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Prooooobbbbaaablyyyy shoulda held out for a Daytona... :(


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So I recently had the chance (read:  got permission from Mrs. Draelyc) to use part of our tax refund for a new axe.  Hadn't gotten a new one in over ten years, so no small thing. :)  I decided I needed a Strat style guit, since I've got the whole set-neck, mahogany body/figured top thing covered (my Mirage & Studio), as well as the '80s pointy thing covered (my '93 Ibby RG470).  I had looked at a Daytona that was a little more money than I wanted to spend at the time, but ended up going with an '08 American Standard, a "real" Strat.  It's a really nice guitar … but ...

I've been struggling to get it set up "just right," so that it both sounds and *feels* good.  I have chronic wrist pain, so I use 9-46 strings and set my guitars up to feel pretty slinky.  With the Hamers, that's no problem.  But not having anything else to compare to for a long time, I didn't realize just how well designed these Hamers are.

The Strat has a much rounder fretboard radius, and in general just seems to be more finicky.  I can't get the action as low on the high strings as I'm accustomed to, because when I bend in the upper register, especially the high E, the notes fret out thusly:

 

 

😕  Then I read that the Daytona has a 14" radius, just like my Mirage & Studio.  Natch. :(

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P.S.  Sorry for the slightly off topic post.  If I need to take it down, just let me know!

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I never found a strat that was comfortable for me to play. Back in ‘97 I was *this* close to picking up an American standard. So close that I actually made “97strat” my password for email back then. Never did get that strat. 

I keep thinking I’ll pick one up eventually but it has yet to happen.  I’ve been satisfied by my Hamers and Charvels up to this point. 

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1 hour ago, draelyc said:

So I recently ..... got permission from Mrs. Draelyc....I've been struggling to get it ...."just right," so that ... *feels* good.  I have chronic wrist pain, ......  But not having anything else to compare to for a long time

Just remove a few words and the jokes write themselves. 

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I went through many Strats over the years, never quite finding one I could really bond with. When I found a (sorta Strat-like) PRS 513, it was exactly what I had been looking for. I tend to think of it as a "Strat with benefits".

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17 minutes ago, Studio Custom said:

Just remove a few words and the jokes write themselves. 

Natch... 😛 

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1 minute ago, django49 said:

I went through many Strats over the years, never quite finding one I could really bond with. When I found a (sorta Strat-like) PRS 513, it was exactly what I had been looking for. I tend to think of it as a "Strat with benefits".

I'm starting to think that maybe I'm just not that into vintage stuff.  I thought I was for a while … but I've been far happier with my two modern, high(er) gain, master volume amps than I ever was with anything else.  And maybe it's the same with guitars ~ I dig those more modern features & designs, I guess.

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15 minutes ago, Steve Haynie said:

On the bright side, you have one more guitar. 

Also true.  Good point! :)

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2 hours ago, draelyc said:

So I recently had the chance (read:  got permission from Mrs. Draelyc) to use part of our tax refund for a new axe.  Hadn't gotten a new one in over ten years, so no small thing. :)  I decided I needed a Strat style guit, since I've got the whole set-neck, mahogany body/figured top thing covered (my Mirage & Studio), as well as the '80s pointy thing covered (my '93 Ibby RG470).  I had looked at a Daytona that was a little more money than I wanted to spend at the time, but ended up going with an '08 American Standard, a "real" Strat.  It's a really nice guitar … but ...

I've been struggling to get it set up "just right," so that it both sounds and *feels* good.  I have chronic wrist pain, so I use 9-46 strings and set my guitars up to feel pretty slinky.  With the Hamers, that's no problem.  But not having anything else to compare to for a long time, I didn't realize just how well designed these Hamers are.

The Strat has a much rounder fretboard radius, and in general just seems to be more finicky.  I can't get the action as low on the high strings as I'm accustomed to, because when I bend in the upper register, especially the high E, the notes fret out thusly:

 

 

😕  Then I read that the Daytona has a 14" radius, just like my Mirage & Studio.  Natch. :(

Nice playing. I really like the sound of your Strat. Fenders are notorious for needing fret work right out of the box. You may want to consult someone who can do a level and crown for you. Also check the neck relief. 

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Yeah man, it can be a process to not only find instruments that really work for you, but to *accept* what about those things work for you.

You mentioned the words “Real Strat”- I find that is a common hang-up; “Real Les Paul, Real...(whatever)”.

And when you go through the process of finding all the limitations on a “Real...”, such as discomfort with the radius that inhibits string bending as you did, it seems too often be the case that we subconsciously hold onto the “Real (whatever)” concept, rather than a Really Good Guitar For Me. 

Ive surprised myself in circumstances where I found that my frustration was because I wanted to love an instrument because of what I was projecting on it, rather than how I actually felt when playing that instrument- compared to the ones I naturally love, and LOVE ME BACK. (Insert horror stories about exes...)

I promise I’m not trying to get philosophical, or steer you away from any particular guitar, but I hope you find your happy balance. ❤️

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DeVai has a Daytona he was considering parting with. It’s Ting’s old one. I spoke to him about it and then stumbled upon a stupidly good deal on a different guitar. Sell your Fender nonbender and get one with the same neck as your Mirage!!

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1 minute ago, Dutchman said:

DeVai has a Daytona he was considering parting with. It’s Ting’s old one. I spoke to him about it and then stumbled upon a stupidly good deal on a different guitar. Sell your Fender nonbendef and get one with the same neck as your Mirage!!

That one has a nice chunky neck. 

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8 hours ago, Dave Scepter said:

So then your new password is 95KOA or 95Mirage? 😆

94Mirage

95MirageII

94koa95

NeedMirageMapleTopNow

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16 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

On the bright side, you have one more guitar. 

IMO, not a plus if it's a dog and won't get played. 😕

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3 hours ago, diablo175 said:

IMO, not a plus if it's a dog and won't get played. 😕

I would never say it’s a dog — it’s a well-made instrument.  I’m just not sure I can handle the higher action (with my wrist problems) or that I’ll be able to gel with the feel of it.  Gnome sane?

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21 hours ago, Ting Ho Dung said:

Nice playing. I really like the sound of your Strat. Fenders are notorious for needing fret work right out of the box. You may want to consult someone who can do a level and crown for you. Also check the neck relief. 

Really good advice. I was going to recommend some G&L Legacys (their Strat-type), as they used to offer a variety of neck profiles, fret sizes, and fretboard radii. I never had a problem with "fretting out," and their vintage "boatneck" profile prevented hand fatigue.

I had several G&L ASATs and Legacy types and they were just so "dialed in" from the factory. Now I check their website for the USA-made instruments, and their neck profile and radius options are much scarcer. 

Here in Greater Seattle, we are blessed with Mike Lull's Guitar Shop and custom repairs. I have not had to use his services for a long time, but I remember having him go over my $259 Peavey Predator, where he worked some serious magic (frets leveled and crowned, fretboard radius, pickup height adjustment, etc., etc. for a reasonable price. After that it played (and sounded) like a much more expensive guitar.

I suspect you have a local shop that can take care of you.

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Yeah, a real sharp guitar tech might be able to do some leveling and tweaking to get it there. You CAN have a "vintage" radius and low action and not blaaaahhh out, but it takes time. The only "Strat" I've really bonded with is my Tom Anderson S Classic, but he took the formula and really tweaked it: 12-to-14-inch radius fingerboard, big neck, smaller body with the output jack in a sensible place, and different circuitry to get less of the zingy, stringy classic Strat sound. So it's not very Stratty.

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Side question about the USA Daytonas:  does the second tone control work on the bridge pickup?

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49 minutes ago, draelyc said:

Side question about the USA Daytonas:  does the second tone control work on the bridge pickup?

Yes. At least it did on mine. Mine also came with EMG SV pickups which were pretty cool. No hum. Vintage tone. 

 

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On 4/18/2019 at 2:13 PM, draelyc said:

Side question about the USA Daytonas:  does the second tone control work on the bridge pickup?

Not in the stock configuration. But, its a really simple mod that anyone who can handle a soldering iron, and read a wiring diagram, can do easily. A lot of the Daytonas I've run across have been tweaked to some extent. Mostly pickup swaps since the stock Seymours, while servicable, are far from stellar.  IMHO the pickups were the only weak spot in an otherwise perfect build.

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