Limited Edition Strat Heavy Relic 57 or 62?

[motorcitychick]

I am having a terrible time trying to decide which model of the limited edition heavy relic strats to get. I have decided on the Candy Tangerine finish after contemplating for so long. I already have a vintage white 1969 heavy relic limited edition custom shop, daphne blue NOS rosewood neck 1960's custom shop, Eric Clapton custom shop blackie, original 1972 maple neck blonde, 1987 reiusse 1957 2 tone sunburst and a custom shop 1959 strat in black with matching headstock.
I am having a hard time deciding on the rosewood or maple neck. It is not so much about the pickups or the neck radius, but that darn wood on the neck.
I want the guitar to have some bite to it, not a dull muddy sound. :confused:

[PeeWee]

Hiya MCC!

I can relate to your indecision in a big way. I went through the same process years ago when I played nothing but Strats. Used to own a few early '60s Slab boards and loved 'em, but the tone was a bit dark and really didn't give me that spank I was looking for tonewise. I ended up keeping a great '61 that was a total Les Paul killer and had a tone that was fat as the day is long........BUT it still didn't give me what I was looking for. Eventually, I bought a new 1994 CS '54 reissue that delivered the goods and between the two of them, I could get virtually any Strat tone I desired.

Now with that said, I still thought that I could do better and did; found a great CS '56 relic that was as good as any vintage '50s Strat I'd ever played....but that was an 8 year mission. Now, both are gone and I've gone back to playing Les Pauls and occasionally my Rick 12 strings.

The ticket to that tone is the density of the maple coupled with a light piece of alder or swamp ash. If it's bite with a nasty streak you're wanting, then I'd go maple. If it's a classic Strat tone with a softer tonality, then rosewood would be the answer.

Hope that helps you a bit. As much as I love the tone of a great Strat, I just don't feel comfortable with them these days......although they are without doubt one of the coolest looking guitars ever made! ;)

[motorcitychick]

I will probably go with the maple neck. I have 9 Les Pauls and I go through a phase every so oftern on playing different guitars. I think I will go with the candy tangerine finish, because that color is not an everyday thing, like black, white, sunburst and blue colors.
Thanks for your help because you helped me decide on the maple neck one. I do agree that the rosewood slab boards are more of a mellow tone and I already have a rosewood board 60's custom shop nos daphne blue one and I do love the neck and feel to that one. I got that one last year from Teddy at MakenMusic. That is my main store for my equipment. No store compares to their customer service that I receive from them!:D

[Make'n Music]

Thanks!!! We try harder :-)

[jaxson50]

I have owned two strats both were great guitars, both had rosewood fret boards. If I ever get another I swear, it must be maple! Just for the cool factor!

[motorcitychick]

Maple necks on Strats rock!:D

[Fender]

+1 on the maple neck

Ultimately I'd like an American Deluxe Sunburst Strat with a maple neck, to me the maple just looks better than the rosewood.