danglybanger
ReelItInologist
...Takeoff from the new American strat discussion...
Now most people here know I'm not huge on strats (don't hate em, would still rather not play one. In this thread I admit that while I prefer everything about a Jag or Mustang to a strat, a strat is still a completely functional and useable guitar for what it was designed to do
).
...But how COULD you improve a strat and have it still be a strat at all?
After all, even a 6 hole trem will stay in tune fine with a good setup. What's there to fix? Put a Floyd on it for more range? Make it headless? active pickups, even redisigning the trem for easier adjustability, shorter scale for easier playability?
Really there's nothing functionally wrong with a Strat, even one made from "dated" materials and hardware (which some say contributes to character). Of course any of those things changed would make it "not a strat" in someone's eyes...
I suppose a true "improvement" can be defined as certain mods which definitely (or barely) interfere with sound/feel, those which don't mess with the definition of the strat, ie.; Compensated/roller nuts, Graphite saddles, 2 point trem (non locking), compound radius, locking staggered tuners. Then again, strats can also have things like humbuckers or floyds and as long as a few other strat characteristics remain, the guitar is still acceptably a strat. But in the end, a well set up strat doesn't necessarily NEED anything to be functional (even if things can aid in that). Not much room to move after that. Trying different materials/woods etc. can cater to individual taste, but can't be improvements.
Can anyone else come up with some definite "improvements" that could be made to say a strat, or modern guitars in general, that are largely unadopted? The modern strat has wiring, bridge, tuner and neck heel changes among other things, what WOULD be a real improvement? (on guitars in general, or any guitar, not just the strat)
...
If Fender touts anytihng with the "stratocaster" as improved, there will doubtless be people who will ridicule it, although there are others who will simply be more comforted by buying something that fender at least deems a "strat". Guitarists are conservative, and just as unlikely to try something actually new as they are to accept any real changes to the strat. So there's a big, ridiculous, conundrum.
Most guitarists would be as shocked if Fender made a significant change to the strat as they would if god remodeled the vagina, even if he made it "better". Guitarists are probably all too familiar with the old style to adapt to the new.
Really it's preposterous for even Fender itself to claim it can make "improvements" at this point because well, a strat is already defined as what it is and works fine. As much as technological innovation is wanted (or claimed to be) by many consumers, what is there to do? Often what they really want (or at least need) is a whole other non-strat guitar, but how many guitarists would go for that.
The other option not quite touched upon and perhaps most important is modding. Perhaps it would be better for Fender to basically make the best possible basic strat that could be used as a modding platform... I think Fender ought to innovate, but it seems like with dozens of strat models barely different from each other, there's too much of a focus on catering to the individual for a company based in mass production.
Odd that Fender at this point barely has control over the definition of "strat".
Now most people here know I'm not huge on strats (don't hate em, would still rather not play one. In this thread I admit that while I prefer everything about a Jag or Mustang to a strat, a strat is still a completely functional and useable guitar for what it was designed to do
). ...But how COULD you improve a strat and have it still be a strat at all?
After all, even a 6 hole trem will stay in tune fine with a good setup. What's there to fix? Put a Floyd on it for more range? Make it headless? active pickups, even redisigning the trem for easier adjustability, shorter scale for easier playability?
Really there's nothing functionally wrong with a Strat, even one made from "dated" materials and hardware (which some say contributes to character). Of course any of those things changed would make it "not a strat" in someone's eyes...
I suppose a true "improvement" can be defined as certain mods which definitely (or barely) interfere with sound/feel, those which don't mess with the definition of the strat, ie.; Compensated/roller nuts, Graphite saddles, 2 point trem (non locking), compound radius, locking staggered tuners. Then again, strats can also have things like humbuckers or floyds and as long as a few other strat characteristics remain, the guitar is still acceptably a strat. But in the end, a well set up strat doesn't necessarily NEED anything to be functional (even if things can aid in that). Not much room to move after that. Trying different materials/woods etc. can cater to individual taste, but can't be improvements.
Can anyone else come up with some definite "improvements" that could be made to say a strat, or modern guitars in general, that are largely unadopted? The modern strat has wiring, bridge, tuner and neck heel changes among other things, what WOULD be a real improvement? (on guitars in general, or any guitar, not just the strat)
...
If Fender touts anytihng with the "stratocaster" as improved, there will doubtless be people who will ridicule it, although there are others who will simply be more comforted by buying something that fender at least deems a "strat". Guitarists are conservative, and just as unlikely to try something actually new as they are to accept any real changes to the strat. So there's a big, ridiculous, conundrum.
Most guitarists would be as shocked if Fender made a significant change to the strat as they would if god remodeled the vagina, even if he made it "better". Guitarists are probably all too familiar with the old style to adapt to the new.
Really it's preposterous for even Fender itself to claim it can make "improvements" at this point because well, a strat is already defined as what it is and works fine. As much as technological innovation is wanted (or claimed to be) by many consumers, what is there to do? Often what they really want (or at least need) is a whole other non-strat guitar, but how many guitarists would go for that.
The other option not quite touched upon and perhaps most important is modding. Perhaps it would be better for Fender to basically make the best possible basic strat that could be used as a modding platform... I think Fender ought to innovate, but it seems like with dozens of strat models barely different from each other, there's too much of a focus on catering to the individual for a company based in mass production.
Odd that Fender at this point barely has control over the definition of "strat".
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