Was it worth it?! (Vintage 63' Strat) 

Apologies for the compressed RU-vid audio guys! 🚨Use code (blem20) to take 20% off the Texan Twang here 🤠 pedalpawn.com/shop-1/ols/products/pedal-pawn-r-texan-twang

Super cool but sounds like a am radio underwater.

You should have played it with no effects, so we can hear how it really sounds. Or, play the same thing on a great off-the-rack Strat with the same effects, so we hear the difference.

Its a beautiful guitar and I bet it is just as beautiful to play. Its also great to see an old instrument being played and not just kept as a collectors piece

Good on you for having the money to buy a 63. I do agree some guitars just have the magic. I have found MiM Tele's and Strat's made in the 90s and early 2000's that I will keep forever because for me they feel right and give me the tone I hear in my head.

The SRV thing is cool and all… but make your own sound with it. That’s why all those guys who have those old starts are revered. They all took it and made their own sound and their own feel out of it… just a thought

I got a pre CBS srat myself. Bought it in the seventies when they didn't cost more than a new Strat. It is by far my best guitar and I got quite a few to compare with. Congratulations to a beautiful instrument!

Happy to see you with that guitar. If anybody deserves a cool vintage Strat it's you. Congratulations.

I Hate Seeing Some Of The Guitars On RU-vid All New And Shiny,I Love The Old Guitars The Finish Fading Away And Dents And Dings And Play Like Butter.

Don't hate me too much for my stupidity. But... When I was a teenager looking for my first electric, I was shopping through Gruhn's catalog ( I got my first acoustic from them, a 0017 Martin) and Pre CBS strats were not popular at that time, ie mid to late 80s - Everyone was playing Charvels ei alia. Strats were your old uncle's guitars. Gruhn's was listing multiple Pre 65 strats for around $1200. The guy at my local shop said "spend all your money on your guitar. Amps will come and go." But I was a teenager and wanted an amp that would go to 11, so I spent 60% of my money on an axe and 40% on an amp. I should have listened. That was my only chance to own a vintage start, even one of my choice, and I missed it. But I also learned that the player is more important than the instrument. (But I think they're sexy) Side note: About ten years ago, everything was stolen out of my house, including the Martin and my original first electric guitar Fender strat, a 79 Silver Anniversary Strat, which by then had autographs from BB King. Buddy Guy, and John Lee Hooker. I found the Martin, but the Silver Strat is still out there somewhere. (I miss my silver strat, but I'm also glad it wasn't a 63 with a rosewood neck.

Perfect guitar to buy, super playable condition - obviously been loved for a long time and if you scratch it you won’t panic. You seem like the kind of guy who will play the hell out of it too. I’m not sure if this is the case here and it’s certainly not our business if it is, but for people watching - a possible perspective. If you’re in the music business an item like this can be a tax deductible purchase. If your business is doing well enough for you to be putting some money aside this can certainly be financed over a few years - reduce your tax burden and hopefully be worth more than you paid for it at the end. This doesn’t have to be seen as someone with huge numbers in the bank buying something for fun.

Awesome guitar and congrats! I would say a lot of that "fastness" you're talking about has to do with neck angle, as well as the neck just being really sturdy and well made. I find that a steeper neck angle makes for a faster playing guitar and also makes bending easier (for me, anyways) I first discovered this on a luthier made strat my friend sold me with a vintage style neck. The thing just played itself. I bought a guitar made entirely by the same builder and it didn't play the same. It was perfect in every other way and sounded amazing but it didn't have that thing in the way it played. After thinking about this for a LONG time and discussing it with friends, I finally worked out that it's probably mostly to do with neck angle. We shimmed the neck to be resemble the neck angle of the other strat and it absolutely brought the guitar to life in terms of how it played. Faster, more even action over the whole fretboard and easier to bend. It was as if the strings came to life. Neck angle is huge, and I really don't think it's talked about enough. It only takes a tiny change in the angle too in order to make the difference.

Years down the road you'll know if it was worth it. That thing sings and is a real keeper. If I had one I'd definitely say it was worth it. Cool playing, as ever, mate.

On the 2 Strats, compare how high above the body the neck sits and the neck angle. The pre CBS guitars were made and set up correctly. That is likely the reason for better playability. As for tone, it's all about the wood and pickups, some guitars have it, they don't have to be old. I bet that thing was a monster back in 63 as well.

Totally agree. If it inspires you that is all that matters.

The PRS Silver Sky is modeled on that guitar.

My father owned a music studio back in the day and vintage strats came through. The older strats had the aged wood which seemed to be more resonant, but I think the newer strats made in the custom shop come very close to the vintage sound and after some aging get there. If the strat has quality wood and pickups, then in large part it's the same. The only real magic is in your fingers and in your heart.

Well i was born in 63 , so yeah , it's worth every penny 😀 And if i ever have the money ( and i can find a good one for an not to absurd price ! ) a 63 sunburst it will be 🤣 Until then i will enjoy my perstcaster wich cost me about 600 euro and also plays and sounds great 😊

It makes you look way cool playing it. And that is priceless.

I love that Strat! I’m glad you got it, we only have this one life (that we know, at least) so of course you have to treat yourself to the things you want the most.

That strat kicks ass, you play so crazy with the way you hold that pick in your hand and everything. I have watched you play several times and I just don't know how that pick don't go flying out of your hand lol. Keep up all the good work and love the pedals.

Unless someone gave me one, I'd never buy a 1963 Strat unless it was at a garage sale and the person was just pretty much giving it away...because I was born in Cali in 1961...regardless if it was a Strat, a JazzMaster, or an Esquire, I'd love to have one made in 1961 with the neck date mark showing a July of 1961...7/ 61...maybe one day...hey, of course, great demo of that guitar...thanks for sharing this with us, and hope you and yours are having a great day!

Very cool.I would have had several re frets by now and have had the board wear sanded down or filled.I put stainless on my 96 usa strat and now every so many months I don't have to level and crown.

150 k subscribers, congrats! With that great playing and that guitar. It deserves better 🎤. But still fun to watch

Something is really wrong with the audio :/ sounds like its underwater! Reupload?

Congrats to you guys on the Octone being named in Guitar World's Gear of the Year!

We need a clean tone from that '63. Maybe play it through a few different amps at "edge of breakup" volume so we can hear the pickup nuance's and get a real idea if it sounds "magical". Obviously we don't get the opportunity to feel the "magic", so hearing it will have to work. ✌️ Great video, great playing, but the audio is muffled on my end. Not sure if it's my equipment or your's, but it sounds like a "strat" to me. 🤷 The '63 does look cool as f*#k though... 😏

I know what you mean about those old resonant guitars. One of my local shops has a museum with ancient strats and a few bursts…. The acoustically resonant ones are magical, but a few others are dogs. So yeah, every vintage guitar isn’t magical. Sounds like you found a good one. P.s I can’t wait for my new red Pedal Pawn to arrive.

I stayed for that nice little treat at the end. Thanks for that.

wtf did you do when you recorded the thing tho? It's digital clipping like crazy man

Unfortunately a lot of the vintage guitars out there aren't the ceam of the crop so to speak Pick ups are a huge part of the equation The bridge as well IMHO If you love it and have bonded with it that's ALL that matters Plus if you've never owned one YES go for it which you have so at the very least if you end up selling it you had the experience I've owned several so it's not as big of a deal to me And actually maybe I should have emailed you I just sold a mint 65 neck with all 64 specs I needed a new set of wheels but fortunately I had another of the later 65 variety that has a headstock repair but it slid right on no fuss and barely any adjustments Are those Blue Birds in the partscaster correct ?? They sound damn good I might get some for one of my builds Will never sell the original 65 pup's Pickups and bridge All great old guitar's need new pots and switches Nuts and frets as well Guitar (63) sounds great man but hope you didn't buy that old tweed amp...it didn't sound the best but didn't they say the original speaker's were put up or something?? Maybe that's why Oh well Happy Holidays and rock that bad boy but remember it's just a guitar and it's those hands and brain of your's that make you sound so GOOD.... Cheer's

Congrats! I finally pulled the string on a guitar I'd been lusting after for 50 years. Totally worth it!

are you ABSOLUTELY SURE that's not a repro guard on that 63 strat mate? i've been buying and selling pre-cbs strats for the last 30 years and it sure looks like a repro guard to me

@PedalPawn when you flew back to England did you take the Strat inside the cabin or did you check it like regular luggage ?

Well. When you get right down to it ... they are ALL parts guitars. What difference does it make if Fender parts them together, or you do? 🙂

Wow, that’s awesome! Congrats on the new Strat!

Glad it went to a player than some collector.. congrats!

Someday, maybe after you've passed on or after someone steals your partscaster, a young great player will pick up your old partscaster and say, "There's something magical about this strat."

My personal opinion is that vintage guitars like old fenders and gibsons are worth it as collectors items. There really isn’t a huge difference in terms of sound but for the guy that wants to stop mimicking playing vintage it can be worth it just to stop thinking about how the pickups aren’t actually vintage and stuff xD. But for the average player, no it’s not worth it by a long shot if you don’t buy it as an investment. I don’t think you loose much money if you end up regretting the purchase and resell but realistically you can have a professional grade instrument for less than 1000 dollars today.

The street value of a 63 sraat is 16 to 17 grand if you want to spend that kind of money then fine I'm happy with my squire strat that cost 120 quid

Saying there’s something magical about this old strat is like Michael Jordan telling the looney toons about his super secret stuff Its all in your head/placebo

Hey bro love that old63 nice I just wanted to make u aware from how I see it it looks like on the top horn of the strat whare the paint has worn it reminds me of an eagle flying just saying congrats on the vintage player have fun rock on from NY red aka usa peace out have fun that's what it's all about

sorry if I missed it but : how much ?

Good luck with it, I love the middle pickup sound, what amp are you on, sounds amazing

Sounded great despite the compression. Should have played it without any effects and acoustically so we would have a better idea of what it sounded like.

Cool guitar and great playing but all the effects ruin it for me, I have no idea what the guitar actually sounds like. I actually don’t like how it sounds in this video at all.

Killer brother, “You”make that stat worth it 🤘🏽🔥

That's an awesome sounding Strat, and this comes from a Les Paul kind of guy.

Can't believe it just realised you guys at pedal Pawn were here in the UK. I'll have try purchase the octave fuzz

Why don't you have it repainted❓Especially the sunburst strat! Needs a paint job! I have a 2002 Start. Sunburst with a Maple neck. My guitar still looks gorgeous and I played that guitar!

How much ish ?

Cool video, Strat and playing! However, the audio quality is fairly horrid TBH. I'd suggest a SM57 or an E609 on your cab into a preamp channel on a mixer or interface so you can get control over the sound and mix with backing track.

Beautiful guitar! Love it!🎸🎸

I've got a 63 Strat for sale.

Beautiful guitar

Is this a bass demo?

Has that start had replacement decals applied?

Its the psychology of the word "Vintage" lmao Looks and sound Great! Enjoy!

Where’s the harm in sharing what it cost to buy that strat ?

You got that mojo, brother.

You bought a magic one, congrats!

Recorded with a potato,?? Haha. Nice guitar Chris

(((Please tell us what you paid for it))). I had a 63 refin three tone sunburst I called it The Violin original wound pickups it was warm sweet velvety rich had typical Jimi tone on his record/ I sold it unfortunately / I dont know about having it rewound for me that would be a bit of a loss compared to original Also with all those effects how can you hear the guitar any way that rig could make anything sound good/ dnt get me wrong nice playing but almost every note sounds good with that set up

I played a 1960 Strat that was amazing, but my partscaster is better than any Strat I've played in years. In fact an old school guitar tech told me it was as good as a Custom Shop one which made me feel good.

Great find❗ So happy for you.👍👌

Just viewed some of your music on RU-vid. Right On!!

Oh dear, shame the audio was so blown out & distorted

It's your guitar. If it's worth it to you then it's worth it. You can't buy history at Walmart, you have to find it, and you found it. Cheers!

In the world 🌎 of Motivation a Stratocaster will Do! 😎👍🎸

Wonderful guitar! Does it have a reverse wound reverse polarity middle pickup?

When he asked you if it was a vintage Strat you should have just told him it was a 63 and saved your money

SRV would be proud.

Was it worth it? How the hell would we know! How much did you pay for it? That might help us decide. Tbh it sounda like shit through that pedal. Play it clean.

That guitar fits u man!!! Love it

I want to hear its clean sound rather than the drive sound.

When the owner of a strat dies it absorbes their soul. then when you play it, you use their power.

Well played, impressive, very impressive, you're the real deal , good luck my frend, peace

The digital distortion makes this unlistenable... why is his voiceover clipping???

Hope it inspires you to create something extraordinarily your own!

Spirit of Rory

Do you think it's the aging of the woods?

Killer playing dude ! 🔥

So the level on the pedal is almost nothing?

As someone who has owned a lot of 'vintage' guitars, I can say that there are certain models that seem to get better with age(Strats, Teles, Les Paul of both HB & P-90, 80's PRS). I tend to go for vintage 'player' type guitars as I'm not looking to guitars as investment pieces. But if I can find an old Strat with serious fret wear, it's usually a great indication that it sounds great. Nobody puts that much wear on the frets of a shitty sounding instrument. So, I buy them, get them refretted by one of a few trusted luthiers/repair geniuses with a bit bigger frets & add them to my collection. Not every vintage instrument sounds great though & it's something I WOULD NOT recommend buying before trying (unless the deal is too incredible or the story of the instrument too special). We're getting to a point where collectors who buy guitars to not play, as speculatory investments, are driving prices to astronomical heights but there are still great buys out there if you know where to look. Guitar shows, especially, are fertile hunting grounds if you have cash & can bargain well. Certain vintage dealers will keep your info on file for when whatever you're interested in comes through the door. Shops in L.A., Nashville & NYC are especially good at this & if you develop a report with them will keep you in mind when the great ones come along. For me, the hunt is the best part. The fact you can play them too is the gravy. That is, if Joe Bonamassa hasn't bought them before you do.

AWESOME TONE!!!

Yes yo got a 63. you can see at the color of the pickboard. greenish. i got a 63 L05088, from may. but they ruined the neck. so i replaced it by a 71 neck with big headstock. very nice but i prefere my 98 voodoocaster. you bought/ found a godly gitar. oh yeh. shes beautifull. god bless. ptr

Killing it bro!

I have not seen the video, but yes it was

What's the definition of vintage? I have a 1999 strat. Is that vintage 😆

Cool guitar, good playing….BUT, the audio quality sounds like fish smells.

What a fantastic video have a good weekend

It's so subjective but to my personal taste it sounds thin nasally and weird. Maybe it's the effect?

What a great Strat Chris!

Speed kills

whats up with the terrible sound quality?

You are lucky! Not all vintage strats are that resonant :)

Bought a new stratocaster in 63. Also bought a 63 in 64. Was no big deal then. 263 bucks. That was a big deal when you're 13. Bought a sunn amp. They sounded pretty good to a 13 year old. It was a toss up between the sratacaster or a kappa. After I bought the stratocaster I wished I would have bought the kappa. Liked it better.

The guitar is beautiful and congratulations for you but I think playing without a pedal, without a backing track could show the real sound of the guitar. For me i think srv is an amazing guitarist and a great person but for me when you practice srv phrases you play like srv and i like that but every time on a solo you would do the same hits of language, the same things as srv. I think the most important thing is to have your sound, your phrases, your personality. I'm not criticizing I'm just making a remark that is also valid for me because often in a blues solo when you have more inspiration you do other people's solos.

Enjoy

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