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PSA US Masters Strat $499

Carl.B

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BadJaxx Inner Circle

BadJaxx

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i read that US Masters was making some or all of the USA Deans....if true, they make great guitars...

DavidE Veteran HFCer

DavidE

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Very tempting. Didn't sell before at $529 with $35 shipping. Are the resale values on these that low?

Appears so from what I read on TGP. Some nice ones with flame maple tops etc... around 5 bills too.

Morris Davis Inner Circle

Morris Davis

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U.S. Masters made U.S. Dean until a few years ago.

I own 3 U.S. Masters guitars: Sportster skinny, Vector, and their Hornet (i.e. SG).

The U.S. Masters factory is around the corner from my old house in Madison, and I've gotten to know Dick Regenberg (the owner) well.

I'd easily rank U.S. Masters above USA Fender and USA G&L. U.S. Masters necks feel great, they use high quality wood and finishes, and their flame maple stuff is killer.

$500 for that guitar with a TKL (?) hardshell case is a killer deal.

I guess the downside is you can buy a used USA Fender for $700 and resell if you don't like it. The USA Fender will be inferior to the U.S. Masters, but its liquid.

no affiliation with the seller.

:D-->

QUOTE(Carl.B @ Aug 17 2010, 10:11 PM) ←

Possible looking to replace my Daytona I traded and I haven't found a fender that I have bonded with.

BadJaxx Inner Circle

BadJaxx

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Dave. Let us know por favor.

i'll 3rd that...

pondered snagging it myself, but i'm awaiting delivery on another PRS and prepping to sell some more, so the timing sux...

Carl.B Veteran HFCer

Carl.B

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David did you get it?

I want a complete report brother!

I like skinnier necks I really don't like some of the baseball bats fender has. That's what I liked about the Daytona had more a soft U shape instead of the big C neck.

I really wanted to pull the trigger on that one but the kid is off to collage next week and tuition is due.. :D

DavidE Veteran HFCer

DavidE

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:D-->

QUOTE(Carl.B @ Aug 18 2010, 06:41 PM) ←

David did you get it?

I want a complete report brother!

I like skinnier necks I really don't like some of the baseball bats fender has. That's what I liked about the Daytona had more a soft U shape instead of the big C neck.

I really wanted to pull the trigger on that one but the kid is off to collage next week and tuition is due.. :P

If you like skinny necks, I have a red Clapton strat (modded) with your name on it. ;-) I'm hoping it's a larger neck.

Lockbody Veteran HFCer

Lockbody

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:D-->

QUOTE(Carl.B @ Aug 18 2010, 05:41 PM) ←

I like skinnier necks I really don't like some of the baseball bats fender has. That's what I liked about the Daytona had more a soft U shape instead of the big C neck.

Any Fender "Modern C" neck, like on the American Standard or Deluxe, is smaller overall than the Daytona's. The Daytona neck is way more fuller in the shoulders than a newer Std or Deluxe.

BadJaxx Inner Circle

BadJaxx

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also, BCR Greg sells US Masters so he'd know about them...

DavidE Veteran HFCer

DavidE

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Guitar arrived 10 minutes ago. I just happen to have a parts-o-strat in my office cobbled together by Paults and loaned last week to someone in my office. It has a Fender neck (off a Plus probably) so I could compare.

US Masters. The logo isn't as obnoxious in person. The birdseye is mostly on the back. Not a ton of it, but nicely and lightly figured. The neck feels like a satin finish. The body finish is very nice and the guitar is pretty minty fresh. It's a great looking strat.

The neck/body joint looks interesting and it's comfy to play.

The guitar really resonates. In a way, it reminds me of my friend's Anderson in terms of how it plays and resonates. I'm going to want to compare them side by side, but the US Masters seems to be about the same quality as the Anderson. I could be wrong, but it seems that way. The fret work is great. Very smooth. No fretting out.

As for the neck shape, it's definitely bigger than the Fender USA neck on my parts guitar. On first feel, I think I'd still like it thicker back to front. But the neck feels a bit wider. I'll have to measure. It's a different feel from the Fender neck so I might like it better. The radius is nice so it feels good at the cowboy chords but no chance of fretting out up the neck. I'll need to play it some more to make a final call on the neck, but at least it's bigger than my Fender.

HoboMan Inner Circle

HoboMan

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I knew it didn't feel like 6.9 lbs. It's 7 lbs 4 oz on our postal scale.

Looks nice.

I live about an hour south from where the guitars are made (Madison WI) but I'm up in Madison all the time.

I've been meaning to stop in and try some of their guitars but never got around to it.

Morris Davis Inner Circle

Morris Davis

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their shop is hard to find. The sign on the door says "M-TEC", and they are in a factory space behind a laminate company. You could drive right past and never know.

Call Dick Regenberg ahead of time - one of my favorite people in Madison. Last time I was there he spent 3 hours with me. Be careful, you will walk out with a guitar. Last time, I would up buying this one: http://www.usmasters.com/whtimages/Hornet/...Quilt-large.jpg

MD

I knew it didn't feel like 6.9 lbs. It's 7 lbs 4 oz on our postal scale.

Looks nice.

I live about an hour south from where the guitars are made (Madison WI) but I'm up in Madison all the time.

I've been meaning to stop in and try some of their guitars but never got around to it.

DavidE Veteran HFCer

DavidE

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I took some time to play the guitar on Saturday. This is a seriously well made instrument. Light weight. Sounds great. Nice system to get 7 pickup combinations using the bottom tone knob.

I can't say a bad thing about this guitar.

However, the neck shape isn't quite what I like. I picked up my Fender Hot Rod tele and that's more of what I like in a Fender neck. Deep and rounder. The neck on the U.S. Masters isn't thin, but it's not thick either. I'd probably like it a lot if it were a little more round on the back.

If anyone here wants it, I'll pass it on for what I have in it ($544 I believe). Still a killer deal.

Let me know, otherwise, I'll keep playing it and just get used to it.

paults Inner Circle

paults

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For point of reference, DavidE's partsocaster that he got from me does have an early Strat Plus neck on it.

If anyone is looking for skinny neck strats, look at the MIM strats with 1960s Fender logo on black and gold, with serial number and "Made in Mexico" on the back of the headstock. I just traded into one - the neck is nothing like an American Standard/Plus/Deluxe. Not as wide by a long shot.

Its like a 25.5" version of an early '60s LP/SG, or like a skinny neck Hamer Sunburst. Its almost like a '60s Mustang, but rounder in the back.

This one has a vintage bridge and 21 frets. Do they make any with 22 frets and this little neck?

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