The Quest for Tone

[c3lew]

Since there is no off topic sections and this is not really a Gibson question, but since most of us have other guitars…

 

I was jamming with some friends the other day and most of the time we play songs that require the patented LP crunch. Later that night one of the guys wanted to try to play a Clapton song (not from the Cream era) and the LP didn’t sound right. Into the closet I went and out came my Strat, that hasn’t been played in months. A few tweaks of the amp and I got the tone that I wanted.

 

A few songs later we switched back to our normal musical repertoire. At first I didn’t switch guitars and I immediately noticed that the tone just wasn’t there. There was no crunch. To make a long story short, I switched guitars at least six times that night. (I think the guys were having a little too much fun with me. Bastards !!!). It was getting to a point of annoyance switching guitars and amp settings every two to three songs

 

I’ve always liked LP tone, but I find the neck pickup a too thick for me sometimes. The main reason I bought the BFG was to get a less thicker tone in the neck pickup, and to the BFG’s credit it does it, for the most part. It just doesn’t have the jangle bluesy tone of the Strat’s neck pickup produces. In the bridge pickup the BFG just howls compared to the Strat.

 

So my dilemma is: How do I get the bell like tones of the Strat and the crunch of LP out of one guitar? Is it possible? How about a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge position? Will it get me the tone I’m looking for? Or will it just sound like a Strat with a humbucker?

 

I could add a humbucker to my existing Strat, but I prefer not to carve her up (I would like to keep her the way she is). I could add one of those single coil sized humbucker, but I believe that if you’re going for a humbucker tone you should get a full size humbucker. My belief may be flawed. Anyone else have any experience with those single coil size humbuckers?

 

One idea that keeps bouncing around in my head is getting a Strat HSS. ( A part of me says, “Oh no, not another guitar.”, the other part says, “Oh yeah, another guitar !!’). My main issues after money is are: I hate tremolos (I’ve added five springs to my existing Strat so it doesn’t move), I like the wider/thicker neck of the LPs and I prefer the wider frets of the LP.

 

Should I get a factory Fender Strat HSS or should I think about make a custom guitar with all the preferences I want (i.e. wider frets, hardtail bridge, pickups)? A part of me says, “Oh no, not another project guitar.”, the other part says, “Oh yeah, another project guitar !!”.

 

Any ideas?

[Plank_Spanker]

So my dilemma is: How do I get the bell like tones of the Strat and the crunch of LP out of one guitar? Is it possible?

 

Sorry to say, but it's not going to happen. I have two LP's and three Strats - one with two humbuckers. That Strat isn't even close to the fat warm that my LP's have.

 

You could drop some new pickups in the LP with a push/pull pot to split the coils - but it still won't sound like a Strat.

 

If you need a true Strat sound, play a Strat. The same goes for LP's.

 

They're "apples and oranges", and the reason alot of players play both guitars.

[Tim Plains]

I've wanted to try out one of these PRSs for a while, but can never find one at the store. Should make for some interesting sounds...two buckers and a single coil.

 

I personally don't know much about PRS guitars, except that Chevelle uses them...I love Chevelle!!

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/PRS-Guitars-Swamp-Ash-Special-Electric-Guitar?sku=519915

[c3lew]

Is it the scale length that makes the LP sound like an LP ? Is it the tone woods? Is it both? I don’t get it.

 

I have a 25.5 inch scale, double humbucker, bolt on neck guitar and it doesn’t have the warmth like my LP, mainly because of the basswood body, but it sure get some neat sustain/overtones at certain fret positions. Neither my Strat or LP do that.

 

I’ve played mahogany body Strat type guitars and they have more warmth than the Strat but still jangles.

 

I’ve done some experiments with one of those “project” guitars I have (You know the one. It’s the inexpensive guitar that is never really gets finished, and it always getting different parts mounted on it.). It’s a basic flat top mahogany body guitar with bolt on maple 22 fret 24.75 inch scale neck and a Fender hardtail bridge. It started life originally with two humbuckers, but the neck pickup was just awfully muddy. I was inspired by my BFG, but being woefully broke, I mounted a old single coil pickup in the neck pickup. The guitar jangles, but not like the Strat. It sing more, but the pickups are so badly matched (i.e. the bridge pickup is much more powerful than the neck pickup) that it’s very difficult to get a balanced sound.

 

PRS idea is a very interesting. I haven’t really had a chance to try one either. Must be a Canadian thing, eh? The non-compensating bridge is something I don’t really like too much, but I think Tonepro has a solution to that.

 

As most guitarist, the quest for the tone continues….

[saturn]

Well, I know it's probably a little sac religious for this forum, but a PRS really does come close to the best of both worlds. I've tried a few out and have known some people that own them. I actually live within 45 minutes of the PRS factory and it's nice to see a Maryland guy make such a name for himself. Nothing can take the place of a Les Paul, but if you have a chance to try a PRS I highly recommend it.

[kc100kc]

I did play a PRS the other day that was pretty amazing. It was new reconfirmation they just came out with. It had two humbuckers and 1 single coil pick up in the middle. It had two separate switches for multiple pick-up wiring configurations. Probably on of the best hybrids I've heard. Even though the "strat" single coil sound was really good, it still wan't quite the full on strat sound. Cost of this guitar was around $3800 from GC. Check it out here: http://www.prsguitars.com/513/index.html

 

I have an HSS strat. I really like it personally. I'm able to get some great sounds with the humbucker, however, I can't get the full fat sound of an LP. Most likely because the humbucker is in the bridge position.

 

I bought that new LP Jimmy Page black beauty and I really love the sound of it. It has 3 humbuckers with a six way toggle and 1 single coil tap. This is one of the best sounding LPs I've ever played on. I can get some great single coil sounds and amazing LP sounds. I can hardly put this thing down. However, I can't get the classic neck pick-up sound of a strat. The single coil tap is on the bridge pick-up. I wish they tapped the neck pick up also.

 

Like someone else said, if you need to Stevie Ray classic strat sound, then play a strat and similar goes for the fat crunch of an LP. The hybrids do work but you can't get them all the way there.