JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 858
New York City area
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Posted on Oct 30 2020 10:14 PM
As is obvious from posts I've commented on in the past, I'm not a big fan of the Stratocaster. While I admit that it is a comfortable guitar to play, choice of millions, blah, blah, blah, it's construction, Rube Goldberg tremolo mechanics, and serviceability (as in difficulty thereof) tend to make me say very bad words. Though it will never be my "go to" axe, I do own and play Stratocasters and Strat-type guitars (the best being the hardtail type).
But as Plato once said:
“Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity”__ Luckily "Big P." never had to play a Strat.
So - following that sage advice:
I prefer Teles, Mosrites, 335s and other guitars of simple construction and configuration.
Well, gang, I'm not alone in my Strat opinions. Check out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWQf9n2zWvo
His opinion; my opinion.. all makes for a diverse world, I suppose.
J Mo'
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Tqi
Joined: Dec 07, 2014
Posts: 1222
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 04:47 AM
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Last edited: Feb 02, 2024 14:57:16
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taijiguy
Joined: Mar 27, 2006
Posts: 197
Newington, CT USA
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 06:41 AM
My MIJ Strat was on the market recently because I figured my Hallmark and my Les Paul (my only other electrics) covered the sounds I was interested in. But then, I picked it up for one last time and pulled the ads. It's too nice and too unique a guitar to give up. I admit that the vibrato is terrible, so I replaced it with a Wilkinson. And it's tough to palm mute the higher strings. But all the other complaints in the video? I've never had a problem with those issues mentioned.
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2532
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 07:40 AM
I like coffee but sometimes I put too much sugar in it. I usually have to add more coffee. Fixed! Now, back to that perfect cup of coffee.
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 858
New York City area
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 08:23 AM
Tqi,
"but every time the corrected, functional, stable, two point design gets any traction, the traditionalists crawl out of the walls"
Point taken but -
Maybe not the two point tremolo by Fender. There was a post here sometime back where the wood cracked between the bridge pickup and the tremolo posts. There's a lot of pressure for that measly inch or less of wood to handle and those two flimsy posts to absorb.. The G&L tremolos on the S500, F100 are two point tremolos but they have beefier tremolo posts - a better approach to fixing stupid (design) in my opinion.
I still cringe when a truss rod adjustment or electronics have to be serviced on a Strat. The whole damn guitar has to be taken apart. It's like taking the engine out of your car to change the oil.
Thankfully, that's not the case on Teles, Mosrites or, dare I say, a normal guitar.
Other than that, the Strat is just a "FAAAABULOUS" guitar.
J Mo'
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DeathTide
Joined: Apr 13, 2018
Posts: 1343
New Orleans
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 08:37 AM
Since I got a jag and JM the Strat feels like a clunky unwieldy archaic instrument. And I played them for 25 years! It does sound good though, but the neck dive makes it so much more difficult for me. And fuck that pickup switch! Even when I could play regularly, I never picked it up. Just loaned the AV65 to a friend indefinitely. I do kind of miss the ability to dive down an octave.
— Daniel Deathtide
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2532
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 08:43 AM
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2532
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 09:04 AM
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JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 858
New York City area
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 09:21 AM
Stratdancer,
That's interesting..
So let's see..
We have the tremlok gizmo to stabilize a poorly designed tremolo system - which by itself is a testimony on how to complicate a cup of coffee.
And now this switch lock system - so now you have to unlock a pickup switch while you're playing. That is quite (sadly) unique.
Add to that the countless alternative wiring schemes available - all designed to make the Strat's relatively useless electronics more versatile.
I'm all in favor of customizing one's own a guitar. But there is a difference between customizing and fixing a poor design.
This switch lock falls in the later category.
And - does buying and installing all this crap actually add value to the instrument? My gut feeling says "No".
J Mo'
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2532
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 09:33 AM
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2532
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 09:47 AM
The best setup ever! No more being jerked around by a complicated and poorly designed instrument! 
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 858
New York City area
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 10:40 AM
Stratdancer,
"You could always just play an acoustic guitar. Very simple design.."
Why, yes, I can and - yes some more.. I do.
I also have a pre 1980 vehicle in good repair. With possible future AI "vehicle problems" looming, a carburetor car with no "chips" obliviates that peril.
My son and I have to do a spark plug change next spring on a 2014 Jeep Wrangler. The whole top of the engine has to come off to get at three lousy spark plugs. Reminds me of the Stratocaster.
Perhaps a better alternative to the one you suggested:
I simply play "air guitar"
J Mo'
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Surfysonic
Joined: Oct 17, 2009
Posts: 521
Walkersville, MD
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 11:12 AM
Fender recently solved the problems with the Parallel Universe Jazz Strat II.
I kid, but it actually is a fantastic guitar.
— The doofus formerly known as Snorre
Surfysonic on YouTube
World Famous Philistines: 2014 - 2015
K39: 2013 - 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv9JADQ4ukw
Last edited: Oct 31, 2020 11:13:04
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Stormtiger
Joined: Dec 12, 2006
Posts: 2675
Ventura, CA
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 11:29 AM
Yet even with all of those flaws, Paul in the video still always goes back to his Strat.
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Gevalt
Joined: Jun 25, 2019
Posts: 10
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 02:37 PM
Just like any relationship, you take the good with the less good
I love my Strats. They're nothing like my Jazzmaster, and I'm digging the neopolitan ice cream of Fender.
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10321
southern Michigan
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 06:54 PM
I find it truly laughable when Strat haters attack the Strat's tremolo system. Let's think, who are the guitarists most associated with trem use: Hank Marvin, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, Eddie Van Halen. Hmm, I wonder what they all have in common? (remember that EVH used plain vintage-style Strat trems on the first two albums.) In surf you have the Atlantics that used the shit out of their Strat trems in the '60s, doing pretty radical and extreme things with them, many that Hendrix did later, but they beat him to it. And it seemed to work pretty well for them.
Y'all are ridiculous. To paraphrase Shakespeare, "The fault lies not in the Strat's tremolo, but in yourselves."
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
Last edited: Oct 31, 2020 19:23:16
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2532
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 07:13 PM
IvanP wrote:
I find it truly laughable when Strat haters attack the Strat's tremolo system. Let's think, who are the guitarists most associated with trem use: Hank Marvin, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, Eddie Van Halen. Hmm, I wonder what they all have in common? (remember that EVH used plain vintage-style Strat trems on the first two albums.) In surf you have the Atlantics that used the shit out of their Strat trems in the '60s, doing pretty radical and extreme things with them, many that Hendrix did later, but they beat him to it. And it seemed to work pretty well for them.
Y'all are ridiculous. To paraphrase Shakespear, "The fault is not in the Strat's tremol, but in yourselves."
This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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Tqi
Joined: Dec 07, 2014
Posts: 1222
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 07:35 PM
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Last edited: Feb 02, 2024 14:57:28
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10321
southern Michigan
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 07:38 PM
And yet quite a few of the greatest guitarists in the world - including in surf - chose Strats when they could have had anything they wanted.
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
Last edited: Oct 31, 2020 21:02:38
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2532
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Oct 31 2020 08:17 PM
I love the hot rod nature of the stratocasters. Sure you can buy one off the wall and not do a thing to them but I prefer do all kinds of things to all 8 of mine. Every change or modification makes it more, "my strat". I've enjoyed the banter and don't take anything seriously but my strats are sacred. I've got others but the strats are treasures.
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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