cabba2203 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Well I must say, 2 months ago I purchased a new 2012 Les Paul Traditional Plus and it was playable right out of the shipping box. Granted, i did have to tweak the action and pickup height a little to my tastes but the guitar could have been performed with right out of the box and gigged. LOL - not so much for the new Fender American Standard strat I just unboxed, I can't even tune it to std pitch before I adjust the spring claw on the trem so it won't pivot all the way up. I would have thought they adjusted the trem so it could be tuned to pitch with the strings they strung it up with at the factory - I mean, how did they even play test it? So, I'm about to go work on my new guitar to make it playable. So, Gibson for the win on out of the box ready to rock. Now I'm not bashing the strat, I will like it once I can play it, I've been wanting some single coil Fender spank in my tone arsenal and I love the Jade Metallic finish on it. I'm just comparing my experience between a new Gibson & a new Fender out of the box. Not too impressed with the way Fender sends out their guitars. Edit: here's a pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bone Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Set up is hit or miss with both companies. I've heard of lots of folks needing a set up (or even re-cutting of the nut!) on new LPs from the factory (even plek'd guitars). My MIM Classic 60's Player Stratocaster was beautifully set up and playable right out of the box (factory sealed, purchased from Zzounds, no set up after leaving the plant AFAIK). Congrats on the new axe, that new Jade Metallic is a seriously cool color, considering one myself (I have no Strat with the Fat 50's P'ups they're putting in the new 2012 Am Std, should sound awesome!). Looking forward to hearing your impressions of the sound and feel once you've got it set up to your liking (do you run the Trem flush to body as many do, or do you set it like factory suggested, 1/8 off body?. I ask because I actually like both, and have some set up each way). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabba2203 Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 Set up is hit or miss with both companies. I've heard of lots of folks needing a set up (or even re-cutting of the nut!) on new LPs from the factory (even plek'd guitars). My MIM Classic 60's Player Stratocaster was beautifully set up and playable right out of the box (factory sealed, purchased from Zzounds, no set up after leaving the plant AFAIK). Congrats on the new axe, that new Jade Metallic is a seriously cool color, considering one myself (I have no Strat with the Fat 50's P'ups they're putting in the new 2012 Am Std, should sound awesome!). Looking forward to hearing your impressions of the sound and feel once you've got it set up to your liking (do you run the Trem flush to body as many do, or do you set it like factory suggested, 1/8 off body?. I ask because I actually like both, and have some set up each way). Ok, adjusted the claw and all is well. It plays great, sounds great, looks great. That jade metallic looks even beter in person then it did in pictures. I love this color! It would look nice on an SG. Yeah, I know I most likely got a rare miss in adjustments at the factory but it just kind of annoyed me that I had to work on it before I could even tune it up and status check it. I wasn't expecting it to be setup perfect but at least tunable and playable - but I fixed it up and it rocks. I adjusted the trem almost to the body, just enough up angle to do vibrato with it. I don't wild wang bar anymore but I do want to detune and vibrato note with it. This is plenty of back pull room for that. The case it comes with is pretty nice, Fender branded SKB with TSA locks, not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 . Congrats. Glad you had no trouble getting the setup straighten out. Would love to see a pic or two. . B) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Personally I've yet to buy an electric guitar that I did not need to set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 PRS and Taylor are about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 PRS and Taylor are about it. About what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabba2203 Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 . Congrats. Glad you had no trouble getting the setup straighten out. Would love to see a pic or two. . B) . Thanks! Picture added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Did you order the Strat through a retailer?Sometimes retail stores will get in new guitars and don't do proper set ups on them.Another thing to consider is that these guitars are made and shipped from sunny,dry Calif. so while traveling through different climates and no doubt widely varying humidity the guitars undergo a lot of expanding and shrinking so that when they finally arrive at their destination they have gone through a lot of changes that could easily throw the guitar out of whack and make it neccessary to perform all the adjustments over again. Anyway congrats on your Strat,I have 4 of them and each one is a joy to play,I can just about assure you that you'll be buying more Strats as time goes by because they really grow on you and no 2 Strats sound exactly the same but they all sound beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 About what? Mostly every magazine or web article I read about a new PRS or Taylor has stated that the setup was spot on right out of the box. My PRS was out of the box and it was perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Hey great score!! Is that the newer standard with custom shop 50s pickups? I know fender has a $100 instant rebate with these guitars. Now you are getting me to get another one :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Nice Axe! I like the color too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabba2203 Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 Hey great score!! Is that the newer standard with custom shop 50s pickups? I know fender has a $100 instant rebate with these guitars. Now you are getting me to get another one :) Yes, it's the new 2012 with the CS fat 50's - sounds great! The rebate and the color (Jade Pearl Metallic) is why I went for it now and didn't wait. $999 with case was a nice deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabba2203 Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 Did you order the Strat through a retailer?Sometimes retail stores will get in new guitars and don't do proper set ups on them.Another thing to consider is that these guitars are made and shipped from sunny,dry Calif. so while traveling through different climates and no doubt widely varying humidity the guitars undergo a lot of expanding and shrinking so that when they finally arrive at their destination they have gone through a lot of changes that could easily throw the guitar out of whack and make it neccessary to perform all the adjustments over again. Anyway congrats on your Strat,I have 4 of them and each one is a joy to play,I can just about assure you that you'll be buying more Strats as time goes by because they really grow on you and no 2 Strats sound exactly the same but they all sound beautiful. Thanks! This looks to have come unopened from the factory. The original staples were in place, not resealed. My next fender will be an American Std Tele, hopefully in Jade Pearl Metallic as well, if they still offer the color when I get around to buying it, maybe next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabba2203 Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 Nice Axe! I like the color too. Yeah - that color is killer! I'd love an SG or Flying-V in that finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Mostly every magazine or web article I read about a new PRS or Taylor has stated that the setup was spot on right out of the box. My PRS was out of the box and it was perfect. +1 for Taylors, I have 2 and they were both setup perfectly. and agree with cabba, when I unboxed my SG, I just tuned it up and plugged it in. After about an hour, I started to see where the tweaks for the action would be needed and then of course, cleaned up the intonation, and it's been fantastic ever since. With the Fender factory setup, for some reason, they do not set those up with the bridge level to the top of the body, they leave a gap, I think so that you can pull up on the trem bar, but that's not really practical, the second the heel of your pick hand hits the bridge, that will push the bridge down, and good luck playing a note in pitch. You also need to adjust this if you go to a heavier string gauge. Anyway congrats on the strat, to me, they are essential, you gotta have at least one, find a good one, and keep it. that one looks sweet, love that finish, and with the maple neck -- oh ya! I think the same goes for a Tele, (and I went through a few of them till I finally found the keeper, which is a 98 Standard Natural finish, ash body, maple neck. Twang-a-lectable) Good luck in finding the right one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bone Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 With the Fender factory setup, for some reason, they do not set those up with the bridge level to the top of the body, they leave a gap, I think so that you can pull up on the trem bar, but that's not really practical, the second the heel of your pick hand hits the bridge, that will push the bridge down, and good luck playing a note in pitch. You also need to adjust this if you go to a heavier string gauge. Actually, that's the spec on a Strat, bridge plate 1/8 inch off the body. It works fine (if you don't rest your hand on the bridge). Have a couple of mine set that way, and others flat with the body. From his initial post, I think his was way higher than spec. Sounded like he had to do quite a bit of adjusting just to get it in tune. They're stable once set, as long as you keep the same string gauge, same tuning and don't break a string. Break a string, everything is off. Tune down a half step, you're flat on the body again (or nearly so). I need to try one of those 2012s. Hopefully before that factory discount goes away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 .... Picture added. Very cool color Cabba. Lovin' it. Congrats again. . B) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabba2203 Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 From his initial post, I think his was way higher than spec. Sounded like he had to do quite a bit of adjusting just to get it in tune. Yes, way up and rose even higher when I tried to tune the E to std pitch. The factory strings are 9-42 (tiny little strings). I had to crank the 2 spring claw screws in a good bit, tune, crank and then tune again. I left it at a height that you could slide a credit card between the bridge and the body with clearance. Just enough space to rock back and fwd for a vibrato or slow de-tuned note bend while palming the bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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