'60's "Road Worn" Strat first impressions

[VaughnC]

Out of the box, I was really surprised how light the guitar was...guestimate close to 7 lbs (my scale is broken).

First issue: position #3 had both neck & middle pickups switched on. Easy fix, found loose wire clipping laying across two of the switch terminals. Found vintage style switch & full sized pots inside.

Second issue: the frets were a little rough on top from factory levelling. Not a big issue and probably could have lived with it but about 1/2 hour with my Dremel tool & buffing wheel had the frets looking like mirrors.

Feel: guitar has the great feel of an old pair of sneakers. The neck feels like a classic medium C...wish it were a little thicker, but very livable. Smooth, non-sticky thin finish, warm, woody feeling neck with slightly rolled edges...love it. Decent action, no fretting out I could detect...but I did need to adjust the trussrod to take out some neck relief.

Tone: was a bit too much "in your face" for my taste out of the box but lowering the neck & middle pickups solved that. Left the bridge pickup as is for a hotter bridge sound. This is my second experience with Fender's Tex-Mex pickups (JV Strat) and I think these are my favorite stock Fender's. I hear the classic Fender tone but with some enhancement without getting too heavy in the mids. Perfect compliment to my other Strats.

Hardware: tuners seemed smooth without any slippage. Trem works well and returns to pitch with no nut pinch. Controls are smooth. Olympic white finish is thin without much gloss...somehow looks more real than other relics I've had in my hands without being overdone.

Overall: Once I got her tuned in, I think I like this Strat better than ALL of the Fender Custom Shop Strats I've owned/played. Somehow it feels (and sounds) more like an old Strat to me wheras the Custom Shop models I tried seemed more like Polaroid takes on them...if that makes any sense ;). Of course, this is a very small sample and I could have been lucky enough to get a gem from MF.

Me likey! More to follow as I get some time under my strap with her ;).

[big mike]

Very cool. Thanks for the review.

I'm seriously considering a tele for bender unit.

[big mike]

Or like anything else, run the racks and find a good one.

[flyingvees]

I played the 60's and the 50's the other day and was quite impressed at playability and overall good sound...Probably pick one up when they get circulated and on the used market...:BEER

[Release]

I picked up the Black 50's Strat over the weekend and absolutely LOVE it. It plays like a dream!

[John Hurtt]

I'm under the assumption that these are run on the same lines as all the other MIM product. I'm sure they will be as consistent as any other guitar out of the Ensenada factory.

[buddastrat]

I remember where you said you liked bigger wire with the 7.25" radius. Sounds like it's perfect for you Vaughan. Nice descriptive review.

[johnh]

Any photos?

[LPguitarman]

Played a Road Worn Strat the other day at my local GC. Great feel and sound. Can't get past the $950 for something that looks so beat up. Not a relic type of guy, but that's just me.

[Mike Duncan]

Finally saw them today and I am in LOVE!!!

[astigtigas]

Finally saw them today and I am in LOVE!!!

+1 here, played it the other day. its just the price that threw me off...

[Backless]

With Fenders new pricing in place, there's only $90 LIST difference between these and the MIM Classic series. I think the nitro finsh is worth the $90 alone.

[VaughnC]

I agree...on the surface it looks like a lot to pay for something like this...but I don't think you can put a price on a guitar if it fits like it was spec'd just for you. Personally, I couldn't care less about the relic "look". If it has the tone, the broken-in feel is like icing on the cake....and it'll end up with my personal wear-in anyway. And I like the fact that I'm saving $1500+ over a Fender Custom Shop Strat for one with a better fit. We shouldn't have a MIM prejudice...a good guitar is a good guitar no matter which side of the border it was made :nono.

$2500+ for a Custom Shop Relic Strat or $950 for a Road Worn Strat...only you can decide how to spend your well earned. All I can say is that, using the dozens of Fender Custom Shop Strats I've owned/played for a frame of reference, after a few minor tweaks I'm pretty impressed with this particular MIM Road Worn Strat...but YMMV :AOK.

[Mike Duncan]

Never pay what Guitar Center is asking. Go to the mom and pop stores. At least in the DC area, the stores are usually $100 less than GC.

[Brock]

I played this one today with a 50's Vibrolux. I felt it was a match made in heaven. The guitar felt like it was a little dry tho. Like I need to get my hands and sweat on the neck more. I could have played all day but I started to have the employees looking at me even tho I was in the sound proof room.

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s155/taelynn_01/photo-1.jpg

[Darkburst]

I saw those at GC last night. I didn't play any, but the white ones looked pretty cool. Something about the sunburst ones looked off to me. I can't quite place what was off.

[thesweetness]

do we know if these have a poly undercoat yet? I would assume so as fender lives by it. When the nitro wears off american reissues the wood underneath usually is still very hard and shiny (thats what SHE said), does it seem that way with the exposed wood on these or is it just wood?

[thesweetness]

did an ebay search on a whim and found a road worn body for sale, whats the deal with this little rout under the pickguard? The 50s one has the same thing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-60s-RI-Fender-Road-Worn-Strat-BODY-Guitar-62_W0QQitemZ190280135508QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_ Accessories?hash=item190280135508&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[Nacho Strato]

did an ebay search on a whim and found a road worn body for sale, whats the deal with this little rout under the pickguard? The 50s one has the same thing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-60s-RI-Fender-Road-Worn-Strat-BODY-Guitar-62_W0QQitemZ190280135508QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_ Accessories?hash=item190280135508&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

I had a MIM Strat body for awhile and it had the same circular route.

[mojocaster.com]

Out of the box, I was really surprised how light the guitar was...guestimate close to 7 lbs (my scale is broken).

First issue: position #3 had both neck & middle pickups switched on. Easy fix, found loose wire clipping laying across two of the switch terminals. Found vintage style switch & full sized pots inside.

Second issue: the frets were a little rough on top from factory levelling. Not a big issue and probably could have lived with it but about 1/2 hour with my Dremel tool & buffing wheel had the frets looking like mirrors.

Feel: guitar has the great feel of an old pair of sneakers. The neck feels like a classic medium C...wish it were a little thicker, but very livable. Smooth, non-sticky thin finish, warm, woody feeling neck with slightly rolled edges...love it. Decent action, no fretting out I could detect...but I did need to adjust the trussrod to take out some neck relief.

Tone: was a bit too much "in your face" for my taste out of the box but lowering the neck & middle pickups solved that. Left the bridge pickup as is for a hotter bridge sound. This is my second experience with Fender's Tex-Mex pickups (JV Strat) and I think these are my favorite stock Fender's. I hear the classic Fender tone but with some enhancement without getting too heavy in the mids. Perfect compliment to my other Strats.

Hardware: tuners seemed smooth without any slippage. Trem works well and returns to pitch with no nut pinch. Controls are smooth. Olympic white finish is thin without much gloss...somehow looks more real than other relics I've had in my hands without being overdone.

Overall: Once I got her tuned in, I think I like this Strat better than ALL of the Fender Custom Shop Strats I've owned/played. Somehow it feels (and sounds) more like an old Strat to me wheras the Custom Shop models I tried seemed more like Polaroid takes on them...if that makes any sense ;). Of course, this is a very small sample and I could have been lucky enough to get a gem from MF.

Me likey! More to follow as I get some time under my strap with her ;).


Thanks for the review!

[Zemaitisguitar]

I agree with most posts. Sweet looking guitar. Great relic vibe. Just don't get the price? You can pick up 1962 vintage reissues for around $900-1000. Why would you get that and play it to relic it (or get someone to relic it) cause at the end of the day it's American.
Maybe I'm biased but I can't justify $950 for a guitar made it mexico, especially with the alternative you can get in the states. LMO

[deltaboy]

$330 for MIM body. i was hoping they would part out cheaper. I would pay the $375 for mark jennings to do a custom valid 100% nitro convincing relic. And that price convinces me even more to do just that.

[jetydosa]

do we know if these have a poly undercoat yet? I would assume so as fender lives by it. When the nitro wears off american reissues the wood underneath usually is still very hard and shiny (thats what SHE said), does it seem that way with the exposed wood on these or is it just wood?

The finish is definitely nitro with no poly. You can use your fingernail and easily make a dent through the paint and into the wood (hey more relicing :) ) just like on my Nashes.

[thesjkexperienc]

did an ebay search on a whim and found a road worn body for sale, whats the deal with this little rout under the pickguard? The 50s one has the same thing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-60s-RI-Fender-Road-Worn-Strat-BODY-Guitar-62_W0QQitemZ190280135508QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_ Accessories?hash=item190280135508&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

I believe it is a mark to distinguish it a MIM. CS guitars are all stamped relic etc...

[big mike]

You guys realize that *we" collectively as a group that is full of custom guiitar buyers, builders, and some of us with guitar collections that could be traded for a house, are likely not the demographic Fender is going for?

For the guy that wants and can't afford a CS Relic, this is a relatively affordable substitute, and a good guitar.

[VaughnC]

I agree with most posts. Sweet looking guitar. Great relic vibe. Just don't get the price? You can pick up 1962 vintage reissues for around $900-1000. Why would you get that and play it to relic it (or get someone to relic it) cause at the end of the day it's American.
Maybe I'm biased but I can't justify $950 for a guitar made it mexico, especially with the alternative you can get in the states. LMO
A good guitar is a good guitar no matter which side of the border it was made. While tone is subjective, American does not always equate to "better". Especially when it comes to Strats...with their tonal inconsistencies, each individual guitar should be judged on its own merits. I've played both dog & gem Strats in ALL price ranges both foreign & domestic...so, until you actually have one in your hands I don't think one can make a blanket statement as to which is "better". I'd take a MIM tonal gem over a MIA tonal dog any day ;).

[Zemaitisguitar]

A good guitar is a good guitar no matter which side of the border it was made. While tone is subjective, American does not always equate to "better". Especially when it comes to Strats...with their tonal inconsistencies, each individual guitar should be judged on its own merits. I've played both dog & gem Strats in ALL price ranges both foreign & domestic...so, until you actually have one in your hands I don't think one can make a blanket statement as to which is "better". I'd take a MIM tonal gem over a MIA tonal dog any day ;).

I completely agree. I quess my only point was in that price point you are coming very close to what I think is a tonal gem, the 1962 vintage reissue series which is made in America. And at the end of the day if I ever had to resell a guitar, I'd rather be left with a 1962 reissue vintage series than a road worn mexican series. JMO

[VaughnC]

Finally had the opportunity to take some photos of my RW. Might not be the best Strat I've ever played but I really like what she brings to the tonal & tactile table:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vaughn47/guitars/RWAmpTop.jpg

[alltweed]

Very quick- Received my 3 RW's Today.

1) 50's 2 Tone
6.5 IBs Neck is slimmer than 60's, but still nice, broken in - tight gaps. Excellent action after a mini set up although I had slight fretting out on 12th+... Likely a keeper. Looks like one piece to me. Stays in tune!

2) 60"s Olympic White
7.11 IBs - Near Perfect. Tight gaps, stays in tune...NEck feels great and is similar to a MIM classic 60's thankfully. I was afraid it would be too thin. Could be a tad lighter. Pick guard does not appear to be as yellowed as some I've seen. Sounds great. decent set up , but pretty nice liek the 50's after some tweaks. Both were better than the ones I tried at GC where the strings were flapping like crazy. Oh - no fretting out on 12th after raising action.

3) 50's Tele - Blonde. Looks great, feels great, buts its going back. 8.5 IBs. Sorry to who ever gets this one. I just re-ordered another. One more try although several blondes appear to be on the heavy side others have noted. Hoping.

Note - The Tele and the 50's strat appeared to be returns unless shipping is opening the boxes to check them out??. Surprised I am already getting other peoples returns. Seller was MF.

[ww10strat]

For those of you that have seen the Rosewood boards on these. Is the Rosewood Dark or more redish looking or do they vary?

Just asking because I prefer dark boards and I am considering checking one of these out.

Thanks

[jazzandmetal?]

For those of you that have seen the Rosewood boards on these. Is the Rosewood Dark or more redish looking or do they vary?

Just asking because I prefer dark boards and I am considering checking one of these out.

Thanks

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r305/jazzandmetal/IMG_2048.jpg

[rivaeast]

Too pricey... But i played all the available models tonight.... I like these....:)

[cg]

$330 for MIM body. i was hoping they would part out cheaper. I would pay the $375 for mark jennings to do a custom valid 100% nitro convincing relic. And that price convinces me even more to do just that.

Tell me more. I am tempted to have my 62 Hot Rod reliced. It's getting there naturally, but I wouldn't mind speeding things up a bit.

[deltaboy]

Tell me more. I am tempted to have my 62 Hot Rod reliced. It's getting there naturally, but I wouldn't mind speeding things up a bit.

mjtelecaster.com

[localmotion411]

I played four of these today, a '60s oly white, a '50s 2-tone burst, a '60's 3-tone burst, and a blonde tele.

All kicked some serious ass. They were all extremely light weight. The tele was so light, if it weren't for the grain I would have thought it was pine. I couldn't get over the '60s 3-tone burst. The neck was the most perfect feeling guitar neck I've ever felt, and I own Suhrs. I may have to go pick that mother up. It smoked.

[Blue4Now]

I am predicting these guitars will be a huge success for Fender.

[ww10strat]

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r305/jazzandmetal/IMG_2048.jpg


Thanks for the post.

[reddog112]

I agree...on the surface it looks like a lot to pay for something like this...but I don't think you can put a price on a guitar if it fits like it was spec'd just for you. Personally, I couldn't care less about the relic "look". If it has the tone, the broken-in feel is like icing on the cake....and it'll end up with my personal wear-in anyway. And I like the fact that I'm saving $1500+ over a Fender Custom Shop Strat for one with a better fit. We shouldn't have a MIM prejudice...a good guitar is a good guitar no matter which side of the border it was made :nono.

$2500+ for a Custom Shop Relic Strat or $950 for a Road Worn Strat...only you can decide how to spend your well earned. All I can say is that, using the dozens of Fender Custom Shop Strats I've owned/played for a frame of reference, after a few minor tweaks I'm pretty impressed with this particular MIM Road Worn Strat...but YMMV :AOK.

How would you compare it to the Hot Rod 62?

[VaughnC]

How would you compare it to the Hot Rod 62?
The neck on my '62VHR has a lot more meat to it...but the RW feels a lot more like the medium C my old '64 Strat. Neither is "better", just different. However, the thin, worn finish on the rear of the RW's neck gives me that warm, woody, "can't put me down" feel to it.

Frets feel about the same...but I did need to spend about half an hour with my Dremel tool polishing the RW's frets.

RW feels about 1/2 to 1 lb. lighter than my '62VHR.

Tonewise, the RW is brighter than my '62VHR but not overly bright. Again, just a different take on the Strat sound.

I'm still in the honeymoon phase with the RW...but it still gives me the warm fuzzies every time I pick it up ;). To me its worth every penny spent...and I still like this RW better than all of the Fender Custom Shop Strats I've tried.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vaughn47/guitars/RWfront.jpg

[Joe Perry]

Hey Vaughn,
Are you planning a Josie/Vaughn pickup swap?

Also, a great looking little rig.

Joe

[VaughnC]

Hey Vaughn,
Are you planning a Josie/Vaughn pickup swap?

Also, a great looking little rig.

Joe

Thanks...2009 RW Strat>1966 coiled cord>1980 TS808>2008 VaughnC homebrew amp....tone to the bone ;).

I'll make the pickup decision post honeymoon. Sometimes, things are just left well enough alone and the RW sounds decent as is...but I have to admit that I am curious as to how the Mare pickups might sound in her ;).

[peanutavalon]

I agree about the MIM prejudice that people have...It's like this...either made in America by Mexicans..or Made in Mexico under American supervision...same thing.

[VaughnC]

I agree about the MIM prejudice that people have...It's like this...either made in America by Mexicans..or Made in Mexico under American supervision...same thing.
Yup, a dog is a dog and a gem is a gem no matter what side of the border a guitar was made. Keep an open mind and you just might be surprised what you'll find. My MIM RW has definitely exceeded my expectations.

[airwarrior]

Like someone said, the only difference in American and Mexican Fender guitars is where the Mexican who made it is standing.

[speedtaco]

What happened to people breaking their own guitars in?

[VaughnC]

What happened to people breaking their own guitars in?
That's fine too. But I happened to find a gem that has the tone and the specs I prefer, and the guitar just happened to be "reliced" too. So, I bought what my ears and hands told me was right for me.

[voodoo364]

I played this one today with a 50's Vibrolux. I felt it was a match made in heaven. The guitar felt like it was a little dry tho. Like I need to get my hands and sweat on the neck more. I could have played all day but I started to have the employees looking at me even tho I was in the sound proof room.



http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s155/taelynn_01/photo-1.jpg

I played a 60's Roadie for about an hour through a Twin Reverb 65RI...I drove the guys at GC crazy...I cranked it up to 4 and played my hack SRV licks...The RW's are just fun to play. The one I purchased required some tweaking, but I am like it quite a bit.

[speedtaco]

That's fine too. But I happened to find a gem that has the tone and the specs I prefer, and the guitar just happened to be "reliced" too. So, I bought what my ears and hands told me was right for me.


Good point.

[Phil M]

$950 is only 20% off list. I would assume your local shop's going to have them for closer to 40% off list.

These look pretty cool and I look forward to seeing one in person. My only wish list would be to go a little easier on the relic'ing, and a version with 9.5" radius.

[VaughnC]

$950 is only 20% off list. I would assume your local shop's going to have them for closer to 40% off list.

These look pretty cool and I look forward to seeing one in person. My only wish list would be to go a little easier on the relic'ing, and a version with 9.5" radius.

Don't know...but $950 seems to be the going rate with Fender's recent price increases? I paid $950 at MF and, in my hands, it's worth every penny to me.

In the flesh, my olympic white '60's doesn't look over-reliced...but the cosmetics are dead last on my list when I'm comparing guitars. It just has that great warm & woody tactile feel to it.

And there are lots of 9.5" radius Strats out there...its about time Fender made something for us 7.25" lovers ;).

[teleblaster]

Do they make these lefty by chance

[peanutavalon]

Is there a big difference in quality besides pickups in the two stats?

[peanutavalon]

What are the differences?

Don't know...but $950 seems to be the going rate with Fender's recent price increases? I paid $950 at MF and, in my hands, it's worth every penny to me.

In the flesh, my olympic white '60's doesn't look over-reliced...but the cosmetics are dead last on my list when I'm comparing guitars. It just has that great warm & woody tactile feel to it.

And there are lots of 9.5" radius Strats out there...its about time Fender made something for us 7.25" lovers ;).

[jetydosa]

I have two Nashes and and a 60s RW (cant remmber if I posted them in this thread or not).

Aside from the Relicing, which may or may not be more believable depending on your taste, Id say they are quite similar. The Lollars in the Nash are definitely better IMHO. Other than that, they are very close. The Nash has a beefier neck. The Nash hardware on the bridge/saddles/tremblock may be a bit better, but thats just me guessing. Same for the tuners.

Im a big proponent of Nash guitars, but having owned both, it would be a tough call for me to spend the extra ~$750 on one vs the Fender RW if I had to do it over again.

[VaughnC]

What are the differences?


I never played a Nash so I can't comment on the differences. But I will say this....to my ears & hands, my RW Strat doesn't really need any "upgrades" to make it sound the way a good Strat should sound. The stock Tex-Mex pickups aren't the most expensive one's around but I don't think a higher price always equates to "better". To my ears, once height adjusted, the Tex-Mex pickups tone seems to compliment the RW's wood tone quite nicely...and I have no immediate plans to replace them. The pots are full sized and the pickup switch is the full sized open frame vintage style. So far, I just like the thing as-is and to me its worth every bit of the $950 I paid ;).

[audiodrome]

Does the fake wear on the maple fingerboards look as bad in real life as it does in the pictures?

[airwarrior]

Yes.

[motorcitychick]

I just got back from Namm and I checked into these guitars at the Fender booth and I will pass. Not one of them were the same and the frets were rough on the side of the fret board, and the pick guard looked like junk. Even the sales rep stated that none of the guitars were the same and you would have to check out several of them, before you could find one that you liked.
Fender Custom Shop now has a 1964 Limited Edition Strat relic. I couldn't tell the difference between that one and the 60's time machine series. I did meet George Fullerton and what a nice man he is.
Plenty of EVH guitars and amps that Fender was promoting. No swag I could find at Fender except that one of the reps put out some black Jackson guitar picks that I managed to grab a bunch of.
:RoCkIn

[buddastrat]

What happened to people breaking their own guitars in?


they still are bro'. These are only cosmetically distressed and setup to be broken in much quicker than other guitars. Wait 'till they've been played hard for a year or so. Then they'll be broken in.

[voodoo364]

Is there a big difference in quality besides pickups in the two stats?

My Nash was a beautifully set up Strat Clone. It sounded great and Bill was a great guy to deal with. My RW required my own setup and tweaking to my taste...other than that they very similar IMHO. I am trying to find every shortcoming on the RW and so far I'm very content. My Nash came with a pick stuffed in the neck pocket as a shim...that did not sit well with me quite frankly.

[59Vampire]

i like them but they are all exactly the same. no variation in wear, the strats look good the teles, eh

[RickC]

My Nash came with a pick stuffed in the neck pocket as a shim...that did not sit well with me quite frankly.

bit of a side-track here, but I've heard others mention/complain about this. I thought it was kind of cool. I've had many "real" Fenders from the 50's and 60's that came to me with the necks shimmed in exactly that way; it was pretty common procedure at the time.

Just a bit of a nod to history, which now that I think of it is exactly the best way to take Bill's work.

/rick

[voodoo364]

bit of a side-track here, but I've heard others mention/complain about this. I thought it was kind of cool. I've had many "real" Fenders from the 50's and 60's that came to me with the necks shimmed in exactly that way; it was pretty common procedure at the time.

Just a bit of a nod to history, which now that I think of it is exactly the best way to take Bill's work.

/rick
cool insight Rick...at the time I purchased my Nash I was A-B ing a Suhr. I chose the Nash and wondered if Suhr would sell a guitar with a pick shim...especially for 1500

[RickC]

I chose the Nash and wondered if Suhr would sell a guitar with a pick shim...especially for 1500

I'm guessing he would not :)

/rick

[martysnarf]

Tried both the 50's and the 60's models today... NOT worth $950. $650-700 maybe (like the rest of the MIMs)- but not $950.

Don't get me wrong- they feel good and the relic-ing is comfortable to hold and play, but they just don't feel as solidly-constructed as a $950 guitar should. You are paying for the "gimmick" imho. They just look and feel a bit chince.

They play ok, sound ok, decent all-around- but OVERPRICED.

Just my two cents. :p

[speedtaco]

VaughnC got me intersted so I went to GC and checked one out. I really dug it, and damn it felt good. I thought the relicing wasn't bad either. I'm reconsidering my thoughts on relic/road worns...oh no.

[Mike Duncan]

So far, my only complaint is with the frets. They are sharp and stickin' out. Other than that, I love the guitars!

[DEMENTED]

You guys realize that *we" collectively as a group that is full of custom guiitar buyers, builders, and some of us with guitar collections that could be traded for a house, are likely not the demographic Fender is going for?

For the guy that wants and can't afford a CS Relic, this is a relatively affordable substitute, and a good guitar.

Well said my friend.

[VaughnC]

WOW...lot's varying opinions on these new Road Worn Guitars. On the surface, I can see how someone could say these aren't worth $950...but similar Fender Custom Shop relics routinely sell for $2600+ and I like my RW better than any Fender Custom Shop Strat I've had in my hands. So, from that perspective, the RW's seem like a good deal to me. Maybe all the RW's aren't like mine and I just got lucky enough to get a gem...but, after a few minor personal tweaks, my hands & ears are still telling me that mine is worth every bit of $950, and then some. To me, my RW is one of those guitars that turns a typical 10 minute couch knooldin' session into 3 hours of Strat-o-fun and inspiration...how do you put a price on that much personal satisfaction? Setting all the silly factory "relicing" arguments aside, me still thinks this is one cool Strat ;).

[XKnight]

So far, my only complaint is with the frets. They are sharp and stickin' out. Other than that, I love the guitars!

I had the same experience. I played a few of these this past weekend and all of them had noticeably sharp fret ends. Other than that the guitars felt good and played well.

[Tone_Terrific]

The one I tried had an exceptionally dead area, even for a Strat, around frets 12-14 on the g and b strings. If you can spot a good guitar when you play one these have potential, but so does everything else.

[John Hurtt]

The few I picked up at Namm weren't set up for crap. Really high action and they were fretting out in the upper register.

[thesweetness]

Have we seen any burst finishes with 2 piece bodies? I've only seen 3 piece.

[Tallhorses]

but, after a few minor personal tweaks, my hands & ears are still telling me that mine is worth every bit of $950,

This is the key...I've got three Custom Shop tele relics and all of them were ho hum until I set them up. Now I couldn't live without them. My luthier lives down the street and I learned from watching him. Almost any fender will sound and play pretty good after a good setup, truss rod adjustment, intonation, new strings, fix any sharp frets etc. You're lucky if you pick up a guitar at a store or order something from MF that needs no work.

It's been mentioned a bunch of times but yor best bet is to play a bunch and find one that feels good to you.

[RickC]

This might be a big part of the Nash mystique; his set-ups are typically excellent when you pick one up in a store.

/rick

[daddyo]

I looked at a few of these today. They actually were very convincing as far as wear goes. The only thing I didn't like was the necks were quite slim. They had anice V carve but could've be .10" thicker. Didn't have time to plug one in.

[curlykyle]

I have a 50's SB RW and it's super light with very convincing relicing. I've owned a Cunetto Relic and I own a 65 relic and this one is just as nice in my opinion. I do have Fat 50's in my RW and it sounds great. $2600 or $950, really a no-brainer.

[Tallhorses]

This might be a big part of the Nash mystique; his set-ups are typically excellent when you pick one up in a store.

/rick
Agreed! Still got to check out the Peacheaters some day!

[ESPLTD200FM]

Sorry for such a newbie novice question but how do I tell if a guitar is "Setup Like Crap". Every time I read someone say these words I wonder if I am playing a poorly setup guitar. Does this mean the action is too high? You have fret buzz? Please help me out here!

[daddyo]

Sorry for such a newbie novice question but how do I tell if a guitar is "Setup Like Crap". Every time I read someone say these words I wonder if I am playing a poorly setup guitar. Does this mean the action is too high? You have fret buzz? Please help me out here!
Things I look for

String height at the first fret - must be as low as possoble without any buzzing on open strings
Nut slots are not too tight or super sloppy
String height around 17 fret - not to low or high
Intonation - I want chords to sound in tune in the first position as well as past the 7th fret
No buzzes or dead spots on fretted notes along the neck - this is a function of level frets
Bit of relief
Nice polish and crown on frets
Fret ends are nicely rounded and smooth with no sharp edges

[scottish]

I believe it is a mark to distinguish it a MIM. CS guitars are all stamped relic etc...

its for the CNC machines

[martysnarf]

Originally Posted by big mike http://img.thegearpage.net/board/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?p=5381995#post5381995)
You guys realize that *we" collectively as a group that is full of custom guiitar buyers, builders, and some of us with guitar collections that could be traded for a house, are likely not the demographic Fender is going for?

For the guy that wants and can't afford a CS Relic, this is a relatively affordable substitute, and a good guitar.


Well said my friend.

I second that- very well said!:BEER

[harryjmic]

Played one at lunch, thoughts...

+'s - good sounding pu's nice feel on the body and back of neck, very worn in feeling. I enjoyed playing it.

-"s - neck was a bit too thin, fret edges sticking out, neck not rounded on the top (very crisp edge, no roll).

Overall, very nice but I will not be selling anything I have nor will I be buying one. Great for someone who has never bought a relic because of the price I suppose.

[Tone_Terrific]

Played one at lunch, thoughts...

+'s - good sounding pu's nice feel on the body and back of neck, very worn in feeling. I enjoyed playing it.

-"s - neck was a bit too thin, fret edges sticking out, neck not rounded on the top (very crisp edge, no roll).

Overall, very nice but I will not be selling anything I have nor will I be buying one. Great for someone who has never bought a relic because of the price I suppose.

yup.
I tried another one. Dead and not due to setup. However, the CV Tele in the same store was great, for 1/3 the price. You have to compare each unit.

[Tallhorses]

I tried one of the 50's tele's at Gguitars in New Haven and I liked it. Not bad out of the box...yes the neck was a bit thin. Not crazy about the relic job but the neck looks better than a Nash and felt pretty good too. It felt better than a standard MIM guitar.

[audiodrome]

I just spend an hour this afternoon at Guitar Center playing the '50s Blond Tele, the '60s Olympic White Strat and the '60s Sunburst Strat and my first impression is that they have a lot going for them but they're nowhere near perfect. I guess the basses won't be in the stores for a couple weeks.

First off, they all played great, right off the rack - very impressive, but all of the necks were too thick and chunky for my taste - more like a Les Paul neck They sounded as good as you would expect (through a Vibro Champ XD)- that classic Fender sound!

Now as far as the relicing goes, I gave them a real close inspection. I own two vintage Fenders so I know what normal play-wear looks like. I thought the front part of the body on all three guitars looked pretty good (the Tele looked the best). The dings and checking were pretty believable. The aged hardware also looked REALLY good. The early '60's relic pickguards were some of the best I've ever seen - almost perfect! The graduated browning/yellowing and wear was right on the money.

Where they really botched it was where the paint is worn down to the bare wood. It looks as if someone took a belt sander and carefully planned each move. It looked way too calculated and contrived. There was no realistic randomness to the wear at all. It looked even worse on the back side - really cheesy! The worst part of all was the wear on the Tele's maple fingerboard and the backsides of the Strat necks. It was the same thing. Someone just took a belt sander and carefully sanded nice, neat symmetric wear marks that could never have been created by natural play-wear. It was almost as if they used a ruler or a straight-edge!

I suppose you could "fix" up the wear on the bodies and the necks and you'd have yourself a nice looking relic. Personally, I think they should sell these guitars for around $699 and then I'd be sold, but maybe I'm being a little harsh. The more I think about it, the GUITAR craftmanship itself is well worth the $1000; it's just that the relicing looks kind of cheesy. That's my two-cents... :YinYang

[Ocean]

I just spend an hour this afternoon at Guitar Center playing the '50s Blond Tele, the '60s Olympic White Strat and the '60s Sunburst Strat and my first impression is that they have a lot going for them but they're nowhere near perfect.

First off, they all played great, right off the rack - very impressive, but all of the necks were too thick and chunky for my taste - more like a Les Paul neck They sounded as good as you would expect (through a Vibro Champ XD)- that classic Fender sound!

Now as far as the relicing goes, I gave them a real close inspection. I own two vintage Fenders so I know what normal play-wear looks like. I thought the front part of the body on all three guitars looked pretty good (the Tele looked the best). The dings and checking were pretty believable. The aged hardware also looked REALLY good. The early '60's relic pickguards were some of the best I've ever seen - almost perfect! The graduated browning/yellowing and wear was right on the money.

Where they really botched it was where the paint is worn down to the bare wood. It looks as if someone took a belt sander and carefully planned each move. It looked way too calculated and contrived. There was no realistic randomness to the wear at all. It looked even worse on the back side - really cheesy! The worst part of all was the wear on the Tele's maple fingerboard and the backsides of the Strat necks. It was the same thing. Someone just took a belt sander and carefully sanded nice, neat symmetric wear marks that could never have been created by natural play-wear. It was almost as if they used a ruler or a straight-edge!

I suppose you could "fix" up the wear on the bodies and the necks and you'd have yourself a nice looking relic. Personally, I think they should sell these guitars for around $699 and then I'd be sold, but maybe I'm being a little harsh. The more I think about it, the GUITAR craftmanship itself is well worth the $1000; it's just that the relicing looks kind of cheesy. That's my two-cents... :YinYang

My thoughts exactly - that's what first stood out to me when I saw the RW's..VERY fake fretboard and neck wear...

[audiodrome]

My thoughts exactly - that's what first stood out to me when I saw the RW's..VERY fake fretboard and neck wear...
I've NEVER seen any vintage guitar with a fretboard that looks like that!

[voodoo364]

I tried one of the 50's tele's at Gguitars in New Haven and I liked it. Not bad out of the box...yes the neck was a bit thin. Not crazy about the relic job but the neck looks better than a Nash and felt pretty good too. It felt better than a standard MIM guitar.

GGuitars had em? wow I would have never thought GGuitars would stock RW's. They are a real high-end gear place

[VaughnC]

I was doing some tinkering with my '60's RW Strat today and happened to notice that some notes weren't ringing acoustically quite as loud as some others...and I also noticed that a magnet wouldn't stick to the stock tremblock, meaning that its not made from vintage correct steel. So I had some time to kill and happened to have a vintage spec Callaham steel tremblock around from a previous Strat-o-project so I figured I'd install it in my RW for snicks & grins just to see what would happen. And, by golly, the volume of the notes evened out quite nicely with the vintage spec Callaham steel tremblock. I probably could have lived with the guitar as-was as it wasen't anything drastic...but it proved to be an interesting experiment.

Beyond the need for some initial fret polishing, I'm still diggin' the feel and tone of my 60's RW Strat. Every time I pick her up she feels like a pair of nicely broken-in sneakers that just keeps beckoning me to play her. And, realistic looking or not (I don't really care), my RW has just enough relicing to give me a head start on my personal wear pattern...but the thing I dig most is that warm, woody feel she delivers when she's in my hands. My other Strats now relatively feel sort of cold and sterile to me...but, when I pick up my RW Strat, "the zone" is only a few notes away ;). First gig tomorrow...so we'll see where she takes me.

[chicknpickn2]

I played a 50's strat and two 60's strats. The aging on the maple board looks wrong. All of them needed set up. I'm not really into the shorter fret board radius. One of the 60's strats had unlevel frets and the 3rd and 4th strings kept falling out of the nut when bending the strings in the first position. For the price, I would pass.

[Tallhorses]

GGuitars had em? wow I would have never thought GGuitars would stock RW's. They are a real high-end gear place


They had 2 and they sold first day... Nick let me play one before he shipped it out... pretty nice. They've got a bunch of standard Fender stuff and some nice Custom Shop guitars.

[richey88]

The few I picked up at Namm weren't set up for crap. Really high action and they were fretting out in the upper register.


Just got back from GC and I agree.....the strings were a mile off the fretboard. No sharp ends like has been said, but WAY out of intonation and lousy action. Geez, you would think for a grand the putz's at GC would try to set 'em up a little bit. Sounded great, but $950? No thanks.

[Wally1]

I stopped by GC to pick up some strings today and they had a display of these Fender RW's right when you walked in. They had 5 strats and 2 tele's. I looked them all over closely. The Rosewood board strats (especially the olympic white) all looked pretty good. The Maple boards looked terrible too me.....way to fake looking in the wear patterns. Overall they seemed OK.....but not for the price. I wanted to plug one in but couldnt get past the razor sharp fret ends. 1 of them you could actually see 3 of the fret tangs rising out of their route and the frets were coming loose. The wierd thing is it's not a cold dry climate here. Maybe this batch was shipped here in extreme cold weather but the fret ends on all of these made these unplayable to me. I'd like to see one at a different location and see if this was not just a bad batch.

[omni]

As far as the trem blocks go.. I owned a 1962 strat and the trem block was seemed to be pot metal..The old strats were not really all that. but they had tone. The thing about my Rw strat is I keep liking the Tex Mex pups more and more.

[trisonic]

Yes, I remember buying guitars in the Sixties that still needed set ups! Let's see, took me all of 5 minutes or so.
The only thing that has changed over the years is that now Jimmy Somma does it for me. I had him do a guitar that had been "Plekked" (prior to me owning it). Why? It was not to my specs.

Best, Pete

[voodoo364]

As far as the trem blocks go.. I owned a 1962 strat and the trem block was seemed to be pot metal..The old strats were not really all that. but they had tone. The thing about my Rw strat is I keep liking the Tex Mex pups more and more.

I had TM's in my Jimmie Vaughn...thought they were ok. I absolutely love the Tex Mex in my RW 60's. They sound really good. maybe the poplar body of the JV? poly finish? dunno...sound way better in my 60's RW guitar. I plugged into my Super Reverb/Vibroclone amps and really opened 'em up..very happy. I have tried 'em all Fralins, Van Zandts, Dimarzio, Duncan, other Fenders, Rio Grande...the Tex Mex sound pretty damn good

[voodoo364]

Since when do Strats/guitars hanging on the wall of a music store come perfectly setup to your particular specs and comfort?

Apparently only since the realese of the RW.

How would you like Guitar Centre to setup these RW, with as low an action as possible???
And what if I prefer a high action, should they change the nut on the guitar for me because they cut it too low when they did the low action setup?


i agree..it's funny, the RW I took home came right out of the box...cut the tape, opened box and tuned it up. Played better than the GC setup LOL

[PUCKBOY99]

I played a RW Tele last week.

I thought it was a very nice guitar....seemed like a relic'ed Highway 1 :huh

The price I thought was a bit high for a MIM; I have no problem with MIM Fenders...my Strat is a fully modded MIM... But if "resale" concerns ya', I'd go with the Hwy 1

IMHO YMMV :dunno

[esoteric pete]

I'm not really into the shorter fret board radius.

you mean, more curve to the radius?

[DEMENTED]

I went to GC to try them out, I thought they looked pretty good and felt great, very comfy, beefy neck, rolled fb edges, action was right on, no sharp fret ends. I would rather buy one of these for $950 than pay $2500 or so for a CS Relic. I would say some of the sharp fret ends people are seeing is because it's the dead of winter and has been dry, the heat in the stores is dry, etc. May not explain all of it but surely some of it. While there I tried the Bogner Alchemist too...now that was disappointing, what a horrid sound that was...there were 2 in the store and one of them didn't work....no sound at all. Buy a used Shiva before wasting money on that.:munch

[dognmoon]

I just icked up a Fender Frontline catalog last night, and you'd be shocked at what the list prices are up to these days. Mayer strats used to be like $1999. For 2009, they're gonna be around $2500 which puts them on the wall at last year's list price. I wouldn't really balk at the price of the MIM's since they're just a forecast of what's to come. You're comparing this year's MIM prices to last year's MIM prices.

I went and spent another 30 minutes with them yesterday at the local indie store here in OC (Rockit Music) and I thought they were awesome. I agree, they need to be set up. To me, their action is way too high and they feel relatively stiff, but so does my $2800 CS Relic. :) I think any guitar you buy will need to be set up. Heck, even brand new shoes need to be broken in a bit and nobody's complaining that the shoe manufacturers or shoe stores are trying to screw us, right?

[VaughnC]

Yup, I agree...I polished the frets, changed the strings, did a complete setup and I can't find a lot to complain about with my '60's RW Strat. While I wish the neck were a little thicker, all things considered, my ears & hands tell me that my RW Strat has to be in the top 10 Strat's I've played in the past 40+ years. Yup, as Strats go, I may have gotten lucky and just received a gem from MF...but, if you keep an open mind and can get by all the silly relicing arguments, and with a little time tweaking the guitar to your liking, you just might find a gem in the rough like I did. Mine will definitely hold its own against any of the dozens of Fender Custom Shop Strats I've owned/played.

[omni]

I have owned many strats anda real 62 I can honestly say that I am very pleasantly surprised with the 60s RW strat I picked up.I had to set it up but I am happy for the time being... and I have no intentions of changing any part of it including tuners, pups and block. Now if they came out with a 70s vesrion... Oh yeah.

[voodoo364]

I have owned many strats anda real 62 I can honestly say that I am very pleasantly surprised with the 60s RW strat I picked up.I had to set it up but I am happy for the time being... and I have no intentions of changing any part of it including tuners, pups and block. Now if they came out with a 70s vesrion... Oh yeah.

Yeah I agree except for the whole 3 bolt/micro tilt crap. My first real guitar back in 80 was a mint 1973 rw/Sunburst Strat. To this day it was the WORST guitar I ever owned. It was an untuneable,squealing,microphonic, thick finished piece of firewood. I took it to the best luthier in the state and he couldn't help much. I swore off Fenders for years. I see 73's going for big money and just laugh my a$% off...good luck. I love my RW 60's Strat...blows my Nash away

[VaughnC]

Well, I had my first 4 hour gig last eve with my RW '60's Strat. Loved its tone, loved its warm woody feel but, after a couple of sets, I noticed my oversized left paw started getting cramps due to its slender neck. Played my '62 VHR for a set and the cramps went away. Looks like some tough decisions will have to be made...return the RW or hope I can eventually adjust to the neck dimensions? I didn't pick this issue up at home on the couch but I guess you tend to work harder in a gigging scenario. Decisions, decisions......

[buddastrat]

Hmmm that's a bummer Vaughan. Maybe it's when you're standing? Hope you sort it out. Maybe you could stick the hot rod neck on to the RW? That's the kind of stuff I do, looking for that perfect combination of tone and feel. I drive myself nuts sometimes looking for that...

[audiodrome]

Wait a year and see what these start selling for on eBay.

[j2b4o]

I went to like every music store within a 30 mile radius yesterday and I must have seen like 20 different examples of these hunks of crap and they all look totally the same and are all rediculously overpriced. How are 2 tele's going to wear in exactly the same like they were worn by the same road worn robot. Out of all that I saw maybe one played nice. And none played as nice as the sunburst maple neck mexi strat I picked for 300$ from a store pushing those road worns.

Wear it in yourself that's where the mojo comes from.

[buddastrat]

:joWell they are still new, wait until they get played in and get a lot of wear, and you'll see how they all will look different. Go look at a bunch of candy apple red Am Std. strats, and you'll be shocked at how similar they all look.

These RW's are made to wear in fast, you act like they'll stay the way they come from the factory!

[gweeterman1]

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii75/gweeterman1/100_0208.jpg
i love it, i just wish the neck was a bit fatter, but overall it is very nice and well worth the coin. i did however give it a fret job [crown,level] and change the pu's and gave it a nice set-up. it really needs some attn right off the bat but after that its very nice. i did however get to play a few of them and this one really stood out as in resonence and feel.
also

[stormin1155]

So I'm hearing that quite a few of you like the RWs you have or have tried. I was in GC this afternoon with some time to kill. They had a whole display of RWs set up... strats and teles. Some of you know I'm pretty critical of relic guitars, and these gave me no reason to change my mind. I don't think they look convincing at all. I played one of the '60s strats, and it was quite horrible. It had a terrible case of fret sprout and the relief was set at 1/8"... it was barely playable, and the whole thing just felt cheap to me. I picked up one of the teles and quickly put it down because I could immediately tell it wasn't any better. No offense to those of you who have these, but I really can't imagine why anyone would spend over $900 for one when for not much more you can have an American Standard which is a vastly superior guitar.

Well, that's my opinion, and I hope those of you who have them got better examples than the ones I saw. In all fairness, of the 15 or so guitars I played at GC today there were only 3 or 4 that I would consider good, and that includes everything from the $99 Bullets, which I thought were complete junk, to the Gibson faded/worn LPs and SGs (the LP was terrible, the SG pretty good) and a couple of Am St. strats (one was nice, the other pretty meh). The best guitar I played was an Epiphone LP Elitiest... kind of a skinny neck, but the frets were perfect and it was beautifully finished. I honestly don't know how GC can sell half of the guitars they have in stock... I was appalled at how many of them were almost unplayable and with terrible quality control. It was almost like I was in a B-stock store. (OK.. sorry for the GC rant)

[jpage]

Go to Guitar Center for strings and cables and go to a real retailer for guitars and amps. I swapped out my Monster Cables at GC this afternoon and played a Mira and a CS Tele. Rusty strings, out of tune & actually friggin STICKY. Place is a joke. Lady bought a Les Paul and the guy told her that the "repair guy" was on vacation so no one could set her up with new strings.

Don't judge any guitar by what you pick up at GC. It's amazing what a difference a good setup and fret dress can make on a guitar. As far as instrument retailers go, you get what you pay for.