What Happened to the Strats?!

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PunkPlayer86

New member
Seriously? I love Fender Strats but howcome I don't see them being played anymore? Everyone has sold out by switching to Gibson, and notice how the music got worse along the way. I'm not saying that Gibson makes bad guitars, but I miss seeing the Strats. Think about those guitarists in our favorite bands who used to play them:

Rivers Cuomo from Weezer
Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day
Tom Delonge from Blink 182

All I see in music videos on tv now are SG's and Les Pauls, and maybe a few Tele's here and there. The only guy I can recall who uses a Strat is the guitarist from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. What's wrong with playing a Stratocaster? I think more Bands should be using them. If it's the single coils that bother them, why can't they just put in some Duncan's or something? They do have Strats with humbuckers now, after all. Does anyone else think the same?
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

I'm not talking about guys like Clapton and Cray. I'm talking about bands. Watch any rock music video on mtv and 95% of the time you'll see SG's or LP's.
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

They probably just think they look more "rock" with a Gibson...you'd find that a good lot of them that are playing Gibsons on videos probably record with Strats anyway.

Hahhaha yeah since when is MTV an authority on ANYTHING!!!??? All of you (especially Mr. thread starter) should go and download Lewis Black's stand up bit about MTV. Just look for "Lewis Black MTV" on your downloading program (yes I know you all have one) and listen to what he has to say about MTV.
 
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Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

I don't watch MTV for a reason... Besides, strats have been unpopular by those standards for a long time (excluding super strats which are different animals).
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

firebirdV said:
As far as I know, both of these guys still use strats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpiEPg9-4zc
Click to expand...

Two of my favorite artists ever :)

And Eric Clapton is just the headliner for the entire band basicly. He doesn't play everything, he does vocals and guitar. There's other people playing keys, drums, bass, other guitars, saxophone, and other things. Same with Robert Cray.

And the reason bands on MTV sound terrible isn't because of their instruments or selling out to Gibson - its because they're just bad :6:

(No offense to anyone who likes these bands, its just my opinion)

Some of the best music has been played on Gibsons, just look at Cream or Led Zeppelin. Likewise, some great music has been played on Fenders, like Clapton or Cray, Robin Trower, Hendrix...the list goes on for either of them.

Playing a different instrument has nothing to do with a band sounding bad ;)
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

Corbic said:
Two of my favorite artists ever :)

And Eric Clapton is just the headliner for the entire band basicly. He doesn't play everything, he does vocals and guitar. There's other people playing keys, drums, bass, other guitars, saxophone, and other things. Same with Robert Cray.

And the reason bands on MTV sound terrible isn't because of their instruments or selling out to Gibson - its because they're just bad :6:

(No offense to anyone who likes these bands, its just my opinion)

Some of the best music has been played on Gibsons, just look at Cream or Led Zeppelin. Likewise, some great music has been played on Fenders, like Clapton or Cray, Robin Trower, Hendrix...the list goes on for either of them.

Playing a different instrument has nothing to do with a band sounding bad ;)
Click to expand...
This thread got me to find some Robert Cray goodness on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e_hOZe7mqU
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

I know the guitars have nothing to do with the sound of the band. It's just something that I noticed. Look at it this way:

Green Day: Dookie - HSS Strat - One of Green Day's Best Albums
American Idiot - Les Paul Jr. - One of Green Day's Worst Albums

Same thing with Blink and Weezer.
 
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Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

Haha I'm not even a Greenday fan but even I don't mind some of the stuff on American Idiot...maybe me not being a fan is why :smack:
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

That has more to do with Green Day getting away from their punk roots to what they are now. I'll admit it, I'm a Green Day fan, and if you listen to their stuff off Dookie, or Kerplunk, it KILLS what they did off American Idiot (especially in guitar playing). Billie Joe actually takes solos on those early albums (I don't consider the things off of American Idiot solos at all).

The reason why American Idiot wasn't as good as those early albums is simple: Back then they were just a band having fun going around playing for crowds, now they're a band that wants money more then anything. Billie Joe hardly even plays guitar live anymore!
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

Very well said. This is why there should be a Strat revolution or something. Bands need to go back to their roots.
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

Part of me wonder is if it has anything to do with when they are younger and starting out a pro band does not have any money... seriously they are broke for years even with a record deal sometimes.. after a few hits along the way maybe they can A/ Afford more expensive gear, and B/ get endorsment deals they could not get before....

Just a thought....
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

I've noticed a few switches amongst bands in the mainstream myself like mentioned. That's fine, they can do what they want. That's more Strats for me. :D
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

i know what you're saying punkplayer. i love weezer's older stuff. i love his warmoth strat's design. i think whofan is on the right track. look at the prices for a good quality strat compared to a good quality les paul from big names. strats are usually cheaper except for tokai's/mij's
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

To combine with others have said...

When a band has multiple "hits," they get a lot of money, but with the multiple hits comes a need to make more hits, whether or not fans consider the music good or not.

The more money you have, the more you want, whether or not the means of getting it is sticking to your "roots". Can't say I'm a Green Day fan, but the old stuff that I've heard (very few songs) is better than American Idiot (which I own). They, along with almost every other mainstream band out there, is now working for "the man."

What does this have to do with Gibsons? Well with the money they make from the hits, in those cases, they buy Gibsons. Fenders are stereotypically a workingman's axe, while Gibsons tend to be a bit pricier (and boy do we all know that!).

I don't think I got my point across at ALL, but yeah...it was worth a shot...

Also, I don't know if I'd concern myself too much with what the bands on MTV are playing. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't concern myself with MTV at all...ever...period...
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

Hey, if Fender used pearl inlays and mahogany bodies, they could be just as pricey as Gibson. And some of Fender's designs aren't that cheap anyway. Have you seen those American Deluxe Quilt Maple Tops? They are niiiiiice.
 
Re: What Happened to the Strats?!

I don't like his music that much, but John Mayer still uses Strats. I should also mention that I got a Les Paul Studio for a "workingman's price", used, in great condition, and I love it to death.
 
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