Menu
Of current Fender strat line-up, which model / pu's are most representative
of 'classic' surf sound, or is it not that critical?? Better off with a Jag
or Jazzmaster? I've been looking at the American Vintage 60s strat....BTW, If
this has been addressed before, I apologize, just delete it. Thanks!
-Brad
If you ask me, I think that to a certain extent the
guitar you use is less important than the string guage
and kind of reverb and amp.
-1460
--- wrote:
> Of current Fender strat line-up, which model / pu's
> are most representative
> of 'classic' surf sound, or is it not that
> critical?? Better off with a Jag
> or Jazzmaster? I've been looking at the American
> Vintage 60s strat....BTW, If
>
> this has been addressed before, I apologize, just
> delete it. Thanks!
>
> -Brad
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness
'62 Reissue is a great guitar - unless you just have to have a brand new
one, you can find some killer deals on the web both at ebay and various
used/vintage dealers. If you can find a early 80's 62reissue, you'll have
the closest thing to being there (early 60's Strat).
As for surf tones - who gets you off? each guitar has it's own voice, but
still share the Fender sound.
I like a Strat for heavy surf, a Jazzmaster for big twang surf and a Jag for
the more intricate, minor keyed or dramatic surf. But thats just me :)
Robb
----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, May 06, 2002 12:05 AM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] New strat for best surf sounds??
> Of current Fender strat line-up, which model / pu's are most
representative
> of 'classic' surf sound, or is it not that critical?? Better off with a
Jag
> or Jazzmaster? I've been looking at the American Vintage 60s strat....BTW,
If
>
> this has been addressed before, I apologize, just delete it. Thanks!
>
> -Brad
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> .
> Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [mailto:]
>
> Of current Fender strat line-up, which model / pu's are most
> representative
> of 'classic' surf sound, or is it not that critical?? Better off
> with a Jag
> or Jazzmaster? I've been looking at the American Vintage 60s
> strat....
IMHO, just get the Strat that you like and can afford and you will be good
to go.
Personally, I have a Strat with 3 Texas Special pickups and I think it
sounds great. It started life as a "Lone Star Strat": 2 Texas specials plus
a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Plus humbucker in the bridge position. Once I
got into Surf music, I decided I didn't like the humbucker too much anymore
so I replaced it with a 3rd Texas Special. Its a modern strat so it has the
updated bridge saddles, 2 post bridge, etc. I don't think Fender makes them
anymore per se, but they have updated versions made from their newer
American series line. In other words they still do make a Strat with 3 Texas
specials and they still make a Lone Star type model but I don't think it is
called Lone Star anymore.
As for being better off with a Jag or JM, no I don't think so. These are
complimentary things.. I have an American Vintage Jaguar too and love it to
death. I plan on getting a Jazzmaster of some sort some day too....and a
Mosrite, and a handful of Dano's, and a....well you get the idea. Don't get
me started on an amp wish list.
I think Ivan P. has a Strat with all Texas Specials pickups too.
Good luck
BN
I put the 57/62 pick ups in my strat and am extremely pleased. They
absolutly live up to the hype. As for the set up: stock strat parts,
medium high action, a little relief on the neck, 11 - 46 gauge
strings, bridge flat against the body, 5 springs. Works great like
this, stays in tune even with intense trem abuse. Strats are great
but they are high maintenance guitars, damn near impossible to set up
correctly, and a constant strugle to play, but it's worth the fight.
It's my understanding that the LSR roller nut only accepts .009 gauge
strings, which really sucks for surf ( or in general as far as I'm
concerned ). Most tuning problems occur from an improperly cut nut;
the slots are cut hastily and bind the strings preventing them from
returning to pitch, if you hear a creaking sound, this is definately
the cause. Dan Erlewine has great advice for setting up a strat
properly in his "Guitar Players Repair Guide". The Stratocaster is
an amazing bit of 20th century design ( especialy considering Leo
Fender didn't even play guitar! ) a classic example of form following
function - there's not one single unecessary item on the strat, every
line, curve, and contour is there for a specific reason. And the
sound...!!!!
--- In SurfGuitar101@y..., "Brian Neal" <bneal@z...> wrote:
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: tammibrad@a... [mailto:tammibrad@a...]
> >
> > Of current Fender strat line-up, which model / pu's are most
> > representative
> > of 'classic' surf sound, or is it not that critical?? Better off
> > with a Jag
> > or Jazzmaster? I've been looking at the American Vintage 60s
> > strat....
>
> IMHO, just get the Strat that you like and can afford and you will
be good
> to go.
>
> Personally, I have a Strat with 3 Texas Special pickups and I think
it
> sounds great. It started life as a "Lone Star Strat": 2 Texas
specials plus
> a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Plus humbucker in the bridge
position. Once I
> got into Surf music, I decided I didn't like the humbucker too much
anymore
> so I replaced it with a 3rd Texas Special. Its a modern strat so it
has the
> updated bridge saddles, 2 post bridge, etc. I don't think Fender
makes them
> anymore per se, but they have updated versions made from their newer
> American series line. In other words they still do make a Strat
with 3 Texas
> specials and they still make a Lone Star type model but I don't
think it is
> called Lone Star anymore.
>
> As for being better off with a Jag or JM, no I don't think so.
These are
> complimentary things.. I have an American Vintage Jaguar too and
love it to
> death. I plan on getting a Jazzmaster of some sort some day
too....and a
> Mosrite, and a handful of Dano's, and a....well you get the idea.
Don't get
> me started on an amp wish list.
>
> I think Ivan P. has a Strat with all Texas Specials pickups too.
>
> Good luck
>
> BN
Really, I think it's whatever sounds good to you that matters. There are
certain major elements of a surf guitar sound, such as lots of reverb,
sometimes tremelo/vibrato, use of your guitar's tremelo system, etc. I
don't think the guitar or pickups matter so much. It just depends if you
want that 'vintage' surf sound and look.
I have a 1988 American Std Strat with TX specials and it sounds great, I'll
never part with it, and I don't think I'll ever change the pickups on it. I
also have a new American double fat w/ Duncan humbuckers and I think that
sounds great thru my '63 reverb tank and Twin.
I'd love to have a Jazz Master someday, but I don't think it will be that
much different than what I have already.
What I really want is the new Sub-Sonic Tele baritone! That's got to sound
sweet...
Anyone in this group from Austin?
-Erik
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Neal [mailto:]
Sent: Monday, May 06, 2002 7:05 PM
To:
Subject: RE: [SurfGuitar101] New strat for best surf sounds??
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [mailto:]
>
> Of current Fender strat line-up, which model / pu's are most
> representative
> of 'classic' surf sound, or is it not that critical?? Better off
> with a Jag
> or Jazzmaster? I've been looking at the American Vintage 60s
> strat....
IMHO, just get the Strat that you like and can afford and you will be good
to go.
Personally, I have a Strat with 3 Texas Special pickups and I think it
sounds great. It started life as a "Lone Star Strat": 2 Texas specials plus
a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Plus humbucker in the bridge position. Once I
got into Surf music, I decided I didn't like the humbucker too much anymore
so I replaced it with a 3rd Texas Special. Its a modern strat so it has the
updated bridge saddles, 2 post bridge, etc. I don't think Fender makes them
anymore per se, but they have updated versions made from their newer
American series line. In other words they still do make a Strat with 3 Texas
specials and they still make a Lone Star type model but I don't think it is
called Lone Star anymore.
As for being better off with a Jag or JM, no I don't think so. These are
complimentary things.. I have an American Vintage Jaguar too and love it to
death. I plan on getting a Jazzmaster of some sort some day too....and a
Mosrite, and a handful of Dano's, and a....well you get the idea. Don't get
me started on an amp wish list.
I think Ivan P. has a Strat with all Texas Specials pickups too.
Good luck
BN
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:.
Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
