Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

[Robert Delahunt]

This is mainly for research, so I figured it belonged in this forum area.

If you own a Stratocaster (traditional: all single coils or equivalent size pickups), and use it for lead work, which pickup position do you find yourself most often in when playing solos? Please vote accordingly.

Me, I find usually I'm in middle or bridge position, depending on what music I'm playing, but with my recent Hendrix and Pink Floyd crazes, almost as often I'm in the neck position.

Anyways, thanks!

 

[B2D]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

With Strats I like to use a technique I picked up from watching Yngwie play, and I've seen Eric Johnson and George Lynch do this too. From the 10th-12th fret on down I like to use the bridge pickup, and fromthere on up I tend to use the neck pickup. That's my general style but of course there's exceptions. I alter the pickup setting as needed to get the sound I want, that could be at ANY position.

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

you know, you should include the super strat option(HB in the bridge) its like 40% of the forum.

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

B2d, I think YJM goes for the neck 90% of the time he sweeps ...

 

[TimmyPage]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

Never a consistent. All depends on the music I'm playing, the tone I'm going for etc.

Though, now that theres a humbucker in the bridge of my strat I find I'm using the middle pickup where I would have used the bridge pickup before. I also really like the bridge/middle with this humbucker because even though it doesn't auto split, there are three coils on and it's a huge sound for leads.

 

[Tor]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

I really like using the neck a lot of the time, but the bridge has a place as well. So it depends..

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

All three....sometimes the betweens as well.

 

[Gunny47]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

I like the middle spot with overdrive and the neck for cleans, but I'm getting a 5-way switch installed soon with a blender pot and that all might change.

 

[El Dunco]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

I keep switching, even during leads. It's like changing gears.

 

[scottish]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

i generally use the neck or neck+middle position

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

I use them all, sometimes several in a single solo. I figure, if there are lots of usable tones, it would be a shame to waste them.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

I keep switching, even during leads. It's like changing gears.

Same here. I can't keep from goofing with the volume & tone knobs, either. Plus, I have a switch to add the bridge pickup, so I use that a lot, too.

 

[Dru Edwards]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

i generally use the neck or neck+middle position

I use mostly the neck and sometimes the bridge+middle position.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

All of them except middle I guess. And bridge since I've got buckers there. But autosplits rock. I think position 4 for country style leads, bridge HB and neck for dirty Blues, position 2 for clean Bluesy stuff. Anything way high gain will be bridge, I'm not a fan of a neck pickup high gain lead tone.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

I use B2D's strategy, as well. I think it would be cool to have a guitar with pickups similar to a P-bass, where you have a neck pickup for the high strings only, and bridge pickup for the low strings only.

George Lynch had a cool idea for a guitar with one motorized pickup that would move back and forth from the neck to the bridge position. You could either control the speed & destination, or turn it on automatic where it just kept going back and forth. It turned out not to work, because they couldn't keep the pickup from transmitting the noise from the motor.

 

[hacker]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

I have severe ADD when it comes to soloing on a strat. I love the bridge/middle position for blues with a slightly dirty tone. Clean I like either the neck or neck /middle. My pro Jr. is way too warm for neck pup soloing, so I tend to use the middle, bridge or bridge/middle combo.

I tend to ride the switch alot when i play a strat.

 

[thespricket]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

With Strats I like to use a technique I picked up from watching Yngwie play, and I've seen Eric Johnson and George Lynch do this too. From the 10th-12th fret on down I like to use the bridge pickup, and fromthere on up I tend to use the neck pickup. That's my general style but of course there's exceptions. I alter the pickup setting as needed to get the sound I want, that could be at ANY position.

+1, Thats how I play. Except I generally use the Middle position instead of the neck for those higher solos. Warren Haynes also does this on the les paul.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

1. Wrong forum
2. All of them, including variations not listed in the poll (neck + bridge, all three)

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

1. Wrong forum
2. All of them, including variations not listed in the poll (neck + bridge, all three)

1) Nope, right forum


I use the neck / middle for that "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" / "Yellow Ledbetter" sound

 

[Bludave]

Re: Stratocaster Players: Which Position For Leads

It depends on the song I am playing. Certain songs need a nice woody tone, so I use the Neck. Other songs need a brighter tone, so I use the bridge. Some need a very clean quackie tone, so I use position 2 (bridge and middle) You get the idea. I never play a lead in the same position because its a lead. I have to get the sound that I feel the music needs.