Hi Dave !!! Great channel you have ... my uncle worked with Leo in Fullerton in the mid 60’s he was in R& D for Leo .. designers pickups and bridges for jags and strats When he left to work in in nasa Leo gave him a twin reverb with 120 watts rms and twin jbls He had tones and boxes of strat , tele , ahah , precision pickups warped individually in wax paper he designed several guitars for fender and himself a steel guitar / guitar player worked for pee wee king band a country& Western swing band back in the 40s and 50’s toured the entire planet at 15 years old ... a true genius long story short .. I bought a strat at a local Dallas store in 73 it was a pre cbs white for 125 back then ... he took it apart and set it up for me and told me it was a pre cbs it was perfect ... being a vocalist. I was a mediocre guitarist but a very good vocalist and trailed the us for 12 years in a row Again .. my amp was a Marshall 50 watt with a slanted 6 10 cab .. my fav amp But ended up focusing on mty voice and gave my strat to a blues guitarist like a Stevie Ray ... his name Gerry rose .. from Plano , Tx a great guitarist ... this was before SRV 72 73 he loved my guitar and I had to have him own it my point is my forte was in voice ... his in blues and I gave him my favorite guitar I ever owned ... it was home where it belonged And by the way my uncles name was Roy Ayres and he made the steel guitar Hall of fame in 2005 very proud as he and my aunt Shirley had a huge part of my career in music Toi know you have to wonder what that guitar and tons of other melody makers , les Paul’s I bought in pawn shops over the years would be with today ... thanks for reading 🙏☮️🙏☮️💯🎸🎸🎸🎸
Donald, I am in north Texas as well and just wanted to thank you for sharing this wonderful information with all of his. The paths you must have crossewd and the people you must have come in contact with. I can only imagine the stories you could tell. I am envious. Take care!
If you look at the position of the upper scratchplate screw that sits between the middle and neck pickup, the ST62 has it in the wrong place if it's trying to be a '62. In April of 1963 Fender moved that screw back closer to the middle pickup. This has been a public service broadcast(er) by someone who has too much time on his hands. God, I'm lonely.
TBH if it’s meant to be a ‘62 it shouldn’t have modern wiring and should have just stuck with the 3 way blade! I think the FujiGen plant think of them more as homages than direct replicas 👍
Hi Dave, to me the 62 and the st62 sounded most similar! They’re all cracking strats. I wouldn’t rank them however because I know from owning a number of strats myself that depending on the day and my mood I can prefer the feel or tone of one over the others 🎸
I love videos like this. I'm a big fan of the American Vintage line. In my opinion, the most accurate spec'd reissues were made between 2012-2017 (the 4th Strat in your lineup is a actually a 1965 RI from this batch.) Fender went out and found vintage guitars and took them apart for reference. One of the things I noticed on the guitars from this era, they were sprayed with a clear lacquer like on the originals instead of the fake orange/yellow tint they used previously and currently. The reason vintage Fender guitars have that color, is due to the yellowing process in the environment over time (sunlight, smoky bars, use, etc)
I love that they are all different flavours! I thought th st62 sounded the zingiest, and you said the opposite so no idea what I was hearing hahaha! Good vid man :) They all sound marvelous!
Absolutely mesmerising my wife and I where in Paris two years ago I suppose we wouldn’t have been allowed in to even look at such fine guitars , let alone play one but thank you for showing and playing every one so effortlessly Dave always a pleasure to watch and hear you play.
Interesting all Strats sounded different to me..the 62 sounded 60's if that makes sense....the closest being the ST62 though ...the best all rounder for me though was Mr White :)
They are all beauties in there own way but you could line up a bunch of all 62 or 60's strats an they'll sound different ...if the guitar is good to you an feels like gravy to play as they all appear to inspire you ...besides like the great strat players of our time an the past all had there own sound with the strat ,having all those girls is like having the choice of chicken prepared five different ways ...never leaving your tongue bored....🤘🤘🤘
Hi Dave! Been a while since ive watched your vids, been suffering with bad back problems from skateboarding, not able to do it for 4 months now! got back into playing guitar and am loving it again. Gonna binge on all of your vids I missed. Also im seeing the chilli peppers in June! CANT WAIT!!!!
My lovely wife recently got me a Vintera 60’s strat MIM and it sounds awesome. For me it’s how it feels, a great feeling guitar is harder to put down 🤙🎸
Hi Dave love your channel I have Made in Japan, 57 Stratocaster, re-issue, candy, apple, red maple fret board made in 1987 which I bought in 1989 for £450 with a tax rebate, but I got that yeah I love this Guitar I think you would like it too Keep rocking Dave
"The set will be totally clean" immediately got a like from me. The Japanese ST62 is close enough to the original 1962. I have had a lot of older Fender Japan guitars over the last 3 decades and some were very good and some were excellent (most of them built for the Japanese market only), but I never saw a bad one, all high class instruments for the money.
Great video Dave, all sounded good all sounded quite different too, clarity seemed clearer on the genuine one on the bridge but that said your white one sounded better on the neck pick up, had a warmer fuller tone to my ears. I play your vids via an audio interface out through my Hi Fi so get quite a good sound. Shows it all comes down to feel and what you enjoy playing. Noticed they all have the rosewood fret boards, I have tried maple ones and they are ok but just think the rosewood feels and plays nicer. Great channel Dave!
Hey Dave! I will agree with what others have said. Sound wise, probably the ST 62 is closer to the original. HOWEVER, to my ears, both yours and the newer Strat sound fuller: more bass and more mids than the other two. The newest one is loud! The original and the ST62 sound brighter than the others
After watching this, I sort of stopped caring about what sounded like the '62 and became more interested in just listening to Mr. White. That mid-range gives it a fuller, thicker tone that I prefer to the scooped early 60's Strats. It's warm but still dynamic and retains just enough jangle. That is a GREAT guitar and I can understand why it's your #1. To my ear, it's got more mojo than the '62.
Yeah, I agree. The sound of Dave's #1 has something special and unique to it. It has a very balanced tone. Not thin, but not dull either. The highs are smooth but still have that strat "chime," and there's a nice amount of low-mids that even the '62 lacks.
Brilliant 👌 I normally avoid guitar reviews, because they all use loads of pedals and overdrive, and that’s not hearing the guitar in its purest form - but this was spot on 🍻 👏 Liked the tone from the white strat the most ☺️ that suited my ears
The vintage Strat was obviously the best sounding in all ways. The white one sounded a bit shy, pulled back and muffled compared to the vintage. The one from 1990 sounded a bit thin but more open compared to the white one. The American Original (I think it is) sounded like a mix of the white one and the 90’s one, it had the fatness of the white one and the openness from the 90’s one but lacked character compared to the white one. But honestly, none of them compared to the vintage one. If I had to pick one of the 3 non-vintage ones, I’d go with the white one. It sounds most in the ballpark of the vintage one. Great video, love these kinds of comparisons. I do them sometimes with my Strats.
Hi Dave, I’m slowly ploughing through your videos, there’s hours of entertainment on your channel, thanks so much! I liked all these guitars, in their own way they have their strengths, & I thought the St62 sounded closest. However it’s all subjective, many things can affect tone, one ‘62 can sound different to another depending on what life they’ve had. I have 3 Strats at the moment, a 1982 AVRI ‘57 with maple neck, a newish Professional 2 also with maple neck, and I recently bought a 1989 Korean Squier with a rosewood fingerboard on a whim. It’s much like a ‘62 reissue. The Pro 2 is a totally different animal as expected. However I stripped, cleaned & rebuilt the Squier using all the same settings as on the 1982 AVRI, such as string gauges, action, pickup height etc. The feel of the neck is very similar to the ‘57 RI too. I swear blindfolded I couldn’t tell one from the other. It just goes to show if you pay enough attention to detail it’s not always about price & value. Mind you, I wouldn’t turn my nose up at an original 1962 Strat. Incidentally, I have a Vintage 2 ‘61 in Fiesta red on pre-order & I’m patiently waiting for that 😁
A very important question that almost always goes unquestioned or overlooked. The guitar player choosing the guitar will undoubtedly strum differently for his or her favourite guitar.
Hello, thank you for the direct comparaison ! For me they have all the same kind of tone. The only different is in the frequencies. For me the best, more balanced, is the 3rd (if i have to just pick just one). But if i can choose with my taste, i'll take the 1st, and the 2nd (to have 2 different kind of typical strat sound). Ant the the closest, for me, would be the 3rd.
Thanks again Dave, great shootout! As a Stratocaster player myself I own many newer stats and some reissues, to me the ST62 sounds closest to the '62! Mr. White, and the Queenie strats both sound fatter and darker to me! You could play a $99.00 toy and make it sound amazing! STRAT ON!
Quite surprised by your opinion. I thought the ST 62 sounded the most like the real 62. That being said your in the room with them and I am listening on a cell phone. All sounded amazing!
I agree! The Japanese one sounded the closest on my speakers at least. The 'queeny' one was certainly louder. Mr White was way creamier than the 62. They all sounded great.
If I had to sell 1 it would be the ST62, just didn't love it as much. The white one I can imagine fitting a band mix very nicely. Queenie's strat is great and makes a good alternative, plus probably has some Worcesterfarian magic in it.
I agree. Mr White was the closest to my ear, but I think it was followed by the ST62, and finally the American RI. It seemed a bit too dark? but maybe the obvious higher output could have been what swayed me. It sounded boomier, which may have come across as darker through TH-cam. Either way, I would have em all!
I am with you Dave loved them all. For me it was Mr White then the queenie strat, all great tones but forth was the phone, (not a Dave video without it)
The pridge pickup on Carina's '64 reissue is powerful! The other three weren't near to break the amp up, but the '64 reissue is RIGHT on the cusp! The Japanese reissue is the one that's closest to the original, though. The Mexican one was the furthest away. Way darker than the original. This is through the internet and a set of old-ish JBL PC speakers, though, it must be said.
Wow literally all look and sound amazing, I'm not sure if I'm making a prejudge but I prefer the original 62 strat, regard sound. But I mean you have better ears in this area. Any way greetings my friend and merry weekend and happy new week as well.
The Mexican reassure guitars Are very good as well I have a reissue. Mexican 50s Telecaster In sunburst with a maple neck, which rings like a bell pickups are great too
Great! I’m up to speed on that white Strat now. I’m a really big fan of ST-62 Strats, US or MIJ and my favorite is the 59 Strat. I’m saving 🆙 for one. It’s going to be a while so I’m going to get an American ST-62 reissue to tide myself over. I’m crazy about my MIJ 60s Strat. I don’t want to put it down. Now my American Strats are just sitting around. I need to thin the herd 🫥. 👍☮️🌞🎸🎵💝
Queene and Mr Original for me were the most similar in tone . But I enjoyed most the way you played Mr White . All guitars sounded brilliant, of course
All four guitars are completely lovely. Would be great if you could get your hands on a 60s classic vibe for such a comparison videos as well. Just for context. Well done sir!
Awesome comparison and explanation Dave. Thanks. I have a Custom Shop 60s NOS Stratocaster amd I love it. It has a 7.25 inch radius and it is the only thing I’m not sure if I like or not. Sometimes I love it and sometimes I don’t. Does your ‘62 have a 7.25 radius fretboard?
Hey, dave great video was wondering if the 62 has a nitro finish on it and do you think that would effect the tone because of it? Im thinking of getting a 60s pro because they have a nitro finnish on them. I recently bought a gibson sg and love the nitro finnish and neck on it. My LTD and wolfgang have thin flat necks and im not comfortable playing them anymore. Ibread dave murray put a 59 neck on his strat. Would that type of neck be simular to a SG?
So let me get this straight even though I love the clear brightness of the 62 ..the mexi mr.white with it's creamy azz is the best sounding!?!?😮😮😮 I realize that's really just my opinion but dude Dave that is such a great sounding strat and sure enough as you've said before it's your oldest and closest friend as guitars go. Such a treat this was.
Absolutely agree with your order, I thought the American strats sounded rounder/fuller and maybe darker in a good way on the neck (I may be gibbering) To state the obvious they are all fantastic and Mr White is very special indeed
Queenie's strat was the best sound overall but ST62 2000 model was the closest in sound for me. Mr White was the last on this occasion. I was listening via a laptop directly to the TV with output straight to a Creative surround system, so that might've coloured what you heard in the room.
Another awesome viv Dave 😃😃❤️❤️❤️❤️I’ve always had a nightmare life with strats never got on with anything I’ve ever owned or tried, old or newer, would’ve been interesting to hear and see how a custom shop Strat would’ve matched up to the pre cbs one ? I think I probably would’ve picked Jap one over the other two non-originals. Anyway love what you do always fascinated and they are always a joyful experience keep up the brilliant work
Seems to me that all of the reissues have dialed down what people would do for their own tastes to arrive at what this original offers before dialing down for their own tastes...? In other words...the original has more to dial down...? ALL the reissues are darker and smoother to a certain degree... That said, Mr. White's neck pup is the closest to the original to my ear. There's more that I'd like to expound upon...but it's too much to write here. Queenies Strat is a great all around tone machine indeed...as is the original 😎👍 Personally believe that it's better to have more to dial down than to have to dial up...? Thank you for the shoot out😎👍 😎👍❤🖖 Love Brother
All four beautiful guitars and each has its own personality. Not a dud in the bunch. Cici's has the most robust sound to my ear, but they all sound great!
I think the 4th guitar is an American Vintage 65 reissue. The headstock logo is the giveway. I have it it Olympic White, best Strat I’ve owned Edit: Queenie Strat / Wr White / ST62
They all had a darker tonality, missing that jangle with both pickups. My overall is Queenie. BRIDGE: 1. ST62 2. Queenie 3. Mr. White NECK: 1. Queenie 2. Mr. White 3. ST62.
I was wondering if either of those sunbursts was an old guitar of mine, but mine was a Japanese '62 reissue with aged parts. However, it would have been around a '93 or so. Probably the best guitar I've owned, and I always regret trading that one for an Epi Les Paul.
I would be curious to see a 82-84 Fullerton reissue comared. it would be the closest year wise to the original... And with how much theyre selling for these days, they better be spot on!
All are good but I liked the white the best. What pickups does it have? they were quite bass-y. I have a 70s Strat with american vintage 65 pickups and it is extremely bright
Cool video! That original 62 on the neck pickup was sooooo nice! Wow! I recently purchased a new Eric Clapton signature series Strats. I really like the active noiseless pickups. Very versatile Strat, and the classic V shaped neck is great. How do you compare the 62 models to the Clapton models?
Hi Dave! I think Mr white was the closest in all tones followed by the queeny strat where I thought the mids were more punchy which leaves the Chinese strat that sounded a bit darker tone all round.
They all sound amazing. I had white, queeny and the one. Not sure my iPhone speaker is the best for this exercise. I honestly might prefer the sparkle of your Mexi Mr. White (Señor Blanco?!) over the actual US ‘62?!?
No horse in this race, they all sounded fine. We have the original 1960's vs the 1990's, the 2000's & 2010's versions. And it was pretty interesting to hear the various regions of the world's decade of reissue. Not sure if that was coincidence or not. Since the sound was a game of hand grenades close, feel is another criteria. Your assessment is kind of what I expected, the Japanese (Asians across the board really) can dial in anything with their manufacturing really and beat even the USA 2017 for matching the feel at least. And this is USA California team of Fender employees making the most recent of the reissues. I can't hear enough with the computer to say even which I preferred, depends upon the kind of mood I'm in and what my in the moment interpretation is. Would've been better if any of us were in the room.
I think the st62 sounded closest, to me anyway. It seems, from the comments, that we all hear things differently. I know age plays a part in our perception of sound- and there's also the differences in all our sound systems... You and Queenie are bound to be biased in your opinions- I guess the only impartial judge present would be Dad Simpson
I was suprised at your verdict. It might be TH-cam compression and /or my ears/speakers but I thought they all sounded fairly similar on the neck pup and Mr.White sounded 'darkest' (less jangle, more mid-range) on the Bridge pup compared to the '62. I thought the ST62 edged it (a little more sparkle on the Bridge pup) over the Queenie Strat but they were pretty close
the 2017 one is definitely out. it had more well balanced tone without the sparkly high end. so maybe it has the same feel as a 62 but not the same sound clearly. sounded similar to the g&ls i use
Bridge the ST-62 seemed closest to the original, though it seemed a hair hotter. Mr. White and the Queenie strat sounded closer together, hotter bridge and warmer as well. For the bridge I prefered the ST-62 with its combo of brightness and being a bit hotter than the original. For the neck once again the ST-62 seemed closest to the original, very close this time. Mr. White and the Queenie strat were also close to each other, with Mr. White maybe being a bit more bassy. I preferred the ST-62 or the original, they were too close to really say which one I liked more.
Comparing several strats with stock electronics may sometimes miss the point. For example: I have a 1965 strat with an original volume pot of only 230 KOhms. At first it was inferior to my 1962 Strat. After I swapped the volume pot for a 270 KOhm, it sounds just as good. Even the pickups don't matter that much. In my opinion, most of the sound is in the electronics, if the rest of the guitar delivers acoustically as it should.
It's funny but for me the original 62 has a high-medium tone and the one that comes more closest is the Japanese. Mexican Mr White and the USA they have a more bass-medium tone.
I think I like the black guitar 🎸 the best the 62 just sounded more warmer to me and it had a nicer sound to me! And then the 2nd guitar the white one sounded awesome then the guitar from Mexico was 3rd and then 2017 was last! I don’t know 🤷♂️ I tried I’m just going by how it sounded to me I’m so confused 🤔 Lol 😂😁
Hi Dave !!! Great channel you have ... my uncle worked with Leo in Fullerton in the mid 60’s he was in R& D for Leo .. designers pickups and bridges for jags and strats When he left to work in in nasa Leo gave him a twin reverb with 120 watts rms and twin jbls He had tones and boxes of strat , tele , ahah , precision pickups warped individually in wax paper he designed several guitars for fender and himself a steel guitar / guitar player worked for pee wee king band a country& Western swing band back in the 40s and 50’s toured the entire planet at 15 years old ... a true genius long story short .. I bought a strat at a local Dallas store in 73 it was a pre cbs white for 125 back then ... he took it apart and set it up for me and told me it was a pre cbs it was perfect ... being a vocalist. I was a mediocre guitarist but a very good vocalist and trailed the us for 12 years in a row Again .. my amp was a Marshall 50 watt with a slanted 6 10 cab .. my fav amp But ended up focusing on mty voice and gave my strat to a blues guitarist like a Stevie Ray ... his name Gerry rose .. from Plano , Tx a great guitarist ... this was before SRV 72 73 he loved my guitar and I had to have him own it my point is my forte was in voice ... his in blues and I gave him my favorite guitar I ever owned ... it was home where it belonged And by the way my uncles name was Roy Ayres and he made the steel guitar Hall of fame in 2005 very proud as he and my aunt Shirley had a huge part of my career in music Toi know you have to wonder what that guitar and tons of other melody makers , les Paul’s I bought in pawn shops over the years would be with today ... thanks for reading 🙏☮️🙏☮️💯🎸🎸🎸🎸
Donald, I am in north Texas as well and just wanted to thank you for sharing this wonderful information with all of his. The paths you must have crossewd and the people you must have come in contact with. I can only imagine the stories you could tell. I am envious. Take care!
My uncle worked on a pig farm , his nickname was Piggy . Go figure .
Fascinating history Donald such and interesting life, thanks
@@Dad-Gad 😂love it😜
´62 Strat(1962) MIA Bridge 3:30
Mr. White(2002) MIM Bridge 4:09
Fender ST62(1990) MIJ Bridge 4:48
Classic Player Strat(2017) MIA Bridge 5:25
´62 Strat(1962) MIA Neck 6:04
Mr. White(2002) MIM Neck 6:32
Fender ST62(1990) MIJ Neck 7:04
Classic Player Strat(2017) MIA Neck 7:33
If you look at the position of the upper scratchplate screw that sits between the middle and neck pickup, the ST62 has it in the wrong place if it's trying to be a '62. In April of 1963 Fender moved that screw back closer to the middle pickup.
This has been a public service broadcast(er) by someone who has too much time on his hands. God, I'm lonely.
🤣 I believe you are correct! And, hilarious ✌🏻
TBH if it’s meant to be a ‘62 it shouldn’t have modern wiring and should have just stuck with the 3 way blade!
I think the FujiGen plant think of them more as homages than direct replicas 👍
Hi Dave, to me the 62 and the st62 sounded most similar! They’re all cracking strats. I wouldn’t rank them however because I know from owning a number of strats myself that depending on the day and my mood I can prefer the feel or tone of one over the others 🎸
Top stuff Dave .. everyone's favourite guitar buddy.. really is like visiting one of your mate's for a guitar chinwag
I would just love an original American 62’. What a guitar to own! Mega money now for a good one, your one looks in really nice condition!
I love videos like this. I'm a big fan of the American Vintage line. In my opinion, the most accurate spec'd reissues were made between 2012-2017 (the 4th Strat in your lineup is a actually a 1965 RI from this batch.) Fender went out and found vintage guitars and took them apart for reference. One of the things I noticed on the guitars from this era, they were sprayed with a clear lacquer like on the originals instead of the fake orange/yellow tint they used previously and currently. The reason vintage Fender guitars have that color, is due to the yellowing process in the environment over time (sunlight, smoky bars, use, etc)
I love that they are all different flavours! I thought th st62 sounded the zingiest, and you said the opposite so no idea what I was hearing hahaha!
Good vid man :) They all sound marvelous!
Through my speaker the ST62 was the closest to the original, with Mr White being much darker than all of the others. Loved this shoot out! Thank you
Same opinion to my ears
Absolutely mesmerising my wife and I where in Paris two years ago I suppose we wouldn’t have been allowed in to even look at such fine guitars , let alone play one but thank you for showing and playing every one so effortlessly Dave always a pleasure to watch and hear you play.
Dude makes anything sound superb
Interesting all Strats sounded different to me..the 62 sounded 60's if that makes sense....the closest being the ST62 though ...the best all rounder for me though was Mr White :)
They are all beauties in there own way but you could line up a bunch of all 62 or 60's strats an they'll sound different ...if the guitar is good to you an feels like gravy to play as they all appear to inspire you ...besides like the great strat players of our time an the past all had there own sound with the strat ,having all those girls is like having the choice of chicken prepared five different ways ...never leaving your tongue bored....🤘🤘🤘
Hi Dave!
Been a while since ive watched your vids, been suffering with bad back problems from skateboarding, not able to do it for 4 months now! got back into playing guitar and am loving it again. Gonna binge on all of your vids I missed. Also im seeing the chilli peppers in June! CANT WAIT!!!!
I love how he says, three it sounds like free. Great vid as always
My lovely wife recently got me a Vintera 60’s strat MIM and it sounds awesome. For me it’s how it feels, a great feeling guitar is harder to put down 🤙🎸
Those Vinteras are fantastic!
@@400_billion_suns yep totally agree, sounds and feels great. I cannot put it down 🤙🎸
I got my roadworn 50’s fiesta red and that is my first strat since I have been converted from a Les Paul player.
They all sound great that's for sure!!
Hi Dave love your channel I have Made in Japan, 57 Stratocaster, re-issue, candy, apple, red maple fret board made in 1987 which I bought in 1989 for £450 with a tax rebate, but I got that yeah I love this Guitar I think you would like it too Keep rocking Dave
I thought the ST62 was closest on headphone on TH-cam. Bloody love that guitar! 🎸
"The set will be totally clean" immediately got a like from me.
The Japanese ST62 is close enough to the original 1962.
I have had a lot of older Fender Japan guitars over the last 3 decades and some were very good and some were excellent (most of them built for the Japanese market only), but I never saw a bad one, all high class instruments for the money.
Great video Dave, all sounded good all sounded quite different too, clarity seemed clearer on the genuine one on the bridge but that said your white one sounded better on the neck pick up, had a warmer fuller tone to my ears. I play your vids via an audio interface out through my Hi Fi so get quite a good sound. Shows it all comes down to feel and what you enjoy playing. Noticed they all have the rosewood fret boards, I have tried maple ones and they are ok but just think the rosewood feels and plays nicer. Great channel Dave!
Hey Dave! I will agree with what others have said. Sound wise, probably the ST 62 is closer to the original. HOWEVER, to my ears, both yours and the newer Strat sound fuller: more bass and more mids than the other two. The newest one is loud! The original and the ST62 sound brighter than the others
After watching this, I sort of stopped caring about what sounded like the '62 and became more interested in just listening to Mr. White. That mid-range gives it a fuller, thicker tone that I prefer to the scooped early 60's Strats. It's warm but still dynamic and retains just enough jangle. That is a GREAT guitar and I can understand why it's your #1. To my ear, it's got more mojo than the '62.
Yeah, I agree. The sound of Dave's #1 has something special and unique to it. It has a very balanced tone. Not thin, but not dull either. The highs are smooth but still have that strat "chime," and there's a nice amount of low-mids that even the '62 lacks.
@@400_billion_suns I went back to listen and I think you're spot on about the low-mids being a huge part about what differentiates the tone.
Brilliant 👌 I normally avoid guitar reviews, because they all use loads of pedals and overdrive, and that’s not hearing the guitar in its purest form - but this was spot on 🍻 👏
Liked the tone from the white strat the most ☺️ that suited my ears
The vintage Strat was obviously the best sounding in all ways. The white one sounded a bit shy, pulled back and muffled compared to the vintage. The one from 1990 sounded a bit thin but more open compared to the white one. The American Original (I think it is) sounded like a mix of the white one and the 90’s one, it had the fatness of the white one and the openness from the 90’s one but lacked character compared to the white one. But honestly, none of them compared to the vintage one. If I had to pick one of the 3 non-vintage ones, I’d go with the white one. It sounds most in the ballpark of the vintage one. Great video, love these kinds of comparisons. I do them sometimes with my Strats.
Bring on the Dave Simpson Strat fest! 👍👍👍
Strat fest!!!!!! Awesome!!!!
I'd be proud to own any of them , they all sound really ......... stratty 👍
Hi Dave, I’m slowly ploughing through your videos, there’s hours of entertainment on your channel, thanks so much! I liked all these guitars, in their own way they have their strengths, & I thought the St62 sounded closest. However it’s all subjective, many things can affect tone, one ‘62 can sound different to another depending on what life they’ve had. I have 3 Strats at the moment, a 1982 AVRI ‘57 with maple neck, a newish Professional 2 also with maple neck, and I recently bought a 1989 Korean Squier with a rosewood fingerboard on a whim. It’s much like a ‘62 reissue. The Pro 2 is a totally different animal as expected. However I stripped, cleaned & rebuilt the Squier using all the same settings as on the 1982 AVRI, such as string gauges, action, pickup height etc. The feel of the neck is very similar to the ‘57 RI too. I swear blindfolded I couldn’t tell one from the other. It just goes to show if you pay enough attention to detail it’s not always about price & value. Mind you, I wouldn’t turn my nose up at an original 1962 Strat. Incidentally, I have a Vintage 2 ‘61 in Fiesta red on pre-order & I’m patiently waiting for that 😁
A very important question that almost always goes unquestioned or overlooked. The guitar player choosing the guitar will undoubtedly strum differently for his or her favourite guitar.
The white Stratocaster sounds very nice.... it reminds me of the sound of my Stratocaster ESP 800 from 1981.
Very good comparison! ❤
This is one my fave videos you made. More power buddy
Hello, thank you for the direct comparaison ! For me they have all the same kind of tone. The only different is in the frequencies. For me the best, more balanced, is the 3rd (if i have to just pick just one). But if i can choose with my taste, i'll take the 1st, and the 2nd (to have 2 different kind of typical strat sound). Ant the the closest, for me, would be the 3rd.
the phone ding always gets me. it's kind of like an easter egg to wait for in the videos at this point. lol
Thanks again Dave, great shootout! As a Stratocaster player myself I own many newer stats and some reissues, to me the ST62 sounds closest to the '62! Mr. White, and the Queenie strats both sound fatter and darker to me! You could play a $99.00 toy and make it sound amazing! STRAT ON!
Quite surprised by your opinion. I thought the ST 62 sounded the most like the real 62. That being said your in the room with them and I am listening on a cell phone. All sounded amazing!
I agree! The Japanese one sounded the closest on my speakers at least. The 'queeny' one was certainly louder. Mr White was way creamier than the 62. They all sounded great.
If I had to sell 1 it would be the ST62, just didn't love it as much.
The white one I can imagine fitting a band mix very nicely.
Queenie's strat is great and makes a good alternative, plus probably has some Worcesterfarian magic in it.
I agree. Mr White was the closest to my ear, but I think it was followed by the ST62, and finally the American RI. It seemed a bit too dark? but maybe the obvious higher output could have been what swayed me. It sounded boomier, which may have come across as darker through TH-cam. Either way, I would have em all!
I am with you Dave loved them all. For me it was Mr White then the queenie strat, all great tones but forth was the phone, (not a Dave video without it)
All great guitars but the white strad is magic.I can see why Mr White is his favorite. Great player !!🙏
The pridge pickup on Carina's '64 reissue is powerful! The other three weren't near to break the amp up, but the '64 reissue is RIGHT on the cusp!
The Japanese reissue is the one that's closest to the original, though. The Mexican one was the furthest away. Way darker than the original. This is through the internet and a set of old-ish JBL PC speakers, though, it must be said.
Mr White sounds close but the surprise was 2017 USA loved it!🙂
Wow literally all look and sound amazing, I'm not sure if I'm making a prejudge but I prefer the original 62 strat, regard sound. But I mean you have better ears in this area. Any way greetings my friend and merry weekend and happy new week as well.
The Mexican reassure guitars Are very good as well I have a reissue. Mexican 50s Telecaster In sunburst with a maple neck, which rings like a bell pickups are great too
Great! I’m up to speed on that white Strat now. I’m a really big fan of ST-62 Strats, US or MIJ and my favorite is the 59 Strat. I’m saving 🆙 for one. It’s going to be a while so I’m going to get an American ST-62 reissue to tide myself over. I’m crazy about my MIJ 60s Strat. I don’t want to put it down. Now my American Strats are just sitting around. I need to thin the herd 🫥. 👍☮️🌞🎸🎵💝
Queene and Mr Original for me were the most similar in tone . But I enjoyed most the way you played Mr White . All guitars sounded brilliant, of course
Cheers for the class review again Dave :) I think there is that little difference between these guitars it doesn't matter to be honest.
All four guitars are completely lovely. Would be great if you could get your hands on a 60s classic vibe for such a comparison videos as well. Just for context. Well done sir!
Awesome trippy wall covers 👌 🤯
The usa reissue. Looks like a 65 vintage pure series. Where thay got all the details spot on
Original 62 sounds amazing. My picks in order that sound the closest are American, Japan, Mexico.
Awesome comparison and explanation Dave. Thanks. I have a Custom Shop 60s NOS Stratocaster amd I love it. It has a 7.25 inch radius and it is the only thing I’m not sure if I like or not. Sometimes I love it and sometimes I don’t. Does your ‘62 have a 7.25 radius fretboard?
It does yeps.
Since my internet has been off because I am a poor $oul ... I miss seeing super dave jamming and inspiring me to play.
Hey, dave great video was wondering if the 62 has a nitro finish on it and do you think that would effect the tone because of it? Im thinking of getting a 60s pro because they have a nitro finnish on them. I recently bought a gibson sg and love the nitro finnish and neck on it. My LTD and wolfgang have thin flat necks and im not comfortable playing them anymore. Ibread dave murray put a 59 neck on his strat. Would that type of neck be simular to a SG?
So let me get this straight even though I love the clear brightness of the 62 ..the mexi mr.white with it's creamy azz is the best sounding!?!?😮😮😮 I realize that's really just my opinion but dude Dave that is such a great sounding strat and sure enough as you've said before it's your oldest and closest friend as guitars go. Such a treat this was.
Makes a diff also that Dave loves playing that guitar. Usually when the player digs the instrument it makes him/her play with a bit more oomph.
Absolutely agree with your order, I thought the American strats sounded rounder/fuller and maybe darker in a good way on the neck (I may be gibbering) To state the obvious they are all fantastic and Mr White is very special indeed
Queenie's strat was the best sound overall but ST62 2000 model was the closest in sound for me. Mr White was the last on this occasion. I was listening via a laptop directly to the TV with output straight to a Creative surround system, so that might've coloured what you heard in the room.
I enjoy studying his playing techniques because I'm use to playing alot of heavier stuff.
Another awesome viv Dave 😃😃❤️❤️❤️❤️I’ve always had a nightmare life with strats never got on with anything I’ve ever owned or tried, old or newer, would’ve been interesting to hear and see how a custom shop Strat would’ve matched up to the pre cbs one ? I think I probably would’ve picked Jap one over the other two non-originals.
Anyway love what you do always fascinated and they are always a joyful experience keep up the brilliant work
Seems to me that all of the reissues have dialed down what people would do for their own tastes to arrive at what this original offers before dialing down for their own tastes...?
In other words...the original has more to dial down...?
ALL the reissues are darker and smoother to a certain degree...
That said, Mr. White's neck pup is the closest to the original to my ear.
There's more that I'd like to expound upon...but it's too much to write here.
Queenies Strat is a great all around tone machine indeed...as is the original 😎👍
Personally believe that it's better to have more to dial down than to have to dial up...?
Thank you for the shoot out😎👍
😎👍❤🖖
Love Brother
That 62 b&w is in crazy good condition 😮
Its a refin.
All four beautiful guitars and each has its own personality. Not a dud in the bunch. Cici's has the most robust sound to my ear, but they all sound great!
Love your Peter Green t-shirt 💚
Mr White and American re-issue are close tonaly; the other ones had more high end. Great demo 👍
I think the 4th guitar is an American Vintage 65 reissue. The headstock logo is the giveway. I have it it Olympic White, best Strat I’ve owned
Edit: Queenie Strat / Wr White / ST62
With the bigger decal !
Yup, and no truss rod access at the headstock. Vintage style
I was wondering if it's the American original '65. I have one from '18.
Yes the white, then Queenie Strat and st62 last. All beautiful guitars
Would be interesting to find out which copy like vintage v6 and others feels most like fender? Not the sound, but the feeling.
None.
No 4 is next level!
They all had a darker tonality, missing that jangle with both pickups. My overall is Queenie. BRIDGE: 1. ST62 2. Queenie 3. Mr. White NECK: 1. Queenie 2. Mr. White 3. ST62.
I was wondering if either of those sunbursts was an old guitar of mine, but mine was a Japanese '62 reissue with aged parts. However, it would have been around a '93 or so. Probably the best guitar I've owned, and I always regret trading that one for an Epi Les Paul.
The 2017 Looks like the 60s Original Series
I would be curious to see a 82-84 Fullerton reissue comared. it would be the closest year wise to the original... And with how much theyre selling for these days, they better be spot on!
Awesome, love strats 🤙🎸
All are good but I liked the white the best. What pickups does it have? they were quite bass-y. I have a 70s Strat with american vintage 65 pickups and it is extremely bright
The white strat is my favorite!!
Cool video! That original 62 on the neck pickup was sooooo nice! Wow! I recently purchased a new Eric Clapton signature series Strats. I really like the active noiseless pickups. Very versatile Strat, and the classic V shaped neck is great. How do you compare the 62 models to the Clapton models?
Personally I really don’t like the clapton model because of the v neck. Its very uncomfortable for me. The 60s c is more me. :)
Hi Dave! I think Mr white was the closest in all tones followed by the queeny strat where I thought the mids were more punchy which leaves the Chinese strat that sounded a bit darker tone all round.
Close enough I guess. Japanese Strat. Make-wise, there’s a pretty big difference.
They all sound amazing. I had white, queeny and the one. Not sure my iPhone speaker is the best for this exercise.
I honestly might prefer the sparkle of your Mexi Mr. White (Señor Blanco?!) over the actual US ‘62?!?
Hi Dave, is the white Strat a Classic Players 60's?
I have one in sunburst and it does the Frusciante thing very well.
I think so.
No horse in this race, they all sounded fine. We have the original 1960's vs the 1990's, the 2000's & 2010's versions. And it was pretty interesting to hear the various regions of the world's decade of reissue. Not sure if that was coincidence or not. Since the sound was a game of hand grenades close, feel is another criteria. Your assessment is kind of what I expected, the Japanese (Asians across the board really) can dial in anything with their manufacturing really and beat even the USA 2017 for matching the feel at least. And this is USA California team of Fender employees making the most recent of the reissues. I can't hear enough with the computer to say even which I preferred, depends upon the kind of mood I'm in and what my in the moment interpretation is. Would've been better if any of us were in the room.
Is the 90’s a MIJ model? I’m looking at buying the same one i think, same colour and everything
I think the st62 sounded closest, to me anyway. It seems, from the comments, that we all hear things differently. I know age plays a part in our perception of sound- and there's also the differences in all our sound systems... You and Queenie are bound to be biased in your opinions- I guess the only impartial judge present would be Dad Simpson
Hi Dave, how good is your two tone Squier classic vibe Strat, compared to this guitars? How near is it to them? Greetings from Germany. Thanks a lot
Hi Dave, which guitar strings do you use? =)
Daddario tens
@@thedavesimpson thank you =) wish you a nice day
Four beauties no doubts
I was suprised at your verdict. It might be TH-cam compression and /or my ears/speakers but I thought they all sounded fairly similar on the neck pup and Mr.White sounded 'darkest' (less jangle, more mid-range) on the Bridge pup compared to the '62. I thought the ST62 edged it (a little more sparkle on the Bridge pup) over the Queenie Strat but they were pretty close
It seems to me that the number 4 guitar is a Fender American Vintage 62, with the original 57/62 pickups, and in my opinion, the best of them.
It's a '65 reissue, you can tell by the transition logo.
the 2017 one is definitely out. it had more well balanced tone without the sparkly high end. so maybe it has the same feel as a 62 but not the same sound clearly. sounded similar to the g&ls i use
Take a peek under the pick guard..on the reissues
As some strat bodies had
The middle chiseled out
Not routed pick up slots
As the originals...
Bridge the ST-62 seemed closest to the original, though it seemed a hair hotter. Mr. White and the Queenie strat sounded closer together, hotter bridge and warmer as well. For the bridge I prefered the ST-62 with its combo of brightness and being a bit hotter than the original.
For the neck once again the ST-62 seemed closest to the original, very close this time. Mr. White and the Queenie strat were also close to each other, with Mr. White maybe being a bit more bassy. I preferred the ST-62 or the original, they were too close to really say which one I liked more.
Comparing several strats with stock electronics may sometimes miss the point. For example: I have a 1965 strat with an original volume pot of only 230 KOhms. At first it was inferior to my 1962 Strat. After I swapped the volume pot for a 270 KOhm, it sounds just as good. Even the pickups don't matter that much. In my opinion, most of the sound is in the electronics, if the rest of the guitar delivers acoustically as it should.
Nice stuff!!!
White strat sounds the best to me! What pickups are in it?
Tex mex.
Very nice :). Do you prefer these over tokai goldstar?
There all different in there own way..it depends on the day I suppose. But Mr white was the best for me personally...thanx dave.
It's funny but for me the original 62 has a high-medium tone and the one that comes more closest is the Japanese.
Mexican Mr White and the USA they have a more bass-medium tone.
Hey Dave i think the 2017 is the American original strat with pearloid inlays
did you get your st62 refinished? it looks good
The difference is in the Quality of Workmanship and Materials as well as the Fit & Finish of that 1962 guitar compared to the Reissues..
I want to get a orange 🍊 amp I have a super crush on this one lol
I think I like the black guitar 🎸 the best the 62 just sounded more warmer to me and it had a nicer sound to me! And then the 2nd guitar the white one sounded awesome then the guitar from Mexico was 3rd and then 2017 was last! I don’t know 🤷♂️ I tried I’m just going by how it sounded to me I’m so confused 🤔 Lol 😂😁