Yngwie Strats--why does no-one ever have any in stock?

[dmhi11]

Here is my rant: I have never actually seen one of these guitars. In my 15+ years of visiting music stores and trying out random gear this has become my white whale. I know they exist because I've seen people post photos but literally no one, not the mom and pops or guitar center or Sam Ash never has one on the wall.

I'm not saying I need one or want one, I just want to play one once. It's craziness--this guitar has been produced since before I started playing guitar yet I still haven't laid eyes or fingers to one. I live in a major city for chrissakes--consider that my apology to rural guitar players who may not get the opportunity to try out lots of stuff.

If it were profitable I'd order one, play it for an hour and flip it on Ebay just to say I finally got too. LOL!

 

[dmhi11]

Also--I award myself the "Special Badge" for worst thread title ever.

 

[AudioWonderland]

Because no one ever buys them....

 

[acwild]

I've seen a new one in the wild and I've also run across a used one at my local store. They're out there, just not where you are, apparently. While I love the scalloped fretboard, I can see why a lot of people don't. Not many stores want to take that chance I suppose.

 

[dmhi11]

Because no one ever buys them....

I can't imagine Fender producing a signature guitar for 20 something years if no one was buying them. Maybe they are produced in really low numbers--that might explain the $1700 price tag. I can't imagine a scalloped guitar with SD pickups require a $1600 price tag--could be wrong though.

 

[mrrs]

I've always searched for them while out in public too, and I've only seen maybe 2-3 in the last 30 years, and that was at the Dallas International Guitar Shows. I went ahead and made my own as a partscaster. I now have 3 scalloped neck guitars. I love it!

 

[T Dizz]

Ferrari bought them all. When you buy a Magnum PI model they throw one in.

 

[stratamania]

I own one. It's probably the best Fender Strat, I've owned or played. And yes they are worth the money.

The model I have has DiMarzios, I got it about a year or so before the switch to Seymour Duncan's. When I bought it I had a bit of search in order to find it.

But I have seen the odd one in stores over the years. But I don't think you'll see as many as other models. Scalloped necks are not everyone's taste.

 

[acwild]

I can't imagine Fender producing a signature guitar for 20 something years if no one was buying them. Maybe they are produced in really low numbers--that might explain the $1700 price tag. I can't imagine a scalloped guitar with SD pickups require a $1600 price tag--could be wrong though.

There's a lot of little details that I like in the YJM that I would have picked out for myself were I designing a Strat for myself;
-The metal inserts in the bolt-on neck part makes sense to me as I'm always concerned about stripping wood. Have I ever stripped a neck? No, but that doesn't mean that I don't have odd fears.
-Brass nut - As far as keeping a guitar in tune, I've had the best luck with brass nuts.
-Recessed strap buttons - I've always thought that this is a cool feature.
-Thin metal saddles (as opposed to the block type that I have in my AmDlx Strat). They just sound punchier through my amps.
-Stacked humbuckers - The 60 cycle hum drives me nuts. I try not to have many silent spots as it keeps my singer from telling his really bad jokes but sometimes they are there and it can get loud in certain venues.
-And of course, the scalloped neck. I love them! It's like playing on air. I use a capo too and have never had to squeeze it so tight that it would make my guitar go sharp.

I've read of many people complaining about scalloped necks but everyone that plays my guitar seems to really like it.

 

[dmhi11]

many eons ago when I was just starting to play guitar guitar.com was the forum I joined. I can remember a 50-60 page thread of guys showing their Yngwie strats, some of them had like 4-5. I remember one dude had 10 I believe. I've always considered just ordering a scalloped neck from warmoth but I'm not sure I will even like it at this point. I played a scalloped tele for a couple of days back in the late nineties that my guitar instructor had purchased. I liked the guitar a lot but couldn't justify what he was asking price wise.

I've always been interested in scalloped guitars. I don't have a strong desire to own his signature because Yngwie's name is on it. Sure I like his music and I can sweep pick but I'm no Yngwie clone. I've seen damn near every other artist model they've made here in Chicago at some store, just never the Yngwie one and that's really what's motivating my desire to check one out.

I guess sweetwater has one, debating on making the 4 hour trek to end this madness. Seriously considering it.

 

[dmhi11]

There's a lot of little details that I like in the YJM that I would have picked out for myself were I designing a Strat for myself;
-The metal inserts in the bolt-on neck part makes sense to me as I'm always concerned about stripping wood. Have I ever stripped a neck? No, but that doesn't mean that I don't have odd fears.
-Brass nut - As far as keeping a guitar in tune, I've had the best luck with brass nuts.
-Recessed strap buttons - I've always thought that this is a cool feature.
-Thin metal saddles (as opposed to the block type that I have in my AmDlx Strat). They just sound punchier through my amps.
-Stacked humbuckers - The 60 cycle hum drives me nuts. I try not to have many silent spots as it keeps my singer from telling his really bad jokes but sometimes they are there and it can get loud in certain venues.
-And of course, the scalloped neck. I love them! It's like playing on air. I use a capo too and have never had to squeeze it so tight that it would make my guitar go sharp.

I've read of many people complaining about scalloped necks but everyone that plays my guitar seems to really like it.

Maybe I shouldn't--if it's as good as you say I might end up with it and with the $3k in gear since May, my wife will be furious.

I would find all of those things useful too. I really prefer noiseless pickups but am too lazy and financially strapped to go noiseless on everything I have.

 

[acwild]

Maybe I shouldn't--if it's as good as you say I might end up with it and with the $3k in gear since May, my wife will be furious.

I would find all of those things useful too. I really prefer noiseless pickups but am too lazy and financially strapped to go noiseless on everything I have.

I just bought an amp, some pedals, and my name just came up on the Fractal FX8 wait list. My wife and your wife can commiserate together.
The YJM is one of my favorite guitars but I won't go and recommend it to anyone who hasn't played one. It's definitely unique and you may end up hating it. I bought a new one sight unseen (had to order it through my local dealer) and it had some qc issues that I couldn't resolve with two techs. That turned me off to them for a while until I saw a used one. Apparently there were no issues with the used one and I bought it on the spot. It's been in my Number One position for the last year.
I don't play any YJM tunes and nobody notices his signature on the headstock. Simply put, this model is my favorite Strat. All I changed on it are a pearloid pick guard, Tremol-No (for drop tunings), and added a GraphTech string tree. For some reason my daughter thinks it's better looking than my PRS and Les Paul.
Good luck with your search!

 

[EADGBE]

I think music store owners tend to be conservative. And they don't stock them because they don't like them. Yeah they might sell more of them if they simply stocked them.

 

[milli vanilli]

I know a few people that have one... I ordered one new, and it came in rough shape so I sent it back. The other ones I have played were sweet though. I think it sells really well...if you want a scalloped strat from Fender you pretty much either have your choice of Malmsteen's full deep scallop or Blackmore's progressive scallop. Both guitars play and sound GREAT...

 

[straycat113]

They are out there though your best bet would be ordering one on line, which I agree that if you have never played a scalloped neck before would not be wise. I have seen a few Yngwie sigs in stores over the years but it is not a model I was ever looking for as I have never been into scalloped necks. I would have to believe that is the reason inventory is low in most stores compared to other sig guitars.

 

[Bradleyonmic]

I've always searched for them while out in public too, and I've only seen maybe 2-3 in the last 30 years, and that was at the Dallas International Guitar Shows. I went ahead and made my own as a partscaster. I now have 3 scalloped neck guitars. I love it!

That's what I have thought might happen to me. I have never played a Fender factory scalloped neck, just a VERY crude looking homemade job. The thing is I kind of liked the hack job neck, different, but it made you want to play it hard and dig in.

 

[Devnor]

I've seen few of the new models in stores and at guitar shows. My YJM is one of the original ones, 60s style with small headstock & the 2-point bridge. The neck is stamped H Gastelum. Later on I learned he joined Fender in 1961 along with Abby and works in the custom shop. Around 2007 one of these original models sold on ebay for $3500 which I used as my insurance appraisal. The neck is fat - huge in fact but feels great in hand. Thru trial & error I have learned the trick with these guitars is to setup a med-high action & use a light touch/economy picking style like Yngwie does.

 

[rufedges]

They are all over Ebay if you are looking for one.............

 

[RJLII]

They were in the stores when they first came out. My local shop in Kalamazoo had a couple back in the day. I played them. They felt strange. They ain't for everybody. Nowadays, almost all stores cater to the mass market. They're not mass market.

 

[istantodf]

I think it's because mostly the 17 y/o shredders who dig him don't actually have 1700 bucks for the guitar. His fan base is small mostly because he is a bit of an ass, plays almost the same thing every album, and it's not 1986 anymore. If his albums started selling again, they'd probably stock them to the roof in gc or somewhere...