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Good, EXTREME Cheapo Strats?


Wulver

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Old tired-out question I'm sure, but aside from the Yamaha Pacifica, what Strat clones are out there, say sub-$200, that are above-average quality and would be ideal for modding? And that also, preferably, have maple fretboards?

 

The GC site has Pacificas on the uber-cheap, and I always hear how good they are, I'm just waiting for the opportunity to nab one with maple fretboard and a finish I like....so I figure I have time to do some asking around and checking of other options. Do the SX and Xaviere stuff still hold up, do we still hold favorable opinions towards them? Maybe another brand I'm not thinking of would be ideal for extensive mods?

 

Talk to me, gentlemen. :)

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Based on my experience with the JT-100 Jazzmaster copy, I'd not hesitate to order an Xaviere strat. I think they do Fender-style guitars quite well and the pickups are gonna be pretty damn good from the get-go. Plus, they have the coolest finish options when it comes to cheap strats.

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Second on the Squier Bullet Strats. $119 brand new, just needs better tuners. Here's my modded one. Didn't need modding, just can't help myself and had lots of extra parts lying around. On the far right. Mighty Mite neck and EMG Select pickups. I still have the original parts for it because they were that nice.

 

DSC04697.jpg

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JT or Squier for sure. Easy to mod. Yamaha is a winner also. I have an 012 I modded. The pups were OK, but too much of a volume drop between them. I raised and lowered the pups and finally swapped the bridge and neck pup out. I bought a Xav Strat as a gift for a friend. I wish I had kept it. He plays G&L Strats and luvs the Xav.

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i would snag either a Jay Turser or old school SX with the headstock.. not the new ones... just not really drawn to those.. and put in some new pups.. do a fret dressing.. and you are good to go... a strat is pretty easy not to muck up... tuning keys are some times hit or miss... but i have had ok luck with them so i dont replace them...

 

photage..

 

5346933931_1a374ce37c_b.jpg

 

not sure about the bullet... they felt a bit light to me..

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Axl makes a pretty sweet cheapo strat and I've noticed Daddy's Junky Music blowing new ones out lately. They have the Marquee SRO version, Axl As-800 at around $109.

 

AXL083111_1.jpg

 

Solid Alder Body with Original Design

EMG-Designed Pickups: 2 Single Coil & 1 Humbucker

Rosewood Fretboard (Maple Fretboard on Natural model)

Classic Style Pickguard

Unique Headstock Binding (except sunburst model)

Die-Cast Chrome Tuners

Tone & Volume Controls

 

The Xaviere strats are also built very nicely for sure.

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I'm pretty damned happy with my P-90 equipped Mahogany SX Hawk from rondomusic.com; $140 shipped to my door. I'm replacing the pickguard with white pearl and shielding the interior to reduce noise, but the pickups are wonderful, and I don't mind the glossy neck at all.

 

SDC10527.jpg

 

SDC10526.jpg

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In an interesting coincidence, a MIA Peavey Predator has shown up in the local pawn shop! $150 asking, I think I can maybe talk them down a bit. The only problem is that it's red; as cool as red is, I already have enough red guitars for my liking. But, my father has an occasional hobby in refinishing guitars, so this isn't a significant problem.

 

....there's also a Yamaha Pacifica Tele sitting right at $240 or so that's painfully tempting....even if it's not really what I'm gunning for....

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The tele affinities are incredible for the money, I'd rather play one than an american tele. Sadly, I can't say the same thing for the affinity strats...but that's more of a personal preference on neck size.

 

 

Agreed...but the strat-oid Affinities can be upgraded to being decent (not sure how cost effective that'd be, though).

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Yeah, the MIA Predator will get you pretty close in stock form. If you want to stick with the 'extreme cheapo' motif, look for a set of used GFS Alnico pickups or maybe a set of 57/62s or Tex Mex pickups... those are probably Fender's best used value. Hit up GFS for some replacement tuners and while you're there, replace at least the saddles with the GFS $11 non-roller models, maybe get a full size trem block.

 

HECK of a nice guitar for under $200.

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