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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I agree with the other post where Serge is selling his Made in Mexico Strat; they are great instruments and you can't beat the price: this is my 50's Esquire that I have for sale on eBay ... Music Mike\'s Esquire
...is as good as any USA I have ever played; and I owned an original '53 15 years ago...I'm a Strat Person (Electric) and have a wonderful '05 first issue Blonde EJ Strat that is one of the finest I have ever played so I have this offered...
Fender Mexican stuff gets a bad rap: in truth the Ensenada Plant is as modern as any US plant and the quality is great: Yeah, most want to upgrade the pickup and great upgrades are available for $60 and up on the bay...My EJ was nearly 4 times the money...A USA made Esquire is going to be over 2K. Why when there are guitars like these that are great gigging guitars...working man's strats/teles/esquires...
Blessings... |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Gotta love the translucent white with a white PG. Classic look. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I believe the quality of Fender products is satisfactory, but not superb. These guitars are mass produced using assembly line parts based on methodologies that require an absolute minimum number of procedural steps, just like Leo intended. I have six Fender guitars, all USA-made. The three Strats and '52 Tele RI are ash bodied. One of the Jags is an original from '62. However, only one of the guitars really speaks to me, a '99 Strat with SRV Texas Special pups. It really feels perfect to me. In fact, if I could only keep one electric, this would be it. It brings home Eric Clapton's story of discovering his perfect guitar (I think he called his first Brownie and his second was Blackie). He had his pick of hundreds of guitars and finally fell in love with a mongrel made up of parts from several others. There are so many available that you just have to search around until you find one that feels really perfect. I guess I wasn't quite as picky as EC. |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I have to agree about the ordinary quality of Fender, but the MIM bodies are readily available, priced right and easy to work on. Generally, for me, I'd get rid of the neck and the guts and rebuild.
It may take a while to sell the esquire, though, the buyer will have to be an esquire fan. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | get rid of the neck This neck is just as nice as any USA RI Fender ever made...its so much better than the MIJ's or the earlier Mexican stuff its not even in the same league...unless having Made in Mexico is the problem (as it is with many) on the back of the Headstock...I used to be that way...but actual in hand/ear quality and the crazy market convinced me otherwise...my made in Mexico HR Deluxe in cream tolex w/ Celestion vintage 30 another great product: it held its own with three Marshalls at the gig last weekend; I had Marshal players that couldn’t believe it. Not everything out of Mexico is tremendous…but if you look at all factors its pretty darn nice (and affordable…more money to buy Ovations/Adamas’s...I don't care about the collectibles issue, I just know what sounds good and plays well...if it doesn't sell, NP; I'll enjoy it...
Blessings...
:D |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Made in Mexico means nothing. They eat tacos there just like they do at the USA factory in Corona Ca.
It's the raw fish countries that things change. Not throwing stones, it's just different and some of the Fender Japan stuff is great. The Ghandi strats did leave something to be desired though. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Beal,
Some of the RI instruments out of Fender Japan have been as good or better than the US counterpart...what I was refering to in particular was the late 80's early 90's stuff which had terribly cheap electronic's...the fit and finish were good but the electronic's were often the first to be replaced...I had two 69 Tele RI's one from Mexico and the other from Japan: the one from Mexico played and sounded much better than the nearly identical one from Japan: the pots/wiring/switches/etc. in the Japan model were very cheap. Sold it and kept the Mexican 69 Tele...with an old tweed case I had, it was a scary stand in for the real deal...another guitar that sold and made someone very happy!
Oh well, to each their own...Play and Enjoy!
Blessings... |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . The Ghandi strats did leave something to be desired though . ."
Yeah, but they got great Customer Sorbizz.
". . Deed ju unploog de guitar and ploog it beck hin again?? . . " |
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March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | "Thank you Paul. Now Paul, we are going to try to reboot the computer. Paul, I want you find the off switch, then Paul, push the off switch, then Paul, while you wait.....
Drives me f*#kin' nuts! |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | it's actually a short putt . . . |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Hey Paul and Cliff: seriously for a moment: I'm going to change the strings on the 1687: Paul you suggested mediums and I think thats a good call...but what brand strings do you guys recomend?? |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Daddario. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | My SlotHead's got D'Add EJ16's (lights) on it.
The LongNecks's got EJ18's (heavys), and evrything else EJ17's (meds).
YMMV, but (for me) the EJ16's sounded the best on THAT particular guitar.
FWIW, I don't use coated strings, either. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Thanks guys; I was leaning to the Daddario's myself...I do use Elixirs (a mix of poly and nano) on my O's (the 12's especially sound great with them) but I am impressed with how the D's sound on the guitars I got back from the Spa...like the snake T at the ski lodge...and I am looking for a bigger bass sound on the 1687 so I will try a set of EJ-17's...I have Elixir Nano Phosphors on it now (lite) and it sounds great...but Paul suggested Mediums so I'll give it a shot,,,ya never know until ya try sometimes...BTW, AL I'm hoping you survived the lightening strike... |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | WTF?!?!? I think I'm having acid flashforwards ... |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Easy SB, just get away from the lights and stop waving your hands in front of your face... ;)
Blessings... |
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March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Mike, I've got Elixir phos/bronze on my OFC slot, light gauge. Next time I change I'm going to try the medium lights. The lights sound pretty good, but I'm hoping it will boom with the med/lites.
Every guitar is different as to what it likes. I've got Elixir phos/bronze lights on the 87 C and GC RI, but regular Elixir poly, mediums on the 1537. On the FD14 I've got the Elixir phos/bronze mediums but will got to the medium/lights next time around. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Thanks Paul...I've found that each is different as well...I think I'll just get several different sets and try them all...I really like the Elixir's (phos. Nano's lite) on the 1687 right now but I think that a little heavier bottom will produce the bass I know that this guitar has capabilities to produce...I'll just have to experiment...I'll let you know what I find out...Thanks my friend...
Blessings... |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Everything's all right now ... somehow the rapid transition from Fender Esquires to acoustic strings with no apparent segue gave me temporary vertigo. But it was a cool feeling for a while. :cool: |
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March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Sorry SB, but glad all is ok now...
To get us back on track, I set up the Esquire last night and it plays like butter...if I did not know it was a Mexico product, I would never guess...Chrome Dome Knobs; 50's switch tip; etc, etc...I will not talk myself out of this sale but if it does not, it won't break my heart: speaking of sets: 
My 50's Esquire and my EJ Strat.
Blessings... :cool: |
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November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | Two words Music, BIGGER VAN! |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | BJM: How about this "Bigger Van":
I think that will work...parking may be a problem... :D
Blessings... |
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My Esquire for sale
