It's Been Years Since Fender Did Something Like This

[@mikecole4489]

Made a mistake guys. Thanks for letting me know. They aren't active pickups the circuitry is active to power everything. I feel bad about it and I sincerely apologize. I will try my hardest to be more accurate moving forward.

[@TheSuperspyk]

Don’t be so hard on yourself, every day is a school day :)

[@trev3971]

Sounds like a good time to try EMG 81/85 in your Strat :D

[@OhadELM]

You are the man!!

[@gregmiller7123]

Thanks for being “pro”active in your correction! 🤪

[@RobertSaxy]

That’s how you get up ¡baby!

[@lazvt8469]

I"m 62..playing since 9...owned my fair share of guitars of every make, model, style, price....and now...my favorites are two Squier CV50's Tele's that I've dropped Fralin and Lollars....simply love the tone and emotional attachment that's developed after becoming my first attempts at swapping pups and messing with wiring (disconnected tone pot from neck pup). Need to start selling off my collection....don't see me playing most of these other 20+ guitars to warrant their ownership. Done over-valuing brands, cost, and country of origin. Great is great. Love your channel, Mike!!!

[@gregmacklin9758]

Amen to that. Gibson Fender, AND PRS know the customer attitude has changed in favor of the budget guitar.

[@Baci302]

What does disconnecting the tone pod from the neck pickup of the Tele.

[@lazvt8469]

@@Baci302 Addresses some of the neck 'muddiness' many say Tele's generally have, and also increases output. Increases neck clarity. I've acquired 12 Teles in very recent years and have done this to all but one (sold my Pro 2) ...even my CS has no tone pot connected to the neck. It's a fairly well known mod. Glad I came across it last year.

[@davidjairala69]

JESUS MARY JOSEPH AND THE CAMEL PLEASE PLAY THE SAME RIFF FOR THE A/B

[@rymontejano]

Nice School of Rock riff..from the opening sequence when Dewy (JB) is in his original band.

[@trev3971]

Those aren't active pickups, they're normal passives; the battery is for the preamp. Also, Fender has been doing this for a while: the Clapton Strat and MIM Deluxe Powerhouse Strat (discontinued) both have a factory mid-boost.

[@nnamhor]

Exactly!

[@denafitzgerald2554]

I thought the battery was for the silent single coil system?

[@J0N4H]

@@denafitzgerald2554you don’t need a battery for noiseless pickups

[@trev3971]

@@denafitzgerald2554 It's both, mid-boost and silent circuit.

[@devDarkest]

99% of all "Active Pickups" are active circuits. They power some combination of a pre-amp, effects, or EF/RF noise cancellation like the old EMG's of the '80s. Pickups are pickups, we got them right the first time. Most guitarists aren't electrical engineers so I wouldn't fault Mike for that but his point got across.

[@kevinduncan9686]

The pickups aren't active. The mid boost is what the battery is for.

[@bkmeahan]

Funny that the main strat alternatives, the G&L and the MusicMan, were both designed by Leo Fender.

[@jasondorsey7110]

This is why the silver sky was such a snafu...prs was directly targetting that strat alternative market

[@andybungert]

Per the initial question. My favorite strat alternative (and main guitars) are the Schecter Nick Johnston imports. Absolutely amazing

[@Ahtlis]

Just talking this morning about guitars and asking some of the questions you answered. Thank you, lol for being right on topic and on time.

[@CornedWalls]

"The one that got away" for me actually was one of the first CT50s made! They weren't quite the CT50s yet, it was just called the Sterling Cutlass, Made in China, before the CT30 even came out, and it was in surf green. It had the big block and locking tuners but a non roasted maple neck and the best passive ceramics I've ever played. Absolutely unreal guitar and I let it go for another guitar that I would also regret getting rid of. Par for the course I guess but the cutlass is awesome!

[@DaringDan]

For the past 4-5 years I've been modding Squiers because the necks are always great, the bodies are great and that's all you need for a modding platform and I can put things in them I'm interested in, and get exactly what I want out of them for a few hundred bucks less.

[@bobmccaslin2040]

That riff sounds like a transmogrified version of the guitar part on “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas! Bob from Spokane Valley, WA USA🎉

[@hankrocks7504]

Riff is from the opening song from School of Rock!!!

[@Jimmy4Thumbs]

Mike, please consider throwing in an occasional 60 second guitar culture spoof video like you used to create when you started your channel. They are sorely missed!

[@Сунђербобан]

Favorite strat alternative is Fujigen Odyssey series

[@timchalmers1700]

My favorite Strat alternative is my 30 year old Alvarez Dana with HSH and a Floyd Rose. The Humbuckers are in the 13 K ohms range and the single coil is in the 5.0 k range. The result is that positions 2, 3, and 4 are great for rhythm parts and 1 and 5 are great for lead parts. I admit that I haven't found a way to get real straty tones, but that's what a Strat is for. And like you said, one is not better than the other, but they are different.

[@4unkb0y]

Alvarez are highly underrated. I have an Alvarez acoustic bass & it's probably the best sounding acoustic bass I've ever played.

[@huxuf_is_an_idiot]

Yet again blessed with another mike cole video

[@iancurrie8844]

I've got the sterling CT50 and an American Professional II strat. Aside from the switch and pots, the CT50 is equivalent. The Torrefied neck with the asymmetrical profile is hard to beat.

[@singsbadly]

WAIT FINALLY HES REVIEWING MY GUITAR LETS GOOO

[@williamheslop9603]

every vid starts with a question, every vid makes us question everything we thought we knew🤣

[@scotchvelo]

I'm considering getting this guitar, and this was definitely helpful. Thanks, Mike.

[@douglasraymond5932]

The Fender Roadhouse Strat had either a preamp or active pickups. Great guitar

[@rooster_cogburn1001]

Really dig your channel, sir. And I 100% agree: players can find outstanding alternatives that are similar to Fender products for equal or less money.

[@adamstrachn]

Not just similar, but better in most ways. How it plays, better hardware and price point. I dig Fender, but other brands make it hard to even think about them unless you are all about tradition.

[@tomfoolery342]

Love the old video, you had what my southern grandma used to say, that "Homeless Hair"🤣🤣

[@oreally8605]

I just bought a Taylor 214ce deluxe sunburst. I'm in bliss right now. Strat later.

[@willgrady9621]

Dude... its way too late but i just saw this review today...There was No Vancancy you see and I just happen to run across across this..lol..You're absolutely spot on with your review. Clearly you're a graduate of the School of Rock!...That mid boost is awesome

[@oliverrobinson2897]

The Riff in question I believe is No Vacancy - Fight, most noteabley frim the School of Rock movie. Nice video btw mate glad i found your channel

[@PNWJEEPER01]

Warmoth is my favorite Fender Strat alternative. I like Mighty Mite bodies for my Tele builds. My Warmoth S is a super light alder body with flamed and roasted boatneck, compound 9 to 14 radius and 6190 bass frets. Master volume, master tone and EMG SA-20 (the predecessor of the David Gilmour p/u's) active singles with stacked mid range/gain boost on the lower tone knob. Wilkinson 2 point trem, Wilkinson roller nut and Sperzel lockers. It's always cheaper to build than to buy. Also, you can build to specs that manufacturers can't, don't or won't.

[@devDarkest]

The CT50 is criminally slept on. The 12" Radius is god sent. Flatter neck-profile makes playing so much more comfortable if your willing to compromise on the thumb-over mayer stuff. For modern Polyphia type licks, this guitar does it. I know that the earlier versions before the roasted maple necks had some duds that were poorly setup and needed better fret work but Sterling has got their stuff together. I now own 2 CT50s that I picked up for $349 each at Guitar Center and I am buying a CT50 Plus the second they go on sale.

[@azenteon]

I ended up trying every fender player on the floor at guitar center a year or so ago, and ended up going home with a CT50 simply because it had better QC than all the mexistrats there. Also the asymmetrical neck profile on them is amazing.

[@devDarkest]

​@@azenteon Bro I thought it was just me and my lumberjack hands but that neck profile and radius is to die for. I was guilty of buying only fender and gibson but once the hype ran out on pickups, "tone woods", and nitro cellulose finishes lol, the Ct50 has literally changed the way I play guitar and has legit reduced the fatique I feel after playing. Every fender strat player should try a CT50 or even the Music Man Cutlass once in there life.

[@dbecker33]

School of Rock Fight for your love babyyyyyy

[@revchadbrooks]

I remember looking at Strats when I was in high school. Ended up buying an American Standard in 99. These are the prices I remember. Squire - $199 (there was only 1...not multiple options) Mexican - $350 American Standard - $800 or so. American Deluxe - $1100 That $650 tier was really vague even 25 years ago. Epiphones were in the $400 range...but a Les Paul Studio was $1800 or so. I worked at a dealer back then, and I don't really remember having anything in that mid-tier.

[@andybungert]

8:08 i love that you played this riff 😂❤ That is the opening song from the hit film School of Rock. I don't remember if it had a title

[@Erock503]

Nice find man! Really cool to watch your progression.

[@aeoteroa818]

imo g&l is the evolution of what leo did at fender. i dont believe in pickup magic but their mfds have something special for my ears. i love the updated bridge designs and the updated treble bleed volume pots.

[@PeterMoore350]

Nice guitar bro. I enjoyed your playing too. Cheers from NZ 😎🎸🤘

[@rodnyg7952]

why would I need a Strat alternative if i already have a Strat? Seems a bit silly to consider replacing something with the exact same thing you already possess

[@ocnalbnivek5982]

Am I buggin or is that the riff from the opening scene from School of Rock?

[@tym0ss]

My guitar is the CT50 Plus but in chalk and I love playing this thing!

[@henrystemme8009]

8:55 that‘s no vacancy - fight if anyone is interested. It‘s from school of rock but it‘s a great tune on it‘s own

[@AWM8]

Interesting. I'm more focused on metal guitars (Ibanez, Jackson, ESP, etc.). But the strato is in the category of the Les Paul. Every guitarist loved having one in their collection!

[@ScottSilverstone]

Fender hits that “gap” with their Mexican made instruments… which are arguably their best, too. The G&L and Cutlass you mention are great values.

[@supermario2100]

The Mexican-made Fenders are now the Player series, which are now roughly $850-900. The highest-end Squier is around $450, so there's still a substantial gap in the catalogue there.

[@ScottSilverstone]

@@supermario2100 I keep seeing new Player Series Strats for sale for $650-750

[@KingTunaFish1116]

That riff was from the opening of School of Rock; that riff and movie made me get into guitar. I probably watched it 30 times over a summer break when I was like 13. Also, I just stumbled on your channel, and you make such great videos. You just earned a sub, my friend!

[@shanesway9660]

Best Strat alternative is exactly what this video is about, the Cutlass

[@Nico082890]

That riff is from School of Rock. It’s how the movie open.

[@Viewer20222]

I've lived many hours in Guitar Centers trying gear not being able to afford any of it...and realized that a guitar properly set up makes the biggest different as far as playability regardless of the brand on the headstock. Always go with the guitar that you can afford and will meet your needs at your budget price. Raking in debt for anything is never a good thing, trade and save up to go to the next level until your heart is content with the right instrument for your guitar playing journey whatever that may be. I traded many guitars that I enjoyed playing but were still missing that something that would keep me from parting with them.

[@VinylOcelot]

Was the Riff:: Fight by No vacancy (school of Rock) ? Recognized it almost immediately

[@matthewcyahoo]

Great channel.. Always a good video.. I love the videos that show Fender and Gibson alternatives....

[@KeganVanSickle]

The riff was from School of Rock.

[@JeremyLeech]

Can never have that “one that got away” feeling if you never sell one! Ha! I have a problem.

[@TKessler]

School of Rock - that riff you played 😂

[@NetVoyer]

My favorite alternative to the Strat is my Denelctro DC3.

[@activese]

Regarding your question, My favourite Fender strat alternative, is the Squier strat or any Yamaha Pacifica. Cheers.

[@JordanClark-cd9fl]

“The one that got away” for me was a 1991 Strat Ultra. Flame maple capped body, HSS configured Lace Sensor pickups, locking tuners and bridge, ebony fretboard setup perfectly. Got it 100% for free. Sold it for $1100 to pay for school, now they go on Reverb for $2500+. Worst decision I ever made (at least for guitars lol).

[@briandipierro8865]

That guitar riff, wasn't that Fight For Your Love by No Vacancy from School of Rock? I'd recognize it anywhere!

[@Dimas5]

Wow this guitar is way more versatile than the tele!

[@arrondaniels358]

Awesome job, brother!

[@aaronbuell2090]

What that riff from “Fight”, by No Vacancy, Jack Black’s band at the beginning of School of Rock?

[@LucasJRice]

School of Rock

[@CrankItToELEVEN]

Awesome video Mike!! Very cool

[@Charles-Darwin]

Not fretboard radius, but does the neck have a 'progressive' or asymmetric profile to it?

[@futureace73]

Thumbs up for the No Vacancy riff

[@BennettMarks]

There was one strat that fender did that they put a mid boost in the volume pot. I think it was a fender player series strat and I think they released it in 2020 I could be wrong on the date someone els in the comments probably knows what I'm talking about and knows what year they released it. I remember people saying they liked it.

[@maxcunninghammusic]

School of rock my dude. First scene with no vacancy.

[@later_daze_4080]

Is that riff from School Of Rock in Jack Black's band in the beginning of the movie?

[@dstarling61]

That Sapphire Blue Highway One, was Corey Wongs one that got away. His signature model is based on that guitar. Fender, please bring back Sapphire Blue!

[@ginge4189]

NO VACANCY!!!!!!!!!!

[@4unkb0y]

for me the One that got away was something I really should've bought 25 years ago. 1974 Fender Jazz Bass. Maple neck with the pearloid block inlays, looks just like the one John Paul Jones played on a bunch of Led Zep gigs. I could've gotten it for a really good price but I was just not that into Jazz Basses at the time (having just traded one for a Warwick Streamer which I still have; no regrets there :-) & I didn't really have the money. I could've stretched my finances for a couple months & made it work, but I was in the mindset of "nah, I should be reasonable, I already have a good bass...". Of course it's worth 5x that now...

[@futureace73]

Please link me the hot dog channel

[@brentheathersimons7042]

Hi Mike? Is that riff from the movie "Rockstar"? Really enjoying your channel and I'm a bassist that just dabbles in guitar. Best wishes- Brent, VT USA

[@RevGerryRM]

I too, have owned several Fender Stratocasters, from SSS to HSS to parts casters. None felt right and yes, I regret selling them all. I presently own two Squiers and love them, a SSS and a HSS.

[@KIMmanderBrian]

Isn't that the riff for the opening of School of Rock that Jack Black's band is playing?

[@ManfredElsingBielefeld]

my highwaystrat is a Blade Strat by lewinson!nice video!thx a lot!

[@zoeherriot]

Reverend Guitars - the Bass Contour knob is a revelation.

[@Turej87]

Do you think that the Ibanez AZ2204 still sounds better ? Given the price ..It should ^^

[@bradruhfel4883]

Doesn’t the new revstar have a similar midboost?

[@D14V0R05]

Fender tries new stuff with Squier, their Paranormal and Contemporary series have some interesting stuff.

[@Discotex100]

I have watched a few reviews on this guitar. Nobody has mentioned the action. Do you like it?

[@nnamhor]

Active pickups or passive pickups with a preamp does not mean you won’t have 60Hz noise from the single coil pickup. To the contrary. The preamp will often amplify any noise just as it would any signal you want your pickup to get from the string. It’s all electrical signals coming to the preamp, which can’t tell the difference. And your riff was from the “School of Rock” movie.

[@kevinduncan9686]

Active pickups are silent including single coils. I've owned multiple types and they were all silent. The pickups in this guitar aren't active. The battery is for the boost circuit.

[@thseed7]

Gonna need a link for the Hot Dog channel please. 🤣

[@Bignarfin]

i need this hotdog channel

[@GavinStroup28]

The riff is from school of rock!!

[@treeman5263]

Cutlessss I love them so much I have one to

[@remingtonswanson8759]

The fact that he can get me to understand the whole 12 min video on a type of pickup I’ve never heard of is wild. One of my favorite channels for sure

[@benodaboy]

Ok. So mine is a chibson lespaul with a rout for a midke pickup that i got from a dumpster. I put humbucker p90s in that sucker with a trapese bridge and roller sadles and ooooooohhhh boy. Is it fun. I swapped out the three-way selector for a 5way rotary with a chicken head and honestly its a great guitar. My goto for an outdoor gig because i dont care if it gets wrecked, and it looks bad asssss white with gold harwear.

[@austinkruger6609]

Instantly recognized the riff from the opening song in School of Rock /,,/

[@93greenstrat]

The good ole' Highway 1 Strat......now reincarnated as the Cory Wong signature model (at a premium price). Or probably more accurately, the signature model is based on his old Highway 1 with premium features added.

[@jakenalex2593]

SCHOOL OF ROCK!!!

[@toxiic1568]

hell yeah perfect timing

[@Lean6]

I bought the same color CT50 Plus several months ago, and I haven't played it yet. I'm pretty sure that I have too many guitars.

[@Johnsonsproc7]

No Vanancy Fight 👌🏻 nostalgia riff

[@KBNZ83]

You should review a EVH Wolfgang Special.

[@Passarium-1195]

Bro was playing the riff from school of rock

[@trevorsoranno4625]

NO VACANCY!!!

[@jonprendergast]

I looked...there is no second hotdog channel. Trust was lost today...

[@gustavojsierra6321]

I wanted to get one of those bit I've heard that the trem system socks.....I don't want to spend 600 just to find out.

[@dbern939]

Hey Mike, everytime you say ''check out the link in the description'' in a video, there is never a link in the description. Other than that, great vid! PS: My favorite strat Ive ever owned is a Sire S7 which is around 700$. Blows my American Pro strat out of the water. It has roasted maple neck, locking tuners, bone nut, great pickups, etc... lots of amazing features.

[@astren9619]

there are many links in the description haha

[@dbern939]

​@@astren9619Yes his gear, but if mentions a previous video and says link in the descrption (at 10:45) in this case, the link is always missing.

[@AORTA_X_FEVER]

is it SSH? I thought it was HSS?

[@buck7477]

I’m not sure I like the way this guitar sounds! To me it sounds tinty! But I like everything else about it. Hopefully a Dmarzio super distortion would fispx this problem. How do the Electronics compare to an American Strat or an American Music Man?

[@joeking433]

I had a '73 Fender Strat that played like butter and I sold it for $350.

[@jasondorsey7110]

I had a '61 ampeg reverberocket that was the best amp ever and I traded it for a fender

[@Baci302]

It’s a PUSH-PUSH!!! 😂