Price paid: $ 399.99
Purchased from: Siglers
Features: 2011 Chinese Fat Strat, Modern Player series. 22 frets, Alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. Pretty much what you would expect feature wise, the humbucker splits when you pull the bottom tone knob up (push/pull pot). Synchronised tremolo, Vintage style tuners (pretty good). Only comes in 2 colors, white, or silver burst, both have black pick guards and covers. The bottom tone knob adjusts the bridge pickup and the top knob does the neck and middle unlike some Strats. Only features you wont find are the skunk stripe neck, synchronised tremolo decal under the Stratocaster decal, or the original custom conture body decal on the ball of the head stock. A couple alen wrenches and the trem arm are the only other items included. // 9
Sound: It sounds just like a Stratocaster is supposed to sound on the neck and middle pick up positions, and has the Fat Strat sound you expect from the bridge pickup, (which is a little different than you get from a typical Strat, even when split to a single coil). It is pretty quiet. You can nail classic Strat tones with it, plus it has the versatility of the single coil/humbucking bridge pickup. It sounds just as good as my $699 Mexican Classic Series '50s Reissue. // 9
Action, Fit & Finish: The fit and finish are awesome, nothing to complain about here, and evrything worked perfect. The intonation is about dead on, the action was very good, but there as a slight mid fretboard buzz. The neck had a touch of bow in it, (I'd almost say overly straight) I relaxed the truss rod a little less than a 1/4 turn and the buzz was gone. // 7
Reliability & Durability: This guitar seems about as well made as any mid grade Strat I've ever seen. I believe it is a well tested design and soundly constructed, with proper treatment this guitar should last a lifetime+. I would never gig without a backup. The varnish is very thick and glossy on the guitar, I'm sure it will stand up to normal use indefinitely. // 8
Impression: I play all kinds of music, been playin about 25 years. I've owned MIM and MIJ Stratocasters, and an MIA Mustang, and I've had (and have) lots of other brands as well. This guitar is about as good as any Strat I've ever played, I've played good ones, crappy ones, and even one great one. My Modern Player is very good. It offer good classic Strat tone, plus extends into the barky aggressive bridge humbucker tonal range. The tone control on the bridge pickup letting you take a little high end off can be nice, I wish my MIM would do that.
If it were lost or stolen I would for sure buy another, its the best value going on a Fender branded Stratocaster, and they are very nice. I also have a Modern Player Jaguar, and for that classic P90 + Mahagony tone they're the best deal goin. // 9
^oh yeah, and other than the 6 point trem instead of 2 point?