Floyd Rose Stratocaster… ??

[Mockbel]

Hi friends

I may sell one of my guitars and will be in market for a new guitar.. My aim is for a guitar with maple fretboard and floyd rose.. more of a typical hard rock axe that will stay in Drop D

I was focusing on a Mexican Charvel San Dimas or Jackson Dinky but this boy popped… Fender made in USA with Floyd Rose.. seller claims it is from the 90’s.. priced at around $1,200

I don’t have much info about that model so for those who play that kind of music (glam metal or 80’s rock), would you recommend this Fender over a Mexican Charvel or Jackson ?

 

[Leee]

Instinctively, I would always choose an American guitar over anything coming out of Mexico.
Fender builds decent American stuff any way you look at it.

However, much of Fender‘s Mexican production is quite similar to their American stuff.

Not being an expert on the metal guitars, I can’t speak for the specific features and functions of the Charvel or Jackson you mentioned.

I remember seeing those Strats with the Floyd Rose in the nineties, but they never really attracted my interest.

I had an Ibanez with a Floyd Rose in the early 80s, and it cured me of ever wanting another one.

Being relatively rare, I would think that would make the Fender somewhat more desirable.

$0.02 from some guy on the internet.

 

[zak9990]

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Hi friends

I may sell one of my guitars and will be in market for a new guitar.. My aim is for a guitar with maple fretboard and floyd rose.. more of a typical hard rock axe that will stay in Drop D

I was focusing on a Mexican Charvel San Dimas or Jackson Dinky but this boy popped… Fender made in USA with Floyd Rose.. seller claims it is from the 90’s.. priced at around $1,200

I don’t have much info about that model so for those who play that kind of music (glam metal or 80’s rock), would you recommend this Fender over a Mexican Charvel or Jackson ?



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[zak9990]

" Fender made in USA with Floyd Rose.. seller claims it is from the 90’s.. priced at around $1,200"





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1990's Fender USA Strat w/ a factory installed Floyd Rose ? I thought that only existed in the made in Japan models.... or later in the Mexico stuff... I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure if that was available back then I would have had one...

 

[Peter M]

would you recommend this Fender over a Mexican Charvel or Jackson ?

For the type of guitar it is - classic Strat body with maple board, bolt on-neck - Mexican made is right on par with USA made. The current Mex Charvels I have played felt just as good as the USA "heyday" models I owned in the 80s.

 

[Leee]

1990's Fender USA Strat w/ a factory installed Floyd Rose ? I thought that only existed in the made in Japan models....

Really?
Japanese only in the nineties?

I don’t doubt you.
As I said, Floyd Rose wasn’t my thang.

But I thought there were some American ones hanging on the wall about the time I bought my ‘93 Strat.
My apologies if I got it wrong.

 

[Knoby]

Would you recommend this Fender over a Mexican Charvel or Jackson ?

Never.

I would also look at an EVH. or musicman axis. However, i just saw a video on the new jim root charvel which sounds really really good.

All these other guitars will have better ergonomics than a fender strat. Contoured heel joint. Flatter fret board. Volume knob out of the way.

 

[zak9990]

Really?
Japanese only in the nineties?

I don’t doubt you.
As I said, Floyd Rose wasn’t my thang.

But I thought there were some American ones hanging on the wall about the time I bought my ‘93 Strat.
My apologies if I got it wrong.

Hey, I'm no Fender expert but I think in the mid 80's / early 90's was when Fender started coming out with those new two stud bridge designs and those Wilkinson roller nut things.... I don't remember them offering a Floyd Rose tremolo set up.... I could be wrong, but I thought Floyd equipped Strats w/ 22 fret boards etc.. only came on MIM or MIJ .... A few years back I searched and couldn't find a USA Strat w/ Floyd...
I just recently got a Fender CS ''Alley Cat" and it has a Floyd with 12'' radius etc.. but that was from a place called Wild Cat guitars ... and he custom orders them from Fender.

 

[Mockbel]

1990's Fender USA Strat w/ a factory installed Floyd Rose ? I thought that only existed in the made in Japan models.... or later in the Mexico stuff... I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure if that was available back then I would have had one...

It is all stock
Yes in early 90’s there was such model.. Fender American Classic FR or something like that.. this one is 1992

 

[zak9990]

It is all stock
Yes in early 90’s there was such model.. Fender American Classic FR or something like that.. this one is 1992

Sorry about that , I stand corrected.........

1992 Fender American Classic HSS Floyd Rose Stratocaster

For sale is a 1992 Fender American Classic HSS Floyd Rose Stratocasterwith the original case. This guitar is in very good condition and in perfect working order. There are some light scratches and some dings right under the Floyd Rose. Overall, I would rate the condition a solid 8.5 out of 10...

guitarchimp.com

 

[Mockbel]

For the type of guitar it is - classic Strat body with maple board, bolt on-neck - Mexican made is right on par with USA made. The current Mex Charvels I have played felt just as good as the USA "heyday" models I owned in the 80s.

I already have a Mexican San Dimas with ebony board and it is phenomenal.. That’s why I want another one but with maple.. not sure whether this Fender will fill the gap !

 

[Deftone]

I have several Floyd Strats, Charvels and Jacksons including a '91 MIJ "Hot Rod Reissue Strat with a factory installed Floyd....

That strat is cool...non recessed FR so it may wortk out better than a recessed FR for drop D.

 

[Leee]

There ya go @Mockbel.
@Deftone is your resident expert.

 

[Deftone]

That one looks like the Joe Holmes' strat.....

 

[Deftone]

I think the Charvel & Jacksons have better necks, frets, features...But there's something cool about a HSS Strat with a Floyd (IMHO) You have to play it and decide for yourself.

Here's my '79 Strat....

 

[Deftone]

Custom build USA Charvel neck with Mahogany Body....

'86 Charvel Model 2 MIJ w/ OFR....

Recent import Jackson neck OFR custom build.....

The Model series Charvels have really nice wide flat necks and jumbo frets. But they are expensive. If you want to build on a budget, get an import Jackson and upgrade the Floyd.

I use standard tuning on everything at the moment but a factory installed OFR should work fine for drop D. That Strat is sick...I'd buy it.

 

[Mockbel]

Many thanks to the expert @Deftone

Seller just told me that guitar was originally black but he got it sanded at a luthier..

I still like how it looks to be honest… but I was focusing on a Charvel/Jackson and it is always hard for me to change focus easily.. so much hesitation now !

 

[ArchEtech]

Fender HM Strat. That doesn’t look like one to me. They actually might have used Kahler Spider trems. Solid colors, black painted headstocks, rosewood necks, sculpted heel, and very wide flat jackson like necks. Most I believe were SSH with no pickguard. I had two that I sold that I shouldn’t have, they were great guitars.

I believe in the last couple of years they rereleased them as a MIJ or MIX import for around $1000. You can find used original model for about the same.

Those charvel are really nice even the $1000 non usa model.

For me it’s Jackson’s all the way for super strats but if you don’t love the wide flat necks you’ll have a harder time finding a more traditional fender Strat with a Floyd but they exist.

 

[Deftone]

Many thanks to the expert @Deftone

Seller just told me that guitar was originally black but he got it sanded at a luthier..

I still like how it looks to be honest… but I was focusing on a Charvel/Jackson and it is always hard for me to change focus easily.. so much hesitation now !

Nothing wrong with Charvels and Jacksons, I love 'em. That Strat should hold or go up in value though. You can't go wrong with a USA build and an original OFR.

I forgot, the Charvel Model 2 I have is tuned down and half step, no issues. It's a top mount OFR.

 

[Core Creek]

Yeah, they definitely made USA floyd strats in the 90’s. I wouldn’t buy then though - a non-recessed trem just doesn’t feel right to me.

The Charvels are just as good and a better value on the used market. You can get one in the $700-$800 range. Or better yet, find a deal on a used Carvin. I found an HH Floyd bolt plus with stainless steel frets and upgraded Duncan pickups for $600 and it feels better to me than any strat I’ve ever owned.