Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

[Kac]

My first [electronic] guitar was a Peavey Raptor (Strat copy) and since then I have owned a TON of MIM Fender Strats. I currently own two and enjoy them quite a bit.

I've owned V's, LP copies, ESP's, Jackson's, BC Rich, Ibanez and others, but have always come back to the Strat.

Is there a guitar or guitars that you could suggest for a Strat player to give a try in order to branch out a little more and help expand my sound, tonal possibilities, and broadness as a guitar player?

Just looking for other guitar suggestions that you think would bond well with a Strat player. Thanks!

 

[ginormous]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

Some guys are really comfortable playing Strats...

"...not that there's anything wrong with that!"

Maybe you just need more tone choices. Maybe a H/S/H with split coils?

 

[Aceman]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

I'd say get an Ibanez RG series HSH with a locking trem.

Still "stratty" but way way more than synchro trem and 3 singles. You can find classy natural wood ones that aren't all metal paint jobs.

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

Obvious first thought was a Les Paul, but you've been there, done that.

If you don't want to go too far, get yourself a nice Tele. If you're looking for tonal diversity, how about a semi-hollow? Or maybe rack yourself up an SG?

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

Telecaster....

 

[blueman335]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

To break the Strat habit, an affliction that sadly affects far too many players, I'd suggest an SG and double cutaway LP-type, like a PRS SE Santana or Hamer SATF. You could also put in an HB-sized P-90 or two, which have a much beefier tone, and still keep some single coil flavor.

If you want to make a total break, 335's sound so good and are surprisingly comfortable.

 

[loversmoon]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

I vote a telecaster. Tele has a lot of tonal options. More so than one would think. Plus, there is no denying a sound of tele. When you hear it you know exactly what it is. If you need more beef you can always upgrade your pickups.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

A Tele would be a good choice. Though as a Strat player, I've sold every Tele that I've had. Try a 335 type semi-hollow.

 

[Securb]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

To break the Strat habit, an affliction that sadly affects far too many players, I'd suggest an SG and double cutaway LP-type, like a PRS SE Santana or Hamer SATF. You could also put in an HB-sized P-90 or two, which have a much beefier tone, and still keep some single coil flavor.

If you want to make a total break, 335's sound so good and are surprisingly comfortable.

+1 on the SG the weight and the neck will be closer to a Fender than a Les Paul, P90s might also be a great idea.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

Telecaster
Jazzmaster
SG
PRS

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

PRS NF3, DC3 or 305

 

[Kac]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

A ton of good recommendations here! I certainly like what I'm reading. One of the things that turns me off on a guitar is not having a maple fretboard. I have had, enjoyed, and rocked out with rosewood fretboard strats in the past, but even they don't stay around long if they don't have a maple fretboard.

I know I can still appeal to this desire for maple if I go towards some ibanez, and definitely telecasters... I'm gonna see what guitar center has to play for a while this afternoon and see if anything has any kind of appeal.

I do appreciate where this thread is going, please feel free to keep throwing out ideas and suggestions. Thanks!

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

It sounds like you need to stay in the things that make Fender unique...

25.5 inch scale
maple board
bolt necks

These are some of the things that make a Strat feel like it does...

I'd start looking at other bolt neck Fenders with maple board and long scales...Tele's and some Jazzmasters and if you can get past it not having a 25.5 inch scale that opens more doors...Jaguar, Jagmaster, Mustang, etc...

Some of those are harder to get with maple boards but it can be done...

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

Another Strat.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

I'm going to go ahead and take this from another point of view - that is, you're comfortable with the strat because the strat is physically, and not sonically comfortable.

So, that body shape works for you. If you want something different then, I'd suggest trying one of those 24 3/4" scale necks on a strat you have, preferably with a rosewood fretboard. Warmoth makes them I know (the shorter scale conversion necks I mean), but idk about other manufacturers. It would be cheaper than a whole new guitar.

Then, drop a H-H setup in there. The JB was originally conceived as a way to make a telecaster sound like a gibson les paul, so that's one option. You could also go with the 59/Custom which IMO works fantastic in the bridge of a strat. For more vintage stuff you could go for one of the hot PAFs, like the whole lotta humbucker.

For the neck, the PGn is my favorite sounding potted neck humbucker, but the seth lover is my favorite full stop. If you want to keep the hybrid theme, people seem to like the 59/Jazz up there too.

The strat 'affliction' blueman335 is referring to, is a condition suffered by famous gibson players like eric clapton wherein the player wants the guitar to sound like them, rather than the other way around. There's a reason jimmy page played a telecaster in the studio (where sound quality is more important) and a les paul live (where showmanship and ease of play is more important). That's not to say the les paul/sg/335 etc. aren't great sounding guitars - they are - but some people just prefer brighter and more percussive guitars. IMO if you want a dark sound that's what the tone control is for.

 

[Kac]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

Another Strat.

That may be where this is ultimately leading... To a strat with humbuckers, or something along those lines, but I would like to think of myself as a more broad player who could handle picking up a guitar with a different style.


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[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

You might also look at some oddball Gibsons from the 70's...

The Marauder and S1 as well as the L6S (and it's various off shoots)...

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

A strat with humbuckers would logically be the next step, or even a Strat with P90's. I'd get a HSH Strat and add probably a Demon in the bridge and a Phat Cat in the neck.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

I would look for a used Music Man Silhouette or Silhouette Special (HSH and HSS respectively). Music Man guitars have a very hot rodded strat feel, and can often be had fairly cheaply. I got my Steve Morse sig for $500 (normally $2100). Their quality control is second to none and every one of their instruments I've picked up has been impeccable, although used pieces will require a setup like anything else.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Best guitar for a Fender Strat player to branch out with

That may be where this is ultimately leading... To a strat with humbuckers, or something along those lines, but I would like to think of myself as a more broad player who could handle picking up a guitar with a different style.

You owe it to yourself try a few more kinds of guitars before giving up and resigning to yourself to one kind. There are SG's with maple fretboards...