Negatives: The ash tray is useless because you are not going to put it back on the bridge with ashes in it. The short scale really wants 10's on it. I like to play with 11's but I am happier with 10,s (Ernie Ball slinkys with the thicker core wire for extra pop) on this particular guitar. I have not tried 9's, they should work just fine. The pickups are very low gain if set correctly (even more than a regular single coil) Don't even think about playing this guitar in a bar with neon lights that are close. It should come with the three-way in the packet and five way switch installed.

Positives: It looks Awesome! It feels like a strat should. It sounds like a strat should. I dive the whammy bar all the way down a couple of times per set, and it rarely goes out of tune. I play guitar very very hard and it gets a good sound. My singer plays this guitar very light and it still sound great. I have gotten a lot of different sounds out of it in the recording studio. It came set up fairly well. But I brought it down to hace it set up professionally, and now it is perfect.

Conclusion: This is a high quality, professional axe. I will keep it forever. But if I had to do it all over again, I would not have payed the extra money for a vintage. I would have spent a little more for a prettier guitar or a custom shop. Or less money on a modern version of the strat with pickups that pick up less noise like the noiseless. I just don't think it pays to go vintage. But then again, chicks like pastel (surf green); I only bought it for the color. I couldn't find this color any cheeper.

I've played this vintage at a local music store and it sounded great. Unfortunately, I did not have the luxury of playing it for too long and getting the true feel for it. So, I have a question for those who own it. Do any of you find fretting out to be a problem because of the raduis? I really want to buy this guitar, but since I love rock/blues...especially SRV, I do bend strings quite a lot. I appreciate your response.

Got this guitar for christmas, I got the surf green and it looks amazing in person. This thing has vintage writin all over it. Plays like a dream, it was between this or a american strat and im glad I got this. Very nice true to the real 57.

I purchased my second one of these a couple of months ago, and it just doesn't get any better. I thought long and hard about getting a Hot Rod '57, but I'm glad I came to my senses and got another of these!

I did change the pickups to EMG-SA's, but not because I don't like the stock 57/62 pup's. These are my main guitars, and I need them to sound a little more versatile. For the classic Strat sound, I like the stock pup's better, but they don't get a very good brown sound (which the EMG's do...as well as a very good classic Strat tone and everything in between).

The feel of this thing is simply...butter! In fact, it's butter churned to cream spilling over the top! There is no better neck...period! You can set it up low, but it's better a little higher. Once you get used to the feel of higher action, you'll love the benefits. Sustain for days, and a beautiful tone without even plugging in. Why do think Hendrix, and most tone gods use a higher action.

Most musicians spend countless hours trying to find the perfect rig (including me). I still haven't found my dream amp or an effects setup that is perfect (close on both accounts, but not perfect). Well, as for my guitar, I have found the one! And this is it! Even if I had one built at the Fender Custom Shop, I'd have 'em build it just like this. Maybe I'll finally find the rest of my rig to match the perfection of the American Vintage '57 Strat. Wish me luck!

I went out on a limb and purchased this guitar out of a catalog without seeing or PLAYING it! I was not disappointed. It came ready to play right out of the case. The only mod I did was to tighten the trem springs so the bridge did not float. I plugged it into my blues junior and fell in love with it from the first chord. And when it came time for my first solo it sang like I couldn't believe. I am currently performing in a sixties music revue play called "Boomers" and the girls in the cast noticed my new guitar right away! They love it too. I was previously playing a sunburst American Standard but this guitar gives me that true sixties experience. Purple Haze has never sounded so good.