Today's posting is a guest review by my brother-in-law of a Fender 70's Vintage Reissue Stratocaster. I've updated this post to include a recently shot video review also.

In 1982 I made the huge mistake of trading an American made ‘70’s Stratocaster for an acoustic guitar.  Being both a newlywed and a starving artist prevented me from owning 2 guitars at the same time.  This Christmas, Santa Claus helped "right the wrong" by putting a hecho en Mexico Fender '70s Stratocaster Reissue guitar under the tree.  It's practically a carbon copy of my first Strat, this one has the same maple neck/maple fret board with bullet truss rod, classic oversized headstock and deep gloss cream white paint finish.

The new guitar plays and sounds just like the original with the added feature that I don’t have to fiddle around to get the "in between" settings for that twangy mellow sound unique to the Stratocaster.   Modern technology has allowed these Mexican made retro Strats to feel and sound as good as the original ‘70’s model. I’ve seen some reviews that praise this guitar but lament the "Made in Mexico" sticker on the back of the neck.  Funny, I remember people in the early ‘80’s mentioning the same thing about Japanese made cars.  Just remember, the times, they are a changin’.

I’m no EC or SRV but playing this reissue Strat offers excellent sound and tone quality that harkens back to the original 70s’ model I used to own.  I’m no expert on vintage American Strats but I can't feel or hear any difference between my reissue "Jalepeno Hammer" and my old "Stars and Bars" made-in USA version.

Unless you’re a die hard Strat junkie, or a collector with a big budget, the money you can save on a Mexican built version that sounds, looks and behaves like the original, can pay for a new amp or a year of music lessons kid.  The way I see it, modern technological know-how applied to a classic design makes the reissue Strats as good or maybe even better than the original.  And certainly more affordable.  I sold my original strat many years back, and there's no way I could buy it back today. 

Specs:

• White Body
• Neck Maple, "U" Shape, (Gloss Polyurethane Finish)
• Fingerboard Maple (p/n 013-7002), 7.25" Radius (184mm)
• 21 Vintage Style Frets
• 3 Vintage Style Single-Coil Strat® Pickups with Alnico Magnets
• Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck), Tone 2. (Middle)
• Pickup Switching 5-Position Blade
• Bridge Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
• Machine Heads Fender®
• Hardware Chrome, Pickguard 3-Ply White
• Scale Length 25.5" (648 mm)

I'm finding the high gloss finish on my maple fret board version of the reissue so smooth and accommodating that I’m having a heck of a time putting the guitar down. I rate this one a nine on ten!

Update: I've added a link to a video on YouTube that demonstrates the 70's Reissue Strat so you can see and hear this classic guitar in action.

• Musician's Friend: Fender '70s Stratocaster Reissue
• GuitarVibe: Les Paul Studio, PalmGuitar Review, Dirt Cheap $100 Strat