Want a great strat to go with a great strat sound

[cgar18]

I had 3 strats but nothing amazing now Im looking for another one does anyone have a 2017 strat? this guy has a great sound

[Lotta_Gear]

I owned a '71 Strat (original, before the 3-bolt neck mods), and currently own a MIM Strat (limited-edition David Lozeau "Rose Tattoo") and an American Vintage '56 (re-issue) - both 2015 models, and for my money the '56 re-issue is the best of the 3.  However, in my experience, tone like that has as much to do with the amp/effects as the guitar.

[cruisinon2]

Barking up this tree is a waste of time. SRV bought his "#1" Strat in a pawn shop for a hundred bucks. There is exactly one way to tell if you will like the tone you get from a particular instrument...play it. Seeking out a Strat from a particular year because you saw one in a video that had a tone that you liked guarantees almost nothing, and could easily leave you out a bunch of money and very disappointed. There will always be variations from one guitar to the next...I don't care if you have two ostensibly "identical" guitars, same make, model, and color, with consecutive serial numbers...it doesn't guarantee that they will sound exactly the same. And assuming that the one you get your hands on will magically sound just like some video you saw, is even less likely.

 

Try before you buy...

[jbuhajla]

The tone is coming from the preset, not so much the particular strat. Even then, 95% of the tone difference between strats is in the pickups and not the particular guitar. 

[cruisinon2]

The tone is coming from the preset, not so much the particular strat. Even then, 95% of the tone difference between strats is in the pickups and not the particular guitar.

That too...

 

With a decent set of pickups and enough processing fairy dust, a $150 DIY kit guitar can be made to sound just as good as the Strat that Fender (amusingly) sells to for $2K...now they likely won't FEEL the same to play, but that's a whole other discussion.

[DunedinDragon]

I have a 2017 Strat Elite which is an excellent state of the art Strat.  Although the 4th generation noiseless pickups are great as is the S-1 switching, I'm not sure those are as much a factor in a great tone as is the right amp, cab/IR, and mic setup along with appropriate EQ.  Although for live purposes the 4th gen noiseless pickups do have considerably more punch and character than any of my previous Strats.

[cgar18]

I have a 2017 Strat Elite which is an excellent state of the art Strat.  Although the 4th generation noiseless pickups are great as is the S-1 switching, I'm not sure those are as much a factor in a great tone as is the right amp, cab/IR, and mic setup along with appropriate EQ.  Although for live purposes the 4th gen noiseless pickups do have considerably more punch and character than any of my previous Strats.

thank you I was just wondering how the new strats were I know the sound is a combination of effects amps so on but I just wanted a good strat sound, all of the strats I've owned were highway ones.They werent the greatest.

[line-6-user]

It's a combination of many things. The guitar on its own won't give you that sound.

 

My American Standard certainly gives me a big array of sound and I am stil learning how to use It.

 

Amp, EQ, Effect, speaker, pickup height and selection, string types and sizes, volume at which is played at, pick type and control, position where strummed, string action and condition. environmental condition and acoustics, fresh set of ears, tone position, volume pot position, nut type........................

 

Here is the video I did a few years back were I used the HD500 to try building a preset, which I then posted on Customtone. Links below.

[erniedenov]

My Strat isn't a Fender, it's a Suhr. John Suhr worked in the Fender Custom Shop for a couple of years, does that count?

 

Anyway, Fender Strats can vary wildly from one to the next, even if it's the same model, like Cruisinon2 said. Happy hunting!

[bradlake]

+1 on a Suhr Classic Pro like Ernie said. But I ve found you can really transform any Strat with a set of Fishman Fluence pups, truly noiseless, Dual voiced and with amazing tonal and dynamic variety with guitar knobs with ZERO TONE SUCK. State of The Art IMO.

IVe just been playing my Fender Reclaimed Redwood Strat with a Fluence SSH setup and it is glorious.

[cgar18]

My Strat isn't a Fender, it's a Suhr. John Suhr worked in the Fender Custom Shop for a couple of years, does that count?

 

Anyway, Fender Strats can vary wildly from one to the next, even if it's the same model, like Cruisinon2 said. Happy hunting!

yeah Ive heard a few of suhr sound good but a bit out of my budget.LIke I said I was just wondering how the new 2017

Fender American Professional Series played I found this on you tube I like the clean sound.

[CraigGT]

I'm looking for a strat too, I found the neck on American pro's a bit chunky and much preferred the Elite neck. Of course that's just my opinion so not really relevant to your taste :-)

 

Craig

[DunedinDragon]

I'm looking for a strat too, I found the neck on American pro's a bit chunky and much preferred the Elite neck. Of course that's just my opinion so not really relevant to your taste :-)

 

Craig

+100

 

The American Elite compound profile neck is one of the finest and most comfortable necks I've ever worked with.  Here's some info on it:

 

http://www2.fender.com/experience/tech-talk/tech-talk-american-elite-compound-profile-neck/

[cruisinon2]

+100

 

The American Elite compound profile neck is one of the finest and most comfortable necks I've ever worked with. Here's some info on it:

 

http://www2.fender.com/experience/tech-talk/tech-talk-american-elite-compound-profile-neck/

We'll it took decades, but its nice that they've finally started offering a compound radius, sculpted heel, etc. It ain't 1954 anymore...

[Lachdanan0121]

I was about to get a Strat, a nice Blaze-Copper one with a Maple neck. 

 

Then I switched directions, and went with a Tagliare Z-Glide Custom from Dean Zelinsky. Its basically a Strat style guitar. I went with vintage burst, all single coil, and maple neck.  I can make it sound close to a nice Strat, (probably could even more if I was really trying for that) however this thing has a wonderful sound that is kinda unique to itself as well. It plays so wonderfully for the price.  Even with a custom option the thing cost me less than the Strat I was looking at would. I may still get a Strat at some point, probably moreso a tele-style guitar for my collection, but honestly for now my Tagliare handles all my single coil needs. (including Strat tones)

 

He has decent deals every now, and then. Doesn't hurt to look at the options...  ;)

You can get a nice one for well under $1,000.

[cgar18]

I was about to get a Strat, a nice Blaze-Copper one with a Maple neck. 

 

Then I switched directions, and went with a Tagliare Z-Glide Custom from Dean Zelinsky. Its basically a Strat style guitar. I went with vintage burst, all single coil, and maple neck.  I can make it sound close to a nice Strat, (probably could even more if I was really trying for that) however this thing has a wonderful sound that is kinda unique to itself as well. It plays so wonderfully for the price.  Even with a custom option the thing cost me less than the Strat I was looking at would. I may still get a Strat at some point, probably moreso a tele-style guitar for my collection, but honestly for now my Tagliare handles all my single coil needs. (including Strat tones)

 

He has decent deals every now, and then. Doesn't hurt to look at the options...  ;)

You can get a nice one for well under $1,000.

nice cool to have great options.I didnt mean to turn this into a strat forum but its kind  of helix lt fault.I get a great twin sound prs amp marshall sound and other amps I never used in real life and I just felt with a good strat I can really enjoy all of the amps more.Not that I dont enjoy them now but I lack a good strat type guitar that I realize i cant be with out. https://deanzelinsky.com/z-glide-guitars/tagliare-z-glide-custom

[Lachdanan0121]

nice cool to have great options.I didnt mean to turn this into a strat forum but its kind  of helix lt fault.I get a great twin sound prs amp marshall sound and other amps I never used in real life and I just felt with a good strat I can really enjoy all of the amps more.Not that I dont enjoy them now but I lack a good strat type guitar that I realize i cant be with out. https://deanzelinsky.com/z-glide-guitars/tagliare-z-glide-custom

Yep! That is the one. If you do decide to go with a Taglaire, I do recommend  going with a Z-Glide neck. I actually really like it.  I would love for him to start offering some baritone super strat variants with Z-Glide necks, and/or 7-strings.

 

Its direct from them too, and I got my guitar at around 5-10 days after ordering. I have had it over 3 years, and I still love it. 

[cruisinon2]

Yep! That is the one. If you do decide to go with a Taglaire, I do recommend going with a Z-Glide neck. I actually really like it. I would love for him to start offering some baritone super strat variants with Z-Glide necks, and/or 7-strings.

 

Its direct from them too, and I got my guitar at around 5-10 days after ordering. I have had it over 3 years, and I still love it.

Intriguing...I'm always skeptical buying an instrument without playing it first, but I've been wanting a Tele lately, and for the price, this might be a contender. Not sure about that neck though. Looking at the site, a neck with a traditional finish doesn't seem to be an option... or did I miss that somewhere?

[FlyingsCool]

I dunno, cherry burst just looks wrong on a strat.... haha... Beautiful looking guitars overall, though.  Definitely gonna check them out.

[Lachdanan0121]

Intriguing...I'm always skeptical buying an instrument without playing it first, but I've been wanting a Tele lately, and for the price, this might be a contender. Not sure about that neck though. Looking at the site, a neck with a traditional finish doesn't seem to be an option... or did I miss that somewhere?

 

The Z-glide neck is optional.

The tele model is called the Dellatera.

 

Dellatera Custom is the one you want if you don't want the Z-Glide neck. More traditional.

 

Dellatera Custom Z-glide if you want that neck. Man I love the Z-glide, it is something that I recommend people to at least try. 

 

For the price, these instruments are hard to beat.

 

 

https://deanzelinsky.com/guitars/dellatera

 

I plan on getting a Dellatera at some point, but I haven't decided on a few of the bits.  (such as pickups, or finish) It will probably have a humbucker at the bridge though.

[Lotta_Gear]

Whoa!! Those are seriously nice guitars!!

[bradlake]

The Z-glide neck is optional.

The tele model is called the Dellatera.

Dellatera Custom is the one you want if you don't want the Z-Glide neck. More traditional.

Dellatera Custom Z-glide if you want that neck. Man I love the Z-glide, it is something that I recommend people to at least try. 

For the price, these instruments are hard to beat.https://deanzelinsky.com/guitars/dellatera

 

I plan on getting a Dellatera at some point, but I haven't decided on a few of the bits.  (such as pickups, or finish) It will probably have a humbucker at the bridge though.

yup, these are great axes for he buck, I’ve a LaVoce, their sorta LP-style, with Piezo and Dean’s sidekick pickups which serve both single coil and hum bucker functionality. His factory/showroom is a mile from me in my chicago suburban hometown.

[BrokenGravity]

Ill just reiterate what everyone else is saying in this thread.  Totally dependent on amps / effects / etc.  Technology plays more of a part in your sound then the guitar does at this point in time... At least that is the way I feel.  

[cgar18]

Ill just reiterate what everyone else is saying in this thread.  Totally dependent on amps / effects / etc.  Technology plays more of a part in your sound then the guitar does at this point in time... At least that is the way I feel.  

I understand that but you need a good starting point,like the green strat he is playing.I have a korean prs se custom that has a push pull but Im not gonna get a good strat sound out of it,i guess someone could but not me.

[cruisinon2]

I understand that but you need a good starting point,like the green strat he is playing.I have a korean prs se custom that has a push pull but Im not gonna get a good strat sound out of it,i guess someone could but not me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=77&v=YViAao6jWiE

A Strat sounds like a Strat for a reason...even with a coil tap, anyone will have a hard time getting a convincing Strat sound out of something that isn't built like a Strat. Imho, half of that "bell-like" tone that we all love is the result of the pickups being mounted to the pick guard, as opposed to being direct mounted to the body. I have other guitars with both direct mounted single coils and coil-tapped humbuckers, and none of them can impersonate a Strat very well.

 

However, that doesn't mean you need a million dollar Strat to get that tone... years ago in my music retail days the shop I worked in carried Fernandez guitars... they made a Strat clone that was a steal for the price...somewhere around $300 if memory serves. We all grabbed one. Point is, there are plenty of inexpensive MIM Strats out there that can be excellent guitars with a good set-up and a decent set of (preferably noiseless) pickups.

[cgar18]

A Strat sounds like a Strat for a reason...even with a coil tap, anyone will have a hard time getting a convincing Strat sound out of something that isn't built like a Strat. Imho, half of that "bell-like" tone that we all love is the result of the pickups being mounted to the pick guard, as opposed to being direct mounted to the body. I have other guitars with both direct mounted single coils and coil-tapped humbuckers, and none of them can impersonate a Strat very well.

 

However, that doesn't mean you need a million dollar Strat to get that tone... years ago in my music retail days the shop I worked in carried Fernandez guitars... they made a Strat clone that was a steal for the price...somewhere around $300 if memory serves. We all grabbed one. Point is, there are plenty of inexpensive MIM Strats out there that can be excellent guitars with a good set-up and a decent set of (preferably noiseless) pickups.

yes Fernandez were nice guitars I haven't seen one in person in years.Last time I saw them was (big SIGH)on 48st Rudy's music store back in the (sigh again) 80's where I worked and love and will always miss and love the 48 st Music Row!!!! I just didnt own a really decent strat in years I mentione it in my first post I had highway one strats and a MIM one and I switched out pickups but it didnt do it for me so I got rid of them.So the search begins I welcome a G&L Fenandes or any other strat type.I kind of like that olive green one in the video.

[jbuhajla]

One of my kids has a cheap Squire strat. I've played it through some of my favorite presets. Guess what... it sounds like a strat. You don't have to spend money for the sound. What you are spending money on is instrument build quality and components. 

[klangmaler]

[cgar18]

One of my kids has a cheap Squire strat. I've played it through some of my favorite presets. Guess what... it sounds like a strat. You don't have to spend money for the sound. What you are spending money on is instrument build quality and components. 

Yeah thats what I want up o a certain price.Ive played squires and owned a mexican and cheaper strat highway one and it just didint do it.There is of course a price I would not go over.THis video makes a good point at the end about the crazy prices of guitars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuHoEBoAoTM

[Lotta_Gear]

I have a MIM strat which is pretty good, but the same year I bought it, I also special-ordered an American Vintage '56 reissue. There is really no comparison. The pups on the AV are way hotter and sweeter, the feel of the guitar is amazing, and it is just superior in every way. Good thing, cuz it cost more than 3X the price of the MIM. I use them both, but for different things. I value them both, but the AV makes me weak in the knees...

[cgar18]

I have a MIM strat which is pretty good, but the same year I bought it, I also special-ordered an American Vintage '56 reissue. There is really no comparison. The pups on the AV are way hotter and sweeter, the feel of the guitar is amazing, and it is just superior in every way. Good thing, cuz it cost more than 3X the price of the MIM. I use them both, but for different things. I value them both, but the AV makes me weak in the knees...

yeah I might take a leap of faith because I dont want to be one of those guys who plays a guitar in a store then buys it online.Zzsounds isnt making it easier for me to resist.I saw this on you tube site and the guy played it thru a clean amp.

[Lotta_Gear]

I tried the AV in-store and then ordered it through them. I wanted it in shell pink and maple neck. That's it in my profile pic.

[zooey]

I played an American Pro at GC a while ago, really dug it, but that's a lot of money to me, didn't do anything. Went back some months later, tried another one, wasn't blown away.

 

Played a Modern Player tele then too, actually liked it best of all those, way cheaper too. In some ways that's my ideal pickup set, at least conceptually, whether those actual pickups do the thing or not. FWIW, some random customer at the counter who'd been trying other guitars went out of his way to tell me the tele sounded better than the Am Pro.

 

None of them were set up super well on the rack.

[skyfirez1]

take a guitar and make it your own.   the sound in your head is almost never the sound that a guitar off the shelf will be able to produce.  it comes down to knowing your favorite pickup company/style and then putting them in all of your favorite guitars.  for example my favorite company is dragonfire pickups, i use the phat strat pickups for single coils and phat screamer pickups for humbuckers.  their p90s are really nice too 

[amsdenj]

If you can get them, Amalfitano pickups will make your Strat sound like a Strat. I have them on my Strat Deluxe and JTV-69S and they are wonderful. For me they were the difference between ok, but not inspiring tone and something that inspires me to play. The Amalfitano pickups bring the guitars to life in a way I never thought possible, especially the bridge pickup. Pickups make a huge difference.

[plumber]

At one time I had 11 strats - all different

 

then I bought 'the' strat for my taste - Second hand custom shop 56

 

sold all the others but 1 - a japan squier e series 85-87

 

now I have strat tones covered with very expensive and very cheap guitars

 

Its not the cost it's the guitar and to a certain extent the pickups

[Guitarmaniac64]

Clapton bought over 10 Strats in a shop in America then use different parts from them to crate the famouse Blackie Strat.

I dont remember but i read that some famouse guitarist used a cheap japanese copy instead of a Usa fender just because he like it more for the sound (and maybe also for build quality?)

Prince used a japanese Tele copy

So try as many as you can and don't expect that it will sound like some video or record as it isn't YOU who is playing.

Its all in the hands

But then again there is a few guitarist that actually can mimic another guitarist so well that you have trouble to know which is which if you listen to them blindfolded.

Guthrie Govan is one David Kilminster another.

[soundog]

I like me them Mexico Strats, and you can still get 'em before the Donald finances his wall by selling expensive rounds of golf.

[jondufour]

thank you I was just wondering how the new strats were I know the sound is a combination of effects amps so on but I just wanted a good strat sound, all of the strats I've owned were highway ones.They werent the greatest.

 

If the guitar plays great, get different pickups.

If the guitar plays badly, get a fret level and setup, if still bad, then a different guitar

The sound is the pickups, preset, speakers.

Musically....that's your hands.

by the way, you can find guitar kits and build your own strat for much less than the cost of a pre-made high end one.

[cgar18]

I had 3 strats but nothing amazing now Im looking for another one does anyone have a 2017 strat? this guy has a great sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZs8lo14FsEWell

OK so I got one again I think I really lucked out because I bought it on a whim and by just looking at youtube video reviews and reading some reviews.I got it from zzsounds a company I really like and who have a great payment plan.So here it is something I didint really know existed ,My fender deluxe roadhouse strat and yes it was MIM!!! I really never look at MIM stras I for some reason just always go straight to the american ones but this thinks is great.Now to try and mimic that great strat tone.