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swleary

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Nathan...

 

I wonder how many country and pop fans realize Willie Nelson has been playing both lead and rhythm with a nylon string guitar or if they just think it's "a guitar."

 

Honestly, I think "we" think about this stuff a lot more than does an audience. Getting one's own sound isn't a specific instrument or even setting to me, but what I play for music...

 

OTOH... when I was younger I didn't see it that way either.

 

m

 

Honestly, it's just me. That's my preference, but I do love single coils. They respond great with my fuzz pedals :)

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I am familiar with the thread in the Fender Forum asking about how to fatten up the sound of a Strat. People who want a Strat to be a Les Paul are destined to fail, but as are those who wish the LP to sound like a Strat.

 

I think the best you can do is , get a rosewood fretboard, block the trem, ditch the 09-42 strings a Strat comes with, go to something like 11-48 Ernie Balls, roll back the tone controls to about 7... and other than whatever pickups you use, you aren't going to get any fatter than that.

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The Fender Strat-o-Sonic was 24.75

 

I always tune Fenders down 1/2 step. To me that helps the scale length/thinner tone

thing. Of course if I want twang I tune it back up to standard pitch. [biggrin]

 

it's not Just neck Scale either, The profile and radius are both contributing factors as well.

As it was said too, in the right hands they can sound huge,

What can I say, I love the Gibby's.....

msp_thumbup.gifmsp_thumbup.gifmsp_thumbup.gif

Amps, thats a whooooole other topic.

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Dennis...

 

I'm not so sure on the heavier strings in ways.

 

In ways I get about as "fat" a sound from 8-38 on my early 1970s Guild (when it was a US company, US made) SG type as from anything else with HB pickups... and I run the others with 9-42.

 

In fact... until I got a Dot, the "SG type" was my backup for the full hollow jazz box.

 

m

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Over time as your guitar playing evolves, as everyone does, you will soon realize the more important part of the guitar is not always on how it looks, but how it sounds and plays. :rolleyes:

I'm sorry, but I disagree.

 

Don't be offended, or feel the need to defend a Telecaster. It's just my opinion. I feel you should like the way your guitar looks nearly as much as you like the sound. It should at least be interesting to your eye, and stimulate your senses beyond that of just your ears. It's as much about the craftsmanship and the artistic design...

 

As I mentioned, I have more issues with Tele's than their look alone. After stating all this, it should be evident I have good personal reasons as to why they do not appeal to me in the slightest, and it has nothing to do with my maturation as a player.

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I feel you should like the way your guitar looks nearly as much as you like the sound. It should at least be interesting to your eye, and stimulate your senses beyond that of just your ears. It's as much about the craftsmanship and the artistic design...

If that wassn't the case, why bother making the same guitar in different colors?

 

I look at it more from a standpoint of design. There are fine guitars with designs I simply don't like, Explorers and Flying Vees for example. Me with a B.C. Rich guitar wouldn't be a likely picture. I'm too old and my idea of a guitar design pretty much mirrors my age.

 

Among my guitars are sunbursts, red, black, butterscotch and mustard yellow. Of my acoustics, all are natural except one sunburst. That's just my taste. I know some people who have 4 different kinds of Strat and they are all white...

 

I definitely have to like what I look at too.

 

Chocolate and vanilla.

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If that wassn't the case, why bother making the same guitar in different colors?

 

I look at it more from a standpoint of design. There are fine guitars with designs I simply don't like, Explorers and Flying Vees for example. Me with a B.C. Rich guitar wouldn't be a likely picture. I'm too old and my idea of a guitar design pretty much mirrors my age.

 

Among my guitars are sunbursts, red, black, butterscotch and mustard yellow. Of my acoustics, all are natural except one sunburst. That's just my taste. I know some people who have 4 different kinds of Strat and they are all white...

 

I definitely have to like what I look at too.

 

Chocolate and vanilla.

 

 

Dennis, you'd LOVE an Ibanez XPT700 Xiphos, or a Dean Razorback !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Dennis...

 

I'm a bit older and... heck, depending on the gig, I'd play an explorer or a V. Not as much my schtick as some other stuff, but... I guess I can be a little crazy on stage if it "works" for something...

 

I like the looks of my guitars but oddly they're either plain top or sunburst - even the old carved-top solidbody 1970s Guild SG "clone."

 

But I never had much choice of color and stuff. I got "types" I felt I needed that were, to my hands, better than average playability. I s'pose had I done mail order I might have made a different coice, but...

 

My last 3 guitars were two sunburst, one plain top and ... they were the colors available in the kinda thing I was looking for and felt a need for and that I could touch and had a price tag I could sorta justify. I woulda been happy with black, or a cherry. Or plain top 'stedda sunburst on the AE sunburst.

 

I'll admit I like the shapes of all of my guitars. Only one, the bass, has another sorta color and there was a good deal on a used bass and it played well. The color wasn't really relevant. Maybe I'll refinish it some day, I dunno.

 

m

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I took a look at 'em.

 

The overly cute-ified stuff doesn't really trip my trigger but the actual x-type shape doesn't seem all that bad to me. I'm not sure I like some of the decorative art.

 

But technically they look kinda interesting.

 

m

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I've probably had 7 or 8 strats go through the stable over the years, as much I like some of their tones, I could never really bond with one. Tele's, never had one I didn't like though they've always ended up as trade fodder for Gibsons, lol.

 

From a value standpoint, Fender has no business pricing their American Standard Strat so close to an SG Standard. The street price is less than $150 difference. With the SG you get clear see-through nitro finish, set neck, inlays, binding, and pro-level pickups that don't need to be upgraded right off the bat. Yes I'm saying the Am Std pups are trash.

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Damian - I just looked at those two guitars... I know there's a market for them, but it's not me. Hell, I even block the trem on all my Strats. There just isn't an American Hardtail Strat in the line anymore without it being a sig model.

 

69 Son... I agree that the American Fender line might be a little high priced, but I feel like most of the Gibson line is high priced too. Some people would say the Gibson line is way overpriced.

 

Personally, I prefer the MIM Fender line to use the woodwork and plastic parts, then modify it with pickups, electronics and whatever hardware I feel it needs. In the past 4-5 years, the quality of woodwork on the MIM lines has been beautifully improved.

 

What it comes down to is that unlike some purist friends of mine who would never think of changing anything on a guitar, (nothing wrong with that), I love to personalize my guitars in small ways that make them more comfortable for me. I think part of my love for Fender guitars is because I can do so much more to them myself than I can do to any Gibson.

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I agree about the SG Standard being a good value, I've been sayin' that for a while now. My 08 is damn near flawless. At my skill level now, I kinda feel unworthy to play it, being the hack that I am. Fenders best bang for the buck guitars are either MIM or Japanese, too bad they don't import the MIJs anymore.

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Damian - I just looked at those two guitars... I know there's a market for them, but it's not me. Hell, I even block the trem on all my Strats. There just isn't an American Hardtail Strat in the line anymore without it being a sig model.

 

69 Son... I agree that the American Fender line might be a little high priced, but I feel like most of the Gibson line is high priced too. Some people would say the Gibson line is way overpriced.

 

Personally, I prefer the MIM Fender line to use the woodwork and plastic parts, then modify it with pickups, electronics and whatever hardware I feel it needs. In the past 4-5 years, the quality of woodwork on the MIM lines has been beautifully improved.

 

What it comes down to is that unlike some purist friends of mine who would never think of changing anything on a guitar, (nothing wrong with that), I love to personalize my guitars in small ways that make them more comfortable for me. I think part of my love for Fender guitars is because I can do so much more to them myself than I can do to any Gibson.

 

 

Yes Dennis, I was pulling your leg !!!!!!!! I could never own one of those guitars !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I also like the MIMs...and your other above points Dennis....This has been an interesting thread........

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I absolutely love Stratocasters.

 

They are, in many ways, the most beautiful guitar-form ever made.

 

Their tonal range means they can be used for any type of music dreamed up by man.

 

They balance perfectly on a strap and are the most comfortable solid-body to use whilst seated.

 

They are available in the widest range of finishes and can be had with rosewood or maple fingerboards in a product-price-range that suits every pocket.

 

The list of Iconic players who have enriched the history of music -and encouraged generations of players in the process - playing Stratocasters is unsurpassed by any other guitar.

 

They are practically indestructible. If anything does go wrong - a neck snapping, say - they can be repaired for near pocket-money prices.

 

No solid-body has ever been made that is better than a good Strat.

 

Except a good Les Paul.

 

IMHO, of course...

 

LOL!

 

P.

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