Members Tomm Williams Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 I have to admit I'm a Les Paul guy, always have been. In an effort to keep the sound of my band from getting too repetitive, I picked up a 60th anniversary HSS Strat for certain songs. This is actually about the 4th? Strat I've had and have yet to get used to one. With the LP, the heel of my hand sits on the edge of the bridge and that's very comfortable. With a Strat, I find my hand is suspended over the middle pick up area with no anchor. I tried the edge of the bridge but it just feels odd. As as with most things, this will get fixed with repetition but does anyone else find this transition difficult ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members humbuckerstrat Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 Maybe it's because I've always been a Strat person, but I find them to be the easiest guitars to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 I am FAR from a strat player, and yet, find them as easy as a Paul, or an Ibanez, a 335 copy or whatever. It's a guitar, and once you get used to it as an individual, you learn to compensate for the little differences Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 I find the longer scale and smaller radius makes the guitar feel different than a Les Paul. I midigate the difference by using different strings - 10-52 on my Gibsons and 9-46 on my Fenders. It really comes down to what you are used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 The easiest for me as well. Superior ergonomics has a lot to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 I find guitars difficult to play period. I use 'em because they're easy to play with - Strats included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 It's totally familiarity. Your hand feels its way around. When you switch it's like a blind person at an intersection in a foreign country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BobF_ Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 I had a nice Strat for years that I never really bonded with. A '98 Am Dlx. It was set up nice and all, I just didn't like the feel. I've been thinking about getting one of those Roland G5 Strats though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordite Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 On the contrary the strat fits as comfortable as old summer jeans. It's the LP that feels like a penguin suit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 Just play it more, you'll adapt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted September 7, 2015 Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 Just play it more' date=' you'll adapt.[/quote'] This Oh and if he wants he could take of the trem arm, might help with the hand heal mount on the bridge. IDK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tomm Williams Posted September 7, 2015 Author Members Share Posted September 7, 2015 Actually I think I figured it out. I placed a very small rubber cabinet foot on the pickguard right in line with one of the screws. I sanded down the profile so it only stood about 1/32 above the low E string. Now I have a place to rest the heel of my hand in virtually the exact location I need it. No damage to the guitar and completely reversible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted September 8, 2015 Members Share Posted September 8, 2015 I find the longer scale and smaller radius makes the guitar feel different than a Les Paul. I midigate the difference by using different strings - 10-52 on my Gibsons and 9-46 on my Fenders. It really comes down to what you are used to. Same for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6down1togo Posted September 8, 2015 Members Share Posted September 8, 2015 Get a bridge cover (ashtray) for it. That will give you place to rest your hand. If your guitar is HSS it isn't a 60th Anniversary Strat. The 60th Anniv MIM Strat was a special edition Blizzard Pearl/Maple neck SSS. Yours is a 2004 MIM Standard Strat. All Fenders made in 2004 came with the anniversary button on the back of the headstock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted September 8, 2015 Members Share Posted September 8, 2015 I'm the EXACT opposite... I find Les Pauls really uncomfortable and odd... Guess it's what you're used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tomm Williams Posted September 8, 2015 Author Members Share Posted September 8, 2015 Get a bridge cover (ashtray) for it. That will give you place to rest your hand. If your guitar is HSS it isn't a 60th Anniversary Strat. The 60th Anniv MIM Strat was a special edition Blizzard Pearl/Maple neck SSS. Yours is a 2004 MIM Standard Strat. All Fenders made in 2004 came with the anniversary button on the back of the headstock. Good to know info about the 60th anniversary button not meaning what it appears. I considered the cover but I prefer my hand just a little farther forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 8, 2015 Members Share Posted September 8, 2015 One thing that can help the instrument hang better when standing is to replace one of the screws on the neck plate with a longer one that will accommodate a strap button. This moves the guitar left and out a tad which can make it more comfortable for palm muting the strings at the bridge. you're also able to get to the upper frets more effectively too. I did this out of necessity on a build and have since added it as an option having two strap buttons on several of my strat builds. Its a non destructive mod reversible too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted September 8, 2015 Members Share Posted September 8, 2015 I find the Strat different to play but not really diffficult. .With my 335 clone and my Tele I often rest my hand on the bridge as an anchor. Or I may anchor my little finger on the pickgaurd.. With my acoustic I might use my little finger as an anchor or use my forearm against the top of the body but I don't use the bridge. With the Strat I may use my forearm or keep the trem arm in my hand as sort of a floating reference.. I have it bent to where I can play comfortably without putting pressure on it. I also favor having it just slightly loose to allow me to feel that there is no pressure. . It may be right or it may be wrong but after a little time to get used to it it works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted September 8, 2015 Members Share Posted September 8, 2015 ]Get a bridge cover (ashtray) for it.[/b] That will give you place to rest your hand. If your guitar is HSS it isn't a 60th Anniversary Strat. The 60th Anniv MIM Strat was a special edition Blizzard Pearl/Maple neck SSS. Yours is a 2004 MIM Standard Strat. All Fenders made in 2004 came with the anniversary button on the back of the headstock. I remember when they tossed that in for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Juicy Elk Man Posted September 10, 2015 Members Share Posted September 10, 2015 I played a strat for many years. I loved the sound, but I always found the stock configuration of controls and pickups annoying. Even after moving things out of the way - the mid pickup and volume control - it still wasn't quite right: it was the closeness of the bottom and top strings to the edge of the fretboard - even with an import bridge with narrower string spacing. That really hampered my ability to perform vibrato. I've recently switched to an Epi SG, which has a slightly wider fretboard, giving me a bit more room to wobble those notes without worrying about going off the fretboard. And - most likely because of the shorter scale length and bridge position on the body - my left and right hands can now find the strings better. Playing for me, overall, has become easier, with less fighting for the notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted September 10, 2015 Members Share Posted September 10, 2015 I find most Fender guitars hard to play because of the shorter neck radius. I tried and tried but am just more comfortable, quicker, and more accurate with a 14" radius. However I love strats, so I got a Parker DF524 - Strat-like only better with a 14" Radius. It works for me. YMMV Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted September 12, 2015 Members Share Posted September 12, 2015 RE: sig I like 'We bilked this city...' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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