easily fixed.

Yes I compared it to about 30 other strats. Not one sounded as good and the neck wood grain cosmetically is among the best of the best.

This one is a keeper and overal I had a greta experience with the Fender Custon Shop.

Made in USA (so they say), 21 frets (i would like it to have 22), volume, tone, tone, 3 way. Alder body, maple/rosewood neck (scalloped).

I love Yngwies tone and this guitar sounds really good. Im using it with line 6 pod. Or peavey amp with Ibanez 808 or dod 308 overdrive. Great pups..litle noise. Its a joke to cal this a signature model..Yngwie does not use middle pup or tone controls, So why have it on a signature guitar?? I would like to see a jem with stuff that Vai doesent use..

Factory set up was ok.

Dont know..

The tuners are not first class, so i might change them. Why not have locking tuners? Not a big fan of the vintage trem system, but it works. Having said that, its a first class strat! But, if i could have a signature guitar made by Fender, i would definitely ask for better tuners, and better trem system. and the jack output on the side.

OH god! I like my first Malmsteen strat so much I ordered a second. Wish I hadnt. Number 2 is HORRID! Fender shows a complete lack of quality control on this guitar. Its been sent back for refund.

THe nitro on the neck was gooped on. Big globs on the nut and frets. THe frets had not been crowned. They were flat as an old Les Paul. THe scallops were terrible. Hardly scalloped at all. I could feel lots of wood under my fingers. Since all the cost of this guitar is in the neck I am disgusted with what some lazy slob at Fender calls craftsmanship and even more disgusted that it got thru quality control. Thats what Fender thinks of me and my money I guess.

I give it a 1 because its biggest feature, the neck, was a complete mess.

Not only that but it was strung with 2 high E strings. Yup the B string was a .009 Hello? Quality control?

Terrible guitar that so disappointed me. Korea and China has better workmanship on their $200 models.

It sounds OK. Unfortunately the neck is scalloped about as much ans rubbing accross the board with a plastic spoon. THe acoustic tone was OK but rife with noise from teh flat topped frets. Frets were also very uneven. Judging from the gooped laquer all over the frets they did a quick plane and no dressing what so ever. Didnt even clean the laquer of the frets. Just terrible telltale signs that this guitar was pushed thru with no effort or attention. Lots of dead spots and buzz.

Once agan I will mention the B string was a .009

How does someone not notice that at Fender? I noticed in a second. Scallops were so slight that they might as well have not bothered. You could hear my finger rubbing against the nitro when I bent notes unplugged. Obviously the whole point is that finger does not make contact with wood. Just terrible scalloping that was uneven to boot.

Terrible finish on neck. Big goops of laquer everywhere. Fret ends were completely sealed off in thick yellow laquer. The brass nut was completely engulfed in laquer. Just a disgusting display of terrible finish work. Laquer way to thick and all over everything with no effor made to clean up. Frets were uneven when sighting down neck and were not crowned. Tops were totally flat. Looks like they just did a quick plane of the frets as the flat tops were the only part of the frets not completely covered in laquer.

Body was OK except for a rough hump in the contour top back. Final sanding would have taken this out. Pickgaurd was a mess. Half the pickguard screws were screwed in thru the pickguard - yep right into the plaatic and now embedded. Not only that but at an angle! Yes indeed most of the pickguard screws looded like they had been installed by a hand held drill at an angle. The pickguard was ruined because of the screws sunken right into the material. The heads were indeed under the plastic. Terrible workmanship not even chine would accept on a $99 guitar.

Terrible quality. I sent it back. Last Fender I'll ever buy.

I did call Fender. They said since they make them by hand quality varies. uh ... first of all thats a lie. Only details are done by hand the rest is all CNC machines. Also, 4 inspectors signed off on the tags.

Their suggestion was return to vendor and buy another one. Gee thanks. No concern showed whatsoever nor surprise at my comments.

I've been playing for 20 years and hav eowned many great guitars. I have another Malmsteen strat which was very good and rated below. This second one was the worst guitar I have ever had the displeasure of paying over $1000 for.

Japanese made in early 90s-late 80s, 21 fret, maple neck bla bla bla

Sounds like a bat out of hell!!

Always dependable

100% on all catergories!

This baby is like a third arm for me and plays like baby oil:P

definately withstand gigs and its built like a tank!!

If you are thinking of getting one, just do it!!Its the best thing i ever bought

2005 USA model, maple fretboard. The guitar has 21 frets, 22 is more what I'm used to. The guitar has a three way switch instead of five. The pick ups are stacked humbuckers. I've read in an interview that the YJM's and the HS-3's are the same pick-up except for the hieghts of the pole pieces. The trem is the six point vintage style. The tuners are non-locking but feel tight. The fret wire is jumbo. The scallop job on my particular guitar is a medium depth, not quite down to the side dots. The nut is brass. I don't know how to rate for feature content, I think that a trem guitar could use the staggered locking tuners from the deluxe model. Also this year has the Delta tone circuit like some of the other strats.

I play heavy rock/metal. This guitar has low output pickups that need a boost for my style. I use a Marshall DSL201. With my Les Paul (burstbuckers) the amp positively screams needing no signal boosting. Even the clean channel will break up to a nice AC/DC crunch. This strat gets AC/DC on the amps drive channel and won't break up the clean channel at all. As a matter of fact I can run the amp full out and still clean it up well with the guitar's volume knob. I use a BOSS GT-6 multi effect to boost the signal. I also have a DOD distortion pedal that works great. The sound is bright and strat-like despite the pickups being humbuckers. Playing clean I think it sounds very nice, reminds me of Pink Floyd. Add a distortion pedal and a full-tilt Marshall and this guitar sounds very much like Malmsteen's. I guess I was a little surprised but his tone is there. I get excellent results using the GT-6 to model his effects chain. Tube screamer full up into a Plexi model (input 1) add delay, reverb and chorus to taste and you pretty much nail his tone. A real pedal in front of the amp sounds even better. The guitar is quiet enough although with this much gain you may want a noise suppressor. Distorted chords are not as detailed as I would like and the tone is a bit brittle while playing the bridge pick up on the first few frets. Sounds best while shredding. I find the mid pickup works great for rhythm work, a good balanced tone.

I have to say, maybe I don't know any better but I was impressed when I took delivery. I mail ordered from a popular internet company and it was drop-shipped to me house directly from Fender. The guitar arrived set up and nearly in tune with good action that hasn't changed over time. I am surprised because my $2000 Gibson need a $100 set up including a fret level and polish. The Gibby plays mint now with incredibly low action but for what it costs it should have arrived that way. The Fender does not have a low action but plays comfortably right out of the box. I found nothing to dislike concerning the neck pocket. The candy-apple red color is stunning and flawless. The neck has some light flame in it and the frets were polished well. All the controls have a quality feel and the pick up switching is silent.

This guitar is finished in poly and will look good for a long time. The only aspect that needs attention is tuning stability. The nut and tuning tree need lubrication. The tuning was stable when I first got the instrument but as these parts wore in the strings started sticking in the grooves. Not an uncommon problem with any guitar.

All I can say is that the life-time warranty excludes anything that isn't wood and the wood parts (both of them) are not warranted against abuse such as "sudden" changes in humidity/temperature. It doesn't sound like you will enjoy much in the way of coverage. I never had to deal with them.

I've been playing 15 years mostly Les Pauls and Marshalls. This is my first Fender. It is a breath of fresh air. I really like the sound and I like playing the scalloped board. I had no trouble playing the neck and bends are super easy to execute. I agree with Yngwie that scallops don't lend you speed but do offer more control. This fingerboard is 9.5' radius and 25.5" scale length. The 12" radius and 24.75" scale of my Gibson along with its lower action and thinner neck makes the Les Paul a faster playing guitar. Still, I like the absence of the wood under my fingers and I had no problems regarding pulling the strings sharp. Indeed, the guitar encourages a light touch and can be played for hours without fatigue. I'm not a strat guy but this guitar is a nice contrast to a Paul and is a nice change of pace. It plays easily, is lightweight, and has that great violin tone that Malmsteen is famous for. An excellent buy.

2005 YJM strat made in USA. Red with Rosewood board.

I wanted a vintage white one but Fender was completely sold out. I ordered my second choise sight unseen. Its been a pleasant surprize.

I'm not a fender fan and the regular line isnt great in my opinion but they must put more into the signature editions because this is one great strat. Its solid and sounds good acoustically. Neck is very solid. The scallops are way more then I expected. This thing is scalloped almost completely thru the fret board. I hear they vary. It was weird at first but now I like it. For lead work it rocks but I must admit I'm still sloppy with chords. I have to adjust my playing to the scallops.

If you are searchng for a vintage strat then I wouldnt waste money and time. Buy this strat. If you dont like the scallops then just buy the body and pickups from Ebay. THey do show up. Maybe I just got a good one but the guitar has excellent tone.

Some people may feel like a dork with yngwies name on the guitar, me included. He is a cheeseball to some and lets face it; You step out with an Yngwie guitar people are going to expect some Yngwie playing and well ... unless you are Yngwie that aint gonna happen. Some people can memorize the notes but I've never heard anyone else nail his playing. However, yngwie has great tone and that can be nailed with this strat. Basically this is build just like an early 70's strat right down to the low output pickups.

If you are an Yngwie fan you will love it. If you are a vintage strat fan you will love it. If you want to play mettalica or Numetal you will likely hate it.

The best thing about it is you cant find but try to play Yngwie on it. Personally I will never be able to play like Yngwie but trying teaches me new tricks I can apply to my mortal level playing.

Low output pickups mean pure tone. You must put an OD box in front of your tube amp to get the great tone. Direct into my Marshall sound very Jimi Hendrix. With the OD its Yngwie. Back off the volume its clean. Works like it should!

Action is a little high at the nut. Quite a bit of neck relief. Overall the actio on these is high. I dont know why. None of it bothers me though except for the nut. Thats a little too high.

Rest of the build is good. The "candy" red is a little burgundy.

Seems solid to new to tell. Didnt stay in tune at first. I had to oil up all contacts and work the trem for awhile to get any stability.

Dealt with before with a Tele. Was good.

Fantastic Strat. Worth the price. Ended my thirst for a vintage model. Much better sound and feel then the regular American Strats I've played in the last decade.

2004 Model - the stats have been well-covered here already. I think Yngvie is a great player, but I don't play anything like him or in that style. I bought the guitar for the scalloped neck. I play "wierd, noisy" rock. These guitars are really hard to find in stores, so I ordered 2 of them online (1 maple and 1 rosewood fingerboard) and kept the better of the 2. The guitar I sent back had fairly flat fret tops - it looked like the frets were milled to compensate for a non-perfect neck.

I wouldn't mind having 22 frets.

Out of the box, this guitar would NOT stay in tune. It was actually the WORST of all the guitars I've ever owned. I had a very skilled guitar tech friend of mine replace the brass nut and tuners (Sperzel) and things improved quite a bit. The 3 way pickup selector was also replaced.

The nitro finish on the neck looks good and feels great.

The guitar is pretty heavy for a Strat...

I really wish more manufacturers made guitars with fully scalloped necks!

The guitar sustains nicely, and sounds fairly loud unplugged.

I like the neck and middle pickups but the bridge is too bright for me. You can roll off the treble, but it just doesn't sound right. I did buy a DOD 250 pedal that I will modify to the 'gray' specs. We'll see what happens with that. If that doesn't work I'll replace the bridge pickup - probably a Bartolini ZBSC-75(?)...

I play a Tech 21 amp with a bunch of pedals and get a really good sound.

The action was a bit high but not too bad out of the box.

The neck was straight and looked great. A bit of flame in the maple too.

There were 2 sets of pick guard holes in the body! (lame...)

As I mentioned above, the guitar was really really bad about staying in tune. A few bends and that was it.

I think the guitar will last forever.

I bought the guitar from Musicians Friend, and had a problem with the CASE. One of the latches was damaged after a flight. The latches are very difficult to find, and I ended up just bending the latch back to where it worked OK.

Been playing 15 years. Owned a bunch of guitars. This one is definitely special, although I had to do a number of things to get it to play correctly. It looks fabulous.

I paid $950 shipped for it!!!

It is a 2000 model Americian Strat.
Same specs as listed above.

This guitar is awesome. I Love it more and more everytime I play it!!!! Its perfect!!! Im a gain freak!!! And this guitar has really really low output pickups!!! And the tone is so exceptional that it more than makes up for the lack of output. The scallops are so nice! The give it a great feel for bends and shit.

The action really has to be high. Low isnt possible. Not to worry though!!! I use 8s just like YJM and with high action its really plays as good as any other really high end guitar. (JEM, Ernie Ball, Jackson Etc).

The tuners are awesome. I do like them! They stay in tune very well!!!! I wouldnt gig without a backup as I use 8s on it and if Im really drunk I might break a string so Id prob bring a few others.

I aint got a clue!

Ive been playing for 13 years.
I have a Ernie Ball John Petrucci Music Man with piezo and a Custom shop Carvin Dc200 and an Ibanez RG550 with a Fernandes sustainer system.
I use ENGL amps as well as Crate and Line6 and Avatar cabs.

The features are that what Yngwie wanted. If I wanted something more, I would have looked at a different guitar. I don't understand how someone could be 'disapointed' when buying a signature model. I think you would know exactly what you are getting...

N/A

I have had this guitar now for almost 2 years. I do have another review in here somewhere, but I thought that I would give it a somewhat long-term review since I literally play it every day. Every single day this guitar has been played by me for the last 2 years. This thing sounds even better now. Maybe I've gotten better, but I doubt it. I no longer am going through my Boogie, but a Line6 PODxt Live. Truly amazing. I can get any sound I want from this guitar, some of that has to do with the Line6, yes. But allot has to do with how comfortable I have become playing this guitar. I can go from biting mad to violin type crying with a flick of the 3 way. I have sold all but my '73 Strat and a Charvel Standard. I had 12 guitars at one point. I even sold my Parker. I truly feel I have no need for any other guitars. The only reason that the '73 and Charvel are still around is sentimental reasons. Besides, the '73 is so horrific looking I don't think anyone would want it. The Charvel and I have been through allot together, yet I no longer play it. I feel to much dragging when having to touch the fretboard on that tiny neck. Besides, the Charvel sounds dark to me now.. I am thinking of buying a new guitar. Another YJM Stratocaster! Maybe keep one tuned and strobed at E, the other E flat. Maybe be daring and drop a Virtual Vintage Solo in the bridge...I'm thinking red with rosewood, as this one is vintage white and maple...now to convince the wife..

I know a 10 is impossible, but this guitar and I have bonded...you will probably be seeing more 10s...

I had made adjustments on this guitar for probably the first couple months that I had it. I was able to get the action to about 3/32". Incredibly lower than Yngwie's 6mm. I am not a big fan of the glossy neck finish, but I must admit, the neck reacts much less to temperature changes with this finish. This guitar stays on a guitar stand most of the time, since I play it every day. Other guitars that I have owned with the 'satin' finsh would usually need a tuning if even the ceiling fan was turned on... not this one. I tune it when I change the strings. Not that I am lazy, but it stays in tune as good as my Parker did... Since I have gone through about 50 sets of strings, It gets tuned about every 2 weeks or so.
This thing still looks and sounds great. Everything still tight and no electronic noises at all... more than I can say for the Charvel. Changing the 3 way changes only your sound. No noise at all from the switching. Now that the action is so low I love it even more. No buzzing at all....sometimes a high bend will kind of fart out, but I've never heard a buzz from the strings.

I really wouldn't change anything now that this guitar has started down the road of getting broken in.... any other piece of gear I have would be sold before this, and all other gear absolutly must compliment this guitar. No questions...

yep, 10...FABULOUS

I depend on this thing every day. I've taken it out to play or record with others and it has been bumped, banged and twisted. I couldn't be happier. It definitely will withstand live playing. The only problem that I have had with it was that the holes that hold the cover to the tremolo springs were not drilled deep enough. No biggie since the cover came off and has never been back on again. but still, drill hole depth should be a no brainer for Fender....

N/A

You know I hate people who gush wonderful thing about their gear. I have never done that. I can give you all the good and bad points of all the gear that I have ever owned. Nothing is perfect. Including me or this guitar. But I must admit, after 2 years, this guitar and I seem to be made for each other. Together we are pefect. I am not a pefect player, and this guitar has its short-comings, but together we are perfect. I have been playing 27 years and have never felt so comfortable with any peice of gear, guitar or not, in my life. Just picking it up makes me feel at home. I have owned guitars valued from $199. to $1800. and this one is the one I remember and would never go without, unless it was life or death.
I would now have to agree with Robin Trower that ' the strat is the perfect guitar'. I don't know about all Stats, but this one is for me...

UPDATE!!

After a couple more weeks with my YJM Strat I decided to write a follow up on how the guitar is handling. Focusing on the sound department.

My acutual review should be the one directly below this Update.

as stated below in my past review i wished this guitar featured a five way switch, mainly out of frustration knowing that there are better sounds that can be acheived with the instrument.

the yjm pickups are amazing. at first i disagreed with dimarzio's claims regarding the yjm, being pickup their take on a vintage strat pickup. i stand corrected..., the pickup is very dynamic, articulate, while retaining a lot of vibe and chime.

the hs-3 is sadly another story. it's bright, and there is nothing wrong with that...however one leads me to question whether that particular tonal characteristic comes from the pickup or more so the bridge position it is in. hs-3 is very thin, as far as output goes it is the same 93k as the yjm, however due to the thin sound, it leads you to believe that it is lower output. since the YJM strat is pickup routes are for three single coils, i am considering putting another YJM in the bridge position along with a 5 way switch. 500k pots are also being considered.

it is so difficult to judge the features of any "signature" guitar. the guitar is met to the specifications of "insert endorser"...so obviously the features department is a tricky place to critique, but i will do my best.

what you see first off is a reissue of a late 60's cbs era fender stratocaster....up close, you will notice that it is customized from the top down and from the guts out.

alder body, dimarzio yjms in the neck and mid, dimarzio hs3 in the bridge, schaller f tuners, vintage six pole bridge, aged (parchment?) parts, mint green pickguard, a lovely vintage white (custard) paint job...and oh...how can i forget, the insanely deep scalloped rosewood fretboard sitting on top of a nitro-cellulouse finished maple c-shape based neck, brass nut, adorned with HUGE dunlop 6000 frets.

sounds pretty nice right?! well for yngwie it might be...for me...let me critque it.

first off...i am by no means an yngwie fan, i think he is a pompous and arrogant guitarist who lathers himself in babyoil. when i walked into my neighborhood guitar star....the color caught my eye, i've been looking for quite sometime for a vintage white american strat(avoiding mailorder and ebay)....and voila there it was...i refused to look at it as a malmsteen strat...and proceeded to play it. 45 minutes later...i left with it under my arm...thinking to myself "damn it.....freakin yngwie...but the guitar is so very nice".

first of all....despite fender's attempt to maintain a vintage feel...i really dislike the three way switching, schaller f tuners, and the six pole vintage bridge. simply on personal preference...i know the current components can take some abuse...but there is better out there. i wished this guitar featured some nice locking sperzels, two point pivot bridge, and 5 way switching. but then again this is "malmsteen's" strat....yeah.....

the brass nut is nice...once again, i see more purpose with an lsr roller nut, however...the brass also adds a unique "brilliance" especially to the neck pick up sounds.

i do love the scalloped neck....i don't think it is a "godsend" like others may describe...but it's like "silk"....very VERY akward and sloppy at first...you really have to play light...pressing to hard can result in altered pitch and un-intentional bends.

the neck can really be held..and you really have sense of control...can really dig in and express yourself...a wonderful feature. once again...not a "godsend"...but a very nice change of pace.

i play blues jazz fusion with some touches of satriani and mascis. the dimarzios handle well when fed with LOADS of distortion. these pickups...no matter what dimarzio says...will not sound like a vintage strat. i believe part of the magic of the vintage strat sound was the infamous 60 cycle hum. nevertheless for "stock" pickups you can't do much better...it has a wonderful sweet tone on the neck pickup and the bridge pickup is very expressive and well balanced.

i play the malmsteen through a reverend hellhound 40/60...and here is my pedal string.

reverend hellhound(40/60) - visual sound h20 - keeley modified boss ultra ds-1 - visual sound jekyll (boosting the ds-1) - visual sound hyde - keeley modified boss phat bd-2 (boosting the hyde).

i know....first thing people want to do is sweep, trill, a scale run with the bridge pickup...but man people, the neck pickup is really a star performer...it's almost flute like...and all i have to say is wow....the guitar really sings.

i own a 1994 40th anniversary fender stratocaster, a coil tapped sh-1 in the neck and a wire tapped sh-6 in the bridge...in competition with my custom strat...the malmsteen loses in versatility...but is much more expressive..due to the low output pickups, it really allows much more of my amp's natural gain in...as opposed to pushing it with my custom strat with two high output pickups. apples and oranges....really.

i've owned several strats...and for some odd reason fender can't make a tight fitting neck pocket if their life depended on it. i have accepted that fact...it's as much of a fender trademark like their contoured back....another advancement by fender...A PIECE OF CRAP NECK POCKET!! it doesn't effect anything...but for such an expensive guitar...you would think the QC would be a touch better.

aside from that...the guitar required very little adjustment.

it's a strat....what more can i say...

hahahahhahaha

i've been playing for about 12 years now...and though i like my custom strat much better...this one is a nice change of pace. very expressive, almost piano like in tonal character. aside from the notorius fender neck pocket flaws....it truly is a wonderful guitar...even though it is endorsed by a pompous baby oil lathered malmsteen....