NGD - Stratocaster Content

[Puckhog]

Yeah, its pretty enough, but if I'm reading this right, your entire evaluation of this unit has been based on acoustics and appearance - have you actually plugged it in to an amp yet?

To be perfectly honest, I'm not much on the American series Strats. I've purchased a total of two Strats in the past 30+ years . . . an '83 (Fullerton) '62 Reissue Vintage White (rosewood) and an '07 '56 (Custom Shop) Time Machine Tobacco Burst (maple), both of which I converted almost immediately to 1-meg ohm tone caps with Eric Johnson (or Jimmie Vaughan, depending on who you care to believe) wiring (i.e., no middle tone). Plus an added 7-way feature via toggle switch. This second (toggle) feature allows for N, N+M, M, M+B and B (from the standard 5-way), and the additional selections of N+B and N+M+B using the toggle (where N=Neck, M=Middle and B=Bridge), which adds that sorely missed (N+B) Tele combination. Together, these give me the thicker, John Fogerty ala Eric Johnson ala Jackson Browne sound that I want (and need) from a Strat.

That's not to say that the American series or relic models don't have their place in the current marketplace, because they clearly do. As witnessed by the immensely profitable "relic" industry, looks are in high-demand, and they definitely sell guitars. But for me, looks are meaningless. Tone and action (or playability), are where the rubber hits the road.

[Les Paul Lover]

I;ve found that specific songs will call for specific guitars.

The stuff my strat (or vigier to be precise, but reasonnably close enough in tone) inspires me to play is quite different to what I play on my LP.

And what sounds great with the Vigier can sound muddy with the LP, and what sound great with the LP can sound limp and wimpy with the Vigier.

Different sounds are great though, and if you keep it about for a while, you may (or may not) start writing materials for/with it that sounds best with it.

[a.hun]

With you on that LPL. Guess that is how I've managed to justify having various different guitars and basses. And amps!

It is pretty nuts though. I really like all my guitars. My first (decent) electric was my MIJ Strat. When I later got my LP style Gordon Smith it felt so good (lovely neck especially) that I always thought going back to the Strat would disappoint, that it'd feel somehow inferior, cheap, 'thrown together'. But it still surprises me every time I pick it up - the Strat is just such a lovely sexy comfortable and flexible guitar that I'd never be without it. If you get one which plays and sounds right to you it could be the perfect life partner.

Having said that, since buying my cheapo Squier CV Tele 4 years back it has totally become my main 'grab' electric. The other two and my Gibson LP Jr. Special hardly get a look in these days. 9/10 times I'm going for the Tele - cheap but very cheerful, and with the simple 4 way switch mod incredibly versatile. Maybe even more so than a Strat I'd say. What you can't do with a Tele probably isn't worth doing. How the heck did Leo get these things so right from the very start???


Andy.

[myboss57]

Yeah, its pretty enough, but if I'm reading this right, your entire evaluation of this unit has been based on acoustics and appearance - have you actually plugged it in to an amp yet?

To be perfectly honest, I'm not much on the American series Strats. I've purchased a total of two Strats in the past 30+ years . . . an '83 (Fullerton) '62 Reissue Vintage White (rosewood) and an '07 '56 (Custom Shop) Time Machine Tobacco Burst (maple), both of which I converted almost immediately to 1-meg ohm tone caps with Eric Johnson (or Jimmie Vaughan, depending on who you care to believe) wiring (i.e., no middle tone). Plus an added 7-way feature via toggle switch. This second (toggle) feature allows for N, N+M, M, M+B and B (from the standard 5-way), and the additional selections of N+B and N+M+B using the toggle (where N=Neck, M=Middle and B=Bridge), which adds that sorely missed (N+B) Tele combination. Together, these give me the thicker, John Fogerty ala Eric Johnson ala Jackson Browne sound that I want (and need) from a Strat.

That's not to say that the American series or relic models don't have their place in the current marketplace, because they clearly do. As witnessed by the immensely profitable "relic" industry, looks are in high-demand, and they definitely sell guitars. But for me, looks are meaningless. Tone and action (or playability), are where the rubber hits the road.

I was not clear enough it seems, I did not buy it based on appearance alone. However, I do think a guitar should have a certain amount of aesthetic character. That being said, and I think it's true for any of us, is that a guitar's appearance does matter to an extent. I'm sorry, but I don't care how good that Busch Beer sign guitar may sound, I'll probably never play it! (actually, it's fun looking, so maybe I would! ) Anyways, acoustically, the guitar does sound great. It also feels great in my hands. Both acoustics and feel are extremely important to me in an electric guitar. My SG feels amazing and sounds amazing unplugged. Plugged in it's even better. Full of life and tone. I agree that tone and action are indeed where it's important!

The Strat was the same. It felt great to me and sounded awesome unplugged. In my band setting - yes, I took it to band practice and played it loud through my amp - it didn't really fit. Where my SG takes up a certain sonic space, the Strat lacked. It just didn't really fit for me in the tone department in my band. And since I don't play covers where I might need different tones for different tunes, I don't really need more than one guitar sound.

I think there are definitely some mods I could do with this, for instance some of the pup recommendations sound awesome to me. And I appreciate the info on the mod you did to your Strats, sounds really awesome!! If I didn't have the Gibson I'd likely do some mods and get it to where it could be a really killer guitar. But since I do have the Gibson and have realized that I do love the sound in my band setting, there's no point in holding onto the Strat when I could put the refund money onto a credit card or fix a repair on my house as needed.

I know it was a little silly of me to buy a guitar having not given it a good thrashing in my amp and all that, but that's life and sometimes you just make a purchase! And like I said, the acoustics and feel were nice on this thing!

[Puckhog]

Yeah, its pretty enough, but if I'm reading this right, your entire evaluation of this unit has been based on acoustics and appearance - have you actually plugged it in to an amp yet?

To be perfectly honest, I'm not much on the American series Strats. I've purchased a total of two Strats in the past 30+ years . . . an '83 (Fullerton) '62 Reissue Vintage White (rosewood) and an '07 '56 (Custom Shop) Time Machine Tobacco Burst (maple), both of which I converted almost immediately to 1-meg ohm tone caps with Eric Johnson (or Jimmie Vaughan, depending on who you care to believe) wiring (i.e., no middle tone). Plus an added 7-way feature via toggle switch. This second (toggle) feature allows for N, N+M, M, M+B and B (from the standard 5-way), and the additional selections of N+B and N+M+B using the toggle (where N=Neck, M=Middle and B=Bridge), which adds that sorely missed (N+B) Tele combination. Together, these give me the thicker, John Fogerty ala Eric Johnson ala Jackson Browne sound that I want (and need) from a Strat.

That's not to say that the American series or relic models don't have their place in the current marketplace, because they clearly do. As witnessed by the immensely profitable "relic" industry, looks are in high-demand, and they definitely sell guitars. But for me, looks are meaningless. Tone and action (or playability), are where the rubber hits the road.

. . . . I know it was a little silly of me to buy a guitar having not given it a good thrashing in my amp and all that, but that's life and sometimes you just make a purchase! And like I said, the acoustics and feel were nice on this thing!

Nah! Impetuous maybe, but not "silly". Hell, I've done the equivalent myself many times over the years with remote purchases of amps and a number of other high-dollar items sight unseen - spontaneity can be a real hoot sometimes! You win some, you lose some - strikes and gutters. Its all good. Regardless of what it is, anything musical pays great dividends in my view.

[myboss57]

Nah! Impetuous maybe, but not "silly". Hell, I've done the equivalent myself many times over the years with remote purchases of amps and a number of other high-dollar items sight unseen - spontaneity can be a real hoot sometimes! You win some, you lose some - strikes and gutters. Its all good. Regardless of what it is, anything musical pays great dividends in my view.

Ah, that's true! And actually, I do often forget that my beloved SG was purchased unplayed off of eBay on a whim! I guess I scored big there!

[Mystic38]

Nice looking strat.

A lot of folks lose the trem cover..its a pain when you are wanting to change strings.. and possibly why my hardtail gets all the love here..lol
A big +1 to spending some quality time bonding and playing with settings.. its not the case of vol=10, tone=10 like is more common with an LP/SG .. the bridge pup is really bright, but you can adjust the pup to compensate some, and roll off the tone to 5-7 to tone it down.. at least you have a rw neck.. the maple bites harder.

There are plenty of pups.. and I would say go noiseless to play out as the hum can be atrocious depending on the location, and it sucks playing in front of people while facing the wall to reduce hum!..

I have vintage noiseless in my am strat/rw which are popular, as are hot vintage noiseless, scn, and the dimarzio area series... all of these will lose some of the edge of the bite being, well, not exactly single coils.

you could also try scn + s1 switching from deluxe strats in mid 2000's .. this gives some series pup switching for fullness and power, but if its to be a studio/recording guitar, the N3 with the latest S1 switching would be the way to go due to the tonal flexibility..

Les Paul lover was right on the money earlier imo with regard to songs and playing style... even when I am jamming with a blues track, my feel, tone and style is very different between an LP and a Strat..

just spend some time giving it some luv !

[Les Paul Lover]

My vigier has a set of virtual vintage 54 noiseless Di Marzio pick ups, they're great. They seem to have all the highs required, great bell like tones, but perhaps a touch more low end and sound a bit fuller, though that could be down to just the Vigier, it sounds fuller AND chimier unamplified than all the straps I've compared it to.

Either way, that would be a set I woul dhighly recommend on my experience.