What Strat?

[bartok.waters]

Hi people!

Made my mind on the strat... but I'm still a little bit confused: which strat?

I like to play that 'obscured-by-clouds'/'dark-side-of-the-moon' pink floyd sound, led zeppelin and deep purple...

So, assuming I can't spend more than $800 - $900, what strat do you think would fit my needs?

Let me know what you think...

Thanks in advance,
Pedro

ps: And what about Telecasters?...

 

[Wide Awake]

American series Strat. Tremolo or hardtail.

American Fat Strat. - has a humbucker for more variety of tones

 

[LocusLarsen]

American Standard!

I would skip the tremolo, but thats just me. If you think you might need it, then get the tremolo.

I play a Tele, but that won't get you Pink Floyd

 

[bongolation]

> Highway 1 series- I'm not crazy about the finishes but for the
> money it's well made and has good tone.

The H1 is a rip at any more than about $400 new, compared to the genuinely MIA "American" series.

In terms of its parts and materials, the H1 is essentially a downgraded MIM "'70s Classic" with a slightly better neck, a hugely cheaper finish and different machine head knob ends. Final assembly is done is the US, but the guts are made and assembled in Ensenada from import parts. The body and neck are from poorer MIM-grade blanks.

The H1 was originally promoted as being "a stripped-down 'American' series Stratocaster," but that's a total lie that the advertisers have had to back down from. In fact, there's no component overlap with the AS except for a switch, two pots and a capacitor! Same as on the MIM "Standard."

With the AS Stratocasters regularly going for as little as $599 on sale with ohsc from MF and others, the H1 makes no sense at all at a similar street price in a bag. H1 prices are starting to go down, but they have a ways to go before they are a real value relative to their production cost and true worth.

Someone may find an H1 that he likes, and that's fine, but don't tell me it's worth six bills. It ain't.

 

[acorec]

American Standard!

I would skip the tremolo, but thats just me. If you think you might need it, then get the tremolo.

I play a Tele, but that won't get you Pink Floyd

If you want the sound of Pink Floyd/Deep Purple do not skip the tremolo! The trem adds alot of sustain to the sound. Strats are different than most tremolo guitars. The trem block has great mass. This adds to the sound and takes away the "thin" sound. That is why some artists pin the trem. They don't use it, but they know that the sound is there.

 

[scottboyher]

American series Strat. Tremolo or hardtail.

American Fat Strat. - has a humbucker for more variety of tones

i second.

 

[Buck62]

Check out the top-of-the-line Yamaha Pacifica, which is a high-quality Strat clone.

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA...TYP%3DPRODUCT%26VNM%3DLIVE%26AFLG%3DY,00.html

It makes the American Standard Strat look, feel, and sound kinda crappy by comparison.

Trust me on this.

 

[scottboyher]

Check out the top-of-the-line Yamaha Pacifica, which is a high-quality Strat clone.

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA...TYP%3DPRODUCT%26VNM%3DLIVE%26AFLG%3DY,00.html

It makes the American Standard Strat look, feel, and sound kinda crappy by comparison.

Trust me on this.

That is so gay.

 

[ozraves]

For what you are wanting, you really need two guitars. I believe David Gilmour was more into humbuckers back in the Dark Side days but he now endorses EMG single coil pickups.

Here's the best production "Strat" guitar made today (My personal fave is the 1956 Fender Stratocaster.):

Here's more info:

http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/instruments.asp?prcode=georgefullertonsig

If you shop around then you could possibly find one for around $800.

Steve
www.piemusic.com

 

[plexi]

Check out the top-of-the-line Yamaha Pacifica, which is a high-quality Strat clone.

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA...TYP%3DPRODUCT%26VNM%3DLIVE%26AFLG%3DY,00.html

It makes the American Standard Strat look, feel, and sound kinda crappy by comparison.

Trust me on this.

Ugh, what an buttugly piece of wood!!!!

There`s nothing more beautiful than a nice 50`s strat.......IMO

 

[hixmix]

Pick up a new or used(in excellent condition) Am. Series or Am. Standard, with case for way less than 8-9 hundred.

 

[hixmix]

Click here:

http://chrisguitars.com/


Scroll down to the 4th paragraph and check out the Am. Deluxe Strat and the Am. Standard for $850 and $525, respectively.

 

[mkeene]

For what you are wanting, you really need two guitars. I believe David Gilmour was more into humbuckers back in the Dark Side days but he now endorses EMG single coil pickups.

Gilmour has always used a Single coil strat, but he did use a humbucker guitar on a few songs off of Dark Side. The "money" solo and part of "brain damage" come to mind. Funny enough, he still sounds a ton like Gilmour with the humbuckers. He switched to the DG-20 in the mid 80's so everything after that time was done with those pickups. I have the DG-20 and highly reccomend it...you can get a wide assortment of tones, and it will get almost as thick as humbuckers. Its also nice not to have that 60 cycle hum going all the time.

-Mike

 

[Buck62]

That is so gay.

Play the high-end Pacifica, then post an "educated" opinion.

 

[Buck62]

Ugh, what an buttugly piece of wood!!!!

There`s nothing more beautiful than a nice 50`s strat.......IMO

True, it's not as pretty as a 50's Strat.... but it plays and sounds better than a new American Standard Strat.

Play one first, then tell me if I'm wrong.

 

[TheGuitarMan]

.... but it plays and sounds better than a new American Standard Strat.

...which isn't saying much.

 

[KaBudokan]

Build your own :

http://www.usacustomguitars.com

http://www.billlawrence.com

http://www.callahamguitars.com

http://www.sperzel.com

Just a thought...

I did it once so far, and I am not sure if I'll be buying too many off-the-rack guitars again.

 

[bartok.waters]

Strange things happen....

You know what? Strange things happen...

I said before I made my mind on the strat, but I bought an american tele...

it was a couple of circumstances that made me buy the strat:

- I could have bought the american strat but I would have to pay more 150 euros (about $150) in taxes...

- There was in the store an american deluxe strat which had 2000 euros for price (I'm in portugal, not usa...), I played the guitar and didn't felt like spending that money for that guitar... The looks of the guitar were awesome... but I'm not rich...

- I really love the fender stratocaster, so my first strat, when I'll have the money, it's gonna be an american vintage '57 white with golden hardware and pickguard strat with active pickups...

- I really liked the tele tone...

Some of you may disagree... but what the f**k...

thanks anyway...
Pedro

 

[jcmm]

Pedro,
I was going to tell you to go to the store, play 'em all and see what moves ya.

It looks like that is exactly what you did!

You worked for the euros, and you will have to play the thing so screw what we think!


I want a Tele too!

 

[SteveE9C6]

I've got six strats. The one that I thought I would die for is a 2000 American series with Kinmans. It didn't turn out that way though...

The best "strat" I have is a G&L Comanche blueburst. This sucker has the true "Leo". It is my favorite electric six string. I also have two G&L Legacies as well. I personally think they smoke anything less than the Fender custom shop series and are stupidly cheap on ebay and such...

It's not that I don't like Fender, I do! I've got a gorgeous tele and two other Fender strats as well as a vibrolux amp. Fender rocks!
It is just that if you truly can sit down with these instruments side by side, you will see what I mean. The G&L were the culmination of Leos lifes work.