Members Brainfertilizer Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 I started my guitar experience with guitars that had vintage trems (6-screw). If you touched them, the guitar went out of tune. I tried a Wilkerson trem with roller nut and a tremsetter next. Still went out of tune. Westone single-locking Bendmaster Deluxe. Still went out of tune. So for many years, I've avoided non-locking trems. Heck, for the most part, I've avoided trems. But you gotta have 'em for some sounds...so I ended up with a Hamer Californian, 2 Hamer Centauras, a Peavey Vandy w/ Kahler 2700, and a Westone Corsair (this one worked) that stay in tune. But over the last few months, I've seen plenty of videos of Yngwie, Uli Jon Roth, and SRV using a vintage trem more than I would ever use a Floyd Rose (I *am* pretty conservative in trem use) and still staying in tune. Plus, lately I've been considering the joys/benefits of an S/S/S configuration that you just can't get from a split H/S/S. So are there any cheap (emphasis on "cheap") strat copies that would be worth getting that I can set up to stay in tune for light trem use? I've seen a Lotus w/ an accutune trem, or a Westone w/ vintage trem for less than $100. Are there any other decent strat copies I can grab for about that amount? Or am I better off just sticking with a superstrat splittable humbucker? (I'm NOT going to spend $300 or more on a guitar that I may never be satisfied with...I want to take a chance with a cheap one, so if I hate it, no big loss) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bjcarl Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 SX's get a lot of love...pretty low-risk "investment"-I actually see them selling used on craigslist and guitar shops for more than they cost brand-new. I don't personally have any experience with them other than picking them up and strumming them unplugged, but all the ones I've seen have seemed to be solid and well-made... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tweak'd Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 Try to find a Squier Classic Vibe (50s or 60s) used...should be well south of $300 and great guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 Head over to GC and play a Squier Bullet or two or three. Quality control on these are iffy, but I found one that just rocks. And it's only $119. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blingdogg Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 There are nice Squiers these days. But you'll have to try some out to find the right one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Special J Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 Charvel CX seriesHamer Slammer Series (even the Slammer by Hamer Strats are consistently better than cheapy Squiers, IMO) Honestly, if you,ve been frustrated with Strats in the past, going for a bottom of the barrel one isn't going to give you good odds for a love connection. FWIW, one of my main guitars is a vintage styled strat. I don't use the trem a lot, but I do yank on it from time to time, and I do a lot of big bends and vibrato. Very stable guitar, tuning-wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hulston Prickle Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 My 50's CV strat stays in tune very well with light tremelo use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diceman1000 Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 umm... if the Westone is vintage, i'd snag it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 I've got one of those 50's cv strats. Very nice guitar. I never have a problem with the tremelo. I never use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brainfertilizer Posted April 28, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 umm... if the Westone is vintage, i'd snag it... As best I can tell, it is the top one on this page:http://www.westone.info/cats/88/p3.html If that link doesn't work (westone.info does a good job of blocking incoming links), it is a 1988 Westone Spectrum II SP2111ST, from the UK 1988 catalog. The only thing is, it looks like someone swapped out the pickguard with a HB instead of the slant single coil in the bridge. And no coil tap. So I'd be taking my chances on whether the other 2 SCs are original Westones or not. But since it seems to be a 1988, it probably isn't Matsumoku. On the other hand, the excellent Westone necks continued right up through 1989 at least, so if nothing else, I'd end up with a good neck. ...still considering it, though. I might just go with a 1989 Westone Challenger I found (again: great neck) with the Stylist pickups and just go with the Bendmaster Deluxe trem and an HB in the bridge position and be done with it. But the Challenger is about $200, vs about $100 for the strat copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brainfertilizer Posted April 28, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 Head over to GC and play a Squier Bullet or two or three. Quality control on these are iffy, but I found one that just rocks. And it's only $119. No GC within a 3-hour drive... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brainfertilizer Posted April 28, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 Roger on the SX and Squier Classic Vibe.Saw an SX SST II for about $105 shipped, but the CVs seem to run closer to $200+. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brainfertilizer Posted April 28, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 Charvel CX seriesHamer Slammer Series (even the Slammer by Hamer Strats are consistently better than cheapy Squiers, IMO)Honestly, if you,ve been frustrated with Strats in the past, going for a bottom of the barrel one isn't going to give you good odds for a love connection. FWIW, one of my main guitars is a vintage styled strat. I don't use the trem a lot, but I do yank on it from time to time, and I do a lot of big bends and vibrato. Very stable guitar, tuning-wise. Rgr that. I've considered Hamer imports. I've had great success with both Hamer imports and USAs in both shredders and double-cutaway archtops...if all else fails, my Ash-bodied tobacco burst USA Centaura works well for everything but a bridge single coil sound. Maybe I should save my cash and count my blessings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diceman1000 Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 As best I can tell, it is the top one on this page:http://www.westone.info/cats/88/p3.htmlIf that link doesn't work (westone.info does a good job of blocking incoming links), it is a 1988 Westone Spectrum II SP2111ST, from the UK 1988 catalog.The only thing is, it looks like someone swapped out the pickguard with a HB instead of the slant single coil in the bridge. And no coil tap. So I'd be taking my chances on whether the other 2 SCs are original Westones or not.But since it seems to be a 1988, it probably isn't Matsumoku. On the other hand, the excellent Westone necks continued right up through 1989 at least, so if nothing else, I'd end up with a good neck....still considering it, though. I might just go with a 1989 Westone Challenger I found (again: great neck) with the Stylist pickups and just go with the Bendmaster Deluxe trem and an HB in the bridge position and be done with it.But the Challenger is about $200, vs about $100 for the strat copy. i didn't realize that they were made anywhere other than Matsumoku... i have a Westbury Standard, so i'm a bit partial to Matsomoku stuff:D... i understand that the Axl Badwater Strats are decent for the $$$... as far as pups go, spend $30 on a set of Rose Meriposas or $50 on a set of Rose Buff Beauties and be done... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brainfertilizer Posted April 28, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 i didn't realize that they were made anywhere other than Matsumoku... i have a Westbury Standard, so i'm a bit partial to Matsomoku stuff:D... i understand that the Axl Badwater Strats are decent for the $$$... as far as pups go, spend $30 on a set of Rose Meriposas or $50 on a set of Rose Buff Beauties and be done... The Matsumoku factory shut down production in Jan 1987. There are rumors of Westones w/ Matsumoku parts assembled in Korea for a few months after that. Westone didn't dissolve until about 1990, after which Alvarez was the St Louis Music guitar line (I think). But the rule of thumb for Westone is: if it has a neckplate, it is MIJ, if it doesn't, it is MIK. ...although that rule of thumb might not be perfect, because it is possible there are some MIK with blank neckplates, I dunno. I am partial to Matsumoku-made guitars, too. I have 4 Vantages (1 X-77, 1 FV575, 2 AV-325s) and am considering a 5th and 6th. But the MIK Westones still have awesome fast necks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mnhhngbfs Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 most strat trems actually work real good, it's the nuts that need work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 Just learn how to set it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zledi Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 You could by my Jay Turser JT-300 for $100!! haha My experience with the few Jay Turser strats I have played is that they have very comfortable necks, good fretwork, and solid build quality. The trem on my works fine and has never had any big tuning issues. I don't use it much though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GilmourD Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 SX, GFS Xaviere, Squier Classic Vibe. Your problem with the trems seems to be setup, not the trems themselves. I'm a trem beater and never have tuning issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brainfertilizer Posted April 28, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 So how does one set up a vintage trem properly? Is there a YouTube video or web page that explains it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoneNut Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 So how does one set up a vintage trem properly?Is there a YouTube video or web page that explains it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brainfertilizer Posted April 28, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 what about Yamaha? They have EG112, PAC012, PAC112...all cheap, but apparently different enough to have different numbering. Any decent cheap Yamaha choices? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 Pacifica always gets good reviews. Probably a real easy one to buy sight-unseen. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cephus Posted April 28, 2011 Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 I would steer towards a squier myself. I like that they are mostly the same shape as a real strat and you can swap alot of components out with off-the-shelf aftermarket pieces. I bought an insanely {censored}ty $75 Bullet by squier strat that ended up not being plywood. I bought a USA-spec vintage trem from guitar fetish, dowelled and redrilled the mounting holes. I replaced the tuners and pickups and paid for a decent setup. That is a really nice guitar now. It stays in tune great. It actually is the best action that I ever got with a vintage fender style trem. Now, if you go get some lotus or asian strat copy, it may not take a standard strat pickguard and the peghead is going to look "unique". I'd just rather get a licensed platform and throw money at screwing components on. But I like that as a hobby/past time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brainfertilizer Posted April 28, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 28, 2011 There are entire series of videos on YouTube regarding Stratocaster setup. I don't doubt that. So many that separating the wheat from the chaff is probably a chore. So I was hoping someone would have one they would recommend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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