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Fender Strat - '57 vs '62 Reissue vs Hot Rod


Leroy_is_Love

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57 / 62 American Vintage Reissue vs Hot Rod

Hi Guys / Gals - this is a fairly open ended question as there are a few things I'm curious about.

 

Firstly, I've not read many comparisons of the '57 and '62 AVRI - I've only read a couple of opinions suggesting that the '57 is "snappier / brighter" and that the '62 is "rounder / warmer"... Is this the all-round consensus or is there virtually no difference?

My two reasons for asking are

1) Plain curiosity

2) I prefer the look of a maple neck but everybody seems to always but the '62...

 

Second - I've read as much as I can find on the differences between the "standard" Vintage Reissue vs the Vintage Hot Rod - but there's not a lot of posted info - what I don't understand is why it seems that everybody has the '62 AVRI instead of the VHR but the VHR is basically the same instrument but with nice upgrades like thinner nitro finish, fat neck (read a lot of complaints about the thin AVRI neck - especially regarding difficulty with lots of bending notes)...

 

Obviously I'm not going to buy a new guitar without having played it a decent amount first, BUT - I'm already thinking about picking one of 5 models:

 

1) American Standard 2008

2 - 4) '57 or '62 AVRI / '57 or '62 VHR

 

As far as the vintage ones go, COSMETICALLY, I much prefer maple necks, and I really don't like the look of the hot rod's humbucker bridge pup...

PLAYABILITY - well, I'm a Les Paul (Epi) guy up to date, so I suppose I'm used to thicker necks (played a friends Am Std '08 which felt quite thin) - saying that, I'll make my new strat my main axe and I'm happy to get used to any kind of neck really...

In terms of sound, I'd like to hear more on this please!

 

 

 

So, hit me guys! I wanna know all about the differences between these guitars - as there just doesn't seem to be that many forum posts on this subject which I find pretty strange...

 

 

Peace xx

 

 

 

*also posted on TGP

___________

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Have recently compared an american standard & a 57 reissue.

 

I'd pick the american standard of the two.

 

I think it's pick ups were the best, and the 57 reissue as a stupid period correct pick up switch with only 3 positions, meaning you cannot combined the neck & middle pick ups or the middle & bridge pick.

 

I really like the action of the 57 reissue, but the 3 posittion versus 5 position pick up selector switch would get me picking the american standard (nicer pick ups too IMO) and save me a bunch of money.

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Have recently compared an american standard & a 57 reissue.


I'd pick the american standard of the two.


I think it's pick ups were the best, and the 57 reissue as a stupid period correct pick up switch with only 3 positions, meaning you cannot combined the neck & middle pick ups or the middle & bridge pick.


I really like the action of the 57 reissue, but the 3 posittion versus 5 position pick up selector switch would get me picking the american standard (nicer pick ups too IMO) and save me a bunch of money.

 

 

 

My 62ri has a three way and I can get the inbetween positions.

 

And they also supply a five way switch in the case for people like you who don't like the three way.

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My 62ri has a three way and I can get the inbetween positions.


And they also supply a five way switch in the case for people like you who don't like the three way.

 

 

That's cool about the 5 way switch being available too.

 

I'm curious, how do you get the in between positions with a 3 way switch???

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That's cool about the 5 way switch being available too.


I'm curious, how do you get the in between positions with a 3 way switch???

 

 

It's stiff enough to just stick in the inbetween positions. That's how people discovered these positions and that is why they ended up making a 5 way switch.

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Is that definitely a pic of a hot rod and not a regular AVRI?

 

Also, I've read some accounts that the AVRIs and VHRs use the same pickups (except the bridge which is supposed to be a humbucket on the VHR I think). I've also heard that the Hot Rods have hotter pickups...?

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What he said. Also, the '57 Strats and the '62 Strats both use the same pickups, which are the Fender '57/'62 set. I don't know about the Hot Rods. Some models, such as their Teles have different pups but I don't know about the Strats.


If it were me I'd get one of the Vintage Thin Skins at Wildwood or one of the other places before I'd get
any
('57, '62, HR) of the above! And right now they cost less than the standard AVRIs do!


http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/electrics/fender/avts/

 

 

Absolutely, a 59RI Thinskin for $1599:love:

 

http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/electrics/fender/avts/59strat/index.php

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It's stiff enough to just stick in the inbetween positions. That's how people discovered these positions and that is why they ended up making a 5 way switch.

 

 

And that's why you see pictures of Mark Knopfler during his vintage Strat period using gaffer tape to hold the switch in that position.

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Alas, musicians friend isn't an option for me here in London... There is a small chain of 6 retail outlets called Reverb Nation (who took over the bankrupt Sound Control)... they seem to have good-ish prices, then every few months, they have a big sale which makes things hard to resist! I'd like to be there for the next sale, ready with both the knowledge of what I'm gonna buy - and the cash in hand.

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the humbucker bridge is only on the 57hr

i just bought a 62hr and it's incredible, if you love chunky and thick necks then that's the one to go for. the flatter 9.5in radius is good too, though i prefer 12in radius. if you want a more modern feel but still have vintage features the hot rod is the way to go. if you just want a repro of an old guitar, then go with the regular reissues or thinskin models from wildwood, musicmachine or daves.

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Alas, musicians friend isn't an option for me here in London... There is a small chain of 6 retail outlets called Reverb Nation (who took over the bankrupt Sound Control)... they seem to have good-ish prices, then every few months, they have a big sale which makes things hard to resist! I'd like to be there for the next sale, ready with both the knowledge of what I'm gonna buy - and the cash in hand.

 

Reckon if you offered these guys 999 for this you'd get lucky

http://tinyurl.com/mcjls4

 

usavint62stratow1.jpg

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I want more pics of these bad boys... user pics only though, I hate stock photos, they never show how things look "in real life"...

 

Get uploading folks, I want to pick a finish! So far, I really dig Sunburst and Olympic white (although sometimes the pickguard on Oly white looks kinda crappy, and sometimes the guard in the sunburst looks kinda bright white (instead of vintagey!)

 

I'm staying in Eastbourne for a few weeks soon, I might make an excursion or two to Brighton GAK to play their (supposedly) enormous range of instruments - I might even see if I can get 'em to match (or beat) iMuso.co.uk as they've got '62 VHR's for about

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the 57 hot rod strat has 2 scn neck and middle pickups and a dimarizo blade type pickup int the bridge.

 

What are the deals with those nitro finish wildwood guitars are they custom shops or american standard with the thin skin paint? Im really digging them

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The Wildwood "10" is from Fender Custom Shop & Wildwood. Something called: Dealer Select. Basically, hand picked tonewood, John Cruz custom pickups, Brazilian RW board, relic, extremely well build and lightweight (mine's 7.3lbs, 60's first run), some of them are limited edition. more info here: http://wildwoodregistry.com/. Not sure if the nitro is thin skin or not.

 

Here's mine in Faded Sonic Blue

2038085070059246994S600x600Q85.jpg

 

Wildwood's 59 Thin skin, on the other hand, is also Thin Skin nitro. What what I wsa told, it's the exact same finish as the VHR.

 

 

the 57 hot rod strat has 2 scn neck and middle pickups and a dimarizo blade type pickup int the bridge.


What are the deals with those nitro finish wildwood guitars are they custom shops or american standard with the thin skin paint? Im really digging them

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