S-500 in baby blue

I just got this 2006ish S-500 in Baby Blue (CLF41106) from Guitar Center. There's a chip on the back that I may touch up some day or I might just leave it be. It wasn't shown in their photos but it was cheap enough that it doesn't bother me. The color looks a lot better in person and in my photo than it did on their website. It's shown next to my Tribute in antique white. I'll probably sell the Tribute and keep this baby blue one (at least until I find one in Belair Green).

Nice score! Congrats!

I have the same Tribute S-500 and I love it so much that I'm on the lookout for a USA S-500. In fact, I got so excited about the MFD pickups that I ended up buying a USA ASAT Special and it's somehow better than I thought it would be.

I'm totally jealous of the color! I'd love to get an S-500 in a Daphne-type blue but they're so hard to find

I have the same Tribute S-500 and I love it so much that I'm on the lookout for a USA S-500. In fact, I got so excited about the MFD pickups that I ended up buying a USA ASAT Special and it's somehow better than I thought it would be.

I'm totally jealous of the color! I'd love to get an S-500 in a Daphne-type blue but they're so hard to find

The body of the import is slightly bulkier than the USA model. The neck also has a bit more material near the headstock. I've not gotten the calipers out to take actual measurements yet but it's clear when you compare them side-by-side. I really like both but don't need two (or three) of them. (I have a Legacy USA body with a '600' pickguard on it that I was thinking of putting some S-500 pickups that I have in and building another S-500 rather than keeping it in Legacy configuration).

The figuring and grain in the USA necks (that I own right now) is certainly nicer but that Tribute has no substantial flaws that I can find. I think we are all just conditioned that USA instruments are nicer and I'm sure there are some ways in which that is true but the Tributes are fine instruments. Admittedly I've had to level out a fret here and there on the imports and I did have to loosen up the neck screws and pull the neck to one side to get the strings centered properly. All of the Korean and Indonesian instruments from all of the brands seem better than imports were back in the day. I think the only imports I really avoid now are from China.

These MFD pickups are amazing aren't they? I have another Legacy also and I like grabbing it once in a while but I end up putting it back on the rack and grabbing one of the S-500s. If I knew how to play them I might like the twangy Alnico pups more but for now I just dig the MFDs.

The body of the import is slightly bulkier than the USA model. The neck also has a bit more material near the headstock. I've not gotten the calipers out to take actual measurements yet but it's clear when you compare them side-by-side. I really like both but don't need two (or three) of them. (I have a Legacy USA body with a '600' pickguard on it that I was thinking of putting some S-500 pickups that I have in and building another S-500 rather than keeping it in Legacy configuration).

The figuring and grain in the USA necks (that I own right now) is certainly nicer but that Tribute has no substantial flaws that I can find. I think we are all just conditioned that USA instruments are nicer and I'm sure there are some ways in which that is true but the Tributes are fine instruments. Admittedly I've had to level out a fret here and there on the imports and I did have to loosen up the neck screws and pull the neck to one side to get the strings centered properly. All of the Korean and Indonesian instruments from all of the brands seem better than imports were back in the day. I think the only imports I really avoid now are from China.

My biggest gripe on the Tribute model is the 12" fret radius, which is honestly a minor gripe. I'm just realizing how much more I like the 9.5" on my other guitars.

These MFD pickups are amazing aren't they? I have another Legacy also and I like grabbing it once in a while but I end up putting it back on the rack and grabbing one of the S-500s. If I knew how to play them I might like the twangy Alnico pups more but for now I just dig the MFDs.

The MFDs really surprised me when I first got the guitar plugged into my more modern-style Traynor Amp. I find they actually don't sound as good on my Princeton Reverb, but I think that's because of the characteristics of Fender amps maybe. My Traynor has so little character of its own it really let's the MFDs shine. At least that's my opinion.

What sort of amp(s) do you use with yours?

What sort of amp(s) do you use with yours?

Right now I just use a little Bugera Vintage 5. I just leave the gain at about 5.5, the tone at about 8, volume at 6.5 and reverb at about 1.5. I don't know if I'm doing it right but it sounds good to me (at least on the two AC/DC songs I know... haha).

I have a Peavey Deuce VT 212 but I need to take it to the amp guy and find out why it doesn't work. I'm not brave nor confident enough to tear into amps just yet.