Marshall Paul Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Was watching a little tv the other evening and came across a good show to watch. It was the 2007 Chicago Crossroads Blues Festival. Had all the usual suspects like Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Jeff Beck etc. and nearing the end something very odd struck me (no, not the girlfriend). All the players that came out and performed, all played Strats. Why is this? Apart from a solitary back up guitarist playing what appeared to be a goldtop, There wasn't any LP's to be seen anywhere! Don't get me wrong, I love the Strat, even own a couple myself but, how come no-one played a LP? Was this festival sponsored by Fender? Anyway, just thought it a little strange.... On another note (pardon the pun), Happy NGD to me! Yes folks, a new Epi LP Standard in honey burst has joined the family - it's just beautiful. But I really must take extra care in future not to leave the cherry burst standard and the ebony custom alone together in the dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 As far as the Crossroads fest goes I'm sure Fender's involved in some way because it's Eric's baby. Congrats on the new guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S t e v e Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 may be somthing to do with the above players you mentioned all exclusivly play strats? :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Paul Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 I wasn't aware Eric had something to do with the festival - let the other shoe drop. And true, even though guys like Eric, Jeff and John are known as strat players, there were quite a few who got up and performed like Steve Winwood who aren't (and was playing a strat). Oh, I forgot, BB was up with Lucielle so not all I suppose. Still, a little eirie... And thank you, the new one is settling in just fine. Gave it a good clean and polish, then a new set of Ernie's best 8/38's, played for a few hours then tucked in for bedtime on it's new rack. Father and new son doing just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl00dsm0k3 Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 congrats on the new guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Cricket... <grin> I thought I was the only one with 8-38 on a solid body guitar. Seriously, though, I think there's been a long time of guys playing Strats for blues perhaps initially they were cheaper than Gibbies, especially semi hollow Gibbies that I prefer personally and so have many past blues guys. That's not necessarily a tone thing, but rather a physical feel thing. Once you get used to a Fender neck radius, I think that tends to become a habit and preference. Ditto with the Gibbie general neck fingerboard radius. Now add the "fad" thing... the Strat wasn't a big deal when I started playing rock or electric blues as a kid. Nowadays kids looking for guitars tend as we did to look at what others are playing and there are more Strats. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I've seen all the Crossroads Guitar Festivals, and they're ALL heavy on the Strats. Crossroads Rehab center is Eric Clapton's center in Antigua and is, of course, named after Robert Johnson's iconic song. Fender is one of the sponsors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 And, let's not forget, Strat's are Great, quite versatile, guitars! They look great, play great, and sound great! Not that LP's or other Gibson's don't...but, I've seen a LOT of Strat's being used, all over... not just at the "Crossroads Festival!" And, those players mentioned, all used Strat's, among other things, before, anyway. Plus, we all (famous or not) have a tendency, to go through periods, where we favor one guitar, or another. I seem to be on kind of a Telecaster kick, at the moment, but that doesn't meant I don't love my Gibby's...I DO! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lammas Day Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 i think the general logarithmic patterns of trends MIGHT apply, although there's plenty of people of that era who played LPs, but from my own history, during the late 80's and into the 90's the Seattle sound bands all played Fenders, Jazzmasters, Jaguars, and this heavily influenced my choice of guitar at the start, then when my generation graduated to the stage we brought our guitars with us. i guess though these days with all the good makes and styles about, the days of a whole generation of guitarists playing the same guitar are gone - which I for one think's a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Paul Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 congrats on the new guitar Thanks mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Paul Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 Cricket... <grin> I thought I was the only one with 8-38 on a solid body guitar. When I first started seriously (and you probably remember this then too), back in the 70's the norm used to start with the high E as 12! Didn't bend the string so much as your poor finger. Probably had something to do with me trying to go as low as possible ever since. 8/38 is now my norm on everything and has been for quite a while now. I actually think that tone wise, in the upper register, it sounds much better than a heavier gauge, alot clearer. JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Paul Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 I've seen all the Crossroads Guitar Festivals, and they're ALL heavy on the Strats. Crossroads Rehab center is Eric Clapton's center in Antigua and is, of course, named after Robert Johnson's iconic song. Fender is one of the sponsors. Ah...the sound of the other shoe dropping, like a concrete slab! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Paul Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 And, let's not forget, Strat's are Great, quite versatile, guitars! that doesn't meant I don't love my Gibby's...I DO! CB Very true, I love mine as well. I just try not to play favourites so no jealousy runs through the group! I have a mod on one of my American Standards thats so sweet it would bring a tear to your eye. If anyones interested in this mod, ask and I'll post it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Cricket... Actually the one guitar I use the 8-38 is an early/mid 1970s US-made Guild S100c, a carved-top SG "clone." As I recall, it came that way, or at least had been changed to that in the store where I got it new at the time. Most of my electrics and one AE (for fingerpicking) wear 9-42. One AE (more flatpicking than fingerpicking) wears 10-46. Actually when I started it was with nylon strings; then I got a 12, then... well, as you might imagine there have been a few since the summer of '63 and my first. In the mid 1960s when I was playing rock, it actually was with flatwound lights but I'm darned if I can remember the gauge. Then I started the typical thing of messing with string gauges, usually toward the lighter. Actually I learned one lesson... My hands like 9-42 in general. My jazz archtop I got around 1975 wore flats, then tapewound and then I put her in her case for over 20 years until I got a wild idea to break the rules and put on the 9-42 I liked on everything else. Now she gets played more than her share. The 8-38 on that Guild actually seem to sound "richer" to me than 9s or even 10s on some other guitars. I don't know if that's the pups or the guitar itself. But she likes the strings and I like her. She was my #1 for years even for solo finger style jazz type stuff. BTW, I understand how some folks may like Fender necks. I very much dislike them myself - but I'm increasingly convinced one's preference has a lot to do with what they started on or were forced to use for a cupla years of reeeeally regular playing. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 No one has asked cricket the obvious question............. wait for it...................... Just how little is the TV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Cricket... <grin> I thought I was the only one with 8-38 on a solid body guitar. Seriously, though, I think there's been a long time of guys playing Strats for blues perhaps initially they were cheaper than Gibbies, especially semi hollow Gibbies that I prefer personally and so have many past blues guys. That's not necessarily a tone thing, but rather a physical feel thing. Once you get used to a Fender neck radius, I think that tends to become a habit and preference. Ditto with the Gibbie general neck fingerboard radius. Now add the "fad" thing... the Strat wasn't a big deal when I started playing rock or electric blues as a kid. Nowadays kids looking for guitars tend as we did to look at what others are playing and there are more Strats. m That's a thoughful commentary, and I think there are a lot who want a guitar the plays like a strat and sounds like a gibby. But for me, it was just the opposite. Personally, I can get along with a lot of different neck shapes. I tend to be more picky with a Gibby neck, but it is actually because there are some GREAT feeling necks you can get on a Gibby so I don't want to sell myself short. But, back to my comment. I have played strats because of the sound, not the feel. In fact, after I got My Gibby's (when I was still out playing) I seldom took them out-not because I didn't love them, but because I had not learned to get the sound I wanted to yet. While a lot of it had to do with the placement of the controls (I use the volume knob a lot) When the sound coming out isn't what I expected or wanted, not being used to the knobs makes it harder. I actually wanted to play the Gibby's more because of how the felt, but I was getting a GREAT sound with the strat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Jax... u b bad... <grin> Stein... I dunno... I could never get used to the radius on a Fender neck, and frankly the tone never got to me that much one way or another on a strat. Tele, maybe 'cuz it's so different, but I've never owned one. A two HB sound always had enough ... whatever ... to be fine for me. In fact, at one period of a year or two I mostly used that old Harmony archtop with a single single-pole at the neck for rock/country rock in a band. Which brings me to the second point. When I was using the old archtop, I was running through a big old 120-watt tube amp. Never hit the bright switch. About half the time I had a Fender Leslie unit as a second speaker set. I always was more concerned that the crowd in the saloon was hearing a blended sound of voice, guitar, bass and drums. The guitar never was muddy regardless whether I used the Guild solid body or the archtop. I think in ways "we" think so much of tone at the amp that the effect on the audience is almost put into secondary position where I personally tend to figure that the effect on the audience is the primary consideration. Since I'm convinced I play better and more comfortably on the type of feel one gets on a thin neck with a relatively flat and wide fingerboard, that's where I go. But as I've said before, you pays yer money and takes yer choice. Roy Buchanan loved the Tele because of the neck. Joe Pass tended to use a Gibbie type neck as did a lotta other jazz guys who flatpicked stedda fingerpicked. I ain't in the class of those guys, but I do look for a quality guitar, with a neck I like, to bring out the best I can do regardless - and so do a lotta guys whether or not they agree with my neck preference. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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