The last strat style guitar I owned was nearly 20 years ago. They've always sounded good in other people's hands, but not mine. Even in studio situations, I've tried a few strats, and they never have had "that sound" when I've played them.
But that changed this week - a friend has loaned me a partscaster strat which - for the first time ever - sounds like an amazing strat in MY hands. It's a great guitar, custom shop pickups, Callaham bridge, warmoth neck & body, locking tuners, nitro finish, put together by an actual luthier, etc...
The first day I borrowed it, I was thinking "oh my goodness, this is IT" as I suddenly had access to all of those beautiful strat sounds.
But now after 5 days with it, I'm realizing that while it absolutely sounds like an incredible "stratocaster" (the way I think of them in my head, and giving me sounds no other guitar has), it also never stops sounding like a really particular strat. Sure, there's a 5 way selector, but honestly, both my telecaster and es-335 seem to still have more range for me. Those guitars can have their "tele" or "335" character, but can also act as musical chameleons. This strat sounds beautiful, but no amount of tone knob twiddling/pickup selecting seems to get away from that sound.
So my questions for those who use strats more:
1. Do particularly great stratocasters ever stop sounding "like a strat"?
2. If you are using a strat as you main guitar, is it because you think of it as versatile, or is it because of that particularly iconic, singular voice?
3. Are there perhaps secrets to getting the most out of a strat that I just don't know about?
Right now, I really do enjoy this guitar and might buy it from my friend. It really does sound GREAT. But because it sounds/feels/plays different from what I'm used to, I'm having a hard time figuring out whether I could actually gig this guitar, or if it would be more of a "character guitar" for recording. Yet I know lots people gig strats all of the time, so I figure some of you might have some advice!
But that changed this week - a friend has loaned me a partscaster strat which - for the first time ever - sounds like an amazing strat in MY hands. It's a great guitar, custom shop pickups, Callaham bridge, warmoth neck & body, locking tuners, nitro finish, put together by an actual luthier, etc...
The first day I borrowed it, I was thinking "oh my goodness, this is IT" as I suddenly had access to all of those beautiful strat sounds.
But now after 5 days with it, I'm realizing that while it absolutely sounds like an incredible "stratocaster" (the way I think of them in my head, and giving me sounds no other guitar has), it also never stops sounding like a really particular strat. Sure, there's a 5 way selector, but honestly, both my telecaster and es-335 seem to still have more range for me. Those guitars can have their "tele" or "335" character, but can also act as musical chameleons. This strat sounds beautiful, but no amount of tone knob twiddling/pickup selecting seems to get away from that sound.
So my questions for those who use strats more:
1. Do particularly great stratocasters ever stop sounding "like a strat"?
2. If you are using a strat as you main guitar, is it because you think of it as versatile, or is it because of that particularly iconic, singular voice?
3. Are there perhaps secrets to getting the most out of a strat that I just don't know about?
Right now, I really do enjoy this guitar and might buy it from my friend. It really does sound GREAT. But because it sounds/feels/plays different from what I'm used to, I'm having a hard time figuring out whether I could actually gig this guitar, or if it would be more of a "character guitar" for recording. Yet I know lots people gig strats all of the time, so I figure some of you might have some advice!