Position 2 on a Strat...

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TelePaul

TelePaul

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...sounds best. Discuss.

Okay, a massive generalisation I know, but between the neck and middle just sounds the most pleasing to me for cleans. A bit of compression and you're on your way to tonal nirvana.
 
It is a sweet sound, for sure, I've found using the 4th position with the middle and bridge works very well for me for soloing as well. The bridge gives it a nice cutting lead tone and the middle cuts the shrillness.
 
5th position, bridge only. i like being obnoxious on clean channel :D
 
I have an old Hamer (strat style) and I like the 4th (bridge/middle) position. I use this guitar mainly for crisp clean tones.
 
It's certainly a great sound, especially through a clean amp with a hint of breakup, a la SRV plays Little Wing.

That said, I think the neck single coil is the entire point of owning a Strat. :lol:
 
TelePaul said:
...sounds best. Discuss.

Okay, a massive generalisation I know, but between the neck and middle just sounds the most pleasing to me for cleans. A bit of compression and you're on your way to tonal nirvana.
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I'm with you on this. I do love the pure "quack" of the neck only, but the mix position between neck and middle is where I spend most of my clean time on the strat. (And with the tone dialed back, it's where I spend most of my high gain time as well.)
 
It's funny you brought this up...

I just did some repairs and a string change on a friends strat last nite and found the same thing after I finished. Position 2, I liked best clean and 4 was best with just a touch of distortion.
They all sounded great after a few beers...:D
 
Neck and middle with some OD and wah, killer, weepy expressive guitar.
 
WhiteStrat said:
I'm with you on this. I do love the pure "quack" of the neck only, but the mix position between neck and middle is where I spend most of my clean time on the strat. (And with the tone dialed back, it's where I spend most of my high gain time as well.)
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My strat isn't a strat per se, it's a Yamah Pacifica with a humbucker in the bridge. However, I agree that positions 2 and 4 really let you control the gain alot more than even the humbucker. It's a much smoother sound.
 
TelePaul said:
My strat isn't a strat per se, it's a Yamah Pacifica with a humbucker in the bridge. However, I agree that positions 2 and 4 really let you control the gain alot more than even the humbucker. It's a much smoother sound.
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Like I said, I agree with you--especially since 2 & 4 are noise cancelling--that's nice. But I've got to encourage you to play with the others--especially the neck. If you've got even basic litte tube amp, the neck pickup by itself can really sing.
 
TelePaul said:
...sounds best. Discuss.
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I'm partial to the second and fourth positions for a certain range of sounds. Some amps bring out the 4th position better than the 2nd and vice versa. The 1st position (neck only) is the only one to use for a woody Strat blues tone.

ZoSo58LP said:
5th position, bridge only. i like being obnoxious on clean channel :D
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That'll do it! I use the bridge when a nasal, thin, old-school country sound is called for. Otherwise - forget about it!
 
I've got a H-S-H ibanez but i agree, thats the position i always use for clean chord work. Never liked the singlecoil on its own, 4 is good for a treble-ier chord setting, bridge humbucker is horrific for clean.
 
DrewPeterson7 said:
That said, I think the neck single coil is the entire point of owning a Strat. :lol:
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A Tele has got a pretty good neck single coil sound too. ;-)

I also agree that 2nd position is a good choice for clean tones... I use it a lot for funky rhythm-stuff.

Position 4 is the least used. Followed by 3 - which sounds most acoustic, I think.
 
six said:
A Tele has got a pretty good neck single coil sound too. ;-)

I also agree that 2nd position is a good choice for clean tones... I use it a lot for funky rhythm-stuff.

Position 4 is the least used. Followed by 3 - which sounds most acoustic, I think.
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My Strat pretty much lives in position 2, or 4, whichever you want to call the bridge+middle position. I've heard folks count from either direction.
 
They all have their uses, but I find myself in the ridge position a lot. I like to cut through the band.

If I were using the bright channel on my amp, I would probably use the other positions and the S1 switching a bit more. I should really plug my a/b box in more often so I use the whole range of sounds on the guitar/amp!
 
if you don't like the neck pickup solo, try turning your amp up to 10 (assuming it's a tube amp) and turning the volume on your guitar down to 4 or 5 (use the guitar volume to compensate). THAT is a GREAT sound.

but for the guitar on 10, amp not on 10 and wanting clean and quacky, i love the neck/middle (which, technically, is "4").

oh.....'83 strat with Fender CustomShop Fat 50's in neck/middle.....Duncan JB Jr in the bridge. amps are '66 champ, modified '74 vibro champ and '65 princeton.


cheers,
wade
 
ggunn said:
My Strat pretty much lives in position 2, or 4, whichever you want to call the bridge+middle position. I've heard folks count from either direction.
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TelePaul said:
I'd call that 4.
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mrface2112 said:
but for the guitar on 10, amp not on 10 and wanting clean and quacky, i love the neck/middle (which, technically, is "4").
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Fender's view on the matter. Not that it's at all important. This is from the Tech CD they send all their warranty centers.


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