I suspect Strats just aren't my thing.

[Rex_Rocker]

I'm not sure I wanna keep my Strat.

You guys know the journey I've had with it. Long story short, it was a Roadworn Strat with a bad truss rod, so I replaced the neck (and modded the hell out of it).

I just don't love the neck. I think the old neck profile felt better (if the truss rod worked, LOL), but I didn't like the rounder fretboard. This one has a flatter fretboard and bigger frets, but the neck profile isn't amazing. It's not terrible, but it's certainly not gonna become my favorite neck profile anytime soon.

I don't like the tone either. The bridge pickup is sooooooo far away from the bridge itself compared to my LTD or my Gibson. I've swapped pickups in and out, and everytime I think I found something that sounds nice, aggressive, tight, and bite-y, I grab my Gibson or LTD, and immediately realized the Strat is not quite there. There's not much I can do about it other than order yet another custom pickguard and route out some wood off the pickup cavity, but that's a bit more involved than I'd like to.

Not sure if I should give it one last chance. I'm tuning it to something else other than Drop C, which is what my Gibson and LTD are tuned to just so that I stop directly comparing them. But at this point, I'm just disenamoured with it, so I'm not really sure how much I'll actually play it after that.

So... what would you guys do? Is there anything else I should try to save it or should I just move it to someone who might appreciate it better? The reason that's stopping me is I've modded the hell out of it, but it's still just a partscaster. I doubt I can get a lot out of it.

View attachment 431198183_101617023716957...fna&_nc_gid=AhAgH4g8sraiRey32OIJTY7&oh=00_AYBlc_yAtmP7KK-Em0eCj7F41bdbiz

 

[Masta' C]

You want us to convince you to keep a guitar you're not in love with?

P.S.- I also have a love/hate relationship with Strats. If I get one again, it'll be for the classic single coil thing, nothing else.

 

[Supernautilus]

As an avowed Strat-hater, I can only advise you to get rid of it.

 

[AniML]

It took me many years to fnally understand how a strat could work for me. I have 2 MIM, a Classic (dead stock) and a Player with Fat 50s.

You might want to consider a hardtail charvel socal. Strat, shape, HH, but the neck is 12-16 compound, ebony board, locking tuners, and just a little more robust than your typical Fender modern C.

The stock Duncan Distortions were not for me, and I now have a pair of Wolfetone Legends.

Color choices are very limited, I got CAR.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

You want us to convince you to keep a guitar you're not in love with?

Not so much convince so much as if maybe there's a stone left unturned for me to salvage it.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

You might want to consider a hardtail charvel socal. Strat, shape, HH, but the neck is 12-16 compound, ebony board, locking tuners, and just a little more robust than your typical Fender modern C.

I like the look of those Charvels, but I'm not sure they're for me.

I don't mind the trem in mine. I've got it decked down to the body with the claw screwed almost all the way back with 5 springs, so it's effectively a hardtail. But I must admit I'm more used to Tune-O's that sit further off the top, so it's a bit awkward having no angle at the neck joint on the Strat. Not a big deal, but it does add a bit to how off-put by the Strat I currently am. My point is I prefer Tune-O's to Fender-style trems or hardtails.

I also certainly don't want a more robust neck. I want a thinner neck. I thought the Modern C wasn't thinner, but it wasn't thicker either, and it was narrower, so it felt all-around smaller and more comfy to my hands.

 

[dotsdad]

Take the cover off the back. Then t the gray puffy stuff out of your duncan pickup box and stuff it between the springs. Put thr cover back on…preferably with more stuffing between thr cover and the springs. It will give you more of a hardtail sound by muting the annoying pinging sounds from the springs when youre trying to make it go chugga chugga.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Take the cover off the back. Then t the gray puffy stuff out of your duncan pickup box and stuff it between the springs. Put thr cover back on…preferably with more stuffing between thr cover and the springs. It will give you more of a hardtail sound by muting the annoying pinging sounds from the springs when youre trying to make it go chugga chugga.

Already done that. I did that from day 1 I had it.

 

[strat dude]

It's just a tool, if you don't like it, cest la vie. I have never ended up liking a full size bucker in a strat for whatever reason and found mysely gravitating to the stacks ( YJM, and others ) but now really digging Lace sensors. So I may not be the giver o the best advice. I say embrace what it is or kick it to the curb. That being said I have several Gibby style guitars sitting unplayed but I will keep them around. Play what makes you happy.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

As an avowed Strat-hater, I can only advise you to get rid of it.

Same!

Worst looks and tone ever created!

Sell it off and buy something else.

 

[strat dude]

Same!

Worst looks and tone ever created!
.

Harsh bro :stooges:

 

[Mincer]

I love Strats, but I won't hold on to any guitar that doesn't make me want to play for hours. If you put your time into it, and it isn't working, move on. Don't close the door on all Strats, though...it could be just that particular one.

 

[orpheo]

I dislike strats for many reasons but now and then I like 'm. What I dislike is the pickguard (I HATE pickguards!) and I also hate the shape when playing. I love the look. It grew on me, just like a telecaster I suppose. But that upper horn always digs in my rib cage so I can't hunch over the guitar like I prefer to do. Tele's and LP's don't have that issue. All strats do, though.

 

[Supernautilus]

Sometimes I get an idea to put together a custom Strat with mods that address my issues with them. Which for me is mostly the pickups, controls, and trem. Though, it’s one of those things where you would have to ask if it’s even a “Stratocaster” at that point lol.

 

[Chistopher]

A lot of guys say they don't like Strats because all the Strats they've set up to be super Strats haven't worked out for them. Hot humbuckers, metal, and a synchronized tremolo don't go to well together in my opinion. I think that all the magic from a Strat comes from the SSS part of it.

Granted, you don't strike me as the type of guy to be a fan of vintage single coils and it sounds like that even if you were, there are inherent parts of a Strat that you wouldn't like.

If you really want to hang on to it though, I wouldn't use it as a performer as such, I would convert it to vintage single coils and use it as a chance to step outside of your comfort zone, ie expand your sound. Maybe learn a funky 16th note strum pattern or perhaps one of the more technical Strat songs (Snow by RHCP or Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits). You can't be a pioneer within a genre without learning outside that genre.

 

[GuitarStv]

I say ditch it. As Christopher mentioned, you don't actually have a strat anyway. No single coil pickups, no tone controls, no functioning tremolo, no middle pickup. Strats are radically different than Les Pauls, but you seem to be trying to force this one to be more like the guitar you're more comfortable on . . . so it makes sense you're disappointed with it. If you keep it, turn it back into a real strat and then learn to love it for what it is rather than being disappointed in it for what it never could be.

 

[Masta' C]

Yup, I've come to the conclusion that the beauty of a Strat is pretty much in its original configuration, sort of how a Tele is really best as a traditional Tele.

I've enjoyed a ton of different guitars, but I've never fully gelled with any of my "Super Strats" (Fender, Charvel, Warmoth, etc)

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Yeah, I doubt turning it into a "real Strat" is gonna help the issue. I'd probably play it even less.

I was thinking about turning it into HSS or SSS with a JB or a JB Jr. in the bridge... but that would mean I'd have to get a new pickguard, and that would likely add more issues like the middle pickup getting in the way or the knob being very close to where I pick.

FWIW, what I do like about it is I think it looks really cool. Like an old beat up Strat that someone modded and tried to make it work for Metulz.

But ultimately, it's not working, LOL. At least not as much as my other guitars. If it was my only guitar, I'd probably be contempt with it. But I've got other stuff that I can't help comparing it to.

 

[Mincer]

Well, if looks are the only thing you like, don't waste any more time. The beauty about playing guitar is that over time you can refine your tastes into an instrument unique to you. I put time into instruments I was 'supposed to love because I am a guitarist', and it just course-corrected me towards what I really like.

 

[Ascension]

Yeah, I doubt turning it into a "real Strat" is gonna help the issue. I'd probably play it even less.

I was thinking about turning it into HSS or SSS with a JB or a JB Jr. in the bridge... but that would mean I'd have to get a new pickguard, and that would likely add more issues like the middle pickup getting in the way or the knob being very close to where I pick.

FWIW, what I do like about it is I think it looks really cool. Like an old beat up Strat that someone modded and tried to make it work for Metulz.

But ultimately, it's not working, LOL. At least not as much as my other guitars. If it was my only guitar, I'd probably be contempt with it. But I've got other stuff that I can't help comparing it to.

It's just not your thing, so move on. I had the same experience with Les Pauls and Gibsons in general. Owned several over the years and very nice ones, but just never played them. So I no longer own one. No shame in understanding something just not working for you, man.