bungalowbill
Luckybastidologist
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
Good wood and finishes....everything else is personal taste.
Good wood and finishes....everything else is personal taste.
"Improving" the electric guitar...
- Thread starter danglybanger
- Start date
T
thucydides
Guest
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
:lmao:
Seriously, I'm not sure what changes could be made to a Strat that would justify the hype Fender comes up with. I kind of like them, and most Fenders the way they are, because they are easy to do mod work on. By easy I mean not only access to what one would do, but also the fact that many mods can be easily reversed by something as simple as a new pickguard. Not that one would go messing w/a truly vintage Strat...
:lmao:
Seriously, I'm not sure what changes could be made to a Strat that would justify the hype Fender comes up with. I kind of like them, and most Fenders the way they are, because they are easy to do mod work on. By easy I mean not only access to what one would do, but also the fact that many mods can be easily reversed by something as simple as a new pickguard. Not that one would go messing w/a truly vintage Strat...
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
Obviously, these are all personal preference, but this is what I would do to a standard Strat:
- Contoured heel
- stainless steel frets
- graphite nut and saddles
- reverse angled bridge pickup
- push-pull to insert neck pup in parallel
- G&L-style knob layout (volume, treble, bass)
Obviously, these are all personal preference, but this is what I would do to a standard Strat:
- Contoured heel
- stainless steel frets
- graphite nut and saddles
- reverse angled bridge pickup
- push-pull to insert neck pup in parallel
- G&L-style knob layout (volume, treble, bass)
danglybanger
ReelItInologist
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
Three times.
Jag, Stang AND JM
Why not like 40? When does this stop being an "improvement?"
...good try lew, but totally misses the point of this thread. That's all personal preference, and I know that because I prefer a smaller radius, and know that while I'd find the wiring mods novel, most people here aren't into that...
...closer I think. Especially the latter part.
But that still sort of acknowledges that there is anywhere to even GO past a standard strat/paul tone. Most people seem to hear perfection in those tones anyway, regardless of whether the designs are "flawed" or not. There's too much personal preference involved.
As a matter of fact it seems like most people won't accept that their favorite axe is flawed at all. I think the only things all can accept as genuine "improvements" are things that are nearly invisible but aid in playability.
...As for Fender pompously thinking they can improve the strat... I think the problem is that too many other people think they can too
(Mustang bridge/trem, switching from a Bass VI, and at least four knobs might get you closer
)
Three times.
Jag, Stang AND JM
Why not like 40? When does this stop being an "improvement?"
...good try lew, but totally misses the point of this thread.
That's all personal preference, and I know that because I prefer a smaller radius, and know that while I'd find the wiring mods novel, most people here aren't into that......closer I think. Especially the latter part.
But that still sort of acknowledges that there is anywhere to even GO past a standard strat/paul tone. Most people seem to hear perfection in those tones anyway, regardless of whether the designs are "flawed" or not. There's too much personal preference involved.
As a matter of fact it seems like most people won't accept that their favorite axe is flawed at all. I think the only things all can accept as genuine "improvements" are things that are nearly invisible but aid in playability.
...As for Fender pompously thinking they can improve the strat... I think the problem is that too many other people think they can too
(Mustang bridge/trem, switching from a Bass VI, and at least four knobs might get you closer
)
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St_Genesius
New member
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
Meh. If you wait long enough, all the design elements you liked about the old Strat will come back around as "new improvments."
Meh. If you wait long enough, all the design elements you liked about the old Strat will come back around as "new improvments."
Bludave
New member
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
If your talking about improving the "New" Strats, well yes you could do a lot to improve them.
1. Use Nitrocellulose finishes. This is a large contributing factor on why the old ones sound so good.
2. The original Fenders have a 7.25" radius fingerboard. This should be 9.5" Anything flatter than that takes some of the Strat out of the way it plays. The 9.5" allows the player to play with lower action and bend easier. I also prefer larger frets on mine. All my Strats are fretted with 6105's. This still feels like a Fender, but they are taller and again it makes it easier to bend. The other otion for me is I use graphite saddles and locking tuners. I only do this if I am going to use the Whammy a lot (which I don't). The graphite saddles are necessary for me. Without them I break to many strings.
If your talking about improving the "New" Strats, well yes you could do a lot to improve them.
1. Use Nitrocellulose finishes. This is a large contributing factor on why the old ones sound so good.
2. The original Fenders have a 7.25" radius fingerboard. This should be 9.5" Anything flatter than that takes some of the Strat out of the way it plays. The 9.5" allows the player to play with lower action and bend easier. I also prefer larger frets on mine. All my Strats are fretted with 6105's. This still feels like a Fender, but they are taller and again it makes it easier to bend. The other otion for me is I use graphite saddles and locking tuners. I only do this if I am going to use the Whammy a lot (which I don't). The graphite saddles are necessary for me. Without them I break to many strings.
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
Flatter fretboard is the first thing to improve. 12" at least. Nut must be wide.
Scalloped neck for those who like it, at least partially or lightly.
Neck heel on the strat is really not that great. Hard to fix without changing the sound, but it's an area for improvement.
Find a way to have a high bridge (string high above the pickguard) but still have a one-way only tremolo (sitting on the wood when not in use). So that a broken string doesn't throw your whole guitar out of tone, and it's better for sound.
Only 3 potis is unfortunate. 4 potis would be an improvement functionality wise (not counting looks here, we talk speculatively).
The electrics compartment should be accessible without having to loosen then strings. The Tele is much better here.
Flatter fretboard is the first thing to improve. 12" at least. Nut must be wide.
Scalloped neck for those who like it, at least partially or lightly.
Neck heel on the strat is really not that great. Hard to fix without changing the sound, but it's an area for improvement.
Find a way to have a high bridge (string high above the pickguard) but still have a one-way only tremolo (sitting on the wood when not in use). So that a broken string doesn't throw your whole guitar out of tone, and it's better for sound.
Only 3 potis is unfortunate. 4 potis would be an improvement functionality wise (not counting looks here, we talk speculatively).
The electrics compartment should be accessible without having to loosen then strings. The Tele is much better here.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
Just improve on the guitar and you won't need to improve anything on the guitar. LOL
Other than that, I vote for badger pelt Strats in 09.
Seriously, my only upgrades are handwound pickups, and on some strats, I'll add 3 Graphtech saddles to only the plain strings. The metal saddles for wound, and graphite saddles for plain create a great tonal balance, as well as minimizing string breakeage.
Just improve on the guitar and you won't need to improve anything on the guitar. LOL
Other than that, I vote for badger pelt Strats in 09.
Seriously, my only upgrades are handwound pickups, and on some strats, I'll add 3 Graphtech saddles to only the plain strings. The metal saddles for wound, and graphite saddles for plain create a great tonal balance, as well as minimizing string breakeage.
david kornblatt
New member
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
to me the only tone im for out of a strat is derek and the dominos
or John fruscante < i probably spelled his name wrong ..dont kill me
to me the only tone im for out of a strat is derek and the dominos
or John fruscante < i probably spelled his name wrong ..dont kill me
danglybanger
ReelItInologist
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
i prefer the small radius for chords and dont mind it for leads. course with a smaller scale bending is easier anyway
jazzmaster fixed the former floating prob. in 1957, jags and mustangs dont suffer from the latter either
i prefer the small radius for chords and dont mind it for leads. course with a smaller scale bending is easier anyway
jazzmaster fixed the former floating prob. in 1957, jags and mustangs dont suffer from the latter either
Toner
New member
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
Earvana compensating nuts are an improvement IMO, to actually have a guitar chord/octave etc actually more towards accurate than normal conventional nuts, even if you tune/intonate a $1000 guitar properly with a standard nut, there's still notes that are off (if you ear is trained well enough you know what I am talking about) and namely the problem lies with the G string!
Earvana locking floyd rose replacement nut? That would be awesome
Earvana compensating nuts are an improvement IMO, to actually have a guitar chord/octave etc actually more towards accurate than normal conventional nuts, even if you tune/intonate a $1000 guitar properly with a standard nut, there's still notes that are off (if you ear is trained well enough you know what I am talking about) and namely the problem lies with the G string!
Earvana locking floyd rose replacement nut? That would be awesome
Simon_F
Super Moderator
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
I use the LP bridge tone knob a lot, but very rarely the neck tone knob :scratchch
I use the LP bridge tone knob a lot, but very rarely the neck tone knob :scratchch
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
I kind of agree that Leo screwed up a bit when he decided not to rear route the pickups and control cavity on the Strat, or at least split them into distinct segments like the Tele and the fruity guitars Dangles likes
The "everything on one huge pickguard" idea is the biggest weakness in the Strat design IMO. It was probably done to make assembly easier.
I kind of agree that Leo screwed up a bit when he decided not to rear route the pickups and control cavity on the Strat, or at least split them into distinct segments like the Tele and the fruity guitars Dangles likes
The "everything on one huge pickguard" idea is the biggest weakness in the Strat design IMO. It was probably done to make assembly easier.
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
Oh, don't get me wrong. It gets very practical. Right after you remove enough wood under it to be able to pull the pickups and pickguard out without loosening the strings.
By now I also believe that pickup mount has to do a lot with sound. I didn't run a direct 1:1 confirmation but to me it seems that these mounts sound good in order of best to worse: direct into wood, Tele bridge, humbucker ring on wood, dangling in pickguard.
If I decide to go back to Fender designs I probably go to rear-routed. It's a lot of trouble because of parts availability and that you can't have one body for SSS and HPH setups or whatever, but it's worth it it seems. Of course you can always go the EVH route and use top routed parts to make a guitar with direct pickup mounts and keep the pickguard for the MIG cockpit stuff.
I kind of agree that Leo screwed up a bit when he decided not to rear route the pickups and control cavity on the Strat, or at least split them into distinct segments like the Tele and the fruity guitars Dangles likes
The "everything on one huge pickguard" idea is the biggest weakness in the Strat design IMO. It was probably done to make assembly easier.
Oh, don't get me wrong. It gets very practical. Right after you remove enough wood under it to be able to pull the pickups and pickguard out without loosening the strings.
By now I also believe that pickup mount has to do a lot with sound. I didn't run a direct 1:1 confirmation but to me it seems that these mounts sound good in order of best to worse: direct into wood, Tele bridge, humbucker ring on wood, dangling in pickguard.
If I decide to go back to Fender designs I probably go to rear-routed. It's a lot of trouble because of parts availability and that you can't have one body for SSS and HPH setups or whatever, but it's worth it it seems. Of course you can always go the EVH route and use top routed parts to make a guitar with direct pickup mounts and keep the pickguard for the MIG cockpit stuff.
danglybanger
ReelItInologist
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
...of course, I have to add, the fact that nothing that Fender can do can necessarily make the strat BETTER is a completely different topic from saying they shouldn't ever try anything new... Which they really haven't lately either, especially when they purport to "innovate" :smack:
At this point in the instrument's development it's really all about choice.
At least we have more choice than say, clarinet players
...of course, I have to add, the fact that nothing that Fender can do can necessarily make the strat BETTER is a completely different topic from saying they shouldn't ever try anything new... Which they really haven't lately either, especially when they purport to "innovate" :smack:
At this point in the instrument's development it's really all about choice.
At least we have more choice than say, clarinet players
wahwah
GumbyLoveologist
Re: "Improving" the electric guitar...
Nailed it in one. I think we should be more concerned with genetically redesigning the human hand so that it fits in better with the design of a stock Fender Stratocaster.
Badger pelt is the new alder. Sure, it's tough on the badgers, but who really liked them anyway?
Cheers................................wahwah
Nailed it in one. I think we should be more concerned with genetically redesigning the human hand so that it fits in better with the design of a stock Fender Stratocaster.
Badger pelt is the new alder. Sure, it's tough on the badgers, but who really liked them anyway?
Cheers................................wahwah
