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I will be playing this guitar for the rest of my days, and so will my children, and their chilren, and so on, and so on!

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

Just received my MiM HSS Strat with Floyd Rose bridge and locking nut, in Arctic White. This will be my instant impression, unpack n attack review. First, here's my frame of reference: I have owned and loved an American Std HSS Strat w Sienna finish since 2005. It is one solid, well-built piece of sonority, makes big fat noises with rich timbres and overtones as coupled to my Marshall amp. I play original material in drop D Major (DADF#AD). The tones and crunch and color are quite, umm, well, HSS Strat-like, oddly enough. Drips quality and character. With this guitar insisting on drop D, I had a great excuse to finally get something else to keep in standard tuning. So, I looked high and low and circled back to another Strat HSS. With the Americans now bumping into $1,700, I asked myself "Hmm, what about the Made in Mexico version - can I trust it?" Checked out various reviews and found the answer: YES. It's excellent. Especially, as everyone says, for the price. It's true. Guitar was decently packed and set up very well. Was even still very close to being in tune - until something went DOINK after a few strokes and I had to bring it back up about one step. Nothing broken or amiss, probably the tremelo spring connections settling in ... or just the guitar's way of saying "H H H Hey...! I didn't know anyone loved me." I've played for a few hours now and everything seems perfect. I am very impressed with the quality - I can't find a single thing or function that is second rate. And the sound...it is just as beautiful and potent as my American. The American is noticeably heavier in weight and maybe has a somewhat richer tone as unplugged and/or undistorted but the MiM definitely does not leave me wanting more - my impression was "Wow, what a relief, this is full-blown Fender Strat HSS, no compromise." The humbucker seems just as hot and crunchy as the one on the American, in fact, is perhaps slightly hotter and brighter. The neck feels just perfect - slick and ideal contour for me. The FR bridge is a change for me - took a little playing to adapt palm resting/muting, as compared to the std Fender bridge. I typically play quite vigorously and forcefully, with a lot of rapid Barracuda-like machine gun fire, along with musically appropriate whammy (smiley face). Nothing wrong with the std Fender bridge, but the FR will be welcome, I think, in keeping things stable, hopefully also reducing broken strings. This was instant love, and I do have to admit I was quite relieved at the high quality and overall character of this MiM Strat. My first impression within a few seconds is usually accurate, and my first impression here was very, very positive with immediate love and adoption. If you like Strats, don't hesitate. And oh yeah, the Arctic White coupled with slightly off-white pick guard, and FR bridge and locking nut make a gorgeous music machine.

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(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

Just received my MiM HSS Strat with Floyd Rose bridge and locking nut, in Arctic White. This will be my instant impression, unpack n attack review. First, here's my frame of reference: I have owned and loved an American Std HSS Strat w Sienna finish since 2005. It is one solid, well-built piece of sonority, makes big fat noises with rich timbres and overtones as coupled to my Marshall amp. I play original material in drop D Major (DADF#AD). The tones and crunch and color are quite, umm, well, HSS Strat-like, oddly enough. Drips quality and character. With this guitar refusing to leave drop D, I had a great excuse to finally get something else to keep in standard tuning. So, I looked high and low and circled back to another Strat HSS. With the Americans now bumping into $1,700, I asked myself "Hmm, what about the Made in Mexico version - can I trust it?" Checked out various reviews and found the answer: YES. It's excellent. Especially, as everyone says, for the price. It's true. Guitar was decently packed and set up very well. Was even still very close to being in tune - until something went DOINK after a few strokes and I had to bring it back up about one step. Nothing broken or amiss, probably the tremelo spring connections settling in ... or just the guitar's way of saying "H H H Hey...! I didn't know anyone loved me." I've played for a few hours now and everything seems perfect. I am very impressed with the quality - I can't find a single thing or function that is second rate. And the sound...it is just as beautiful and potent as my American. The American is noticeably heavier in weight and maybe has a somewhat richer tone as unplugged and/or undistorted but the MiM definitely does not leave me wanting more - my impression was "Wow, what a relief, this is full-blown Fender Strat HSS, no compromise." The humbucker seems just as hot and crunchy as the one on the American, in fact, is perhaps slightly hotter and brighter. The neck feels just perfect - slick and ideal contour for me. The FR bridge is a change for me - took a little playing to adapt palm resting/muting, as compared to the std Fender bridge. I typically play quite vigorously and forcefully, with a lot of rapid Barracuda-like machine gun fire, along with musically appropriate whammy (smiley face). Nothing wrong with the std Fender bridge, but the FR will be welcome, I think, in keeping things stable, hopefully also reducing broken strings. This was instant love, and I do have to admit I was quite relieved at the quality and overall character of this MiM Strat. My first impression within a few seconds is usually accurate - my first impression here was very, very positive with immediate adoption. If you like Strats, don't hesitate.

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

Well all mI can say is that I am an intermediate player at best but decided it was finaly time to go ahead and get myself something I would truly love and enjoy playing. I am very peased with the guitar and the set up right out of the box. it did take a few hours to let the strings stretch and the quitar get used to being out of the box. I got home from work at 5 pulled it out tuned and onlt put it down a few times befor I finaly went to bed at midnight. When I woke up it was in perfect tune. I'm diggin it the tone is awesome. I will eventualy have it set up professionaly to my liking but its basically ready to rock.

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over all a 10 even after the nonsense...it does play like a hi end strat and sounds the same so save the money ,but do be prepared for a set up ..these are not set up all the time correctly from factory

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