Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

My main problem with HSS is that it eliminates my most used pickup on a Strat. I also don't like the way it looks, FWIW.

I guess I just like my Strats to be pure original-style Strats. SSS pickups of low or moderate output, standard Strat woods, and I even prefer the 3-way switch. I've got four Strats (a '59, two MIJs, and a MIM), and they are all SSS with no special switching or anything. Part of me says that this makes them do "the Strat thing" best, and that I don't want to try to get them to do anything but what they naturally do. Another part of me knows that you open a can of worms by starting to modify a Strat. However, I think I am going to jump into it with my MIM. I have already got custom-ordered Sperzels in hand, and I want to put in a series wired set of low-output pickups and maybe a Super Vee vibrato in it. I want to rig it so that positions 1,3, and 5 on the switch activate single pickups, but so that positions 2 and 4 activate a de-facto humbucker using the middle pickup and one of the other two, maybe passed through some sort of trick circuit to lower the volume to match the single pickup settings better.
 
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Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Limits have been placed about guitar use and it's not from us...
Eric Johnson and his music:Fender Strat
Joe Satriani and his music:Ibanez JS
Slash and his music:Gibson LP
James Hetfield and his music:ESP Explorer
Now,let's switch...
Eric:ESP Explorer
Joe:Gibson LP
Slash:Ibanez JS
James:Fender Strat
...How possible is that?
Choices have been made and characteristics have been established.Let's not pretend we are in the early years of guitar manufacturing!
The quest of the perfect guitar is out there but it's also utopian.I like the LP's looks but I just can't play them.I like the Ibanez's comfort but I hate their cleans...and the story goes.
People like me,who either can't or don't want to own a guitar army,will always search for the perfect blend,so the theory "there's something for everything' just doesn't apply.
That Strat got me thinking,though...
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Yes it's true. But then, it's also true of Teles, 335's, Les pauls, and more other guitars than I can name.
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

blueman335 said:
+1. There's a whole list of Strat players on my favorite list too. And those guys just might be able to do everything with their Strats. But they're in the upper ecehlon, and can probably do anything with any guitar, they just happen to have chosen a Strat. But this thread is about Strats and the average player, and I don't think any model of guitar in his hands is going to cover all the bases. And that's no big deal, as affordable well-made guitars are plentiful these days. Good excuse to have a bunch of them. Why would anyone want one guitar that can do everything perfectly? You're not on a desert island. Look at the deals on eBay and Craig's List. Step into the 21st century my friend...good guitars are all over the place, begging for a new home.

I play a little differently when I switch guitars, they seem to move me in a certain direction. Maybe it's the different necks and bodies, or they way they sound. Most of us here have multiple guitars. For a long time I had one guitar, but to my way of thinking now, I'd be in such a rut if I still did. I need the inspiration and excitement of something fresh to play (maybe I need to see a doctor about my limited attention span). Some guys are disciplined enough to play the same guitar everyday. I'm not. Nor is that a problem with the millions of guitars floating around the world today.

Like Hellion so wisely pointed out, the limitations are in the hands more than the instrument. There is no 'magic pill' of a guitar. It's up to you and your proficiency. Lots of different goals, lots of different ways to get there, but it's not the guitar that holds you back. It's only a tool. A quote from the first Conan movie, about swords and 'the riddle of steel': "What is steel compared to the hand that wields it?"
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Good post and very valid statements....I mentioned earlier in my own posts that I also rotate all of my guitars and my amps so they all get their spotlight time...If I play a strat mostly throughout a gig,you can bet I'll be practicing the next day on my SG,LP,or 335...Being lefthanded does have it's limitations as far as what guitar I can access....Funny cause taking lessons as a kid I learned righthanded,but everything just felt easier and less awkward practicing and learning lefty...Back in say 1972 or so,it was either expensive really nice and expensive stuff,or cheapo Japan made unplayable crap...or in my case,stringing a righthanded instrument lefty like Hendrix...Needless to say Hendrix was a "huge" influence on me as a kid and the love and looks of a strat...

And I can't fathom leaving Billy Gibbons out of my favorite LP guys! One of the all around absolute best players and his tone!
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Jessie's ghost said:
I know Stevie Ray would bend those heavy strings like crazy, but I'll let you in on a little secret: He's not the one playing my guitars. I haven't had the strength in my hands since I quit my job wringing chickens' necks on that ranch in Texas.
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This is the most interesting thing in this thread. I want to hear more about Jessie choking chickens. :chairfall
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Gearjoneser said:
This is the most interesting thing in this thread. I want to hear more about Jessie choking chickens. :chairfall
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The only HJ action I wanna think about involved Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman in the back seat of a taxi in Black Swan.
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

blueman335 said:
I used to be a 'one guitar' guy too in my younger years, but as I've built up a collection, all with upgraded PU's, I can attest to the fact that there is a lot of variety in how PU's interact with wood. It's just not as simple as buying a PU and getting a guaranteed sound. That's frustrating to most guys, as they have no idea what to do about it. To me, dialing in my tones is part of the enjoyment. I take a used guitar that sounds mediocre and is hard to play, and a few hours later it's totally different, and I'm wailing on it. I like that feeling of accomplishment. I understand the Gibson side of the equation, the PU's, mags, and wiring, and have no idea what goes on in a Fender, nor do I want to know. I'll leave that to others.

The question isn't "Can you play everything on your guitar"; it should be "Can you play everything you want to play on your guitar?" Fat lot of good it does me to have a guitar that's ideal for chicken pickin' or death metal. If you're bragging about your guitar because it can do both of those well, you're not impressing me at all. Anyone or anything that tries to do a lot of things, ends up doing many of them poorly; you can spread yourself, or your gear, too thin. You're much better off having several guitars that excel at a few things, than trying to cover too many bases with one. "Can a Strat do everything?" Well, you tell me what 'everything' is, and I'll tell you if it even matters.
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Just gonna say there's some solid rhetoric in this thread!

There's something about a guitar player finding the sweet spot in an instrument and exploiting it, like many of us mentioned already regarding SSS strat configs. As long as you can communicate this musical confidence through your instrument, and have the proficiency to play appropriately and creatively, 1 guitar can be good enough for many styles. When people can't do this, the audience becomes uneasy because their spiritual leader of the moment is lacking in their ability to execute.....if the player had a different guitar that 'agreed' with his approach the audience would be happier. Again, this is the player's fault, not the guitar.

I feel that I developed a 'personal' style (mostly SRV ripoff stuff) with neck single coil, and in a way it kept me stuck in that rut that was mentioned.( I think I even posted a thread about how I couldn't get away from doing SRV stuff)

The dynamic range of the strat neck pup made me want to dig in and keep doing bluesy licks because that's what it excels at, but I wanted to do other things!!! But this had more to do with my quest for artistic gratification and satisfaction (which motivates one to play more passionately), because I could have played other styles, I was simply encouraged by my own guitar to do SRV stuff. That SRV tone I was getting was too much to resist though, and I had to let it go to move on:friday:

The neck PAF doesn't have the same concentrated wailing focus so I tend to play a bit more conservatively with my right hand and the sweet spot changed as I evolved to exploit the 'blooming' of the notes and surrounding textures generated by the pickup. Does it sound great in the strat? A resounding yes. Doesn't sound like a strat in neck position, but that's what I want. When I buy that sadowsky hollow I've been jonesing, this strat will get roundwound 12's with a plain g so I can do more rock/blues stuff on it. I just can't find a use for more solid bodies, at least for the way that I play since I'm looking for 3D cleans and the 'air' of an archtop which can't be achieved by a solid body.

If I was a trem user or played more classic rock/metal through different tube amps, I would probably appreciate different solid bodies or see myself thinking- MY LP WOULD SUCK ON THIS TUNE VS MY JACKSON.

The style applications of a guitar are very different from trying to take a ferrari through a rally race, or riding a golf cart at Talladega (guitars are more flexible, despite many being purpose built you can easily use them for other things). The amp dictates genre/style MUCH more than the guitar IMO, if your guitar isn't feeding back like crazy (hollows, microphonic pups, etc) you could dial in an appropriate tone for any genre.
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Quencho092 said:
Just gonna say there's some solid rhetoric in this thread!

There's something about a guitar player finding the sweet spot in an instrument and exploiting it, like many of us mentioned already regarding SSS strat configs. As long as you can communicate this musical confidence through your instrument, and have the proficiency to play appropriately and creatively, 1 guitar can be good enough for many styles. When people can't do this, the audience becomes uneasy because their spiritual leader of the moment is lacking in their ability to execute.....if the player had a different guitar that 'agreed' with his approach the audience would be happier. Again, this is the player's fault, not the guitar.

I feel that I developed a 'personal' style (mostly SRV ripoff stuff) with neck single coil, and in a way it kept me stuck in that rut that was mentioned.( I think I even posted a thread about how I couldn't get away from doing SRV stuff)

The dynamic range of the strat neck pup made me want to dig in and keep doing bluesy licks because that's what it excels at, but I wanted to do other things!!! But this had more to do with my quest for artistic gratification and satisfaction (which motivates one to play more passionately), because I could have played other styles, I was simply encouraged by my own guitar to do SRV stuff. That SRV tone I was getting was too much to resist though, and I had to let it go to move on:friday:

The neck PAF doesn't have the same concentrated wailing focus so I tend to play a bit more conservatively with my right hand and the sweet spot changed as I evolved to exploit the 'blooming' of the notes and surrounding textures generated by the pickup. Does it sound great in the strat? A resounding yes. Doesn't sound like a strat in neck position, but that's what I want. When I buy that sadowsky hollow I've been jonesing, this strat will get roundwound 12's with a plain g so I can do more rock/blues stuff on it. I just can't find a use for more solid bodies, at least for the way that I play since I'm looking for 3D cleans and the 'air' of an archtop which can't be achieved by a solid body.

If I was a trem user or played more classic rock/metal through different tube amps, I would probably appreciate different solid bodies or see myself thinking- MY LP WOULD SUCK ON THIS TUNE VS MY JACKSON.

The style applications of a guitar are very different from trying to take a ferrari through a rally race, or riding a golf cart at Talladega (guitars are more flexible, despite many being purpose built you can easily use them for other things). The amp dictates genre/style MUCH more than the guitar IMO, if your guitar isn't feeding back like crazy (hollows, microphonic pups, etc) you could dial in an appropriate tone for any genre.
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Long winded post! :eyecrazy::)
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

INDEED, I SUFFER FROM SCATTERBRAINED'NESS. Consequence of unwise usage of potent chemicals few years back, I tend to chase my tail. Sometimes it sounds good musically.
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

I agree with some posts here: why would you use one guitar to rule them all?

I do use a strat, a floyd'd strat with a motherbucker in the bridge, singlecoil in the middle and a minihum in the neck. it does exactly what I want it to do. on the bridge position I get that 80ies rock/metal tone of bon jovi/george lynch/Dokken/Ratt and the other positions are great for cleaner stuff. I don't want juicy leads in the neck with superhigh gain, cause the music I play with this guitar don't do that either. they don't even have a neck pickup hooked up most of the time. but since I only have ONE strat I have to be flexible and use other pickups to make it work. but is it an all in one do it all guitar? no. absolutely not.
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Quencho092 said:
There's something about a guitar player finding the sweet spot in an instrument and exploiting it, like many of us mentioned already regarding SSS strat configs. As long as you can communicate this musical confidence through your instrument, and have the proficiency to play appropriately and creatively.
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Good point. With the right tone for the music I'm playing, I have the confidence to cut loose and run with it. Yes, any guitar can do anything, but when you hit it's 'sweet spot', what it does best, everything comes together; you excel with those songs, but may not do as well with another genre. The player's limitations are a big part of this, more than the guitar. My limitation is I need the right tones and the right songs, then people are impressed. With so-so songs and a mediocre tone, I'm an average player. That's not a problem for me since I'm focused on a couple genres, and want do them well; I have no desire to try to play them all. There's other things in my life besides guitars.

Who here plays everything anyways? Who's got the passion, and the time, to learn all that? If you do, whatever guitar you're using won't stand in the way. The few guys I know that can play many genres well are life-long fulltime musicians, and have been able to devote far more time to it then most of us could ever hope to. While we're working day jobs, they're playing 8 or 10 hours a day, every day. If you're playing several hours a week, like most guys do, they're miles ahead of you. That's why we have to pick a few things to narow in on. Forget the guitar, how many of you can 'play it all?' I thought as much. :14:
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

blueman335 said:
Good point. With the right tone for the music I'm playing, I have the confidence to cut loose and run with it. Yes, any guitar can do anything, but when you hit it's 'sweet spot', what it does best, everything comes together; you excel with those songs, but may not do as well with another genre. The player's limitations are a big part of this, more than the guitar. My limitation is I need the right tones and the right songs, then people are impressed. With so-so songs and a mediocre tone, I'm an average player. That's not a problem for me since I'm focused on a couple genres, and want do them well; I have no desire to try to play them all. There's other things in my life besides guitars.

Who here plays everything anyways? Who's got the passion, and the time, to learn all that? If you do, whatever guitar you're using won't stand in the way. The few guys I know that can play many genres well are life-long fulltime musicians, and have been able to devote far more time to it then most of us could ever hope to. While we're working day jobs, they're playing 8 or 10 hours a day, every day. If you're playing several hours a week, like most guys do, they're miles ahead of you. That's why we have to pick a few things to narow in on. Forget the guitar, how many of you can 'play it all?' I thought as much. :14:
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With all due respect (and you make some valid points), I think you're missing the intent of the initial thread. No, I don't play "everything", but I've dabbled in all of the genres. Again, that's not the point. The initial post was, "Can you play everything with a Strat?". And my answer is still, "Yes, you can." Just because I might not CHOOSE to play Stevie Ray material or Vince Gill material, or Slayer material or Pat Metheny material with a Les Paul doesn't mean that I wouldn't do so, or that I couldn't make it sound similar using said Les Paul or any other guitar that was presented to me. The genre doesn't dictate the guitar choice. And you should know that. So, I'm sorry, but I think you're wrong here. To quote Brent Mason, "Your tone lies within your hands and your head."
 
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Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Hellion said:
I'm sorry, but I think you're wrong here. To quote Brent Mason, "Your tone lies within your hands and your head."
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Isn't that what I said several times in this thread, such as:

- 'The player's limitations are a big part of this, more than the guitar.'

- 'Forget the guitar, how many of you can play it all?'

- 'The limitations are in the hands more than the instrument.'

- 'It's up to you and your proficiency.'

Pay attention son. :14:
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Yeah, that's where you draw the line between a guitar connoisseur and a pro player.

The connoisseur has tons of guitars, can play a few styles/cop guitar personalities, appreciates differences in the instruments and tones MORE than most pro players. It's like they're tasting and enjoying wines.

The pro player can get it done WELL with any guitar and no excuses, doesn't really care that much for delving into 5 les pauls 3 SG's, 6 telecasters, 2 strats, a few 335's, etc because it isn't a good investment of his time when he can really get the job done with 1 guitar, maybe more than one if he gets hired for a particular gig that requested a strat or an LP (this happens alot. Professors at my school who are beast local players have their custom sadowsky solid body basses/guitars, lakeland custom stuff, but they always say to stock traditional stuff for the audiences that listen with their eyes.)

Nothing against either, we all have jobs and lives to carry out, many of us are not full time gigging players to pay the bills, but it comes with the territory and we enjoy what we like. I wish I could call myself a pro player, I'm somewhere in between a decent player and I also appreciate the gear and can definitely get into a groove playing different axes.

But my friends who ARE full time pro players with music degrees could wrench good sounds and kill it at the gig regardless of the gear (as long as decent setup and amp of course)
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

blueman335 said:
Isn't that what I said several times in this thread, such as:

- 'The player's limitations are a big part of this, more than the guitar.'

- 'Forget the guitar, how many of you can play it all?'

- 'The limitations are in the hands more than the instrument.'

- 'It's up to you and your proficiency.'

Pay attention son. :14:
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Nice LMAO! :approve:
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

blueman335 said:
Isn't that what I said several times in this thread, such as:

- 'The player's limitations are a big part of this, more than the guitar.'

- 'Forget the guitar, how many of you can play it all?'

- 'The limitations are in the hands more than the instrument.'

- 'It's up to you and your proficiency.'

Pay attention son. :14:
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Then, why are you arguing the same side of the fence?
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

verbotenco said:
IAccordingly if you aim for tone, there is no reason to pay ****load of cash for a hi end guitar because in the end the guitar isn't the sole dominating factor. Guitar players and consumers for that matter are victims of marketing techniques called branding and public image manipulation. For example, the cost of a Gibson LP is four times that of Epiphone LP but the tonal gap isn't that wide. People buy expensive guitars for personal satisfaction and image, not tone, and sadly a lot of people don't realize this.
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Ooh, risky but correct in my opinion...That's one reason I chose Warmoth over Fender. A strat with my specs would cost $2500.
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Quencho092 said:
The pro player can get it done WELL with any guitar and no excuses, doesn't really care that much for delving into 5 les pauls 3 SG's, 6 telecasters, 2 strats, a few 335's, etc because it isn't a good investment of his time when he can really get the job done with 1 guitar,
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Very true. The pro players I know, fulltime musicians, don't have the disposable income for much of a guitar or amp collection. Wives won't alow it. Odds are they've owned a number of guitars over the years, if you add them all up (never more than a few at one time), but they've long since be sold or pawned. Tough way of life for most of them, especially trying to support a family. All too often they have to take gigs playing music they don't like, just for the cash. That takes some of the 'romance' out of it. And that's one reason they can play everything, because whether they like it or not, they have to play it anyways. Those of us with day jobs can be pickier about our music and bands. We can focus on what we like and usually have multiple guitars, so the 'one guitar' concept isn't a big deal to us.
 
Re: Is it true?Can you play everything with a Strat?

Hellion said:
Then, why are you arguing the same side of the fence?
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I prefer to have multiple guitars, some do things better than others, in my hands. And I like the variety; spices things up. I love the 'LP thru a Marshall' sound, and have no interest in producing a Strat sound, ever. Not my thing. You pick what you like. If I could spend years playing all day, 7 days a week, I probably could 'do it all' with one guitar. Again, the limitations are the player, not the tool. The feasibility of the one-guitar concept revolves around how versatile the player is. I don't think the vast majority of players are what you'd call versatile, not the ones I've seen anyways. If you can only play a genre or two well, which is almost everybody, then having a guitar that does everything is a moot point. It ain't going to do everything well in your hands. :14:

Over the years, I've seen several great guitarists noodle around on super cheap entry-level guitars, and they played some amazing things. On guitars we'd call unplayable crap! Granted their own guitars aren't entry-level, but it all comes back to what the hands can do. We like to catagorize and quantify everything into a neat pigeon hole, but the biggest variable is always the human part. The most versatile local player I've seen, who can play a dozen genres exceptionally well, on the spot, plays an SG and a 336.
 
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