Open Box Fender 70th Anniversary Player Stratocaster Electric Guitar Level 2 Nebula Noir 197881301774

I recently purchased one of these guitars. The finish caught my eye and I'm a fan of the Pure Vintage 59 pickups. The finish really is one you have to see in person. Photographs don't do it justice. I'm not as big on smaller necks as I used to be but after playing the Modern C shape, I came to really like this neck. The 9.5" radius board with medium jumbo frets feels great. Easy to chord and play and bends are effortless. The neck finish feels smooth in the hands and the rolled fretboard edges are super comfortable. I made a minor adjustment to the action out of the box Action felt a little too high so some minor tweaks were in order. But to be fair, setup and action are very personal so I don't penalize a guitar for me having to change that so long as it's not wildly out of spec. Tremolo was set to float and normally I deck these but it's been holding tuning well so I'm enjoying it floating. Wasn't sure how I'd feel about the 2 point trem vs a 6 screw but I do enjoy it. The block is full size and solid. I know MIM Fenders have been that way for a while but it's still a nice upgrade from the trem block on my old 96 MIM Strat. Bent steel saddles add some vintage flavor to the modern trem setup, which I dig. Classic Gear tuners are a nice variation on the old classic Kluson style but can easily retrofit modern fender tuners that utilize the two pin setup to hold them in place. I may buy a set of these for my other MIM. I'm a big fan of the old Kluson styles. They work well, look clean (no string ends poking out) and hold tuning great when done right. Pickups are Pure Vintage 59s. I have these in another Strat and love them. They're just fantastic pickups and generally do the kind of sounds I want a Strat pickup to do. They have lovely lows and the highs are present but not piercing. Work well with clean and dirty sounds. Into my BadCat I can get some pretty convincing Rory tones out of it. Having the tone already wired to the bridge pickup from the factory helps tame some ice pick, and rolling back further is nice. Pots feel great and have a great taper. Switch works well and jack is solid. I haven't taken mine apart to see the insides but I have no reason to change anything at this point. Overall, it's a great looking and great playing Fender. MIM quality has come up a lot in recent years. My 2019 Charvel So Cal and now this Fender have cemented that for me.

This is such a great Strat. I've owned it for about three months now. It's as close as one could get to being an American made Strat without the price tag. The rolled fretboard and satin neck feel great. The tuxedo look is sharp. The pickups are almost perfect. I'm in a monogamous relationship with this guitar. I don't play any of my other guitars. The sparkle finish on the body is subtle but not too subtle. My only critique is that the pickups are true to vintage spec which is usually great. But vintage pickups are staggered. Modern strings don't need staggered pickups pole pieces. So the G and D strings push the amp a little (very little) harder. I just have to play around it. It's only noticeable when I play clean tones. All in all this is an INCREDIBLE guitar. I won't need another guitar. PS if the bridge pickup gets too shrill for you, roll the tone knob back to 5 and all will be well.

Traded my EVH Frankie which in the right hands is a great guitar but I couldn't get used to the huge frets, was originally looking at a PRS SE Custom 24 but the neck was just a bit too wide!! But then I noticed this strat hanging there and grabbed it and it just fit in my hand, fantastic neck, bought it on the spot, didn't even plug it in, took it home, had to tweak the truss rod and adjust the intonation on the D string!! It rivals the playability of my Rory Gallagher Custom Shop Strat AND Harrisburg GC even knocked $100 off the price tag!!! Don't be afraid to get a Fender Mexican made product, it's one of the best guitars that I have ever played or owned and I have gone through a ton of them throughout the years!! As far as this instrument is concerned they have taken great pride in making an absolute quality instrument!!!!

The Nebula Noir finish is unique and stunning! I personally love the Pearl pick guard. Modern C neck is among my fav (along with the Soft V) that with the Rosewood fret board makes for an easy, fast ride..'59 pickups sound amazing. For what guitars cost today, you really could not ask for a more satisfying experience for what this guitar is priced at. After having a setup done to my liking, not one negative thing to say…. If you're a Strat guy/girl… you will love this

I love everything about this guitar! It looks and feels great! The Nebula Noir finish is very unique. The neck is fast and comfortable. The fretboard is solid rosewood with rolled edges and the fretwork is perfect. The American made Pure Vintage '59 pickups sound great. The 70th Anniversary neck plate is a nice touch. The peeps at the Ensenada plant are doing a great job. The unit I received is flawless. This 70th Anniversary Player Stratocaster is a great value and is perfect for me.

Played as good as it looks. This one is definitely a keeper. Go get one before it is too late. You won't be disappointed. Just wish it came with HS case vs gigbag Finish is beautiful, a real eye catcher. The folks at GC great to work with. Hey Fender, how about sending me a HS case. You'd get a super satisfied customer who'd be happy to continue to spread the gospel on the this must own axe.