Members bullpencoach Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Well, maybe more alt-country. Looking for feedback on the best ways to give a Strat a more full-bodied country sound, without actually switching over to a Tele or a Nashville Tele. Most of my twang is in the playing and phrasing, and I'd like to get a Strat. Any mods you guys can recommend? Tex-Mex pickups, or are they too hot? Ash body instead of alder? I like the Lite Ash Strat, but the neck might be a bit thin for my liking. G&L Tribute Legacy? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BootRoots Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 you can wire it for the middle position to be neck/bridge like a tele. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Strats with vintage pickups work just fine for country: 50's, 60's, alt., country-rock, what have ye.That said, my favorite country Strat at the moment is loaded with Tom Anderson stacked humbuckers. They do quiet and clean, the bridge twangs like crazy but also settles down depending on pick attack, AND they respond to pedals and effects beautifully. Played naked, they do a pretty damn good vintage impersonation without the noise, MUCH better than Fender Vintage Noiseless (which kinda suck).For country rock that crosses that greasy line into Southern-fried rock, I prefer my Strat loaded with Pete Biltoft's Strat-sized P-90s...fine, fine handmade boutique pups for about a hundred bucks a set.These are they: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Europa760 Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 im gonna get a rio grande stelly this week. you can do something similar and just put a really hot strat single coil into the bridge. or do what i do, and put a specially made tele pick up that fits into a strat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GretschGuy Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 It will be fine. You can play any kind of music on any kind of guitar (although you may not want to show up for a NuMetal gig with a Taylor and California Blonde). A Strat is a good guitar. You'll be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Europa760 Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 now that i checked the balance on my credit card, i can get it today. i bought a guitar the other day that put it over the limit. i returned it and it finally got credited back. hell yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members archiemax Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Ever heard of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band? Don't know aboout in the studio, but each time I've seen 'em the only guitar Jeff uses is his pink Strat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Europa760 Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 and also, on a strat, i like using the middle pup alone for most of the honky stuff i play. its fat and not too trebly. you might get your kicks from that pup alone. ill have to see how the stelly is treating me when i install it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Stelly?Why not a Nashville Tele? Nice guits, those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jonny guitar Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Get yourself a Keeley Katana Clean Boost....good enough for Brent Mason = good enough for you. Seriously, it takes a strat into a stunning country sound that is clean with just a very small hint of breakup but super fat and full sounding. Of course it sounds even better with a Keeley comp in there too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Europa760 Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Originally posted by jerry_picker Stelly? Why not a Nashville Tele? Nice guits, those. strats are my favorite guitars, and i already have a good one. the only thing i wish it had was a tele bridge pup.i have a rio grande tallboy in all 3 spots, and the bridge is quite measly when compared even to a mediocre tele bridge pup.i thought about the nashville, and tried them in stores. they all had lousy necks. got unlucky, so that turned me off a little.i bought a tele last week, and after playing it for a week straight, i realized that the only sound i liked was the bridge. i liked the other 2 sounds, but i liked my strats versions better. so i didnt feel it was wise to spend 300ish dollars just for that one bridge sound, if i could get what i want with a special pick up.i like a teles a lot though. next time, when i have a little more disposable cash, ill just have the one just to have one. theyre a lot more rock and roll than a strat to me. i liked what it did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Originally posted by Europa760 strats are my favorite guitars, and i already have a good one. the only thing i wish it had was a tele bridge pup.i have a rio grande tallboy in all 3 spots, and the bridge is quite measly when compared even to a mediocre tele bridge pup.i thought about the nashville, and tried them in stores. they all had lousy necks. got unlucky, so that turned me off a little.i bought a tele last week, and after playing it for a week straight, i realized that the only sound i liked was the bridge. i liked the other 2 sounds, but i liked my strats versions better. so i didnt feel it was wise to spend 300ish dollars just for that one bridge sound, if i could get what i want with a special pick up.i like a teles a lot though. next time, when i have a little more disposable cash, ill just have the one just to have one. theyre a lot more rock and roll than a strat to me. i liked what it did. My bass player has a MIJ Nashville with Texas Specials...fine, fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Originally posted by bullpencoach Well, maybe more alt-country. G&L Tribute Legacy?Thanks Look at USED USA G&L Legacy's. They can be had for $475-600 in excellent condition, and are great buys IMHO. Several recent threads have hashed out the Tribute vs USA G&L debate...my reading is that USA wins by a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bullpencoach Posted June 22, 2005 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 I like the Nasville Tele, but I like the weight and contours of the Strat. I get enough twang out of a Les Paul, so a Strat will be fine. Always good to get some best practices though, so thanks for all the great replies. I guess a beefier bridge pickup is a mod I'd look into, perhaps a stacked humbucker like Jerry Picker has, or a P-90. Or none, if I get what I want from the middle positions...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Buerk Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Strat's are just fine for country. For a cheap mod, try putting a steel plate/bar underneath the bridge pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DonP Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Originally posted by bullpencoach I get enough twang out of a Les Paul If any of my Les Pauls twanged, I'd shoot them LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members swinglinecub Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 For my pseudo-country (kind of reminiscent of the older stuff) I use my strat's mid/bridge position, naturally with a good deal of old western style whammy bar shimmering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bullpencoach Posted June 22, 2005 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 How about maple vs. rosewood fretboard? I've been looking at both the Tribute Legacy Premium and HB Premium. The humbucker model comes only with a rosewood fretboard. I know many say the difference is miniscule, and honestly, I'm comfortable on both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members princeadr Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 There is no better pure country guitar than the Telecaster. I've had one for over 20 years and it is without question the benchmark for country guitars! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rick 381 Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Strat for country? What a silly idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bullpencoach Posted June 22, 2005 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 What an underrated guitarist. I guess mainly because most of hits are vocal ballads, and don't show off the chops he has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted June 22, 2005 Members Share Posted June 22, 2005 Originally posted by bullpencoach What an underrated guitarist. I guess mainly because most of hits are vocal ballads, and don't show off the chops he has. I'd say he is highly rated but (perhaps) little known, if the people that truly count do the rating. To be fair, he often plays one of these: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GretschGuy Posted June 23, 2005 Members Share Posted June 23, 2005 I prefer Teles but needed a Strat sound so I got this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Twang Diver Posted June 23, 2005 Members Share Posted June 23, 2005 Originally posted by Europa760 im gonna get a rio grande stelly this week. you can do something similar and just put a really hot strat single coil into the bridge.or do what i do, and put a specially made tele pick up that fits into a strat. I did the same thing. I ordered a set of Rio Grandes for my Strat. I ordered a Stelly for the bridge and Halfbreeds for the middle and neck. I also had them shield the pups and attach a bottom plate to the Stelly. I also had returned another guitar and had to wait for the credit to be added back to my card. I should be getting my Rios in a week or so. I'll let you know how they sound. It should be a good set up for me. I use the bridge pup most on a Tele and use the mid and neck pups more on a Strat so I think I will like it. I may wire it so I can combine the bridge and neck rather than bridge and middle. I considered the Nashville Tele but I wanted a whammy bar though I don't use one heavily, but I like to use one a little for subtle phrasings on certain songs. Tom Anderson makes a Hollow T Classic that is a Tele style body with the option of a whammy bar and with a Tele bridge pup and strat pups in the mid and neck. They are real nice guitars with great playability and with pretty nice stock pups, but they are pricey. Mine had the push/pull that would combine the bridge and neck which made a cool tone. They run about $2000. I wish I had never sold it. Now I am trying to build a guitar sorta like that but in a poor boy fashion. I don't have those kind of bucks to spend these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jjpistols Posted June 23, 2005 Members Share Posted June 23, 2005 Originally posted by GretschGuy I prefer Teles but needed a Strat sound so I got this: Got any more pics of the one in the back? I like that one. Have you noticed the sticker affecting tone? Or the amp-logo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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