Vintage Staggered or Flat Strat?

[OctopusRider]

I want to upgrade one of my Strats. It has a 9.5” neck radius and I use Regular Slinky’s (10-46). Two of my Strats have a 9.5” radius and my ‘62 Reissue has a 7.25” radius. All have vintage staggered poles in the pickups. I’ve never noticed a huge difference in a loud G string. I have probably just adapted my playing style to compensate for the staggered poles.

Should I be using flat or staggered? SSL-1 or SSL-2?

 

[Supernautilus]

I want to upgrade one of my Strats. It has a 9.5” neck radius and I use Regular Slinky’s (10-46). Two of my Strats have a 9.5” radius and my ‘62 Reissue has a 7.25” radius. All have vintage staggered poles in the pickups. I’ve never noticed a huge difference in a loud G string. I have probably just adapted my playing style to compensate for the staggered poles.

Should I be using flat or staggered? SSL-1 or SSL-2?

I went through this dilemma on a partscaster. I did a lot of reading and what I concluded is that flat is good for most modern guitars. Apparently staggered poles were originally designed for 7.25 radius necks and wound G strings. And if you don’t have that, then flat generally performs better.

But like you said, you can always adapt and there are no hard rules of course. I say try a flat set and see how you like it. If you buy from SD, I think they let you return it if you don’t like it. Pretty good deal.

 

[OctopusRider]

I went through this dilemma on a partscaster. I did a lot of reading and what I concluded is that flat is good for most modern guitars. Apparently staggered poles were originally designed for 7.25 radius necks and wound G strings. And if you don’t have that, then flat generally performs better.

But like you said, you can always adapt and there are no hard rules of course. I say try a flat set and see how you like it. If you buy from SD, I think they let you return it if you don’t like it. Pretty good deal.

I think we did all the same reading. I agree with everything you said. My only concern is that if I go flat, I’ll never go back. I really like my other Strats, ya know?

 

[Supernautilus]

Or, you might find that you like both for different reasons. I try to look at it that way in these kinds of situations. Different colors on the palette, if you know what I mean.

 

[OctopusRider]

Or, you might find that you like both for different reasons. I try to look at it that way in these kinds of situations. Different colors on the palette, if you know what I mean.

This makes sense to me.

 

[Mincer]

I've always gone flat if I have the choice.

 

[ErikH]

Flat with a 9.5” radius, IMO. Much better string balance.

 

[OctopusRider]

Flat it is. :beerchug:

 

[jeremy]

i too always choose flat, if i have a choice. if i dont, then staggered is fine.

 

[Chistopher]

Don't lose sleep over it unless you a playing clean with no compression. Usually the string balance issue sorts itself pretty quickly. The g will always be a little louder on a staggered set unless you have a lot more gain than most people use on a Strat