I recently talked about buying a Fender Strat for my next guitar. Upon researching, there is about 1 bagillion stratocaster models. What would be a good (not beginner) fender to buy starting around 400$ And I'm after a certain color, sunburst with a mapel neck. Not sure if they make that color in all models are just a certain few.
You won't get an American Strat for $400 but you can get a made in Mexico one for around that price. I have an MIM strat and it's number one guitar. It has a maple neck.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
I play an American Standard, and I have to say the MIM Strats are amazing. It's not like they're cheap knockoffs using the name whatsoever, they're great guitars in my opinion. If you go higher up in price you'll see a lot of signature models different pickups mostly, and maybe some other gadgets), 50's and 60's tributes, road-worn (seems like it's an old used guitar, pure aesthetics I believe), HSS models (they have a humbucker, and you can use a switch to change it into a single coil), and the American specials, and so on.
For the price I would probably just look at the MIM Standard, or a HSS Standard. I'm installing a Humbucker in my strat, so definitely worth checking out the HSS option. I believe most of the standard models are available in brown sunburst with a maple neck, maybe a few of the special models might not have it. I'm sure some of the people here will have more information though!
I absolutely love my Mexican Fender Stratocaster, it's a great guitar and I keep on playing it, I even think the stock pickups in it sound great.
It's cream (which I wanted because I had seen Hendrix with it in a pic I had on my first Hendrix album that I got) and it has a maple neck.
together we stand, divided we fall..........
You won't get an American Strat for $400 but you can get a made in Mexico one for around that price. I have an MIM strat and it's number one guitar. It has a maple neck.
Bingo.
Or you could get a very similar guitar (I note your screen name) in a used USA Peavey Predator for even less. That's what my "Strat" is. In fact, it replaced a MIM Fender Strat.
Check out the Highway One Strats. They are made in America, and not quite as expensive as the Standard. They are entry level Fenders but not low quality by any means. I absolutely love mine
I've played a few MIM Strats and I've found every single one of them to be really good. In that price range I wouldn't hesitate in buying one.
I have the American Strat with the humbucker and I like the versatility of that so I would consider the Standard HSS as well.
