Don't buy a Fender Strat until you have Played the 1954 Reissue

[@TheGuitarGeek]

What a loverly Strat! Get it at Sweetwater - sweetwater.sjv.io/q49kWY Get it at Thomann - thmn.to/thocf/iho6odhjdx

[@douglaspate9314]

And it is less than 3000€

[@DavidPham-k1p]

Weird.. you look exactly like the guy from @shutupandsitdown

[@worldoftanksaveragaplayer]

What a bargain for “only” €2800!

[@tommieclair6279]

What guitar amp are you using in this video? Thank you

[@damianclarkson]

Just played 1 of these in PMT and it was easily the best strat in the shop. V heavy but how the pickups act and the tone were way ahead of the others. The others including an Amercian pro 2, vintera 2 60s, vintera 2 50s and player series. The 54 70th anniversary was warm and full sounding and the pickups break up the more you dig in. Cracking guitar but veeeeery pricey! Only negatives are the look of it - is pretty dull and the weight. If I could have it in firemist silver and about a lb lighter id be in!

[@philosophicallyspeaking6463]

Thanks for playing serviceable riffs instead of shredding.

[@TheGuitarGeek]

you are very welcome!

[@rockers2rockers616]

The original design really was the best. The Fender Stratocaster is a 20th century icon and that guitar sounds fantastic.

[@BillNelson-OU812]

I’m going to wait five years because 75th Anniversary just sounds better.

[@xneurianx]

They really should have done a release last year.

[@marlonpotakaharu4117]

@@xneurianx nice

[@I.am_Groot]

Fo sho.

[@jerryhorton5708]

😂

[@karmicselling4252]

Wait 30 years and you can get a 100th Anniversary one.

[@watto59]

man that sound that come out of that strat when you started playing just did it for me ,thats sounds unbelievble

[@jmorg1267]

It’s amazing Fender keeps finding ways to sell the same guitar for more money.

[@aliengrey6052]

Lol

[@PXR5-PXR5]

Lol😂

[@Allen-tm9xn]

It looks almost just like my American special

[@BasilHayden]

There was nothing wrong with the original design and time does go by. 5 cent gas also no more, don't wanna shock ya.

[@markv.5962]

Lolololololol

[@glennbzt]

My birth year …now I’m jonesing for this …better hurry I’m 70 …played in 70’s 80’s 90’s Love strats..love the tone knobs round string tree..

[@renodavid]

I’m the same age. Shouldn’t we get some sort of discount on this guitar for surviving the length of time as the iconic Stratocaster? It makes complete sense to me.😛 Fender has really done an incredible job on this replica. It sounds fantastic.

[@bigdaddystinkeye]

@@renodavid I wanna join this club, too. 70 in November. I might buy one if I can find one like the guitar being reviewed here. My first serious guitar was a used '68 I bought in 1974. I've been through several between then and now.

[@renodavid]

@@bigdaddystinkeye Getting this guitar might help ease the pain of not hanging onto some great instruments from years past. At one point I actually had a ‘64 Strat that I bought very cheaply around 1970. Like an idiot I got rid of it a few years later. Can you imagine? 😥

[@bigdaddystinkeye]

@@renodavid I did the same with that '68, a '59 Tele and a '65 SG plus several tweed, brown and blackface Fender amps. That's just the way it goes 🙂 I try not to dwell on it.

[@allanflippin2453]

For me, it's hard to imagine a strat without a five-position selector. Long live positions 2 and 4!

[@ronedee]

Hard for me, to imagine spending $2600 on it too!

[@BrianOboylemusic]

Dude , I don't ever use the other settings .. 2&4 ... That's it

[@paulcasilio1119]

THIS guitar, according to Fender, does come with a five way switch in the case.

[@allanflippin2453]

@@paulcasilio1119 Aha! Then Andy needs to look in the case more thoroughly. Thanks for the detail!

[@angrypantsman6034]

@@paulcasilio1119 Came here to say the exact same thing :P

[@starshineraiser6729]

Strats have gotten as good as the originals. I’ve been playing and buying high end Stratocasters for years, and just got a lightweight 61 AV2. It’s the snappiest lively Strat I’ve ever played.

[@brucerichard2904]

That may be the Stratiest Strat I've ever heard.

[@I.am_Groot]

Had a vintage reissue sounded amazing nearly noiseless pickups this is extra to me not a bad price for what it is and will likely hold value pretty well

[@douglaspate9314]

Well said

[@rikardocarvalho]

BS

[@alshotrodgarage4779]

Got mine 3 weeks ago and the off gassing is insane, plays like a melodic dream

[@kalamazoousa4412]

April 1970 US prices ranged from $315 for a Sunburst right handed strat with rosewood fretboard and no tremolo, to $439.50 for a left-handed strat in a custom color, with a maple fretboard, and tremolo. The guitar pictured below would be $367 in 1970.

[@aureliusandthespiral]

Interesting. With inflation that's 2,400 ish

[@doug1274]

The median income of all families in 1970 was about $9,870. The average home cost $23,000.

[@gbc77000]

That would be $2,917.00 adjusted for today so they're actually cheaper now.

[@limitededition1053]

@@Mrlz56 Is this a wind up? It cost more than that for the parts before they put labour on to those parts such as initial cutting, milling and shaping of the timbers etc etc. Then you need labour to operate and maintain the cnc machines, business rates, insurance etc etc.

[@gbc77000]

​@@Mrlz56punch in the numbers on any inflation calculator site yourself.

[@bwmac]

Glad you like it Andy. My wife bought me a 54 for my 54th birthday. Definitely not a metal guitar

[@cobhc182]

My favorite guitar is my American Vintage II ‘61 Strat in Fiesta Red. This looks pretty tempting.

[@TheGuitarGeek]

Oh I bet that is also a great guitar!

[@doug1274]

Mine too. It is the best guitar I’ve ever played.

[@EHCreative]

I have the 60th anniversary 54' strat. I have bought and sold many other strats including custom shops. I still have the 54 because its so good.

[@MyLifEcademy-sr4hy]

I love my 60th Anniversary '54

[@DBicakci]

I have a 64 spec 50th, has been with me more than 20 years. Still the best I played.

[@gustavoloebel]

me too, amazing guitar! Unsoldable one!

[@araag.4257]

What makes it better compared to the others for you?

[@DBicakci]

@@araag.4257 for me, it gives you a delightful little more nuances while playing and complements your playing. you want to play more and more.

[@schecterseven3894]

Custom shop 54 Strat's for everyone!🤞

[@jntroisi]

I learned about this guitar very recently and watched your review. I went to my AD yesterday and played it and had to buy it. Amazing guitar and such a good compliment to my AVII 51 Telecaster. Feeling extremely fortunate 😊

[@danielbarbieri8199]

In 2004 they did the same for the 50th anniversary. The guitar was exactly the same. It was for me the reconciliation with Fender. ps: with the 50th anniversary, a 5 pos switch was provided in the box

[@latorrefazionemusic]

I think that the tuning pegs are different: in the 2004 version (which i have and always love to play) they are more squared, while in this version they seem to have made them rounded "oval" shaped exactly like the original Strats made in 1954. This and the 3 position selector make this model closer to the original 1954 than the 2004 reissue. I wonder also if the white plastic thing on the top of the toggle switch resembles more the original 🤔 i've seen pictures of '54 real strats and it was sort of a mini football shape: the 2004 model had it more pointy, like a rounded pyramid.. (yes: I'm obsessed with strats 😅🤩)

[@GavinAtkin]

I've played a Custom Shop '54 Strat since the late 80s. It cost what seemed like a fortune at the time, but I haven't regretted buying it for a second.

[@lgtvboxultrahd2829]

I know this is late, but your review actually helped me finally decide which new guitar I want. This guitar will be my second Fender, the first one being the Jimi Hendrix signature Strat. Once again Thanks for the detailed review! 🙌

[@The..Butterfly..Effect]

The wood is beautiful

[@SeanOHanlon]

Geezus. That bridge pickup sounds like a Telecaster. 😳 I commented before watching the entire video. Now that I have I can say that it sounds like heaven. All of it. Every pickup and every setting.

[@kenster865]

You've peaked my interest in maybe getting one of these just for giggles. I've already got 3 Strat's, the latest was a direct buy from the Corona factory 3 years ago. I love them all!!

[@renodavid]

I had to come back to rewatch this. I really enjoyed seeing you explore your inner Buddy Holly. Really, everything you threw at it sounds fantastic. What a guitar! Well done, Fender. 👍

[@kevingamboa9420]

Oh man, I'm getting buyers' remorse for getting my PRS CE 24. This strat is inspirational and would like one of these and a 60s reissue. Thanks for this review

[@karmicselling4252]

The 1980s MIJ Fender '57 Reissues made in the FujiGen Gakki factory between 1982 and 1987 are every bit as good as any Anniversary model from a playing perspective. They offered the best value of any electric guitar ever produced by the Fender Musical Instrument Company. Anyone in posession of a decent quality one of those in 2024 knows exactly what I'm talking about.

[@gm-zz8so]

Just got mine today and have to tell you your not alone....this Strat has beautiful tone ( and I have two others dating back to 96'). It makes my other Strats almost nothing more than wood. Turns out mine is a one piece ash ( a luthier looked it over to confirm).

[@donmunson4802]

The 2014 was said to have a vintage correct side seam, a feature that made it appear as a one piece body although the seam was offset from the center. If they have done that with this latest version, your luthier could have missed it. A one piece body would never have occurred in 54.

[@sale83]

Case candy almost identical to what I got with my 56. It has the best feeling neck of all my guitars. Sunburst the same as on my 57(best sounding strat I have) That being said, will I get this one...hell yeah

[@BITESIZEJONES]

A new guitar must be exciting. Im still playing my 1987 strat that i bought in 1988.

[@Roy_Gaber]

Sweet guitar! I went to order one and they are on backlog. I reckon I need to reserve one. Thanks for the demo. That Strat really made you want to play, you can see/hear that.

[@neerajbenjamin1919]

He's having far too much fun!!👊🏾❤️🎸🎶🙂

[@ThatMattGoodMusic]

Nice that they got all the hardware shape differences in there - sounds mint in your hands as well!

[@TheGuitarGeek]

Yes they do. Thanks mate!

[@enchantederic3792]

That TONE! I agree with every word, that wasn't said. Good work Fender peoples. The tone of that guitar beats the originals at this point. Glory days.

[@maestro0428]

Love this channel! Delivery, guitars and playing all on point!

[@Deliquescentinsight]

That is about the Strattiest Strat I have seen recently, I like the three way switch, one doesn't use the in-between tones that often, I especially like the spank of the middle pickup which is great for soloing - nearly 4,000$ in Australian money, phew! Thanks for showing the guitar mate!

[@jntroisi]

I think this model makes sense. People like me want as original design as possible and they did a pretty good job hitting the mark.

[@KevinHallSurfing]

Have a good '62 reissue made in 1984 in Japan . Absolute spot on copy with US vintage pickups. Still have the ashtray and the curly cable with "authentic" plugs. Had to buy a replacement spring for the tremlo arm about all. These reissues can indeed be awesome.

[@solarismoon3046]

If it was made in nineteen eighty four I guarantee it won't sound exactly like the 54's in these guitars. The magnets in those early eighties guitars are alnico V and the magnets in the '54 models are alinico III magnets and are bigger that the ones from the nineteen seventies on. When CBS owned Fender they made the magnets slightly smaller than the originally were. Fender had to research these magnets and their diameter as well as the knobs and switch and cover plate for the tremolo as well as the formulation for them and the pickup covers. They know their stuff. Your guitar may sound good buy any amp made today can make any guitar sound good!

[@KevinHallSurfing]

@@solarismoon3046 Yes scratch plate has correct screw spacings, black print knobs, body contour and neck etc and pickups were done to spec by CBS in USA and probably much better than '62 era tech. It's a reissue and sounds much the same as any "vintage" era strat but feels the same as a 62 and a treat play.

[@solarismoon3046]

@@KevinHallSurfing I'm not saying that those Japanese Strats aren't great because they are! I wish I kept the one that my cousin sold for $200.00 over twenty five years ago. Those would be even better if they would reissue them the same way that they were then.

[@TexTom1981]

that finish looks absolutely perfect.

[@slomo7070]

The Eric Johnson signature Stratocaster is THE BEST Stratocaster money can buy, prove me wrong!

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

Del Shannon "Runaway". Are the frets fatter? The strings are going to be a pain to replace unless you line the trem block up with the tiny round backplate holes using the vibrato arm or just remove the backplate ? It does sound super Zingy and Fendery in extremis, proves that they can build fine instruments when they have to. I have one of the 70th anniversary Esquire 1950 models and that too has a "Unique " pick-up . These Guitars should be played and not stashed away , well done on the enthusiastic demo!

[@ipullstuffapart]

I picked one of these up yesterday, the player series was pretty good value and came in ahead of the Silver Sky SE for my preference. The tag at the store said "Sounds like a Strat" and I tend to agree.

[@mrredritehand]

A Squier Classic Vibes 50's Strat is an awesome guitar and will get you 75% there imo

[@kellygotell1179]

I am thinking on getting one, just tried one at my local store. It sounded awesome, heavy bite and snarl. Doesn’t have tone control for bridge pickup, was thinking to opt for 57

[@markcorcoran482]

Amidst all the gorgeousity and lovely sonics, there is, alas, the blight of that Fender 70th business on the lining of the lid.

[@jstrat121]

I own the 40th anniversary Strat(1994)…..exact same except came with the old style case(same case candy)……will be buried with it,lol.

[@umbertoyltp]

I suggested a 69th Anniversary edition a year ago. It did not work out.

[@2hardbackrub743]

Really sounds mean and you clearly have a connection with it! Instant forever guitar

[@landslug]

That is a beauty! The pure tone of a fine strat simply says 'This is an Electric Guitar'. What more could you ask for?

[@pa4tim]

I bought my USA strat new in 1989. It came with a strap and a cord. The cord was black with black rubber covered connectors. Mine looks like yours. I still have it including the case and case candy. I do not totally recall the price because I traded in a Japanese Fender and it was pre-euro. I think it was around 800 euro's new. A friend had a 25th any, I loved that guitar. Huge neck and a very heavy guitar.

[@DH-tj6tf]

I normally just take vids like this with a grain of salt, but actually watched all the way thru your presentation got me a little excited about that Beautiful Strat😎👍

[@primeDecomposition]

I have a 12 yr old EJ strat that’s very 50’s aesthetic, but with a lot of more modern specs. Would be such a gas to own a strat like this with pretty much dead-on 50’s strat specs, 7.25” radius!probably not necessarily a great player, but killer mojo.

[@slomo7070]

EJs are the BEST strat money can buy, for sure.

[@SurnaturalM]

I have a 1973 precision bass, and it's very light as well.

[@CustomTele52RI]

That would be an awesome guitar, were it not for the 7.25" neck that was abandoned decades ago for excellent reasons. TONE for days, though! I'll stick with my '63 Danocaster double-cut, which I settled on after trying every American and Custom Shop Strat I could get my hands on. Dan let me specify the neck profile and pickups. It seemed the most authentic even though (or perhaps BECAUSE) it has NO modern Fender parts in it. My conclusion ten years ago was that Fender simply COULD NOT make them like they used to. Maybe this is an exception.

[@Longplay_Games]

That's a beautiful sounding strat.

[@StratsRUs]

That IS light ! Sounds perfect to me for a mix and a band. Great demo/review as always. Cheers !

[@TheUlesifah82]

I can just tell you’re loving that Strat ! What a gorgeous guitar! I’ve already got 2 Fender Strats and a Jet Strat but this is giving me GAS insanely bad!! 😮 Nice Strat quacking strums too buddy! Awesome video! Hopefully you keep that gem 💎

[@trevormoss1396]

What a nice and enthusiastic review Andy. When you see so many new ones it must be great to get a bit of a surprise where the the grin just keeps getting bigger. Thanks for sharing the joy.

[@boatingforbeginners7949]

Looks sounds authentically awesome. .Imagine how cool it'd sound thru a vintage Tweed deluxe ! Dam!.. now i gotta go to the toilet!

[@braddillon6215]

I got the 1960 and I love it the neck is awesome fits my hands perfectly and sounds awesome my new number one. Any thoughts on the Friday night special telecaster with the armour Duncan bridge pickup I just ordered one from GC?

[@martinrossel6933]

Great vid, you got me thinking of getting one. And of course it´s easier to take the plastic off if you take a few minutes and remove knobs etc before...

[@johnmcbarron7282]

If you pull on the strings with your fingers (usually the G) after diving, it usually is back in tune.

[@Roger-il8iw]

Bought a 25 year old Mexican strat and it literally just plays and sounds better than any other strat. Sometimes you just get lucky. Cost me $200

[@sgringo]

I bought a Mexican-made Fender Jazz bass for $300. I'm really not a bassist, so I didn't know much about choosing one. But, my ex's friend, who was a pretty accomplished bassist, always wanted to play it when she came to the house. She marvelled at how good it is.

[@jerryhorton5708]

That era of the Mexican Fenders are unreal value. Excellent materials, workmanship, QC, and tone. Great find!

[@Roger-il8iw]

@@jerryhorton5708 when you buy a us made you are literally just paying for more expensive labor. Not saying they are exactly the same, but it’s a small difference in most cases. Only thing I have done to it is literally a new input jack for 12 bucks

[@jerryhorton5708]

@@Roger-il8iw I don’t own any Fenders anymore, but when I did, most of them were US made because of certain specs especially the neck carve. However, your point is absolutely valid. The best Fenders these days are the Squier Classic Vibe or Paranormal series. The Classic Vibes are Chinese manufactured and the Paranormals are mostly Mexico

[@Roger-il8iw]

@@jerryhorton5708 I agree completely. In my experience 10 years ago the squires were mostly just junk. But today the quality of the higher level squires and epiphones is very high. This is not surprising though. Both fender and Gibson are trying to push the foreign made models now. They make insane margins on those guitars. I am absolutely pro America, and American made guitars may very well be the best. But Gibson and fender are literally motivated to get you to stop buying American made. It’s a sad situation

[@stevejamieson1613]

Sounds like the weight of these varies wildly. I have seen other videos where the guitar comes in much much heavier (to it's detriment)

[@saarangnarayan123]

Your playing was on another level here! Maybe it's the guitar, or maybe it's the mojo in the 'fro that was dripping through here. Enjoyed the whole thing!

[@TheGuitarGeek]

Thanks mate. The guitar is extremely inspiring and fits me perfectly. The amp is also doing a lot of heavy lifting. So I was able to play comfortably and freely.

[@tbright3441]

Yea man as soon as I heard it , real deal !

[@yernickle]

I remember the silver 25th anni. model . I like the te grain matching on the body on this one. And if the lighter ash variety then all the better.

[@Tonetwisters]

Gently turn the box over, and lift the box off. My very first guitar was a 1954 Stratocaster that went out the window of my brother's '61 FORD station wagon early one morning, July, 1965. This axe is just another Stratocaster. But boy, it IS tempting ...

[@bobbylee4431]

The plastics are modelled on the 54 originals so not a new type - kinda the opposite. I’m amazed the custom shop guy didn’t tell you that. You’ll notice it also has the “football” shaped selector switch, and the back plate drilled with circular holes rather than longer slots.

[@TheGuitarGeek]

They did tell me! I noticed before they did though 😂

[@garrettstiles7808]

A+ demo! I know it’s sacrilege, but I think I’d have to wire in a CRL 5-way…

[@gluteusmaximus1657]

Is a hardtail version available?

[@renodavid]

Beautiful guitar. It’s actually so beautiful (like a museum piece) that it might scare me away from playing it. I would hate to scratch it!

[@josephbelcher2568]

Seems like you've found a keeper. Nice looking sunburst.

[@robertmitchell2178]

I just took the spring out of my 1963 Strat 3 way switch before they made 5 ways. I would do the same with this one.

[@MrMoneyHelper]

These are beautiful. Since I already owned a made in America Stratocaster, and enjoyed it for over twenty years, I don't think I need another one. If I were to get another Leo Fender designed product, it would be something from G&L. Leo's creations and updates were his best work. This anniversary guitar does have that sound of the originals. It looks and sounds like a winner. Maybe adding that five way switch took away those great tones of the past.

[@Ashley-oi8cj]

I'm not surprised it's a nice guitar. I bought an AVii last year and they're fantastic. Easily my fav guitar

[@mcadder]

It's a fantastic guitar. It has got the magic.

[@BuffaloC305]

I appreciate your video-inset of the selected pedal and knob-settings. Thanks.

[@amateurmakingmistakes]

Hmm. My wife gave me a 60th anniversary Strat American Deluxe a decade ago for my 60th birthday ... and as I already have another Strat, I might resist, but hey, this model you're showing here is more authentic than the 60th one, which has a "loudness" button in between the two tone knobs.

[@andrewmorgan1640]

Ooooh. Have a 50th anniversary 54. This looks delightful. Maybe I get a friend for it? Hope you are doing well mate!

[@rikardocarvalho]

Wow.... FINALLY a strat that looks and sounds like all others. How much you got to make it such a wonder ?

[@dylanpardon9723]

Wow that’s the nicest Strat I’ve heard over YT for a while! Nice playing too mate 👍

[@TheGuitarGeek]

Thank you!

[@troyheffernan1261]

That just might be the best strat ive ever heard.

[@billvilla7799]

Beautiful Strat Andy! Sounds outstanding...could just be you! How are you and the family? Hope all is well.

[@davidlouis2354]

Not a big strat fan, but this one I could live with. It's so balanced. How many owners will be tempted to fit in a five way switch and keep the original in reserve.

[@teerakkiss]

great video,, love watching you have fun.. does your face hurt from smiling? congratulations

[@TheGuitarGeek]

It does a bit but im fine with that!! 😂

[@barcham]

I need one of these!!!!! I absolutely have to get one! Just for the case candy.

[@solarismoon3046]

Here's a little bit of information for you Andy. I know that this was two weeks ago but if you see this know that these knobs were originally bigger than the ones of today. The switch tip was football shaped, and the pickup covers were rounded and the magnets were alnico III with styrene formulation in all the plastic parts. The tremolo arm tip is more bulbous as well. You can see the tremolo cover plate holes are round. The other changes came much later and were that way until the 1954 reissue of 2004 when they went through all the old guitars and information for specs were researched and replicated.

[@JamieTec]

So much happiness here.

[@dannielsen]

I still got my lovly 50 anniversary deluxe from 2004 :) but cool to see this new model.

[@russelldobson9945]

I really like the attention to detail and this is pretty close to the 54 Masterbuilt run they did in 2004 in terms of spec. They have made 2 spec omissions that I’ve noticed- the top strap button on a 54 should be angled more into the inner horn and the 2 piece body should have an offset join. I expect these points will be fixed in the custom shop run and they aren’t deal breaking given the price gap but given they have reissued the old style knobs, switch tip, trem arm tip, curved pickup covers and documentation, they are highly annoying.

[@JocAn-ri7ey]

Have a ‘56 reissue with a tremolo in red; yanked out those hissy pups and installed fender noiseless series five pups; one of my fave reissues. I can no longer deal with hissy pups. Screw that its authentic hiss with the tone. I love a non hissing guitar

[@jcsk8]

Saw that another day and I´m impressed. A really cool guitar.

[@artadrians]

I have the 60th anniversary Strat... BRILLIANT GUITAR....BRILLIANT!!!

[@humstrumbangtwang]

Great video Andy. It sounds right, no matter what you played. It also brought out the best in your playing………so buy it! If you don’t, I will 😜🎸🍺

[@alex241]

Kudos to Fender for keeping to vintage specs...even a 3 way switch!! I was surprised to see that!! Including a 70th anniversary neck plate AND getting the weight down to 7lbs...LOVE the 50's literature...they just made my next Strat purchase that much more difficult...BUT other than calling it a 70th anniverary, what are the differences between this and the AV2?

[@dannyb2580]

I am waiting on my 54 Masterbuilt Austin Macnutt Strat...Heavy Relic!!!

[@MikeLute]

It`s a joy to see a fellow guitar addict being bonded by a guitar.But are you shure they sent you a reissue and not some overstock from 1954? Could be the explaination for the strings ;-)

[@mokumkat]

The knobs are equal in shape like the bakelite ones from the fifties so they are period correct in that sense 🙂

[@zoeherriot]

You need to try a BlackSmoker strat. They are made in Japan and are fire.🔥

[@jwhite1016aol]

Only thing I'd change would be the super bright whiteness of the pickguard etc. Off white, aged/tan, mint green, anything that's not so bright.

[@TheGuitarGeek]

I hear you. Maybe it needs a bit of playing in