Is an Ibanez a real strat...

[actorcool]

I have an Ibanez rx20...Basically, it has everything like a strat...except headstock is different and humbuckers, not single coil. Everything is same: Maple Fretboard, bridge...Is that a strat? I mean..what do you guys consider a strat and not...and please don't say its a fender...

 

[dumbass]

I would say that is a superstrat. HSS configuration is strat in my head, HH/HSH and such is superstrat.

 

[Atomic Punk]

A Strat is a Strat. An Ibanez is better. I own both and it's just my opinion.

 

[devilrob1979]

Strats have the word "Stratocaster" written on them. Anything else may be Strat style but it's certainly not a Strat. That's just how I see it.

 

[marantz1300]

No. Not even close. The feel and the tone are totally different. They do however make some good guitars. It just depends on what YOU prefer. I like Strats ,but prefer my Musicman Silhouette. My son prefers his Ibanez S540.

 

[Foster]

Real Strats don't have humbuckers.

JMHO.

 

[mojocaster.com]

No, it's not a strat.

1. it's not a Fender.
2. it's got HBs.
3. it's still a fun guitar
4. pics, or this thread is useless!

 

[Eagle1]

What is a strat? Leo is dead and the company has changed hands three times .
Strat is just a trademark like Ford.A good guitar is a good guitar what is has written on it is irrelevant.

 

[Foster]

Who said it wasn't a good guitar?

Yes it's a trademark just like Ford, and by the same token nobody is stupid enough to say a Toyota is a Ford.

Fact is, an Ibanez isn't a "Real Strat"

Period.

 

[GreenKnight18]

What do you have to gain or lose by calling the Ibanez a strat? Is there some "strats-only" club you want to get into? It will still be an Ibanez with humbuckers when you wake up the next morning.

 

[Pat Healy]

What is a strat? Leo is dead and the company has changed hands three times .
Strat is just a trademark like Ford.A good guitar is a good guitar what is has written on it is irrelevant.

It's not about whether it's a good guitar...it's about whether it's a Strat. A Strat is a Fender Stratocaster. Non-Fender guitars that borrow from the Strat model in one way or another are superstrats or strat clones.

I'd consider the OP's guitar a superstrat.

 

[chucke99]

Here's an Ibanez "strat" from circa 1973 (model 2375). Excellent tone. Mahogany body with a birch top. Mmmm. But it's still a clone, not a true strat:

 

[Member 1963]

The correct answer is what it means to you, so there are as many correct answers as there are those who care. Short of ridiculous answers of course. (i mean, a PRS ain't a strat, so there IS a line to be drawn) For me, a strat is what Leo designed and a lot of whats on the menu today with the name fender and stratocaster on the head are not strats *to me*. A RI is a strat and a few that deviate slightly are, but what most people would certainly consider a strat i call strat derivitives. Otherwise whats the purpose of even having the name? there are 999,999 "strats" in fender's catalog, some with floyds and HH configurations and giant frets with 12" radius and all that. They don't sound or feel like a strat always did for decades or what Leo designed. So to me they aren't strats. But like i said, there are a million correct answers and thats the correct one for me. It's why i only buy RI strats.I have no problem with those that i would call derivitives, and i even mod mine to non strat specs in some ways. But the basic guitar starts as a strat because to me the neck design/truss rod and woods used and the 6 screw trem are a huge part of what a strat is for me. As long as those things are as leo intended i feel it's a strat.

 

[Dmatrix]

I would say it's a "strat-style" guitar then

 

[Foster]

Frankly, I don't even consider the first strat I ever owned a "Strat"


It was a 1985 Fender Japan Contemporary Stratocaster with two humbuckers and System 1 trem.

I loved that guitar and am constantly looking to replace it with another one, but the thing did not sound or play like any traditional strat ever made.

 

[Eagle1]

It's not about whether it's a good guitar...it's about whether it's a Strat. A Strat is a Fender Stratocaster. Non-Fender guitars that borrow from the Strat model in one way or another are superstrats or strat clones.

I'd consider the OP's guitar a superstrat.

Depends whether you consider "strat" to be a generic term ,I think fender would strongly disagree.
the point I was trying to make(and failing) was a strat produces a particular type of tone and if a (for the sake of argument)non strat style guitar produces a similar tone dose it matter if it is a strat or not .Surly the issue is indeed if it is a good instrument that produces the type of tone you desire?

 

[Eagle1]

Who said it wasn't a good guitar?

Yes it's a trademark just like Ford, and by the same token nobody is stupid enough to say a Toyota is a Ford.

Fact is, an Ibanez isn't a "Real Strat"

Period.

There are plenty of examples where a product brand name becomes the generic term "Tremolo unit"for instance instead of the actual "vibrato bar."
A none music related example would be Hoover.Do you think the term strat has become generic public property? If so how similar dose it have to be ?

 

[Foster]

I know for a fact that it hasn't. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if Fender is trying to come up with a way to charge us every time we type the word in this forum.

Call your non-Fender strat styled guitar a strat all day long if you wish....it doesn't make it a "Real strat".


All trademark issues and hair splitting aside, I still stand by my original post...in the non-trademark/tonal world, real strats don't have humbuckers.

 

[Pat Healy]

There are plenty of examples where a product brand name becomes the generic term "Tremolo unit"for instance instead of the actual "vibrato bar."
A none music related example would be Hoover.Do you think the term strat has become generic public property? If so how similar dose it have to be ?

A better example is a brand name like Saran Wrap or Kleenex. Those brand names have become eponymous, i.e. they've fallen into general use for any kind of plastic wrap or facial tissue.

However, the point is not valid. Just because I say "hand me a Kleenex" doesn't mean that the box of tissue is actually Kleenex, just as not all strat-type guitars are actually Stratocasters.

Fender owns that trademark/service mark, and can successfully sue you for using it improperly. Therefore, Fender gets to decide what is and what is not a Strat.

 

[chucke99]

A better example is a brand name like Saran Wrap or Kleenex. Those brand names have become eponymous, i.e. they've fallen into general use for any kind of plastic wrap or facial tissue.

However, the point is not valid. Just because I say "hand me a Kleenex" doesn't mean that the box of tissue is actually Kleenex, just as not all strat-type guitars are actually Stratocasters.

Fender owns that trademark/service mark, and can successfully sue you for using it improperly. Therefore, Fender gets to decide what is and what is not a Strat.

Elevator and aspirin are two brand names that lost their protection because they became "generic" terms. Companies spend a lot of money these days making sure their TMs don't suffer the same fate. I wonder if "Strat" is trademarked. My guess would be yes. But then again, Fender doesn't usually pull eBay ads that tout "strats" or "teles" unless someone drops the "F" name in the ad as well.