ShortScale.org

lol, I did notice that, maybe a patch replacement?

any more news about these owen?

othomas2 wrote:

[youtube][/youtube]

.. i don't get the joke..

how are these VM? they are like EVERY OTHER FUCKING STRAT ON THE PLANET

SOME OF THEM COME WITH LIPSTICK PICKUPS, JIM.

yeah, pretty much convinced at this point that this model has been created entirely as marketing for a couple aesthetic changes to the VM strat. there is nothing that significantly distinguishes it from the currently produced VM strat.

they just took this guitar:


...gave an option of a maple neck, put another string tree on it, switched around some pickguards and called it a "70s stratocaster". aside from some aesthetic similarities there is virtually nothing that makes this a 70s strat. the VM strat could reasonably be considered to be squier version of a mid-60s strat with hotter pickups, hence vintage modified. this 70s VM is just some weird amalgam of specs between a 60s and 70s strat. with the 70s features being only the most superficial details of that era strat: a pickguard and a string tree.

It's probably a fine enough guitar, and if you were already thinking about a VM strat but were put off by their ordinary looks, this might be the thing for you. but it's not really a 70s strat.

Mages wrote:any more news about these owen?

othomas2 wrote:

Sorry for the late reply, Still no had a chance to plug it in yet unfortunately.... I did look to see if it was 3 or 4 bolt and it's 4.

All I can say id that it feels pretty nice unplugged.

How much is an original 70's Fender Strat like this worth?

five bucks (american)

gaybear wrote:five bucks (american)

Haha,that is interesting. Jim Shine said this about late 70s strats

"The body templates were revised in 1976. They were not done well. The neck pockets developed these lobes in the corners and were routed oversized. The fairy tale is worn router bits or some crap, but it was really a revised template to blame. Once in a while the stars aligned and you got one that got more finish than usual on the pocket and the neck, so it was a little more snug. Typically the fit was sloppy. The finish changed too, from polyurethane to thicker polyester. There is a healthy transition, so if looking at a 76ish Strat, look at the pickup route shapes. The better ones have the rectangular looking routes that began around late 69-early 70. The template change is obvious by the return to the older looking rounded routes.

The alloy of the diecast tremolos became softer in the later 70's as well. Through all the changes, the necks usually are the best part. The Schaller made F tuners were typically better than the Fender made ones found in the first half of the decade."

the schaller made F tuners are definitely better and I believe they are functionally identical to the ones they still make today. all the body templates were changed at that time. I've noticed changes in a lot of other fender guitars at that time as well.

I look at these from time to time and the value of these seem to vary a lot based on their quality. there's a lot of really rough examples from this period for some reason. the heavier later 70s ones you still seem to be able to get for reasonable prices (1k to 1.5k range) but some of the early 70s ones are a bit more inflated (2k and up).

http://www.vintageguitars.net/products/ ... ?id=199109
http://www.vintageguitars.net/products/ ... ?id=202067
http://www.vintageguitars.net/products/ ... ?id=199286
http://www.vintageguitars.net/products/ ... ?id=198061
http://www.vintageguitars.net/products/ ... ?id=201960

that's just what guitar center is asking. the true value is probably lower.