Sambora MIM Strat

[Dan3875]

Has anyone here had any experience with the Sambora Strat (made in mexico version)? A buddy of mine is getting rid of his and is asking $350 for it. I've played it once for a few minutes and thought that it was ok. I was just wondering if any of you guys own one, or have owned one, and could give me your thoughts on them. Much appreciated. Dan

[cokemach1]

Dan,

I have a little experience with them. Hope this helps.

I bought a Sambora Standard Strat made in Mexico in 1998 new from Musician's Friend. It was lake placid blue with a white 3 ply pick guard and a rosewood neck. Had a DiMarzio Pro PAF Humbucker. Had a Floyd Rose II tremelo. It was okay. Not my favorite, but it wasn't bad at all (for the money). I paid $425 for it new. It was made of poplar.

The radius of the neck really wasn't to my liking (not flat enough, 9.5"). The single coil pickups were almost of no use. The body was a bit thicker in how it was cut on the upper cutout on the back of the body than the other strat I have. It didn't feel quite as comfortable because of this to me, but then again, you are comfortable with what you are use to and this guitar was a bit of a change from what I had at the time. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably still buy it. But it didn't compare to the Wolfgang Special I bought a year later for $750. Not even close. I know that's a big price difference though. Between that guitar and a strat I modified, the Sambora got little use.

How old is it? Is it near perfect? I don't think I'd go any higher though. He maybe a bit high. Of course, if you really like it, your feel for the guitar has some added weight as well regardless of market value. Not sure what they are going for out in the used market.

Actually, I just turned it into a generation 1 Frankie for a friend of mine.

Here is a review I found on the net:

http://www.epinions.com/content_26038734468

Here is a '96 model on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1996-Fender-Rich...QQcmdZViewItem

Good luck Dan!

Coke

[broken9500]

My Richie strat was the first "real" guitar I bought...got it back in 96. I love it. Still use it. I've added a Washburn P4 Nuno, a American Richie (the last year they made them, this one had the single coils) and a great American Tele. The ealier post had a pretty accurate description of the slightly larger shape but I really liked the difference. I also disagreed with him on the single coils...I use the neck pickup as much if not more than the humbucker. The neck radius is very comfortable to me.

I guess it's as simple as the old saying "different strokes for different folks." I can think of a million applications for which this strat wouldn't be ideal, but for what I've always used it for (rock and blues) I've found it to be excellent. Great buy...but Mexican strats almost always are.

[Dan3875]

Guys, thanks for the info. I'm kind of on the fence about buying this one. The three guitars that I currently have are pretty close in feel. I have a Musicman EVH, an Axis, and a Wofgang special flametop. I haven't played any thing else for years. I'm just worried that after I play it a few times, then go back to one of my other guitars, I won't want to pick it back up. I'll see if I can get him to come off on the price a bit and then we'll go from there. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.

[around2k5150]

I have about 11 guitars, about 4 are high end, and my axis is easily the most played out of all of them. Nothing I have bought since comes close and I actually regret buying a few of them. Do you pretty much stick with just one guitar or do you play the others pretty regularly? If you always come back to one, I'd seriously think twice before spending 350 bucks on a guitar that I wouldn't hardly ever play. That's my two cents anyways But... that would be an EASY frankie conversion My MIM Strat was converted to a white black frankie in 1998, I haven't played it more than 10 minutes in the last 5 years, but I love to look at it hangin on my wall I even had my senior pictures made with it, way back in 1998. Nobody at my school cared much for VH or knew EVH's guitars, so I was the guy with the wicked cool guitar! Bottom line man, if it's gonna make you happy in some way and you will have some use for it and not regret it, go for it!!!

[AT]

Guys, thanks for the info. I'm kind of on the fence about buying this one. The three guitars that I currently have are pretty close in feel. I have a Musicman EVH, an Axis, and a Wofgang special flametop. I haven't played any thing else for years. I'm just worried that after I play it a few times, then go back to one of my other guitars, I won't want to pick it back up. I'll see if I can get him to come off on the price a bit and then we'll go from there. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.

I'm the guy here who owns 400,000 Wolfgangs, and they're what I've played 90% of the time for the last nine years. I played a 40th Anniversary USA Strat as my main guitar for more than three years before that, and these days I hardly touch it (despite it being a very excellent guitar). The different in feel and tone from the Wolfgangs makes the Strat just seem "not quite right."

[sixstring]

I'm the guy here who owns 400,000 Wolfgangs, and they're what I've played 90% of the time for the last nine years. I played a 40th Anniversary USA Strat as my main guitar for more than three years before that, and these days I hardly touch it (despite it being a very excellent guitar). The different in feel and tone from the Wolfgangs makes the Strat just seem "not quite right."

I get the same feeling myself whenever I pick up my Strat, or anything else for that matter - it feels like a surfboard with strings...LOL!

I didn't buy into the Wolfgang purely because it had Ed's name on it. It simply just felt more right than anything else I've ever played (and still does). Definitely some mojo in the Wolfies...

[tommywho5150]

I'm the guy here who owns 400,000 Wolfgangs, and they're what I've played 90% of the time for the last nine years. I played a 40th Anniversary USA Strat as my main guitar for more than three years before that, and these days I hardly touch it (despite it being a very excellent guitar). The different in feel and tone from the Wolfgangs makes the Strat just seem "not quite right."

er i thought you owned 450,00 wolfgangs....cummon you're playing it down..lmao

[AT]

I get the same feeling myself whenever I pick up my Strat, or anything else for that matter - it feels like a surfboard with strings...LOL!

I didn't buy into the Wolfgang purely because it had Ed's name on it. It simply just felt more right than anything else I've ever played (and still does). Definitely some mojo in the Wolfies...

Early on I always thought Eddie's guitars, the EBMM and Wolfgang, were ugly. It was only after I walked into my favorite music store the day after ending an almost two-year relationship (I went to the music store for therapy) that the manager said: "Hey, AT, you like Van Halen. Try one of these out." (They had just become a Peavey dealer.) It was almost simultaneously while trying to tell him I thought they were way ugly that the feel of the neck got me right away, and I probably sat and played it unplugged for ten minutes just listening to the tone shooting back up at me. That same kind of warmth and sustain was not something I'd gotten from my Strat or tiny-body Ibanez R540. That's exactly how it went down in 1998, but I think most people would still like to believe I was only drawn to the Wolfgang because of EVH (which is still probably true to some small degree).

Anyway... we've hijacked this thread a little. Dan3875 was asking about buying the Strat but said he liked his Wolfie a lot. For me the Strat doesn't even close to tone and comfort in the way the Wolfie does.

[broken9500]

strats and wolfgangs are supposed to sound and feel completely different from one another. They have different scale lengths, different body shapes and pick up configurations. We're talking flat head screw drivers and torque wrenches here...

[nast2112]

Dan, I had one and wish I had it back. I actually liked how the PAF Pro sounded in the one I had. Very good for VH if you have a good crunch with your amp (Marshall, etc.,). If the frets are in good shape, it's original stuff (neck with Richie's signature, etc.,) and YOU LIKE IT, I say go for it for $350. That's a good deal. Especially if comes with the Fender case. The medium-jumbo frets that come on it are way better than the stock Axis frets. Unfortunately, it's only 21 frets. But I don't know what the hell I'm doing up there anyway :-) The other thing, is if down the road you don't really care for it and Bon Jovi does another tour, you should be able to get your $350 back out of it on ebay.

Chris

[AT]

strats and wolfgangs are supposed to sound and feel completely different from one another. They have different scale lengths, different body shapes and pick up configurations. We're talking flat head screw drivers and torque wrenches here...

Right-o. Thanks for that, Mr. Obvious.

The Strat comparison only came up because Dan said he liked the feel of his Wolfgang and wasn't sure about buying the Strat.

By the way, regarding scale lengths:

Strat: 25.5"
Wolfgang: 25.5"

[broken9500]

Right-o. Thanks for that, Mr. Obvious.

The Strat comparison only came up because Dan said he liked the feel of his Wolfgang and wasn't sure about buying the Strat.

By the way, regarding scale lengths:

Strat: 25.5"
Wolfgang: 25.5"

The scale lengths are the same? Huh...i stand completely corrected. Thanks for that. I always thought wolfgangs were the same scale length as a les paul. My bad. As for my comment about the guitars being different, I was trying to be flippant or anything...it just seemed like the conversation was becoming a strat vs wolfgang as if one was "better" than the other but really they're just different and whether or not one is better is really completely dependant upon the context within which they will be used.

Thanks again for the information on the scale length. And here's a question about that...is the body shape or the back shape of the neck that creates the different "feel" of the wolfgang? Because they've always "felt" shorter and more compact than a strat neck...

[AT]

Thanks again for the information on the scale length. And here's a question about that...is the body shape or the back shape of the neck that creates the different "feel" of the wolfgang? Because they've always "felt" shorter and more compact than a strat neck...

I think it's the short headstock. I have to think way back to when I first played a Wolfgang (nine years ago) and also go with the reactions I get from other people when they play my Wolfgangs. A common statement goes something like: "Wow, this thing feels small." Also, the offset bottom side of body "leans in" somewhat, and I think those two things collectively help make the guitar feel shorter in scale. (That's actually one of the things I really like about it.) But string tension should be a give-away that the Wolfies are a 25.5" scale.

[broken9500]

I think it's the short headstock. I have to think way back to when I first played a Wolfgang (nine years ago) and also go with the reactions I get from other people when they play my Wolfgangs. A common statement goes something like: "Wow, this thing feels small." Also, the offset bottom side of body "leans in" somewhat, and I think those two things collectively help make the guitar feel shorter in scale. (That's actually one of the things I really like about it.) But string tension should be a give-away that the Wolfies are a 25.5" scale.

the smaller headstock does totally throw things off a bit...but they are awesome guitars...I've always loved every wolfgang I've ever played...haven't picked one up yet...I want to...just waiting for one of those too-good-to-turn-down deals...you know?