Best bang for your buck strat

[guitarfishbay]

A used Fender US strat.

I think they're about £5-600 s/h in good nick, they come with a case, and they play great and have good pickups. You could get 'better' pickups, but a Fender US Standard Strat with Fender US standard pickups sounds as stratty as you'll need. They're generally pretty consistent and they hold up to gigging fine.

Most importantly, they'll hold value better than anything else you'll buy in that price range that is also a Strat. If you want a gigging Strat and have that kind of money, I wouldn't look anywhere else. If you've got less cash look at some lower range US or higher range MIM models.

[paultheoneyoulove]

Godin session (humbucker in bridge though) - http://www.gak.co.uk/en/godin-sessio...ple-Neck/42610

For 3 singles, Godin Progression - http://www.gak.co.uk/en/godin-progre...retboard/30730

Godin guitars are Canadian guitars and are not popular. Not sure why, but they're an under the radar kind of guitar for strats. Used, you can pick them up for the price of a top spec squire or Mex strat.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Godin-Prog...item337f6b02c8

£350 for an excellent guitar (probably). That one also has an active boost circuit to kick in to help you with driven tones, or to add a bit of a boost to solos.

G+L guitars are always excellent, too, but my money would be on the Godin just to be different

[Guitarmonkey]

A used Fender US strat.

Definitely. Avoid the 90s models though and anything that's had a hard life. You don't want to pay for a refret.

[erictheweary]

Used G&L Legacy if you can find one.

Otherwise a Fender CP50's is always a good bet

used CP50 is £350? To my hands/ears much nicer than a MIM standard and a big step up from the Squiers. Tuscan wants a maple board so it would have to be a 50 not a 60 and I wasn't keen on the over flat fingerboard on the 60 (my aging MIJ strat has a vintage radius).Not tried a Legacy but they have posh pups already in n'est ce pas, which would be a bonus?

I like the Fret King stuff as well, the Corona comes in various forms including S/C at bridge or P90 or bucker. They seem to depreciate quite a bit so bargains to be had if you are a patient eBayer.

[Rox]

But he's asking for 'Best Bang for your Buck' - a US Fender Strat isn't the best value, even secondhand, by a long shot. There are much better guitars second hand that won't depreciate from their current s/h value. You'll spend much less, and still get that money back as long as you don't thrash it.

[monquixote]

It really depends on your price point.

Second hand Squier CV, CP50's, American Standard and G&L and Tom Anderson are all great value, but all different price points.

[guitarfishbay]

But he's asking for 'Best Bang for your Buck' - a US Fender Strat isn't the best value, even secondhand, by a long shot. There are much better guitars second hand that won't depreciate from their current s/h value. You'll spend much less, and still get that money back as long as you don't thrash it.

Sorry, I disagree that it isn't good value.

Of all the others in this thread, a US Standard is the only one which will *probably* go up in value over time. The current going rate for s/h Strats is actually above what I paid for mine new, about 7 years ago. I can't think of many other instruments (besides US standard Teles) where that is the case, though there might be some.

The newest Strats are really good instruments. IMO it is worth looking at anything made in the last decade by Fender, but ideally the newer the better as they've genuinely been improving spec the whole time. None of the MIMs are as good on average, but some are if you're lucky.

Bang for buck is relative of course to your budget, but if you budget is £600 and you want to spend it all, I'd pick a s/h US Standard myself.

[Tuscan777]

Cheers people, this is exactly what I was after - all great recommendations and a fair bit of researching and playing to be done by me!

Oh, and s/h is most definately the preferred option here.

[Adam_MD]

Sorry, I disagree that it isn't good value.

Of all the others in this thread, a US Standard is the only one which will *probably* go up in value over time. The current going rate for s/h Strats is actually above what I paid for mine new, about 7 years ago. I can't think of many other instruments (besides US standard Teles) where that is the case, though there might be some.

That's exactly why I wont buy a second hand US strat the brand new and second hand prices on them are stupid at the minute. I keep seeing 90's US strats on gumtree for £650! It's mental.

[guitarfishbay]

That's exactly why I wont buy a second hand US strat the brand new and second hand prices on them are stupid at the minute. I keep seeing 90's US strats on gumtree for £650! It's mental.

Well Gumtree is an anomalie because you can't see the final sale price. £650 is the high end of US Standard Strat prices, and I certainly wouldn't pay that for a 90s one. Most seem to be mid £500s - low £600s for the going rate, or mid £400s or less if it is a bit beaten up but not old enough to be vintage yet. I think anyway... I've not kept up to speed in recent months.