I have purchased 9 guitars in total over my progressing career, the 52 Strat reissue was my first guitar and 12 years later it still remains my first instantaneous choice to play.
To put this very simply, The 50s Stratocaster, in my opinion is the best guitar on the market by a country mile. This guitar has been in production for over 60 years now which stands for reason, why change the perfect instrument??? ( well they havn't :).
Originally the Fender Stratocaster was made in 3 countries which was subsided into 3 different price ranges. The Mexican Strat was the cheapest, then there was the Japanese mid range Strat and finally the more expensive American. Slightly different woods and pickups where the main defining difference between the 3 models. unfortunately they seized production of the Japanese Strat a few years back which has always been my preferred choice due to the feel and quality of the wood. If you are considering purchasing one of these guitars then I would firstly strongly advise you to have a look at some second hand Japanese Strats. They have the feel of the old vintage Strats and are coming increasingly rarer which means they will only increase in value.
For the serious professional players the original Strat pickup's can sound a little tinny and thin so I would advise purchasing some better pickups, this can be costly, but extremely worthwhile. Also in my point of view the American strat feels a little clinical and consumer, there are many who will disagree with me here but I find the Japanese Strat to feel alot more solid.
Fenders synchronized tremelo system is about the best there is, it offers flawless intonation and is very easy to customize for your preferred set up.
Hank Marvin was he first guitarist who received this guitar in the Uk, it was a present from fellow band mate Cliff Richard. This has played a key roll in achieving his fantastic sound that we all know and love today. There are many artists who have followed suit and used this fantastic guitar since from Eric Clapton to David Gillmore.
Players are able to achieve a massive array of different tones from these guitars which is what makes this axe so versatile. Fender really have set a benchmark that many companies have tried desperately to copy, but none can compete with that of an original Fender Stratocaster.
If you are into the sounds of a Gibson then this guitar is not for you as there are is no chance of making this sound like a les paul. Although in my opinion these guitars equally sound great, they are also completely different sounding guitars as they are built a different way using different materials.
If you are a beginner and have the cash to splash out, then the mexican Strat may be for you. I find it to be incredibly easy to play and best of all they stay in tune really well. Ultimately if you have an instrument that works well every time, then it will only encourage you to want to learn more.
I really hope this advice has been useful, they really are fantastic guitars, I can assure that you will not be disappointed. Finally I bid you good luck on finding the instrument of your dreams and happy playing
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
![The Strat Pack - The 50th Anniversary Of The Fender Stratocaster - Live [DVD] [2004]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/79671300.jpg "The Strat Pack - The 50th Anniversary Of The Fender Stratocaster - Live [DVD] [2004]")
very helpful by (100%):
![The Strat Pack: Live in Concert - 50 Years of the Fender Stratocaster [Blu-ray] [2005] [US ...](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/70667106.jpg)
