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I have been an Ibanez JEM and RG player for years. I have installed push pull coil splits on an RG just to try to get a more strat like sound. Also being an Yngwie fan, I really loved the sound and tone he was getting from his Fender. I toyed with getting a different strat and possibly switching pickups and modifying it. But the Yngwie strat ticked all the right boxes already. And I was very curious about scalloped frets, and had read about all the supposed benefits. So I went for it, bought one here, am very happy with the purchase. The guitar is very easy to play. Neck shape is just right, not to fat, not too thin, with a smaller width than most Ibanez necks which is fine with my hands. (cursed with shorter fingers!!) The scallops take some getting used to, but after you do, you'll see that bending and vibrato are amazingly easy and expressive with a scalloped neck. And it really isn't a big deal switching back and forth to your non scalloped necks. But I find myself missing the control the scallops give you. Action is a tad higher than my Ibanez typically are, but I find it not affecting my playing and I love the acoustic like tone of the guitar so well I'm leaving it as not to mess with the sound. The new YJM pickups are actually stacked humbuckers, and are crazy silent. They have great output, and very clear bell like sound. You can hear every note. Suddenly my chords are not muddy with the same amp settings I've used with my Ibanez. And notes are very articulate. The guitar is very responsive to dynamics and is very resonant. With the upper horn hitting my chest while sitting and playing, I can feel the vibrations when playing it. It is awesome. Intonation was great out of the box, easy to hit harmonics and great clarity. I checked several different places, even made a few guitar stores weight the Yngwie guitars they had in stock. I noticed 8 pounds and more to be on the mid to high end for them in weight. So I scoured the internet for sub 8 pound models. The one I got was a little over 7 pounds, and is light and fun to play. The guitar stays in tune very well. But I did smooth out the string channels on the brass nut with fine sand paper, and lubricate the nut and other contact points. I have heavily abused the tremolo system and it stays in tune very well now. It actually takes a decent amount of abuse after you have broken the strings in and have it lubricated well, to make it out of tune. The guitar was not without a few issues, and I will list those below. Overall it is an amazing guitar, good price for an American Fender guitar, and having it makes me want to pick up and play it all the time.

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Ok, this thing really doesn't need a review. It is a fender and has a scalloped neck that plays GREAT!!! The scalloping does take a bit to get used to but that doesn't take very long at all. If you are reading this then you are thinking about getting one I assume, so just get one already because I was in the same place and SO happy that I got it. Awesome guitar!!

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This is a great guitar to add to your arsenal, especially if you have a stable of Super Strats. You will be surprised at how fun these are tp play and how different they are, in a good way.

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I wanted Yngwie Strat since the day i decided to learn to play guitar, Malmsteen was the driving force, so almost 30 years later i decided to get one, i was always super intimidated by this guitar, scalloped fretboard frightened me, every time i 'd pick it up in the store i felt like i was holding the guitar for the first time in my life, surprisingly it didn't take me long at all to get used to it once i had it at home, a week late i was completely comfortable playing it in fact a week later i preferred it to non scalloped guitars, i would love to rate this guitar 5 stars but it had a magnitude of imperfection upon arrival, first of all it arrived with a small neck pocket crack, set up was non existent, there was a paint chip around strap lock cup, the neck was misaligned causing high E string slipping off the fretboard and producing a huge gap in the neck pocket, tremolo arm didn't fit the thread of the tremolo block, i decided to return the guitar immediately without giving it a chance and was super disappointed, so i obtained the refund ticket, however since it was a weekend i decided to try and to set the guitar up, i must say that the neck was perfect so is the fretwork, i reset the neck and changed the strings to Malmsteen signature bullets, i intonated the saddles and lowered the action, there was no need for truss rod adjustment, once the guitar was ready i stared playing it and fell for it rather quickly, all the imperfections aside i decided to keep the guitar as it sounded incredible absolutely the best pick ups i ever heard, noise free and violin like clear, sustain is better than my set neck American PRS Custom, just an incredible tone machine, i contacted zZounds and explained the problems with the guitar submitting pictures as well but told them i was willing to keep it, and was offered a satisfying credit in return, so with some work and price break i am very happy and i love this guitar, however if you are unable to do the work that i did myself it can cost you an additional pretty penny at the repair shop and results may vary, i will only recommend this guitar if you really want one and capable of performing repairs, do the set up and neck reset E.T.C, but once it is up and running there is nothing like Yngwie Strat.

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This is exactly what I wanted when I bought this guitar. Its beautiful, finely crafted, and will add to your playing. 2 grand is nothing, when you will have a guitar for life.

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I have never played a scalloped guitar and was always intimidated. I bought this through zzounds and I was blown away. Tuned it up and did some major bends and stayed in tune. Not having the wood of the fretboard in the way even I (a not so great player) can play faster. For me just feeling the strings feels so good. This sound fantastic and of all thwe guitars I have from music man to les pauls this is my absolute favorite. If you can afford one pull the trigger, you won't be sorryand zZounds can make it happen for you. Just not enough good things to say about this guitar, Ygngwie would be proud

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I'll start this off by saying I admire what Yngwie has brought to guitar playing but I'm not a major fan, I've heard all his albums and like about 60% of them. That being said I also know he is very particular about his guitars, like I am and I know he has paid very close attention to his signature strat. I was sold at that point. The scalloped neck is very nice, very well scalloped and I'm still getting the hang of it but I really dig it. This guitar isn't for everyone but it is a winner.

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Came very well packed. Intonation spot on, had to adjust nothing on it. And that is a first for any guitar I have owned. Great color, more of a pale sun drenched yellow than a vintage white. Frets even and rounded off at the edges of the fretboard. Pickups sound fantastic. My live sound guy loves the way it cuts across the mix

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The YJM guitars are near exceptional and the scalloped board plays like a dream and the craftsmanship is a solid 9 out of 10. It screams and is very well built. There are things I love and things that can be improved. For issues I will explain below on how to fix them!Pros:- Super fast playing neck- Perfect scallop work- New and improved brass nut that is shiny and not clunky like the old one- The contours are nice and the guitar is very comfy to hold- Has the screaming signature YJM sound- The body color being cream is beautiful compared to the older models- Built in strap locks- Comes with a YJM leopard print strap- Tweed case is gorgeousCons:- The tremolo is problematic for a few reasons - The string spacing is on the wide side 2 7/32" which causes high e slips constantly. - The guitar due to the tight 9.5" radius will fret out if you bend up two whole steps unless the action is pretty high. YJM likes his action high- The pickups do not have much gain- You can see tooling marks left behind by the crowing file- The neck is a really white maple neck which is unappealing vs the old models it was an amber yellow which makes more sense when going with a vintage look- Fender tuners are vintage and for me they are not that great. Because they are vintage you will need to drill the head stock if you want to replace with locking tuners. If you do go that route make sure you observe the diameter so you do not have to drill them larger- The string tree is metal and you can hear it making noise when using the trem which sounds like when you pluck a string near the tuner. I replaced mine with a composite one- 21 Frets but I knew that going inHow to fix the bridge issue: - I went and purchased a Callaham VN bridge kit and it's a direct drop in but with 2 1/16" spacing. This dramatically reduced the high e string slips. This also fixed the fret outs as well! The issue is the YJM features a modern nut and spacing with a vintage bridge. You could also loosen the strings, loosen the neck plate screws and realign the neck but unless you change the bridge you are going to have high e slips. Weak gain on the pickups:- YJM used to use a DOD pedal until he went his signature YJM208 and when you dial it in correctly you will get a near perfect YJM sound. - Alternatively if you have AxeFx and I have an AxeFxXLII+ all you need to do is place the tube screamer right before your amp block and dial up the tone on it. I was shocked how close it sounded to my real YJM pedal. You could also omit the tube screamer amp block in the AxeFx and actually run your YJM308 pedal from your guitar into the AxeFx. Overall it's an awesome guitar and I wouldn't even think of returning it or selling it. It really is a job to play and you will be spoiled with a scalloped neck!

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This one deserves an 8 because like I said, for some people, they don't have the touch it takes to play this instrument. It has a different feel to it and is a little awkward if you haven't played a scalloped fret. Overall, it's a well-built, good-quality instrument for players wanting more control over their notes.

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Just received my Yngwie strat from zzounds. Unbelievable tone a true beast. Loved it the minute I set it up and hit the fist chord. Zzounds and Fender simply unbeatable.

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The scalloped feel on the neck will take some getting used to but really helps you to develop a lighter touch which is what you want with the shred school of guitar. Great looks, serious bends and vibrato! I love this guitar!

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I've always been fascinated by scalloped necks and it is very rare that you even see them up close. Having never played one but reading what they are all about, I was anxious to get my hands on one but I wasn't sure about paying the premium price for a Malmsteen Strat. I'm glad I did. if you decide to do it, get the american standard version. You'll pay the extra money but it is well worth it. I also though of this as an investment guitar. Fender will stop making this model one day I suppose and hopefully we'll see ROI on this model. I did the same thing with a Gibson Les Paul Gary Moore I also bought from the fine folks at zZounds. (Did I mention these guys are AWESOME!?!?!)

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Just purchased one of these after years of waiting for right time to spend the money. Something I’d do wrong with the wiring. Pickups are weak. Ground issues soLoud almost unplayable. This kind of shoddy workmanship is not what I expected for this price, or from a signature guitar. Makes me almost wonder if it isn’t a knock off. Either way I have to get it fixed . Ir I have 2500 dollar paper weight.

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This is it, my skills took a step back when i first got the guitar but now they are moving in a clearer and more creative turn. I will diffenetly use this guitar to record with, play live shows, great guitar. Never thought I would ever play on one but now I own it!!

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Yngwie is my favorite guitarist ever, but I don't respect his choice of guitars, scalloped fretboard makes it awkward, bending is different, harder to control, but harder to miss at the same time. The tone is not versatile, err, I dunno, I think Yngwie could do way better.