Someone take me to Strat school!!

Your price range definitely means MIM, but that's fine. If you look, you can find some very good MIM Strats. From what I know of that tune, you're going to want a maple neck 50s or 70s style guitar. The Classic Players Strats are very good, although they might bu just out of your price range.

Hopefully, someone who knows the Squier Classic Vibe Strats will chime in. If these are as good as the Teles, they might be your best bet.

 

Look for a second hand MIM sambora strat. They don't have star fretboard inlays but Floyd and dimarzio paf pro HB. Also check out the MIM floyd strats (real Floyd) if you need a locking term. Or check the emporium get a good strat and change pickups to suit. It's quite easy to route a guitar and pickguard fir humbucker if you need to.

 

I've been playing mim strats for years and loving it but they're not all created equally. I'ld definately play it first. Maybe find one locally on cl. .02

 

Go to a store and just play a bunch. Even if you have to drag your amp with you. There are just way too many variables out there right now with strats. I really like the classic vibe stuff right now.

 

For sambora tones I'd go with a humbucker or install a single coil sized mini humbucker if you don't want to route it.

 

First of all they are both equal in quality, that is to say that they are both really great instruments.

The difference between the two are
1. Alnico 3 vs Alnico 5
2. Maple vs. Rosewood
3. 2tone vs 3tone sunburst

If you ignore the maple/ rosewood and finish difference, because those always boild down to preferance. You can't really judge these.

The Alnico 3s of the 50s are going to produce a brighter and more chimey bell type strat tone. The Alnico 5s in the 60s are more round and punchier in tone.

 

good choice. They are a great alternative to much more expensive strats which is where you have to go to get a flatter radius and vintage bridge that the CV has. I would however HIGHLY recommend getting a better bridge for it. It will cost a lot compared to the initial price for the CV, in fact about $125 for a callaham. But it will absolutely send the tone thru the roof and the guitar will sound as good as nearly any fender and a lot better than many due to the vintage features. If callaham has a block that will fit it that would be good enough if you don't want top spend the full amount. But i would go for the whole trem. The CV's are great, and the trem is really the only thing holding them back for full on great tone.

As to rosewood or maple, i would say rosewood. For me it's a no brainer, but this is subjective. To my ear rosewood is a more balance sound that has richer harmonics and i find it much more versatile in most cases. I say 'most cases" because there are always exceptions, but most of the time i find rosewood the better more all around sound. I love maple too, but If i'm to have one strat it would have to be rosewood. But whichever you get, either get a callaham block or full tremolo. It's nigh and day. the CV's are great but they have one of the cr@ppiest vintage style trems you find on any fender or squier. It will likely sound good even stock, but the callaham with make you go wow, THIS is a strat. Also good idea to replace the cheap switch and pots, but thats only about $25.