Orange Amps Forum

I want to buy a Fender 62 Vintage Strat, but im not sure whether to get the normal or the hot Rod version?

It says the Hot Rod has Reverse Wound/Reverse Polarity Middle Pickup and im not sure what means in terms of the sound?

Also will the Hot Rods fat 'Fat C Shape 9"5 radius neck feel chunky compared to a 52 Reissue Tele?

Thanks

I don't think that neck will feel too chunky at all. The 52 Hot Rod is a great neck, and is pretty fat in its own right. If you play a 52 Hot Rod Tele already, the adjustment to the C on the Strat should be easy. The Tele is a 9.5 radius just like the Strat, but is a U shape, so the depth of the necks are probably similar, just that the Tele juts out more roundly, and the Strat is more gradual.

Main thing is the normal version is a vintage 7.25" radius. That would kill it for me. Don't worry about pickups, stuff liek that can be changed. Playability/feel can not.

thanks for the advice, i think ill go for it if i win the auction!

RWRP is the normal strat sound, it makes positions 2 and 4 hum cancelling, and very hollow and quacky. The very earliest Strats were non RWRP, and vintage keenie-beanies say that's better, but these days RWRP is normal.