Strat alternatives

[harley]

Hi guys

recent discussion in another thread threw up one or two less expensive alternatives to a Fender stratocaster so i thought, why not see who likes what. I know for many only the "F" word on the headstock will do but there are plenty of reasonably priced, decent alternatives out there.
Beside the obvious Squier and Burns offerings i wondered if people had come across anything else worth a mention. the Vintage V6 was one mentioned in the post in question, great guitars for the money. I personally have several stratalikes... futurama, aiersi, samick. there are others i have seen but so far not tried. Anyone tried a Greg Bennett malibu? samick built strat copy with 3 a side tuners. Jim Deacon is another. I have heard good things about them but personally have never tried one.
Whats out there guys?

regards
Ian

[somebodyelseuk]

Okidoki.
My main guitars - the red and yellow ones in another thread - are custom made ESPs. I also own a Levinson Blade R4 and a Tokai TST55 (a replica of one of a 58). All blow Fenders out of the water, though admittedly the ESPs and Blade were not cheap. The Tokai was about the price of a Squier Strat when new in '83 (~£300) and can be gotten for about half the price of a JV Strat. 'If the house was on fire'... I'd try and save these and let the rest burn.
I do have a V6, as well, but there isn't an equivalent Squier model to the one I have. The build and parts quality are as good, if not better than a CV Strat. The feel and balance is as good as the three above.
I had a 'one that got away' moment years ago... a late 70s/early 80s Yamaha, a Strat-a-like with a 22 fret through neck, no 'plate, natural finish and it used three dpdt switches for pickup selection. Never seen another - this was about five years before the Pacificas. Regretted not buying it ever since.
There were Fernandes guitars as well, though I think these were Tokais with different logos... then again, so are Japanese Squiers and Fenders...
The thing is, these days, if it's made in the Far East it's very likely it's made in the same factory, by the same people, on the same machines, using the same parts and materials as it's 'competitors', anyway.
Cheers

[TonyL]

Hi Ian

I've got a JHS Vintage Reissued V6 (in Firenza red). Changed from a Squier Standard Strat and wouldn't change back again.

Used with a Zoom G2 and Charlies patches I think that the tone is great. It has a tone control for the bridge pick up and a Wilkinson trem with a push in arm which stays in place and hardly ever goes out of tune (which is some achievement considering the temperatures we get here).

[harley]

Hi Julian

As well as your own guitars and the one that got away you have also mentioned the pacifica. I had a ssh pacifica a looooong time ago. So long ago that i didnt even realise there were different models. It was a very nice guitar to play and although i had no idea what it "should" have sounded like, it always sounded fine to me. I also had an Ibanez roadstar II which was identical to a strat from the headstock down and was also a nice guitar.
come on guys, what else is out there?

[noelford]

Well, not an alternative for the classic early Shads material (it has humbuckers, not single-coil), but I now use my latest acquisition for a lot of the not-so-often heard stuff. It's my Rob Williams Set Neck Deluxe, and the tone for numbers like 'Blue Sky, Blue Sea, Blue Me', and, 'I'm Absolutely Hank Marvin' are exquisite.

Not a cheap alternative, though, with very little change out of two-and-a-half grand, even at discount price!

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[noelford]

Here's another pic, though I can't seem to capture the lustre of the wood (Brazilian mahogany with a Hawaiian Koa top).

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[didier]

There is the Vigier Expert Retro 54, it's an excellent guitar with its carbon reinforced neck, but it's not cheap !



Didier

[somebodyelseuk]

Okay, if we're not bothered about budgets, I'll throw in Schecter, as played most notably by Pete Townsend (those Tele-a-likes) and Mark Knopfler (everything that wasn't a Gibson or National from around 79-89) throughout the 80s.
Also, G&L, Tom Anderson, Riittenhouse (THE best vintage replicas on the planet), Fretking, Italia, Patrick Eggle, Samick...
In answer to "why 2...", because it's all you need.

Ian, I remember those Ibanez Roadsters, and the Blazers and Artists. They were great guitars, then again they should have been since they were being made in the same place as Tokais, Yamahas and Squier/Jap Fenders ... There were the Arias, too, same place, same quality.
Cheers, Julian

[kipper]

fenix are nice strats, tokai is the best copy i have played but they are going up in price now. i have schecter strat type cant think of the model now but very well made with humbuckers if i remember right. jim deacon is also a good value guitar. i have a telecaster that i upgraded and had sprayed fiesta red but that was a project that got out of hand and i spent a bit more than i ment to, but the deacon was well made. peter

[baz]

Don't own either but G&L and Suhr must both rank pretty high in a list of alternatives.

Baz

[peterbower]

I like the Music Man Silhouette, it is expensive though.
I'm not so keen on the G&L.

I agree with the Tokai. I have a copy [Gold Star Sound] of a 63 Fender Strat with a quite rare veneered Rose Wood board. Torino red Alder body. Built in the late 80's. It even has a steel sustain block as standard.
Early Tokai's are now very collectable and fetch good prices, not that I want to sell mine. It sounds more authentic than the equivalent Strat of that period and plays like a dream. No wonder Fender sued them.
Its good that people can get great sounds and pleasure from Guitars other than Fender.

[allclaphands]

What does anyone think of Ed Romans Fabulous fakes?
I won't advertise the site but you can check it out.
Custom made guitars without the headstock logo

Pete

[somebodyelseuk]

I'm fine with anyone 'copying' them until they start putting fake logos on 'em. Can't comment on the Ed Roman guitar as I haven't tried one.
Agree with the chaps about the Tokais. There was a Musicman that a mate of mine used for a tour back in the early 90s... I forget the model but the Lukather model was based around it... also their Albert Lee Signature model is outstanding.
Also, more known for their acoustic models are Jimmy Moon Guitars in Glasgow. Their custom made electrics are works of art.

[Rick]

.............. My 79 Les Paul Deluxe with its lovely noiseless mini humbuckers.

[rogerbayliss]

Fret King (Wilkinson) do great copies hower some are quite expensive.