Calling all guitarists

[Tritonemusic]

Is that a sticker on the pickguard?

[twistedtom]

Is that a sticker on the pickguard?

Yes it is a sticker as it is a new guitar and I have not pulled it off yet. I think the HSS has more tonal variations and this was the one that felt best playing it, I've tried out a bunch over the last year. As a number of people have been saying "you need one that feels right in your hands". With most of the guitars I get I have to tweak the set up to get it just the way I want it this one feels good now, I do not know if I will have to tweak it, the intonation is good right off the rack aslo.

What is funny is that I also like the sound of Gibbons but the difference in the neck length feels wired to me. I guess it is what your used to.

[twistedtom]

Is that a sticker on the pickguard?

Yes it is a sticker as it is a new guitar and I have not pulled it off yet. I think the HSS has more tonal variations. I would have gotten ether pickup setup but this was the one that felt best when playing it. I've tried out a bunch of guitars out over the last year. A number of people here have been saying "you need one that feels right in your hands". With most of the guitars I get I have to tweak the set up to get it just the way I want, this one feels good now, I do not think I will have to tweak it, the intonation is good right off the rack aslo.

What is funny is that I also like the sound of Gibbons but the difference in the neck length feels wired to me. I guess it is what your used to.

[n2mpujack]

A photo of my new baby. Guess what I will be doing for most of today.

Nice - question and a comment.
Question: is the pickguard white pearloid or just plain white? The double fat Strat I have (with Seymour Duncan humbuckers) has the white pearloid and it really looks nice against the black body.

Comment: I don't know what it is about the black finish Fender uses on their axes, but the 2 black-bodied ones I have (the Strat and Jazz Bass) have really held up well the 5 plus years I've had them. I just wipe them down after playing (I do that to all my guitars) so body oils and acids don't stay on and ruin the finish. I don't baby my guitars, but then again I don't want them beat-up looking either. I figure for the money spent on them I should take care of them.

Almost forgot - don't forget to experiment with string gauges. I've found the stock strings Fender puts on almost always suck. And you don't need Fender's 'special' string ends on replacement string sets. That's just a marketing gimmick, nothing more. No structural difference, and I actually find I get better sustain with 'normal' ended strings like Ernie Balls.

Addendum:
Switching between Strats and Les Pauls is a real change with the shorter scale length (24 inch for Gibson and 25.5 inch for Strats) - trips me up all the time. But that's less of a problem now as my lone LP (an old goldtop) has warped neck and I don't know how or even if it can be straightened out.

[twistedtom]

n2mpujack they did sell on the strings got two sets. Will it hold a set of 10's? I like the tone on 10's a little better. Thanks for the advice, I should clean mine as much as you do.
But then Fender sells the "Road Worn Strats"; I think this is a joke. It is kind of like selling new paints cut up.

[HCMarkus]

Having never developed any proficiency on guitar, I must admit to feeling some jealousy when I read threads like this. Compared to the sterile assembly line electronic clone keyboards that ivory-tinklers like me are reduced to playing these days, the guitarist is challenged with a myriad of organic options and delighted by the direct interaction between strings, wood, and fingers. On the other hand, most of my guitar playing friends seem to suffer from a disease that causes them to regularly become dissatisfied with the guitar that was their "best ever" only a few weeks prior. This may be the current age's closest analog to the search for the Holy Grail!

If I may be so bold, I will weigh in on one point, and that is the "road worn" guitars now being offered for sale. Personally speaking, my body and brain is road worn enough from lugging instruments and SR gear for years that I don't need a manufacturer's help selling the image. And road worn is only cool if there are real stories behind the wear.

Anyway, I have enjoyed listening in on your conversation gents. Good luck in finding your fondest Fender Frodo. Congrats TTom on your new family member.

Can we do an amp thread next? I'm kinda' liking that Mesa Transatlantic for the studio...

[James Steele]

I think you're right, HC. Due to physics, even the most modern electric guitar isn't as far removed from an acoustic guitar as a modern synth is from a traditional piano.

I don't play keyboards very well, but if I did, I would imagine that getting "back in touch" with a real piano from time to time would recharge and refresh in much the same way turning off the amp or computer and playing on an acoustic guitar does for guitarists.

[n2mpujack]

n2mpujack they did sell on the strings got two sets. Will it hold a set of 10's? I like the tone on 10's a little better. Thanks for the advice, I should clean mine as much as you do.
But then Fender sells the "Road Worn Strats"; I think this is a joke. It is kind of like selling new paints cut up.

10's will work just fine - that's what I use on my double humbucker Strat. Like you, I find the tone on this guitar needs that size string. I tried the 9's like I have on the EC Strat and it was just too thin.

The only thing with a 'Road Worn any guitar' is it looks so junky you wouldn't have to worry about it getting stolen.

[SixStringGeek]

I agree that "road-worn" is lame. OTOH, I see real value in getting pre-dinged. Gimme a really nice guitar with one little ding in it so I don't go nuts trying to keep it perfect.

I feel the same way about cars which is (one reason) I always buy used.

[daniel.sneed]

But that's less of a problem now as my lone LP (an old goldtop) has warped neck and I don't know how or even if it can be straightened out.

Sure someone can work this out fine. Quite a job though.

[Frodo]

Dangit. I love the info here. Thanks... and James-- I was wondering just when a Dean guy would find some motivation to chime in.

Me? I'm still plotting my Strat-egy. I've had my garage door fixed twice in as many weeks, my car in the shop, and a host of unscheduled internally domestic tasks done this month, one of which required my entire place being gutted. Now, I need an air/heating unit inspection next week.

ka-ching?

Me want a Strat.
Me want a Strat.

[twistedtom]

I pulled off the plastic coat that was on the pick-guard, the sticker was on the plastic . You have to pull the knobs off to remove it from the guitar. Played it a lot yesterday and it is now my favorite of my guitars. All I have my eyes on is a simi-hollow body for the jazz sound but that will not be soon. For now the 6 guitars and the bass I have will get me by fine.
I got a case with the Strat some photos of the case and the strat with the plastic off of it.

Frodo soon one will fall into your hands also, I played a number of them until one said "take me home I am yours". This one is my wife all the rest are just girl friends; that line is taken from BB King about Lucille.



Photos of case and guitar striped of protective plastic.

[Tomrabbit]

Congrats on the Wedding.

Nice pix, she looks great in the case too.

[twistedtom]

Thanks Tom R; you have a bit of a bent neck on yours, does it help you bend notes?

Bad joke!

[monkey man]

I know I've said this several times to you in the past, Fwogster, but I still reckon you'd get some mileage out of a Variax.

Have you checked out the new Chris Tyler (I think that's his name) models? Apparently the Korean numbers (again, I think this is the Asian manufacturer, as opposed to the American versions which will cost several times as much) play practically as well as the US ones.

I hereby guarantee that you'll be impressed with the clarity and noise figures should you choose to employ the VDI (digital) connection through a "dongle box"; L6 offers several cheap ways to get into this I think, along with the usual pods and floor units. From memory, I watched the signal peak drop all the way down to -130dB as I turned the volume down. This is the most impressive I've seen at home, my previous best figures being decently below -100dB. I cannot remember what the noise level was with volume all the way up and strings muted, but I do remember that for all intents and purposes it was... completely silent. This surely can't hurt, can it?

I've mentioned this axe again in part because the new Tylers apparently have increased resolution and 4xfaster processing, improved pickup deign and analog pickups as a bonus, meaning they can function as conventional guitars too. They're better designed overall, it would seem, but even so, I must say I'm surprised at the clarity of the direct, dry signal from my old, first-of-the-original-models thingy.

The other reason I mentioned it again is the ever-present one of its providing tele, strat, LP, Rick, resonator and so on models. Someone in your position might even find his tastes focus as he experiments with the various offerings. Further to this, there's always the Variax Workbench software which allows you to swap bodies, pickups and so on, as well as slide the pickups to any desired position. Tons of scope for experimentation there. FWIW, I'm so far more than happy with the factory models.

Lastly, there have been tuning stability issues for many who bought into the first generation. I personally have had mine seen to 7 or 8 times, and the next scheduled setup should finally get me into the ballpark, although it will sacrifice playability as the bridge appears to be designed to float in order to provide the strings with the minimum bend necessary as they travel over the saddles. Bending a string or touching the tremolo has been verboeten so far (3 years!). The Chris Tyler models will apparently eliminate this issue through tighter manufacturing specifications and newly-designed bridges.

Humour me and check 'em out, Fwoggy.