Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

Loosening the neck screws with the strings on is a bad idea IMHO. What that does is pull the neck out of the pocket. This will decrease resonance.

Man, you should hit up the aforementioned 4 page controversy thread! :laugh2: The trick does exactly the opposite of what you described, the string tension pulls the neck closer and tighter into the pocket. I won't defend the trick, though, I had to reset my intonation, which is a butt-itch.

Here is what I do on all my Strats ( I have 4 & one in Progress)

1. I put a shim in the neck pocket just near the 2 top screws. What this does is tilt the neck forward just a tad. I use a very thin piece of wood or a strip of a business card to do this. I only do this if I am getting Fret slap (which can be common on some Fenders)

I Definitely got fret slap, in an annoying way (not the cool Telecaster way) before last night's tune up. I have never had the frets dressed and I have very visible and very large divots in the top of almost every fret, that exacerbated this problem.

2. What you did with the trem is very good, but if you don't use the trem you can add a block of wood behind it. This will definitely add some resonance.

I had never understood the "blocking" of a trem until right this second. I always figured that the 5 spring and screw-down treatment was enough, but I get it now. Thank you!

3. Higher action: Now this is a personal thing, but I have played a lot of Strats that sound lifeless and bland. Raising the action up usually makes a big difference. I recommend learning to play with a little higher action. this makes all my guitars become more resonant. I also prefer heavier strings. I use 11's & I play with action that is around 1/8th inch from the bottom of the string to the top of the fret. I know action is a very personal thing. Many players "need" low action, but I have always found that higher action will make the guitar more resonant simply because the strings can vibrate without bouncing off of the fret. This is the primary reason why acoustics have such great resonance.

I have never sanded out the cavities of any part of a guitars body to increase resonance. Personally if you are playing plugged into a hi wattage amps and are playing loud I don't see how this will help!

I have higher action on My Strat than any other guitar. I am with you.

Thanks for all your input!

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

Maybe I've never done it right, or maybe it's my guitar, but in my experience the block of wood between the trem block and the body does nothing noticeable. No harm in trying it though. Make sure you use some kind of hardwood at the very least.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

Maybe I've never done it right, or maybe it's my guitar, but in my experience the block of wood between the trem block and the body does nothing noticeable. No harm in trying it though. Make sure you use some kind of hardwood at the very least.

I had one on my strat for a while, and what it really does is to make the chords and especially bends sound solid and not trembly.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

OK Now I get it. Sorry for not reading this whole thread. Its recommended to loosen the front screws. Allow the neck to pitch up slightly to lock it in the pocket and then retighten the screws. What I like to do as I mentioned is with guitars that I get fret slap is I use a shim to tilt the neck slightly up in the pocket so the strings are clearing the frets in front of the fretted note. This eliminates; almost always fret slap. Now a fret level can do the same thing, but this is a simple fix and it has worked well on my Strats & Teles.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

George Fullerton (the "G" in G&L) has mentioned that he always felt a Strat neck that was tight against the end of the neck pocket resulted in a better tone than one where the sides were tight but the end was not.

I can see that.

I can see a lot of the reasoning that goes into these kinds of theoretical musings.

Whether they're true or not is something else.

Sounds good in theory though!

Another trick that's been used by Eric Johnson is to use a single brass saddle for the high E string to fatten up its tone. I've done that. Seems to work - sure works on my Teles!

I also like the tone of my Fenders with big frets. Whether it's the extra weight or mass or whatever, I dunno! But they seem to sound a little fuller.

 

[millsart]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

THis is perhaps a silly question but if it sounds great plugged in, and its an electric guitar, umm, well, whats the problem ?

I honestly don't like how my hollowbody Gretsch sounds acoustically, but through an amp it just kills. But I didn't buy it for front porch strumming after all, I've got a dreadnaught for that.

So again, sorry if I missed it, but if the guitar sounds great normally, why sweat how resonant it is unplugged ?

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

THis is perhaps a silly question but if it sounds great plugged in, and its an electric guitar, umm, well, whats the problem ?


So again, sorry if I missed it, but if the guitar sounds great normally, why sweat how resonant it is unplugged ?

And just to be clear I am speaking specifically about the unplugged, no amp, no cord resonance of the guitar. The way it feels in my hands when I strum a chord, nothing more.

I would also say that about 80% of the time I spend playing electric guitars is unplugged. I probably only play through an amp about 1 hour to 2 hours a week, including my weekly gig. I took the trash out this morning and realized my guitar amp has been in the trunk of my car since Saturday.

A resonant guitar is more satisfying to play. I never knew this until I bought my PRS. I had never known an electric could feel like that, but now it's the only way I want to play. So much more to the playing and the sound now.

And also, as quoted above, I play electric guitars, unplugged, a LOT of hours per week!

 

[j9fd3s]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

i'll be trying some of this stuff out in the next week or so on my dud AM strat

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

A resonant guitar is more satisfying to play. I never knew this until I bought my PRS. I had never known an electric could feel like that, but now it's the only way I want to play. So much more to the playing and the sound now.

And also, as quoted above, I play electric guitars, unplugged, a LOT of hours per week!

i play unplugged all of the time too. that's why i sanded all the paint off of my already lightly painted sg faded:friday:
it feel great wether i strum a cord or am bending notes, i can feel everything in my playing. on a side note the sound of lightly painted mahogany is awesome to me, any time i try a faded gibson at guitar center, the unplugged sound kills their high end models unplugged.

 

[ganzosrevenge]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

One thing I did was replace the neck bolts with machine bolts like Yngwie malmsteen's strat. They let you tighten the neck more into the neck pocket than the wood screws.

Sanding the polyurethane is only necessary if there's a big buildup of paint

ok, stupid question

where can i get the yngwie screws so i can try this little modification on my strat? It seems interesting, and I've heard the same with the bolts.

Jason

 

[Eric Dahlberg]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

I use regular strings, D'Addario EXL110's (.010's)

Try some cryogenically frozen strings like GHS Sub Zero's or Dean Markley Blue Steel's, they're much more lively than standard nickel strings, so much so that you might not like the way they sound on a resonant guitar like your PRS. Elixer strings are great for this, too.

Personally, my practice rig is totally different from my gigging rig, simply because the guitars, amps, and pedals that sound great at high volumes tend to lose something at low volumes, and vice versa. Even Jimmy Page played Les Pauls on stage and Telecasters in the studios.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

Personally, my practice rig is totally different from my gigging rig, simply because the guitars, amps, and pedals that sound great at high volumes tend to lose something at low volumes, and vice versa.

:laughing: Coincidentally, my aforementioned PRS just happens to be the most resonant unplugged, and also has the best plugged in sound (really great P90's).

It has great tuning stability as well, a must for gigging, and it's responsive to my Volume and tone knob changes.

So, a true coincidence, but my best home guitar and my best gigging guitar are the same guitar.

 

[BRHGM]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

I'd check my intonation and change strings. Check the truss rod too. My strat sounded dead all of a sudden after I adjusted the trem. It turned out to be to totally out of wack. Nothing a screw drive couldn't fix.

 

[Eric Dahlberg]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

:laughing: Coincidentally, my aforementioned PRS just happens to be the most resonant unplugged, and also has the best plugged in sound (really great P90's).

Did you consider putting P90-style pickups in your strat, such as the recent StraBro90's? I noticed in your sig that you use a Little 59, I've got two of those in one of my strats and while they do make the guitar sound incredibly similar to my Les Paul, they certainly are a bit stiff feeling.

Anyway, you're not wrong at all to be identifying good unplugged tone with good plugged-in tone. My low volume vs. high volume rigs suggestion holds more truth with amps and effects.

 

[DLT]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

Sand the heel of the neck, heavy saddles and trem-block with good mass. Also make sure that the string trees are good quality and that the angle of the strings over the nut are not too shallow.

Excellent advice Dog. Calaham makes great trem blocks and saddles. Way better than stock Fender.

I know one thing...My MIM Robert Cray Strat has great sustain. I have Calaham saddles on it. Of course everyone knows that the Cray Strat is a hardtail, so you do not have all the trem crap dragging the resonance out of the axe. Buy one...they are nice!

 

[Daboogieman]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

Maybe I've never done it right, or maybe it's my guitar, but in my experience the block of wood between the trem block and the body does nothing noticeable. No harm in trying it though. Make sure you use some kind of hardwood at the very least.

As far as blocking a Strat tremolo block It all depends on what kind of tremolo you have. Vintage style you need a rectangular blockflat on both sides.On two point floaters the block is flat on one side and angled on the other.I can't remember the exact size.But,if you want to do it correctly,may I suggest,Theres a book called "How to make your electric guitar play great!" By Dan Erlewine.It has all kinds of things about Strats and Les Pauls.It's a guitar Player magazine book so you know they endorse it.I do too.It tells you how to tune-up and intonate a Strat the way the factory does it.Let me tell you this guy knows his xxxx.I think if you got this book you will probably be pulling it out once a week maybe I' exagerating but you won't use it once and throw it away!He has another book that probably has this tip in it also,It costs a little more but,it's about repairing elec. guitars.I hope this helps you out I'll tell you I've used this book I don't know how many timesand,it's probably the best piece of equipment I've bought for my Strat and my Les Paul and I'm not kidding!!!

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

As far as blocking a Strat tremolo block It all depends on what kind of tremolo you have. Vintage style you need a rectangular blockflat on both sides.On two point floaters the block is flat on one side and angled on the other.I can't remember the exact size.But,if you want to do it correctly,may I suggest,Theres a book called "How to make your electric guitar play great!" By Dan Erlewine.It has all kinds of things about Strats and Les Pauls.It's a guitar Player magazine book so you know they endorse it.I do too.It tells you how to tune-up and intonate a Strat the way the factory does it.Let me tell you this guy knows his xxxx.I think if you got this book you will probably be pulling it out once a week maybe I' exagerating but you won't use it once and throw it away!He has another book that probably has this tip in it also,It costs a little more but,it's about repairing elec. guitars.I hope this helps you out I'll tell you I've used this book I don't know how many timesand,it's probably the best piece of equipment I've bought for my Strat and my Les Paul and I'm not kidding!!!

Cheers to that and welcome to the board!

I have heard great things about that Dan Erlewine book.

 

[veryhungrycaterpilla]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

I'd like to add this just from my personal experience. Some guys just aren't cut out to "play" a Strat. I love Strats, but I can't play them for crap and I've picked up some dammed nice Strats. I've met a couple other guys like that as well. They can wail on just about guitar you hand them. You hand them a Strat and it's end game. Granted, they could still play and play well, but it's just not that "perfect" Strat tone we've heard so many of the greats get.

I've heard you're clips/seen your vidz and you're a really talented player, maybe you're just not a Strat guy.

I have found this to be true. I can get my ESP and Tele to do what I want them to do, but I am nearly always battling with my Strat. Others guitarists have played my strat and have sounded great. Me, not so much.

 

[Joelski]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

My advice to you for making your guitar more vibrant and defined across all strings is to run, don't walk to the nearest Callaham guitar parts dealer! The upgrade kit will run you around $120 and it's a far better modification than a pickup swap or anything else. My project started with a 2008 American Deluxe HSS Strat and I was amazed by how well it played and sounded, but being the tinkerer, I had to try the Callaham block and saddles; all the strat guys rave about them. This block approximately doubles the mass of the stock Fender unit and has reportedly been copied (without success) by Fender's custom shop. The combination of the block & saddles (the trem bar is also included in the upgrade kit) improves the definition of all notes, makes each note of a chord stand out, and the guitar, which was resonant before, now noticably SHAKES!!! I kid you not; it's almost like a pager vibrating, only on a much larger scale. Check out this thread:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=158534

Also, another thing that will improve your resonance is to $h!tcan the micro-tilt adjuster in the body and heel of the neck. Put a well-fit piece of sanding screen in there if shimming is a must. All those things do is lessen the contact area between the neck heel and the pocket, and they can potentially cause a hump in the fretboard above the contact point.

Finally, this mod negates the need for a box of springs to get the trem stable; I run a little bit of float and 3 springs as is the typical setup method. The improved stability of the string angle over the bridge saddles helps to improve tuning stability as well; combine this mod with an LSR nut and locking tuners and you get as stable a strat trem as you can get. It will not go out of tune with normal use. Give this thing a try, it's the real deal and small change for such a huge improvement in an already awesome guitar.

 

[Eric Dahlberg]

Re: Improving Resonance in a Stratocaster

I have found this to be true. I can get my ESP and Tele to do what I want them to do, but I am nearly always battling with my Strat. Others guitarists have played my strat and have sounded great. Me, not so much.

Don't worry (not that you would ), it goes both ways; I'm personally much better on a strat and always feel like my Les Paul and Tele fight me and feel stiff in comparison. Those hardtail guitars sound fantastic but there's something about the way a strat or trem-equipped PRS gives that's very comfortable when that's what you're used to.