Loving the Classic Player '60s Strat.

[Teahead]

Great value for money guitar. I have a US Standard Tele that doesn't feel or sound any better that this Mexican CP Strat. The neck on the Classic Player actually looks, and perhaps more importantly feels, superior to me!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/Teahead/Strat1.jpg

I grabbed this, before the imminent price rise, for £350 shipped or $550 which I now consider to be an absolute bargain. It plays great straight out of the box, would like to tighten the trem a little eventually but everything else is stellar. Simply cannot rate this guitar highly enough, it's had me busting my arse to polish up the Hendrix tunes I know and learn many more. Very impressed and now looking at the CP '50s Strat too.

[wingwalker]

I love those guitars! Thats one of the best out of the box Strats going right now...I just wish that had a real 6 point bridge but the hybrid style is still a great bridge!

[big mike]

Great guitars. Needs NOTHING right out of the box.

[dougb415]

Of my 3 Strats the CP 60s is far and above my favorite. I got the CP 50s first and it's nice, but the CP 60s (to me anyway) is a much better guitar, at least for these hands.

[AustinIsPresent]

The CP 60's always treat me well. The only strat I ever felt "it" with was a CP 60!

[flapjack]

I just got one as well - my first strat. It is a used 2006. It sounds incredible.

[Steve73]

I have the CP '50's and I would say the same thing. GREAT neck on them, pretty much a perfect Strat neck for me. The CP Strats are excellent values.

[Dave Wakely]

Very happy with mine - and I actually really love the trem. Anyone tried upgrading the block?

[jamison162]

Great guitars. Needs NOTHING right out of the box.

Bad frets, unplayable notes, couldn't stand the feel or angle on the trem arm on the one I bought. Guess you gotta try before you buy. Thick poly finish sounds tone dead to me. Also the CS69's aren't bad but I find the 2/4 positions muddy. Guess I'm spoiled on the Grosh.

[big mike]

Bad frets, unplayable notes, couldn't stand the feel or angle on the trem arm on the one I bought. Guess you gotta try before you buy. Thick poly finish sounds tone dead to me. Also the CS69's aren't bad but I find the 2/4 positions muddy. Guess I'm spoiled on the Grosh.

The one's I've played have all been pretty good.

But I'm a tele guy anyway.

[flapjack]

I played several before I bought the one I have. They did vary in terms of quality control, sound, etc., but they all sounded good or better than good to me.

[joesnewmatch]

Right after I bought an EJ, I played a CP 50, and later a CP 60. I was really impressed. I could be totally happy with either. Definitely the best value in Strats out there, period. Didn't like the Classic at all, but the CP rocks.

[tjmicsak]

I have had a CP 50s Strat and a CP Baja Tele for six months and am very happy. Only problem I had was my Strat didn't ship with the trem hole taped so I had to contact Fender for the spring and within two days had one in the mailbox a la gratis.
Haven't used the trem and might keep the guitar blocked anyway but had to complete the deal just in case for future need. Customer Service points high ratings!

[5E3]

Looks great! Congrats Teahead :AOK

[Fifthstone]

Looks sweet. I can't whether or not I like the sonic blue. Very 50's.

[pir8matt]

I just got one from a fellow TGP'er and am also lovin' it! I've had a custom shop relic strat, a cunetto strat, and several very nice MIJ strats, and this one can hang with any of 'em. Very playable, pickups sound good, great guitar for the money!

[johnh]

Hey Teahead - I'm from Belfast. whereabouts are you at?

I owned a CP60's, and then sold it to a friend and bought a CP50's. My friend came within a hair's breadth of selling the CP60's back to be about a fortnight ago, but I only just managed to resist temptation.

My CP60's strat was really resonant, and I loved the CS69 pickups, but I found it hard to bond with the neck, and I personally don't like the 2 point trem.

£350 is a great deal on that guitar, and the CP guitars are excellent value for money. After the CP50's, I bought a third strat - this time a slightly older MIJ classic 60's strat - again in sunburst. My main strat is a Classic 60's in Lake Placid Blue with Kinmans. Too many strats!

[Lucidology]

Excellent guitars ... think I've almost bought one about 4 times ..
but NOOOO.... I had to get the name brand... how silly 'eh ...

[Teahead]

Hey John, I'm in Lisburn, just down the road mate! Last night was my first band practice with the CP60, which is my first Strat for quite a few years. I loved how the guitar sounded and felt, my 325 stayed in the case all night long. What I enjoyed most was being able to work the volume knob for swells so easily, that was a revelation after playing a Tele for quite a few years.

I have Kinman Broadcasters in my Tele too, love them and thought I would likely need some for the CP Strat, but I adore the neck and middle sounds of this guitar stock, might replace the bridge p'up at some point though. Great to hear from someone local, hope to see you around some more.

[jamison162]

I can't get over the thick poly finish. Once you go nitro, it's hard to go back.

[johnh]

The whole nitro issue just plain confuses me. Every single thing I read tells me that modern nitro bears almost no resemblance to the nitro used in the 50's and 60's, and consequently does not allow your guitar to breathe any more easily. In fact, in the Tonequest report, they called modern nitro "rubber nitro".

I also hear that PRS use poly coatings almost exclusively, except on the new DGT.

I also hear that nitro finished necks are "sticky".

On top of this, I hear that most nitro finished guitars use a poly basecoat!!! So what's the point in that? What is a man suppose to think?

so I've taken a decision to concentrate on how a guitar feels and sounds, not on how the finish is marketed.

[big mike]

so i've taken a decision to concentrate on how a guitar feels and sounds, not on how the finish is marketed.

crazy talk

[Blue4Now]

I can't get over the thick poly finish. Once you go nitro, it's hard to go back.


I kinda agree. Except I find a big diference between the polyurethane finish on the American Strats v. the Polyester finish on the Mexican models. I have an Am Standard that I love. The finish is Polyurethane but it has a softness to it and it appears to take dings and bumps better (as in it chips more like nitro as opposed to that hard cany crack like the Mexican Poly finish)

I had a Classic Players 60 and it was OK, but was heavy and a bid dead. I was not crazy about the trem, and there was a big neck gap that just looked bad. I am much happier with the 06 American Stantdard I found to replace it.

[joel98z]

so I've taken a decision to concentrate on how a guitar feels and sounds, not on how the finish is marketed.

That is all that matters Man!

[pir8matt]

so I've taken a decision to concentrate on how a guitar feels and sounds, not on how the finish is marketed.

A madman lives amongst us!

[jamison162]

When I referenced nitro vs. poly finishes, I wasn't talking just Fender. I played a vintage hot rod last week. Supposedly nitro, but I wasn't diggin it. I'm talking real nitro finishes done right. As in my Grosh vs. the thick poly on the Classic Players, MIJ's etc. Night and day difference...all the poly's just sound tone dead. Guess it's something youd'e have to be experienced with to know better.

[pir8matt]

Guess it's something youd'e have to be experienced with to know better.

Wow, condescend much?

[jamison162]

Wow, condescend much?

Nope, just being honest for folks who just don't get it or have a hard time buying into it...so if you took that the wrong way I'm sorry. Tampa huh...I'll be there all week.

[pir8matt]

Nope, just being honest for folks who just don't get it or have a hard time buying into it...so if you took that the wrong way I'm sorry. Tampa huh...I'll be there all week.

Well, I appreciate the apology, but the way I took it was that you think that people who like the guitar don't know the difference between a poly finish and a nitro one.

I've owned both, and I think there *are* acoustic differences between the two finishes, but the thing is, once the guitar is plugged into an amp and you have a drummer and a bass rig going, that whole 'acoustic resonance' thing doesn't really amount to a hill of beans. Not to me, anyway.

So I'm saying, I notice a difference, but its not important enough to me to not enjoy playing the CP. It doesn't sound any more 'dead' to me than the cunetto-era nitro finished strat I had once its in a band setting. My 2 cents, YMMV, etc. I just think its wrong to say that people who are fine with the poly finish are somehow oblivious to the differences between the two.

Anyway, sorry if that came off like I was being an a**hole. Enjoy your stay in Tampa!