Wow! Very nice Explorers. I started playing the guitar when I was 13 (I'm 39 now). I'm way out of practice and don't even own a "real" guitar at the moment. I have an old beat up acoustic that I pick up evey once in a while but I dont seem to make time to get back up to speed. I started out with a Sears knock off Explorer, and when I was 16 I worked at a "KarmelKorn" shop in the mall and managed to save enough to buy a 1984 model Gibson Flying V. I plan to get back into it some time soon. My work schedule has just changed so I'm expecting to have more time for things like that. I'm thinking about looking at an older Charvel/Jackson or maybe an ESP. I also like to rebuild old tube audio equipment so I'm thinking I might find an old tube head to get running. Maybe build a 4-12 cabinet with some celestions...........there I go day dreaming again, lol. Anyway, great topic and it's nice to see some other musicians here Ah btw, Laaz. I'm an 80's "hair metal" nut. Thats what I grew up listening to and I've not heard anything better since. 😉 MAIDEN RULES!!!! lol

We need to update this thread. I just picked up a NOS 1997 Fender american strat in natural ash. I changed out the pickguard because the black looks much better. Removing the pickguard I see it has the "swimming pool" rout... Never much like the single coils, might just buy another pickguard & install a super distortion & paf in the neck since I don't need to make any mods to the body... I'll get some updated pics up this weekend.

Geez Patrick620 ... you gotta get back in to rockin', even an acoustic to brush up on your technique or have fun.

Todd (Laaz) ... I owned a natural ash body Stratocaster back in the late 70's. I believe it had a white pick guard and I sold that along with a Gibson amp with 4 x 10 's.
Looking forward to seeing some pics of your new axe! I wouldn't rush to judgement on the single coils ... Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Hendrix, Rory Gallagher etc can't be wrong 😀

I picked up a Fender (Squire) Pression Bass relatively cheap a few months back. Now looking for a suitable amp just to knock around with. It's a new learning curve but with a guitar background it's a natural and it's been fun.

Cheers, Barrie.

Here's a bass player for ya ... harmonics, finger tapping, hand over neck, chording etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2vQTZiFXSE

Be some time before I get there 😆

Cheers, Barrie.

Just had to add this vid for any of the Jazz pianists (or any true musicians).

Hiromi Uehara is possesed man, she's insaneas a Jazz pianist. See the video and tell me I'm wrong !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6pgM-NVfWg

Cheers, Barrie.

I hear ya Barrie. I'll wait a while to see if they grow on me.

Check out this vid, a great song with killer bass & guitar. BTW Dave's black strat is a 1957 routed for humbuckers and is actually Paul Kossoff's old guitar that Dave picked up in the late 70's after Paul died.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5jaRipA5_M&feature=related

A bit of history on the Strat.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/search.frame.php?term=paul+kossoff&id=88d206ab2fb3bf4ebb054553500341b4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddDGj1Xko_c&feature=related

Awesome info Todd. Amazing how stuff like this is so readily available via the net.
Sounds as though you have plenty of options with that Strat. Keep us posted on your progress.

Cheers, Barrie.

Heres a few pics. Came out crappy but what the hell. BTW got this Marshall 1/2 stack MG 100 series off Craigslist a couple months ago for $200. Sound much better at low volume than the tube amp. Thinking about selling my JCM 800 and getting the JVM 410...

That's a great looking Stratocaster! I do like the natural finish. You may already know but here's what Fender shows for production dates on your serial number.

1997
N6 + 6 or 6 digits
N7 + 5 or 6 digits
V + 5 or 6 v (U.S. Vintage Series except '52 Telecaster)

1998
N7 + 5 or 6 digits
N8 + 5 or 6 digits
V + 5 or 6 digits (American Vintage Series)

As for Marshall amps, my head is an early 80's JMP. I'm happy with that but It's pretty bare bones.

Cheers, Barrie.

Had to get the kids cleaned up for Christmas... 😉

Left to right : 1997 USA Strat, 2007 68 reissue VOS Les Paul custom, 1981 E2 Explorer, 2005 Mahogany Explorer.

They look great and sound even better. These kids stay quite until you want to here from them.

Cheers, Barrie.

These kids stay quite until you want to here from them.

Yeah, but right now my ears are bleeding. Once you get them all out you need to crank em up for a few hours... 😆

Hey Todd, these kids require no college tuition or, can I borrow the car?, can you loan me 20 bucks?, and the miriad of other nuisances associated with child rearing.
These "kids" are always shining, never a disapointment, and are likely to become best friends.

Any favorite picks you use?

Cheers, Barrie.

Any favorite picks you use?

Always use Dunlop or Fender heavy picks and Ernie Ball super slinky .009's. These kids can still nickle & dime you with setup's, strings, pickup swaps... Hell I just picked up two sets of NOS 1972 Embossed Gibson pickup covers that are super rare and impossible to find. Set me back $300. One set is going on my Mahogany Explorer, but I want them on Gibson Classic 57's pups so that is going to cost me another $250...

Sweet ... those are very nice! It'll only add value to your already valued guitar. Where they ever issued on a production model Gibson?

I use .009 - .046 D'Addario XL's and Fender medium picks mostly. I have a few heavys around but rarely use them.

Cheers, Barrie.