Have you heard, I won a guitar !

[Gil Janus]

I'm a member of several guitar and music sites on the internet, as are many of you. I've mentioned in another thread (http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=7456) about the official Fender Forum (www.fender.com) that they were having a giveaway for their 1-year anniversary - the prizes were:

Grand Prize - A Fender VG Stratocaster
2nd Prize - A Fender G-DEC 30 Amp
3rd Prize - A $300 spending spree on the Fender on-line store

Strum had indicated that he claimed the first prize, and I claimed the 2nd one - the amp. Well, I won the grand prize - yes, I have won a Fender VG Stratocaster. It was shipped via ground to me on the 24th of July, and it is scheduled to arrive on the 31st of July.

I was asked what color and neck type I might want - I specified it, and the guy who runs the site, Brad knows what it is, but it will be a surprise to me when I get it.

This will be my first actual Fender guitar, my first Fender MIA model guitar, and of course, my first modeling type guitar. It will be my 2nd Stratocaster, since I own a very nice Squier Standard Strat in Cherryburst w/Rosewood Fingerboard.

Well the guitar arrived yesterday. The neck is wonderful - the rolled fingerboard edges feel so fine. The body looks wonderful - it's the new color available this year - Blizzard Pearl. It even sounds great. I dialed thru some of the various settings and it does sound really nice - it will take some time to work thru what the guitar can do - there are a lot of choices. However, the guitar as a plain Strat feels and sounds great.

And here's some quick shots:

I need to thank Fender and staff over at the Fender Forum site for my prize and of course the folks who build my new guitar. It's very, very nice.

Gil

 

[just strum]

Ha, ha - Congrats. I'm here at work and normally photos won't show up, but as fate would have it, these did. Looks nice.

Hmm, maybe they got the names mixed up.

How did they notify you?

 

[ShootTheGlass]

thats so awesome! Very jealous, but nice to see a fretter win something!

 

[Gil Janus]

Ha, ha - Congrats. I'm here at work and normally photos won't show up, but as fate would have it, these did. Looks nice.

Hmm, maybe they got the names mixed up.

How did they notify you?

Email - the official notice must have been spam trapped somewhere - the Fender admin Brad sent me a note from his gmail account and said I had won "something" - he then sent me a copy of the official notice - I couldn't believe it - it's the first thing of any value I've won since high school :thwap:

Gil, a very happy camper :bravo: :beer:

 

[player]

Congrats - first time I ever heard someone actually winning something other than scratch offs.nice guitar.play it well Gil :bravo:

 

[aeolian]

That's really cool that you won! I don't know what a Fender VG is, but it looks like it has some kind of piezo pickup (and an extra knob). Have you played with that feature to see what it does and how well it works?

Is the Fender admin Brad Traweek? If it is he was an avid G&L guitar collector and was the original web admin of the guitars by Leo discussion board. Some years ago he sold the board to G&L and went to work for Fender. I don't know whether Fender knows it, he still has several G&Ls in his collection.

 

[luvmyshiner]

Very sweet Gil! Congratulations.:bravo: That is one nice lookin' strat.:AOK:

 

[warren0728]

congrats gil...that is a nice looking guitar! and you sure can't beat the price! :bravo: :AOK:

ww

 

[Algonquin]

A whole hearted congrats Gil! :bravo: Glad to see a great guitar fall into nice hands :AOK:
Play it in good health!
Cheers :beer:
David

 

[evenkeel]

Way Cool!! Congrats. I've always been a bit skeptical re: these kind of giveaways. Nice to know the prizes are actually delivered. :bravo:

 

[Bloozcat]

Very cool, Gil...

I have a friend who would call this serendipity. Enter a contest, forget about it until you suddenly get this notice that you won first prize. That'll make your day...:AOK:

 

[Childbride]

:drool:

very cool! she's a beaut!

 

[sumitomo]

Way cool Gil let us know how you like it.Sumi

 

[M29]

Ahhhrrr!!!

Oh excuse me... Congratulations Gil:AOK: I initially had a little jealousy but I got over it rather quickly

That is one fine guitar. I played one a while back and it has some nice sounds, and like you say the Strat part is still all Strat plus lots of other cool sounds and tunings:AOK:

Here is one of a few demo's by Greg Koch of the VG Strat, an awesome player by the way.

Congrats again...AAhhrrr!!!

M29

 

[mrmudcat]

Awesome I enter fender and gibsons giveaways as well as others all the time.

Never won ,but maybe there is hope!!!

Gil congrats brother!!!!!:bravo: :master: :beer:

 

[marnold]

Sweet guitar! Congrats! Who's the old guy?

 

[Big K]

congrats, beautiful piece:beer:

 

[dan P]

I have read you may be able to dial in just about any sound you want out of her...have fun and crank it..! Congrats...Dan

 

[Sblack]

Congrats! Awesome guitar, and you give all of us who enter those contests hope.

 

[luvmyshiner]

Hey Gil, any chance you could give me some numbers for the Texas Lotto tomorrow night? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?

 

[peachhead]

Dang- I was just cussing because today I got a prize in the mail- an ashtray. I don't even smoke, but I guess that's what I get for entering a Marlboro contest, every day for the last two months. Drat.

Very cool, Gil :AOK:

 

[Gil Janus]

That's really cool that you won! I don't know what a Fender VG is, but it looks like it has some kind of piezo pickup (and an extra knob). Have you played with that feature to see what it does and how well it works?

Is the Fender admin Brad Traweek? If it is he was an avid G&L guitar collector and was the original web admin of the guitars by Leo discussion board. Some years ago he sold the board to G&L and went to work for Fender. I don't know whether Fender knows it, he still has several G&Ls in his collection.

Same one - and he has said so - see this thread on www.fender.com. :dude:

Brad is a nice guy - he and I have had some email conversations about various subjects.

And yes, the VG is special - is has a Roland pickup - the extra knobs allow one to use different tunings, and it will model different guitars. Check the specs of the Fender VG Strat

And yes I've checked it out - some of the modeling is very, very good - others not so much. :thwap: I've only had it for 24 hours - I need a little more time. The guitar being an American Strat makes the difference - the guitar is just wonderful as a guitar - no on-board electronics needed.

Gil

 

[stingx]

Congrats to you on winning that awesome VG Strat! :beer:

 

[just strum]

Email - the official notice must have been spam trapped somewhere - the Fender admin Brad sent me a note from his gmail account and said I had won "something" - he then sent me a copy of the official notice - I couldn't believe it - it's the first thing of any value I've won since high school :thwap:

Gil, a very happy camper :bravo: :beer:

I won a cross that glowed in the dark. Nothing else comes to mind.

 

[Robert]

Fantastic, Gil! That is a great prize to win. I bet just about any guitar player would love to have one of those guitars. I have played that VG strat, and it's really nice. Plays well, many good sounds and it IS a Real Fender Strat!

Cheers for you!

 

[M29]

Gil,

I am curious, what pickups would the basic guitar have? Are they very hot? Maybe more vintage or something like that?

M29

 

[bigoldron]

Congratulations Gil! That's a really sweet guitar! My minister of music's daughter has one and it feels pretty good. I haven't played it other than tuning it for her, but it does have a nice feel. It'll definitely give you a variety of sounds and tones.

Now, if only she could play the darn thing... :thwap:

 

[ET335]

Very Very Nice Gil!!!.I am very happy for ya.

Congrats and enjoy your new Guitar!!:bravo:

 

[F_BSurfer]

Awesome win on a great guitar

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

That is fantastic news Gil!

...but I didn't know that you were Jerry Garcia .