Thoughts on the Stratocaster

xShifty · Post by **xShifty** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 8:55 pm

I'll admit the main reason I don't have one is because they're too popular. That and the fact that none of them come in hardtail. Perhaps I should get over my pride and just get one already.

I keep coming back to them because the sound and playability are just right for me. I only use the neck stock pickup because the middle and bridge are some weak sauce, but I have a wiring scheme I want to try out(Neck, Neck/middle+bridge out of phase, middle+bridge series, maybe a couple extra options in there like middle and middle/neck, but I'd have to use one of those big-ass switches for that).

The neck pickup is so sweet though, I think it's the staggered magnets that does it.

I hate the trem though. When I had a strat I blocked it off because it just meant I had to tune 5 times every time. It's hard to get a subtle whammy(ala a jazzmaster) out of it, so I'd rather just not have it.

A blacktop jazzmaster would probably suit me just as well if not better than a strat, and I already have a new bridge pickup for it so I'd have the same control setup as mentioned above. I'll have to try one out.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 8:58 pm

xShifty wrote:weak faggotry

Not cool. Save it for the jock forum.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:12 pm

jcyphe wrote:Strats take fuzz pedals better than any other guitar I've played.

Hear hear.

xShifty wrote:That and the fact that none of them come in hardtail.

Apart from the ones with a hardtail bridge, obviously.

timhulio wrote:Not cool. Save it for the jock forum.

And again, hear hear; saw the same phrase trawled out by you at offset the other day; just stop it.

xShifty · Post by **xShifty** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:15 pm

What's wrong with that phrase? I just meant that the pickups aren't wound hot enough.

And what strat comes in hardtail that I could afford? Artist models that I'm not interested in don't count.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:20 pm

So if something isn't good, that equates to homosexuality, because homosexuality isn't good?

We have a very rich language full of fantastic ways of dissing something - pick another route.

xShifty · Post by **xShifty** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:24 pm

Sorry if I offended, I didn't mean it in that sense of the word.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:28 pm

Oh, you meant one of those other meanings of 'faggot' - a savoury feast, or maybe a bundle of sticks. Just let's not do it again, eh?

xShifty · Post by **xShifty** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:41 pm

Sure, I don't have anything against homosexuals. Won't use that word if it offends here on SS.

It's used colloquially here at least to mean someone who irritates you. Like, if someone drove through a puddle beside you while you were walking down the sidewalk, you might be like "You fucking f**".

I don't even think of it as an insult specific to homosexuals, so it's sort of permeated into my vocabulary, sorry.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:43 pm

xShifty wrote:I only use the neck stock pickup because the middle and bridge are some weak bundle of sticks.

I think the middle pickup is the bomb! not keen on Positions 2 + 4

xShifty · Post by **xShifty** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:44 pm

Haha, yeah, I guess that works too.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 9:58 pm

The other thing about the strat is that I always think I'd prefer a Cyclone. It's like they took a strat and got rid of all the Jewness. Much better.

gaybear · Post by **gaybear** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:02 pm

i like the way strats feel. on some i like the tone, but on others i don't which is wierd since there's so many options

my gripes about strats would only really consist of
a.) the placement of the volume knob (totally reminds me of a straight asshole)
b.) they look boring

xShifty · Post by **xShifty** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:08 pm

gaybear wrote: a.) the placement of the volume knob (totally reminds me of a straight asshole)

How does that remind you of an asshole? I'm not seeing it.

onedaycloser · Post by **onedaycloser** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:35 pm

Not at anyone directly - but I always thought it was a bit of a weak cop out to dismiss the Strat due to the trem system.

A - You don't "have" to use the trem at all, just deck it (or block it) and be done with it. I went this route for years on several S types with no problem.
B - There's countless sites on the internet that give proper setup technique. With a little care during setup a vintage trem works great.

Also there's tons of the Robert Cray model hard tail bodies around for the same price it would cost to get a normal routed body.

Going to have to get the Strat out for a bit now

.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:38 pm

onedaycloser wrote:Not at anyone directly - but I always thought it was a bit of a weak cop out to dismiss the Strat due to the trem system.

A - You don't "have" to use the trem at all, just deck it (or block it) and be done with it. I went this route for years on several S types with no problem.

Yeah, that too. Of all the trems I can think of, it's the one that can be made to behave most like a hard tail without any real modification other than putting it on the body and putting more springs in and screwing the claw in. It won't move once you've done that.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:08 am

jcyphe wrote:Strats take fuzz pedals better than any other guitar I've played. Not all humbucker guitars play nice with fuzz,

I agree although i dont recall any humbucker sounding particularly good with Fuzz. Might just be my EMG's ears though.

I'm pretty sure i will go the route of many a man and end up sat playing a Strat in my twilight years as they lend themselves to any application. It can be a subtle graceful instrument but in the right hands it is an abrasive beast that will cut through any mix more brutally than any other guitar.

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 3:42 am

Fran wrote:
jcyphe wrote:Strats take fuzz pedals better than any other guitar I've played. Not all humbucker guitars play nice with fuzz,
I agree although i dont recall any humbucker sounding particularly good with Fuzz. Might just be my EMG's ears though.

SGs sound great with certain Fuzz Faces, and Les Pauls sound great with tone benders and certain muffs.

24HRS2MDNT · Post by **24HRS2MDNT** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 3:47 am

Strats are boring. Teles are more boring but more minimal so they come off with more dignity. I'd take a goldtop semi-acoustic p-90 with double binding Strat.
(What a dumb comment ... oh well I posted a video that shows what Gearmandude looks like in another thread so hopefully that makes up for this a little)

Justyn · Post by **Justyn** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 4:30 am

xShifty wrote:Sure, I don't have anything against homosexuals. Won't use that word if it offends here on SS.

It's used colloquially here at least to mean someone who irritates you. Like, if someone drove through a puddle beside you while you were walking down the sidewalk, you might be like "You fucking f**".

I don't even think of it as an insult specific to homosexuals, so it's sort of permeated into my vocabulary, sorry.

"That's so gay"

Ugh

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:32 am

the use of "gay" and "faggot" has exceeded my limit for this thread.