Fender Mike McCready Stratocaster Review (Too Good to Be True?)

Is the Fender Ensenada Factory moving into Fender Custom Shop territory? I picked up the new-ish Mike McCready Strat to find out.
Link to purchase: sweetwater.sjv...
Amplifier used for the intro is a Marshall DSL1 into a Marshall 4x12
Overdrive is a Wampler Tumnus
Mic'd with Shure SM57

[@say_when5988]

Absolutely love mine and is the only one I play now. Every day I stop and just simply admire how beautiful it looks.

[@CoverArt70]

Great review. Honest and fair - containing the kind of information that we can all relate to. Personally, I disagree with you about relicing. I just don’t like it, but I 100% respect your opinion and I love how you stated it, got it out of the way, and moved on.

[@mikepj1025]

Was able to buy one of the first ones released. I think it’s totally worth it. The case and pickups alone are worth the price bump. When you add the relic which I can never do on my own, it’s a no brainer. HUGE Pearl Jam fan and a SUPER HUGE Mike Mcready fan. I bought it from a small local shop that did a full set up before they shipped it, so mine came feeling and looking incredible. The only negative thing I noticed was the tuning stability. I changed the strings and haven’t had a problem since. Don’t know what kind of strings came on it but didn’t like them. Put on my go to GHS Boomers and it’s been perfect.

[@powbobs]

Fender strings suck.

[@81ghale]

I’d have one if it was vintage radius. I’ve fallen for 7.25” radius the last 10 years, it just fits my hand and playing better.

[@licks4daysgslinger545]

I didn't know who Mike McCready was. I really don't listen to Pearl Jam. I went into the store today looking for a Harmonizer pedal. I played the usual suspects at Gtr. Ctr. I saw this relic Start. I just went through the different switch positions. It left an impression on me. I went out had a burger. Thought about it for awhile. The neck was really comfortable. I walked back into the store and made the deal. It checked all the boxes I was looking for in my Strats. I will not do anything but change the strings and play this guitar. A nice playable and great sounding Stratocaster. This guitar made my ears and fingers happy. Check one out. This was a accidental worthwhile purchase . Treat yourself. Peace

[@GuitarsCarsandBikes]

I own 3 American Ultras and bought this for the cool beat up look and special pickups. Plus I just can’t afford a Custom Shop. Overall I like it. I don’t worry bout scratching it. The string height is very high. But after. Lowering it now it’s great. Cool case. I think it’s worth it. I’m keeping mine. But I still want an ultra luxe. And a custom shop. My best playing strat is a 15 MIM. Strat. My first ever guitar. The sacred heart FSR.

[@johnnyc8742]

I can’t afford a custom shop, but I have 3 $2,500 and another 1500 dollar guitar. U funny dude

[@roncarrillo8941]

Thanks for your honest review.

[@darrenanquist4611]

I'm a huge PJ fan but have always been a Gibson guy. But I bought one as my first Fender. I have never been a fan of relics, but on this guitar I love it. Mine had some dead spots on the fretboard right out of the box but after a set up love playing it.

[@sato82729]

I have the same one and it is definitely the best fender guitar I have ever bought

[@piepolt01]

Good review! I felt the same... But it has really become my favourite guitar. It does have a lot of mojo!!! What I don't quite get, and noone seems to mention it, is the string spacing on this one... I know, that the old vintage strats have these funny dimensions on the neck but on this one if feel that especially the high e is VERY close to the edge of the neck... What's your opinion? And yeah, of course i subscribed...

[@Randolphguitars]

It's funny you mention that, the spacing on the nut and the bridge look totally normal, but I do find that my high e slips off more often than normal 🤔

[@Bdr4441]

I’ve never owned a Strat before. They never appealed to me. Mostly because of the neck feel of the ones I have played. That being said I have wanted one recently that could fill some voids in my collection - vintage looking, classy but not overbearing on the relic, a sound that is different, single coil, and most importantly a guitar that I want to just play and not tinker with and create a new project. I almost got there with my Gretsch 5655 in Amethyst but damn those tuners and Schaller’s sexy gold roller bridge. Long story short FedEx tracking has my McCready slated to be delivered tomorrow by 1pm🤩

[@Randolphguitars]

Hell yeah

[@robbyclark6915]

It’s a beautiful guitar. The prices are getting ridiculous but if you want one, that’s what they cost. I just bought a new American Pro ll in the vintage sunburst with a maple board. It reminded me of the first Strat I ever played at the music store as a 15 year old kid just learning to play! Maybe one day, mine will look as cool as yours?

[@andrewbyrom8097]

I have had one for 3 months and love it. I intend to drop the action slightly and give the frets a polish. Mine came without the rear trem cover screw holes drilled, which bugged the hell out of me, so I’ve drilled them myself. I’m not a strat guy at all, but loving the darker tone on this strat. Mine is serial number 2254 and it says Mexico on the headstock, so they mich have only just changed that to Ensenada. Overall I think it is decent value, I’d loved to have got the custom shop version but didn’t have $10k lying around 😂, as you say this gets you 90% there. Love PEARL JAM, seen then on every UK tour and with Neil Young in 95. Mike McCready is one of my top 5 guitarists, so I was always going to to buy this when it was announced.

[@jakeparker3655]

I have the henrik danhage Charvel. Similar build MIM ultra heavy relic strat. My favorite by a long shot. Will be grabbing the next one they come out with for sure!

[@andrew263]

I'm big into PJ and I'm not furious with you. Good video.

[@Randolphguitars]

@@andrew263 lol thank you

[@JeffV]

I think 96% of me buying it was the neck flat out feels like it been played for years. It’s great

[@albertorep97]

I'm torn between buying one of these, or one of the new ultra 2 😭 I really like the noiseless pickups (plus some other features), but I like the finish on this one

[@Randolphguitars]

I will say I forgot how loud the hum is that you get off of old timey single coils

[@alexmarshall3815]

I think it's priced near-appropriately for the added labour that delivering a decent relic job takes (whether you like reliced guitars is a separate question). It didn't arrive perfect, but the imperfection is easily fixable, which is also massively important. On the other hand I think a lot of American made guitars are (sorry to say), currently way too expensive. Only Kiesel still has a price structure that makes some kind of sense. But the brands themselves have no interest in drawing attention to this, despite almost all of them also offering a reasonable spectrum of possibilities if you go digging. Case in point-I recently decided to take a chance on a Jackson Dinky from the Pro Plus series, 'crafted in China'. Will see how that goes. But it received remarkably little marketing compared to the American issue Soloist and Virtuoso series, despite the latter being on paper the same guitar. The Virtuoso however was too much money from my point of view, but the Chinese made Pro Plus was at a perfect sweet spot between being TOO cheap (quality control issues would raise their head, corners cut on pickups, Floyd rose style system, frets etc, more investment needed.) vs. way too much dollars for a bolt on neck mass produced electric guitar. American made guitars are currently overpriced given the market and less desirable as a consequence, precisely because of the law of diminishing returns that you mentioned. Do I want to pay an extra $500-1000 for decent frets and 'Made in the USA' on the back of the headstock? I don't think so. Sorry.

[@Randolphguitars]

In all practical senses, the only difference between the California factory, and the Ensenada one is a 2 hour drive. That's about it. Your take is a good take.

[@knvbcoach]

@@Randolphguitars….and the wages paid.

[@valjatriogina228]

I have one from the first batch. Out of the box absolutely disappointing, when you compare it with the photos of the Fender advertising! But a fantastic base for getting the relic, where you want to have it. Its a lot of work to get the pale wood parts to an old and realistic look. Get the lacquer cracks on the body using freezing spray. Frets werent polished at all and you can detail the bone nut as well. All this costs a lot of work and money in the factory. So this is what makes the difference to a Custom shop.

[@stevecraig7643]

Im on the fence on this one. For a few hundred more you can get one of the American ones that will probably hold vale. Yea I know buy to play not resell. But some times you do sell.

[@charlesbolton8471]

The Mexican made Road Worn guitars (both the standard models and the artist signature ones) tend to hold their value better than any of the other Mexican made Fenders (that aren’t limited edition models). If/When Fender discontinues this one they will definitely go up in value. In the past, Fender discontinued signature models fairly often, but for the last several years it looks like the only signature models they stop making are the ones that were limited editions.

[@seanmurphy26]

Signature guitars always hold value, if not increase..

[@Tatted-ne7tu]

Sounds great, I’ll be looking to try it out.

[@chrishyde1216]

Looks like a custom shop but at a much lower price. How much does it weigh - heavier like a Player or lighter like a Custom Shop? I'm not worried about the fret polishing - that can be fixed. Subject to the weight (I like light, nearer 7lbs), the only blip for me is that the chunk out of the headstock overdoes the authenticity and would bother me as it really looks like damage.

[@Emmarepairs]

I keep getting fooled when I see these listed locally for really good prices LOL. I'm glad its a great player, though maybe a bit too much wear for me

[@angelaferkel1]

9:43 This is what it sounds like when you pinch your balls 😂

[@Randolphguitars]

😂😂😂

[@Glock_Doc]

I really want one

[@5150show]

Cool . Just subbed . Cheers from New Zealand

[@Randolphguitars]

Hell yeah thanks dude!

[@jacobsamano9761]

Maybe they didn’t polish the frets on purpose to keep with the “worn/vintage” vibe? It only takes 15 minutes with fret guards and 0000 steel wool.

[@angustate1829]

Your not gonna get a nitro finish in that price point anywhere else. Add the relicing and the pickups its plenty worth the price.

[@Tonetwisters]

Move your bottom tone knob to the bridge PUP and roll off some of the treble ... outstanding! 9.5 with medium jumbos, right? And dude ... language? Otherwise: Real fine analysis. In the last five or so years, I bought a '50s American Original Stratocaster AND a 1964 custom shop SG Standard VOS, and had to have BOTH of them worked on at the nut and a few other points. Guitar makers are just sorry at final quality control these days ... I do not have one; but been a player for 62+ years and yes, I would like to own one, liked it the minute I first saw one!!

[@s.a.2317]

Nice playing!

[@JayBirdGuitars]

i have a evh celestion in my dsl1...love the stack tho...:)

[@jakeparker3655]

Sounds great, same combination here. Little guy has a surprisingly usable amount of volume especially at home!

[@mrsheehy9896]

How did the frets pass Sweetwater's 55-point inspection?

[@Randolphguitars]

@@mrsheehy9896 actually a super good question. Bought this at a local store I had some stuff that I wanted to trade in to put toward the purchase.

[@dominikpohli2381]

which speaker do you use in your cabinet

[@jacobsamano9761]

I don’t get the mindset of being averse to relicing. It’s why I like used guitars, they have character. Keeping a guitar super clean looks ocd and weird. Guitars are meant to be played not kept in a glass case.

[@pvater]

They even relic the frets!

[@Randolphguitars]

Lol nice and crusty

[@TheChicagoTodd]

I love mine!

[@phillipvansant6368]

I subscribed to help you to 1000. Right now its 926!

[@Randolphguitars]

In case nobody has told you lately, you're the bomb

[@CustomChris]

The price is only too high when you can’t afford but, as it is a Mexican Fender you’ll have to buy a used one. You will never get the price you paid new for this. Around 500 less for a used one would make it much more attractive and it comes with a hardshell case. Love the optics but the new price keeps me waiting for a used one.

[@s.a.2317]

Every Fender is more expensive because of the headstock, so for people (I see on message boards) to say this MIM is overpriced is a bit LOL for me. It's like saying a high end Ferrari is overpriced compared to the entry level Ferrari. Really? This relic is 2k compared to 6k CS relics which are the starting point for relics in the Fender brand. You think 2k is overpriced? Try $400. Every guitar over that is overpriced because they make them dirt cheap in Asia (and in high quality if they had to).

[@matthewf1979]

Bad fret work is always a failing grade. If it ever happens again, ask for a partial refund for your labor and materials. Either they’ll send you a new one with good fret work and spend hundreds in shipping or give you a couple hundred bucks for the trouble.

[@sludgebob5961]

NEW RANDOLPH GUITAR CONTENT OH YEA

[@Randolphguitars]

OH YEAH

[@brunoantony9257]

price on this guitar is ridiculous

[@thomaswyatt199]

us p[rice is reasonable but it's $3100cad with tax

[@lynwoodme8558]

Ridiculous as too high or ridiculous as too low??

[@brunoantony9257]

@@lynwoodme8558 too high

[@Shadjc]

No, the price is just fine for what you get. The neck is fantastic, the body is great, the relic job is very good for a sub $2K guitar, the electronics are USA and Custom Shop grade, including shielding, the custom McCready pickups, CTS pots, ungraded capacitors, and a treble bleed. And it comes with a nice vintage styled hard case. It is a far better guitar than a number of the USA Strat models…I own several, plus own a McCready.

[@robvantilborg7375]

also had one out of the box that was very bad. Frets were very rough and the neck did not sit straight. Suitcase also felt very cheap. You can really expect a better guitar for that money. I took it back to the store. I have now bought an LTD from Korea that is 100 times better.

[@NintenDub]

Oooh.mike mc-ready

[@xs-xb4ih]

i really want to like this guitar but the road worn finish looks so tacky to me. maybe it’s better in person

[@es330]

It is better when you see a real one up close. The neck is extremely comfortable one of the best necks I have ever played. I played this and the vintage ii 61 reissue and this is better in feel and tone in my opinion. Its almost 50% totally lost its lacquer coating and the what is there is like a worn satin coat . The lacquer on the 61 is so thick .

[@malcolmedwards296]

American model new models have to say made in california for real it has to be 96% made in America before you can say made in America so and they aren't so told to change it check

[@ronnieking1025]

Relic not for me seems to be the norm now

[@powbobs]

Most people love them. Almost nobody buys non relic custom shop.

[@yukoncorneliusthelegendhim9751]

it's a sick guitar but damn theyre pricey.

[@rockerbuck967]

I'm on the fence about relicing. They look cool, but in my mind they didn't earn those marks "in battle." I have a Les Paul special that I gigged with for years, and I can tell you exactly where each major blemish came from. They're that guitar's history, much like the scars I have.

[@hangingchad_]

Honestly, these kind of relics look cheap and mass produced. I would still play one, but Custom Shop looks miles better, and even better than that are Seuf Guitars. They typically build guitars with extremely light relicing (although they'll do heavier levels of wear if desired) to give them the feel of a vintage guitar, and they play better than anything else I've laid hands on. And because they have thin nitro finishes, they wear like an old guitar, too. It's the best of all worlds.

[@MarkBarna1]

So Mexican-made Fender Strats now have masterbuilders? I'm sure it sounds fine, but relicing is truly an art. Custom Shop is basically Fender's Murphy Lab. Assembling a Strat does not require major skill, but relicing requires a lot of skill. Journeymen finishes really are amazing, as are some heavier relics. For $1800, that looks fine, especially if you are happy with it. No one watching a band other than geeky guitar players will even think about the relic job.

[@Echoes-]

I agree that real relicing are art, but these Mexican relics are no art, because these are made with a stencil and all 100% identical, the only "relicing" done are removing the stencil. In my opinion it takes away all the charm of relicing.

[@JayBirdGuitars]

overpriced tho...everyones different ...

[@NintenDub]

Damn I didn't know that was a min....holy hell ppl should not be buying them. If ppl buy 2000$ mins, your only gunna see USA guitars be 2500,2700,3100$. I bought the vintera 2 mustang mim,which for 1150$ was steep. It's my only fender. I got it for 1000$ since it was a rush job and there's a bunch of problems with it like the neck pocket being so tight you don't even need the screws in the neck, and you can pick up the guitar from the headstock and shake the guitar and the body doesn't come apart from the neck. It's sooo tight it squeaks when you remove or replace it. There was an ungodly amount of wood shavings,dust and polyester chips and dust all underneath the pickguard on the pickups, the routing, just everywhere.whiever set it up chipped and dinged the vibrato plate and the cigar.When I've had 100$ bullet strats be better from the factory,it tells me they take their time when a model ships out, than after a bit they just rush them out. my guitars from 2024, but they've been out for a while now.since last year.so inthink theyre just rushing them.and when you get a 1200$ instrument, esoecislly a guitar, you exoect pretty kikler quality and standard.

[@FluxedState]

What is min? MiM?

[@powbobs]

I disagree completely. Best Fender I ever owned.

[@revtimewest]

I can build better for half the price. Shheeesh.

[@ectoplasm]

If the guitar is supposed to be relic'd then I presume the "unpolished" (probably relic'd) frets were intentional.

[@Randolphguitars]

That's not how this works

[@EbNorth]

It is now.​@@Randolphguitars

[@randallhaney7909]

Reissue? Nope, Cos-Play Guitars. Like Fender had numerus 1960's Strats, and or new old parts laying around; to build these things? Take in the fact "Fender has been bought and sold a few times since the 60's. And are not located in the same facility. Makes it a Copy or at best a tribute model; not a reissue. Also why the heck; does it have to look like hell? Like old Mikes guitar, Was never new and not crappy looking? I mean for $ 2 Grand? for an off-shore built guitar C'mon? So Fender is not really the same company as in the 1960's, Not using the same method of building the guitar, Not the same luthiers building it. Probably not the same quality/grade of materials used in as used in the 60's. I don't get it? So to me it's the same as any other knockoff, copy and tribute or signature guitar It may be a Great playing guitar? But it's not what it pretends to be. If there is any saving grace here it's that it was made in Ensenada. I didn't include Great sounding guitar. Because the sound of an electric guitar comes from the Amp. and it's speaker. It's obvious that I don't like this kind of Relic'ed, Signature. Clown Shoe guitars. But that's me. If you've got one and are happy with it? Awesome for you boss,(Seriously) we al deserve happy. Rock on,, & Peace out. PS. Sorry for the long diatribe. Hope it helps your KZbin Algorithm

[@FluxedState]

Jealous?

[@randallhaney7909]

@@FluxedStateStupid?? ...

[@randallhaney7909]

@@FluxedState Jealous? me? LOL Right LOL What ever you say Clown Shoes