Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

[ErikH]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

I had a CV7003 germanium transistor in a rangemaster kit I bought. Apparently it's a military spec transistor, made for the military as a replacement for the OC44. you probably already know this, but they're more durable and reliable, and although I've never had an OC44, I've been told they sound as good.

Right now I'm trying to sell a tribooster pedal I built as a kit. Has a rangemaster boost, mosfet based clean boost, and silicon based linear power boost all in one. I dont get the chance to play loud enough to use boosts all that often, and right now a microvibe is calling me. The good thing is that the tribooster is negative grounded, unlike the rangemasters that were positive grounded... this is a problem when hooking up a boss daisy chain to power them, since most other pedals are negative grounded, so the daisy chain wont work.

If I ever build another rangemaster, it'll be the rangemaistro, which IIRC, is a negatively grounded so it can be powered by a daisy chain. FYI: I f'in hate batteries..

Joe

Very cool. I haven't built a Rangemaster myself yet, due to lack of those germanium tranny's, but I have built a few others. My favorite one is the one I made based of the front end of a Marshall. It's basically the circuit from the input jack through the first gain stage of V1 and that's it. Uses a JFET in place of the tube. Boosts like mad too. A DIY buddy of mine in the UK is sending me some stuff and I think one is a germanium transistor so I can build a Rangemaster.

Fuzz Central also has a negative ground version of the Rangemaster. It's easy to convert but the original design sounds fantastic. I don't mind a battery if the circuit is low current draw. They'll last forever.

 

[joelap]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

Erik, do you think the circuit will sound much different negatively grounded vs. positively grounded? I just typically like to keep my pedalboard connected, and just plug in a wall wart and I'm good to go.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

Erik, do you think the circuit will sound much different negatively grounded vs. positively grounded? I just typically like to keep my pedalboard connected, and just plug in a wall wart and I'm good to go.

To be honest, Joe, I don't know if the difference will be all that much. Best thing to do is breadboard each version and try. Also, you can make the positive ground or PNP version and then make an adaptor for the daisy chain that swaps the ring and tip polarity. Easy to do.

 

[joelap]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

To be honest, Joe, I don't know if the difference will be all that much. Best thing to do is breadboard each version and try. Also, you can make the positive ground or PNP version and then make an adaptor for the daisy chain that swaps the ring and tip polarity. Easy to do.

That sounds perfect. I really need to get a breadboard man, I've got tons of them here at school but I really should get one of my own for during the summer and winter break and such when I dont have access. That polarity switch sounds perfect.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

Matthias is one of my favorites as well ... I think I read somewhere that he didn't really want to play the Explorer but Rudy asked him to play a Gibson.
Either way ... GREAT lead guitarist

Indeed and one of my fave players ever..regardless of axe.

I don't know whether or not Rudy asked him to play Gibbys or not, but before the Scorpions he was playing firebirds. He's always played modded vintage strats too (Floyds and HB in the bridge) I never saw his Fender sig strat, but he was also the reason behind the Explorer Pro series....basically I guess combining what he liked best about his strats and gibsons...small Explorer Body, set neck, with a Floyd...he still plays them as his main axe I believe.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

That sounds perfect. I really need to get a breadboard man, I've got tons of them here at school but I really should get one of my own for during the summer and winter break and such when I dont have access. That polarity switch sounds perfect.

Yup. A few guys on the DIY forum have done that. Just need a female and a make jack and a little wire. Just a little switch in the wiring and no mods necessary to the existing daisy chain either.

Matthias is great. I saw him play a Strat back in '92. Good show, great tone.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

Indeed. It adds a certain liquidity to the upper registers. You can hear it on Black Sabbath's self-titled album as well.

Chill, you have a way with words. I would love to have more liquidity for my upper registers.


Erik, Jeff, TRilogy: You guys know everything. KK Downing and Matthias Jabs play strats too! I no longer feel compelled to justify playing a strat. Whew! :wipes brow: : exhales with deep sigh of relief:

Next, your gonna shock me that you've seen Randy Rhodes and Tommi Iommi with strats as well. :laugh2:

Now, I'm GASin' for a Rangemaster. I may have to build one. It's added to the already long list of items.

Joelap: That you should keep that Tribooster and keep tweaking and adjusting it until it morphs into the Joelap booster masterpiece.

keep on stratin'

 

[ErikH]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

LOL, Todd. KK doesn't play them now. He used too but now it's Hamers and ESP's. And your Iommi comment. In all truthfullness, he did play a Strat in another band before Sabbath, and with Sabbath before he had the SG. Something happened to it before they started recording the first album and he had to use the SG. The pickup went out in it or something.

Feel better now? LMAO

And yes, I am a rock and roll junky. LOL LOL.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

Rangemaster clones: Krispy kreme. Ever used this one?
or the Beano Booster.

I may have to get the RM schematics from Erik.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

Rangemaster clones: Krispy kreme. Ever used this one?
or the Beano Booster.

I may have to get the RM schematics from Erik.

Shoot me an email through my profile so I remember to send it to you tonight. I haven't tried the Krispy Kreme or Beano. Something about donuts and beans with guitars doesn't jive...LOL.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

Thanks to all the great contributions you guys have created another really cool thread. Thanks for the many great replies.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

I know I'm way behind in this thread, but thought I'd mention I play a strat as my main guitar and Rory Gallagher (among others) was the reason that I bought a Vox AC30 as my main amp. Granted, I have one of the newer AC30's, but there are very versatile AC30 tones inside that amp and I am so glad that I got it!

 

[flank]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

i havent read anything in this thread, but Teles rule over strats

 

[joelap]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

Rangemaster clones: Krispy kreme. Ever used this one?
or the Beano Booster.

I may have to get the RM schematics from Erik.

Honestly, the Rangemaster is the easiest build, and clones of it can cost a pretty penny. I can show you a PDF file with everything you need to know to piece it together... http://www.buildyourownclone.com/ranger.html then go to the top left button that says "ranger instructions" it's a spot-on clone of a rangemaster, and has a parts list of everything you'll need to piece it together, you can even model your board after their epoxy board. I have yet to try the Beano Boost or anything like that, but if you want to save some cash, maybe build it yourself?

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

Rockpalast?

This is the Rory DVD I was talking about:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...5099/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/026-6899048-1836439

I can't see it on the American Amazon site. It consists of concerts that were recorded for German TV in the late 70s. Great performances from Rory and his band. Recommended if you can find it.

This "Complete" DVD set of Rory has just been released too, featuring nine hours of Rockpalast stuff:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...5344/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_11_2/026-6899048-1836439

It's great watching him play. He was one of those guys who make brilliant guitar playing look easy. And such an honest performer too. It was all about the music with him. Straight from the heart.

My favourite Strat player.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

.

I was meaning to put in the disclaimer "No offense Jeff B and other Explorer fans" after my comment (above), but it doesn't appear that you took offense . Cool.:smokin: ...

awww hell....you wouldnt offend me...I throw out the jabs (no pun intended) in good fun here and there and have my own tastes (and am not shy about voicing them), but I know everyone has theirs too!

Lots more important stuff in life to worry about than pointy guitars

 

[Amateur]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

I am slowly getting up to speed and learning the options that I have with this strat. I want a humbucker ladden guitar so bad, but fear losing the strat character if I change the bridge pup too radically in this JV strat.

I'm starting to sound like a purist. I can't believe it.

I once thought that I would never play a strat, or own one. Now I don't think I wouldn't want to be without one. If I had my SSS, then added a strat with a single H, and an HSS super strat. Then I would be totally set. OK, one more an HH strat. I think I could settle with 4 strats. Well, maybe a 5th one would also be necessary at some point.

I think you should try the Duncan Pickup booster on you Strats before you go out and get some more with humbuckers. It is supposed to boost up your single coils to the sound of a humbucker. I have the booster myself and it really does the job for me.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

Why did I say Uli when I meant Matthias Jabs :smack: ( says to self "Dummy" :smash: )

So, Rory's tribute guitar says it has Fender 60's pickups in it. Does that mean that they are likely all 3 wound to ~6k?

MotorHead Ace of Spades? That wasn't Fastway Eddie was it, no FE has left MotorHead by the ACe of Spades and was playing with Fastway right?

Is the SD SFX-01 a rangemaster clone?

Trilogy...nice sig. thanks.

Not sure who was playing the strat in the live footage of old Moterhead i saw.... but it was a stock looking strat and sounded pretty raw!


WhoFan

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

One tip for making a stock strat sound much more meaty for heavy stuff is a simple tone controll mod.. Fender normally ships the tone controlls to work for Neck and Middle pickups don't they? Reverse the one from the neck to the bridge.... Then you can roll back the tone on the bridge PU and get some nice almost P90 Gibson type tones!

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Who Says You Can't do that with a Strat...

:scratchch

Honestly.

They sound fantastic through my rig. I guess that Roland preamps and Mesa power sections agree with these pickups.

I like this set so much, in fact, that I'm replacing the Albert Lee sig set made by Duncan for EB/MM in my 62 RI with a DG-20 set from EMG.

For live use, I like them better than the Fender CS 62's, Dimarzio VV, APS-2's, Antiquity I's, and pretty much any other strat sized pickup I've had or tried.

I really don't know why more people don't like them.