Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

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Boy_Narf
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Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Boy_Narf » Wed Jun 08, 2016 11:51 pm

Hello Everyone,

I saw one of these bad boys in a shop last week and it's been stuck in my mind ever since.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/73 ... 533cfa.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Has anyone played the Stratosonic series? Either the dual or single pickup version? What is the consensus on these things? I find it very interesting, especially since I'm addicted to single pickup guitars. The silver plug over the switch hole is a bit lame though. I'm betting there is a pickup route under the pickguard.

Thanks,

Dunky
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Dunky » Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:03 pm

Never seen them before. Checking some demos on YouTube has given me GAS......... Again
Image

shupe13
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by shupe13 » Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:44 pm

I too had never seen one. Looks cool.
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Boy_Narf
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Boy_Narf » Fri Jun 10, 2016 1:18 am

DEMOZ??? I did a quick search the other day but didn't find anything. I called my local L&M and they said last one in stock was 07. I'm curious as to whether on not this guy is actually new, or just "like new". They are charging a pretty penny for it. I'm heading there tomorrow on my way home to check it out. I saw from the pics online that there is a pretty hefty scratch in the belly cut area (might have also been a reflection, can't really tell), so if it plays like a dream some negation will be in order.

I've heard they built these out of the spare parts from their stratosonic series. Hence the plug in the switch hole and the giant pickguard to cover the neck pickup route.

Boy_Narf
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Boy_Narf » Sat Jun 11, 2016 12:17 am

I couldn't help myself :D

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jqgt6s7nn3ner1f/Full.jpg?dl=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's just lovely, aside from the super light strings of course hah. It has an appointment with my tech tomorrow to get setup with some 11-52's. They only had one Orange amp in stock and it was my arch enemy... (RV100MKI). AHHH. I played through it for a few minutes and almost put the guitar back. He said the amp was just "refurbished" from a local tech, and I think he did something wrong. There was no high end whatsoever. I tried the rattlecan, then a LP special and they both sounded like the tone knobs were rolled off no matter how they were set. I had the RV100 for years and know it has way more high end then that (I had the highs maxed out). He then plugged me into some Marshall 2X12 combo and the testing continued. It plays amazing. Feels like an old guitar I've had for years. The guitar was apparently NOS, and had been in their shop since 2008. Only one other fellow from the UK has been interested in it but they don't ship over seas. I'm a bit shocked TBH. These seem extremely rare. I only found one for sale online, and I paid just as much new, as they were asking for second hand (dinged up). I figured someone in all that time would have bought it just for the rarity of it oh well. Speaking of mint, the guitar is in flawless condition. No scrapes or dents. It does seem that someone tried to polish it but failed horribly. Both the paint and pickguard are covered in circular scratches. You can't seem them unless you are at the perfect angle with direct light (didn't even notice them until I was under the blindingly while lights in my office). Then again, the circles are so perfectly uniform that it's possible it came from the factory like that. Going to see if my tech can buff/polish them out. Shouldn't be too difficult. All in all I'm quite pleased. I now own an extremely rare American made guitar, for a fraction of what American Fenders go for these days. Never thought I would own a strat :)

P.S. The pickguard is tortoiseshell. My crap phone camera just can't pick it up.

Boy_Narf
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Boy_Narf » Sat Jun 11, 2016 2:11 am

Oh sweet goodness gracious!!!

I just plugged it into the R30 stack and I'm blow away. This thing might take the crown away from my beloved LPJ. The P90 just roars, and the top two strings are very "clanky" under high gain. It does that "DJENT" thing a little too well. I also just noticed it has golden pearl side dots. Could be stock, or just yellowing from a decade of sun hah. I also noticed that the volume and tone knobs go up to 11. Another cool touch I suppose. Could be why it sounds so good. My other guitars only go to 10 :(

As stated above there are tons of polishing swirls on this guy. I did a more through inspection and they are even in behind the pickup. Almost seems like the whole guitar was pulled apart, then polished poorly. Not sure how they could get perfect swirls between the pickup and bridge otherwise.

Anyone recommend any swirl/scratch removing polish?

The guitar plays like butter. It feels like a guitar I've been playing it for decades. It's oddly familiar for some reason. A bit scary to be honest.

My only complaint is that the neck is a bit sticky. TBH the whole guitar feels a bit sticky. Perhaps hundreds of hands touching it over the years has built up some sort of bacterial protection layer. That or it's just the finish they used. I'm sure it will wear down soon enough, just really trying to find some negatives haha. I also noticed there are a few fret slots higher up the neck that appear to have been sawed a bit too deep. I was worried the frets might be lifting out but they are fine. Just a sloppy finishing job. Can't win em all I guess. My LPJ is a disaster of mistakes. There are factory paint chips around the bridge pins, wood lines showing through the paint, and a sizable dent in the second fret that they filled with the wrong color of filler haha. My tech laughed when he saw it and cleaned it up quite a bit. Character I suppose right?

Anyhow, I'll need to make a trip to the store and pickup another guitar hanger. It won't be official until it joins the rest of the guitars on the wall. One day I dream to have enough wall space to hang all of my guitars, in chronological order of course... sigh... first world problem of the week.

Randy Bass
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Randy Bass » Sat Jun 11, 2016 11:05 pm

I think they look awesome, actually WAY better than the regular Stratosonic did. I especially like the Epiphone pick guard shape. I would probably sand/steel wool the gloss off of it to make the neck feel better and give the whole guitar a very light relic effect (and maybe disinfect it a bit :D ). I'd also put a toggle switch in it for looks instead of that silly plug. It would be great if the toggle could be used to coil-tap a humbucking P-90.

Because threads are more fun with pics:

Image

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Boy_Narf
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Boy_Narf » Sun Jun 12, 2016 5:08 pm

Yea I was thinking about putting something where the plug is. Either a coil tap, or a kill switch. Will probably leave it for now.

I do think it's really cool looking. The general consensus online seems to be that it's a hideous Gibson payback project. Have never been a strat fan mostly because of the tone, but this guy sorts out that issue. The fellow at the shop was poking fun at it the entire time I was there. "If I wanted a JR I would just buy a JR, and if I wanted a strat I would just buy a strat. Don't know why people keep mixing up guitars like this". I sir... happen to enjoy the combination haha. Could also be why they made/sold so few. I'm not sure it was a top seller.

Dropped it off at the tech yesterday and inquired about him buffing out the swirls. Him and the other tech laughed and said "Dude it's a VOS finish. They are supposed to be there". Interesting. I would never in my life buy a new guitar that has finish "imperfections" (even though I just did haha). It has near perfect swirls all over the body that continue onto the pickguard. It's defiantly something you can't see unless you are in the perfect light though.

No matter, I still love the thing. Can't wait to get it back on Monday.

First world problem of the day however. I ran out of studs (for wall hangers) in my office. One of my beauties will have to go back into the case... oh so sad, so sad. Curse these old houses and their non standard stud spacing :)

Mystic38
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Mystic38 » Mon Jun 13, 2016 12:19 pm

have you taken the pickguard off?..

you may find that it covers a route for the neck P90... and then the switch won't be wasted :)
-Ian-

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Boy_Narf
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Boy_Narf » Mon Jun 13, 2016 2:50 pm

Second pickup? no way! If this had two pickups I would have never bought it.

Les Paul Lover
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Les Paul Lover » Mon Jun 13, 2016 5:43 pm

Boy_Narf wrote:Second pickup? no way! If this had two pickups I would have never bought it.
Different strokes for different folks.... Single bridge pick up guitars are a real turn off for me in terms of ownership. :lol:

It's a pretty nice guitar alright. You could just fit a push button killswitch in that hole, rather than a toggle switch?
Ant

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Boy_Narf
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Boy_Narf » Mon Jun 13, 2016 6:22 pm

Yes good quality single pickup guitars are getting tougher to find. No one seems to like them. All about features these days. Kind of like my precious manual transmissions. Slowly getting phased out.

I've got my eye on the Duesenberg Drager, and I'm still hoping they might bring out an american esquire one of these days.

Les Paul Lover
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Les Paul Lover » Mon Jun 13, 2016 10:26 pm

I do like chosing pick ups for different songs I must say.

A single pick guitar would work for me.

That duesenberg looks brilliant. And they are seriously good guitars.......
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


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Boy_Narf
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Boy_Narf » Tue Jun 14, 2016 2:48 pm

Yea I've been eyeing the Dusey for a few years now. The price however, is laughably high. They were much cheaper a few years ago, as was everything I suppose.

Here's to winning a few grand in the lottery this year :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Michelle911
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Re: Fender Rattle Can Stratosonic Junior?

Post by Michelle911 » Thu Jun 16, 2016 8:16 pm

Boy_Narf wrote:Anyone recommend any swirl/scratch removing polish?
late to this thread but I think I can... last year I sold a bass on ebay and polished it before selling it, so I decided to do all my guitars.

this is the stuff

I've used lots of different removers and compounds before, this stuff looks no different but really works much better than anything I've ever tried. I used a buffing wheel - I really would hate to imagine doing it by hand :wink: works on deep scratches too.

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