For Those Who Don't Think the Strat Volume Control is Misplaced.

[scolfax]

[Django Sentenza]

Leo knew he screwed up. That's why he planned to discontinue it upon releasing his improved models. Unfortunately the gear buying public isn't so discerning.

[kit_strong]

 

Leo knew he screwed up. That's why he planned to discontinue it upon releasing his improved models. Unfortunately the gear buying public isn't so discerning.

 

If this is true then why do the G&L Legacies have the same placement? Just because you don't like it doesn't make it wrong.

[HanSolo]

 

If this is true then why do the G&L Legacies have the same placement? Just because you don't like it doesn't make it wrong.

 

 

Waiting for Django to respond "Yep, Leo just never learned from his mistake and continued to push that poorly designed instrument on the dumb masses"

[Django Sentenza]

 

If this is true then why do the G&L Legacies have the same placement? Just because you don't like it doesn't make it wrong.

 

 

Because G&L is a business. Doing things correctly comes second to staying in business.

[notjonahbutnoah]

Heh, I never had problems with the volume control on a Strat, and I palm mute all the time. I tell ya what actually bugs me about a strat, is the middle pickup when muting. I tent to hit it with the pick.

 

No big deal though, I love that middle pickup tone and when I do hit it while muting, it's inaudible if plugged in and at volume.

 

 

 

Because G&L is a business. Doing things correctly comes second to staying in business.

 

 

Naw. If it was in fact an oversight, which I doubt, then he left it on G&L's because by then people were doing the pinky swells and whatnot. Penicillin style, a happy accident.

 

Anyway, it's such an easy thing to fix if you don't like it. New pickguard. Done. The location of a hole in a screwed on piece of plastic is hardly a design flaw. It's almost like saying a car is unreliable due to it's stereo or something.

 

These threads about this are mind boggling.

 

If you're gonna talk {censored} about Fender, why not talk about how ridiculous it was that he devoted his life to a musical instrument which is inherently flawed and incapable of absolute pitch perfect intonation?

[Django Sentenza]

 

Heh, I never had problems with the volume control on a Strat, and I palm mute all the time. I tell ya what actually bugs me about a strat, is the middle pickup when muting. I tent to hit it with the pick. No big deal though, I love that middle pickup tone and when I do hit it while muting, it's inaudible if plugged in and at volume. Naw. If it was in fact an oversight, which I doubt, then he left it on G&L's because by then people were doing the pinky swells and whatnot. Penicillin style, a happy accident. Anyway, it's such an easy thing to fix if you don't like it. New pickguard. Done. The location of a hole in a screwed on piece of plastic is hardly a design flaw. It's almost like saying a car is unreliable due to it's stereo or something. These threads about this are mind boggling. If you're gonna talk {censored} about Fender, why not talk about how ridiculous it was that he devoted his life to a musical instrument which is inherently flawed and incapable of absolute pitch perfect intonation?

 

 

The volume knob placement is just one of MANY Strat design errors - they are legion. That's why Leo was going to discontinue it in favor of his more high end models.

[notjonahbutnoah]

 

The volume knob placement is just one of MANY Strat design errors - they are legion. That's why Leo was going to discontinue it in favor of his more high end models.

 

 

Let's see, I've heard complaints about the non angled headstock before. What are these other flaws?

[scolfax]

 

Because G&L is a business. Doing things correctly comes second to staying in business.

 

 

Both disingenuous and an incredibly weak argument.

[Django Sentenza]

 

Both disingenuous and an incredibly weak argument.

 

 

Uncorrect. Leo had absolutely planned to abandon the Strat in favor of the Jazzmaster and Jaguar. It was only popular opinion that stopped him. In other words, his legitimate need to make a profit.

[Django Sentenza]

Let's see, I've heard complaints about the non angled headstock before. What are these other flaws?

 

Headstock angle isn't really a problem. String trees work just as well as angling the headstock, and is more economical and sturdier.

 

Flaws include:

 

Presence of middle pickup, which adds nothing useful and gets in the way of picking.

Unsubtle vibrato, plagued with the most tuning issues of any Fender model

Sharp string angles behind the bridge

Noisy pickups

Incorrect angle of bridge pickup - angle should either be reversed or removed.

Ungainly looking jack placement

(A modern problem due to ubiquitousness) generic appearance and tone

Symmetrical waist not optimized for playing while sitting down

 

Once you get done fixing all the many design errors of the Strat, you end up with an instrument that looks something like this:

 

[MrChitlins]

Headstock angle isn't really a problem. String trees work just as well as angling the headstock, and is more economical and sturdier. Flaws include: Presence of middle pickup, which adds nothing useful and gets in the way of picking. Unsubtle vibrato, plagued with the most tuning issues of any Fender model Sharp string angles behind the bridge Noisy pickups Incorrect angle of bridge pickup - angle should either be reversed or removed. Ungainly looking jack placement (A modern problem due to ubiquitousness) generic appearance and tone Symmetrical waist not optimized for playing while sitting down Once you get done fixing all the many design errors of the Strat, you end up with an instrument that looks something like this:

 

 

Too bad Jimi & Stevie didn't have this monstrosity. Coulda made some decent music.

[Help!I'maRock!]

[Lonnie99]

Your NEED to constantly harp on things YOU don't like about strats is boring. You don't like them, we get it. Do you suppose there is anyone here that doesn't get it yet, or are you hoping someone will actually care?

[StringJunky]

If you're gonna talk {censored} about Fender, why not talk about how ridiculous it was that he devoted his life to a musical instrument which is inherently flawed and incapable of absolute pitch perfect intonation?

 

Finally, thank you!

 

This is a serious instrument:

[Django Sentenza]

Too bad Jimi & Stevie didn't have this monstrosity. Coulda made some decent music.

 

I'm not sure Stevie could have made some decent music on any guitar. And Jimi used so much fuzz it didn't matter what he played through. And the discussion of ergonomics becomes self-parody once we're talking about a guitar played upside down.

[Django Sentenza]

Your NEED to constantly harp on things YOU don't like about strats is boring. You don't like them, we get it. Do you suppose there is anyone here that doesn't get it yet, or are you hoping someone will actually care?

 

I was asked a question. I answered it.

[WRGKMC]

Leo wasnt much of a guitarist from what I've read.

He relied on his Jazz Musician buddies back then for input on his designs.

He'd design something and have someone try it out and use the feedback to modify his designs.

not all were good. He had a hell of a time getting a functional whammy.

From what I read, most of the players really liked the ergonomic body shape.

Maybe the volume knob placement was preferd by one musician as well.

it is quick to get to. If anything a Teles side to side switch motion is allot more

unnatureal than a strats switch is. Its also got bad placement. On my Tele builds

I flip the plate around so the switch is toward the tail and the volume is on the neck side.

 

I really have no problem with a strats volume placement. I adapt to any instrument I play.

It was wierd coming from playing gibsons though. Strings are usually higher and knobs are

placed well away from the strum path. I do prefer the Pauls position of the selector switch though.

Its allot easire to see without looking over the strum hand and easy to switch quickly.

Its a design differece between a player like Les Paul and a marketer like Leo.

[notjonahbutnoah]

Headstock angle isn't really a problem. String trees work just as well as angling the headstock, and is more economical and sturdier. Flaws include: Presence of middle pickup, which adds nothing useful and gets in the way of picking. Unsubtle vibrato, plagued with the most tuning issues of any Fender model Sharp string angles behind the bridge Noisy pickups Incorrect angle of bridge pickup - angle should either be reversed or removed. Ungainly looking jack placement (A modern problem due to ubiquitousness) generic appearance and tone Symmetrical waist not optimized for playing while sitting down Once you get done fixing all the many design errors of the Strat, you end up with an instrument that looks something like this:

 

Hmmm, interesting theories. These are very subjective.

 

Middle Pickup: Maybe you don't like it, but without it, strats cant really quack, so that's a unique feature. I also really like the tone of them by themselves. Subjective.

 

Vibrato: I think the worst thing about it is that they call it a trem and not a vibe. Also, it can be subtle. However, I have very recently learned that subtle is subjective. :poke: Subjective.

 

String over Bridge angle: Again, I just don't know about this string angle thing. Maybe the player doesn't want overtones and percussive attack. Subjective.

 

Noise: That's single coils. They're noisy. I suppose this is one thing that might count as a legit flaw, but I dunno. It's a "flaw" that is not unique to the strat, and also a very fixable one so Mildly subjective.

 

Bridge pickup angle: that's 100% subjective. Some like it, others might not. Subjective.

 

Jack: Strat jack is my favorite kind of jack. I like that it's not on the side like a tele (makes it good for sitting down) and also not right there on the pickguard so your cable isn't sticking straight out. I also think it looks sweet, and the fact that you can take just the jack plate off instead of having to do the whole pickguard makes them easy to replace/work on if need be. Subjective.

 

Generic thing doesn't count. If we're talking about Leo Fender's design flaws, and he designed the first one, this is an impossible "flaw" Not even Subjective, simply false.

 

Symmetrical waist: It's never given me any trouble. I play sitting down all the time. I find it to be very balanced. Subjective.

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, so what all this tells me is that the strat is definitely not the guitar for you, not that it's got a bunch of design flaws.

[Django Sentenza]

I do prefer the Pauls position of the selector switch though. Its allot easire to see without looking over the strum hand and easy to switch quickly. Its a design differece between a player like Les Paul and a marketer like Leo.

 

Leo also fixed that flaw in his later models.

 

[MrChitlins]

 

I'm not sure Stevie could have made some decent music on any guitar.

 

 

I'm not sure you have ears.

[Cobalt Blue]

Headstock angle isn't really a problem. String trees work just as well as angling the headstock, and is more economical and sturdier. Flaws include: Presence of middle pickup, which adds nothing useful and gets in the way of picking. Unsubtle vibrato, plagued with the most tuning issues of any Fender model Sharp string angles behind the bridge Noisy pickups Incorrect angle of bridge pickup - angle should either be reversed or removed. Ungainly looking jack placement (A modern problem due to ubiquitousness) generic appearance and tone Symmetrical waist not optimized for playing while sitting down Once you get done fixing all the many design errors of the Strat, you end up with an instrument that looks something like this:

 

Those guitars are hideous, though.

 

Oh, you think that's untrue? That's fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It's all subjective. So why do the small-minded people here need to create thread after thread after thread about why they don't like Strats? It's ridiculous.

[MrChitlins]

Is this an Uma Fartesta alt ?

[Django Sentenza]

 

Those guitars are hideous, though. Oh, you think that's untrue? That's fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It's all subjective. So why do the small-minded people here need to create thread after thread after thread about why they don't like Strats? It's ridiculous.

 

 

Uncorrect. It's the pinnacle of 20th century solid body design.

[Help!I'maRock!]

 

Is this an Uma Fartesta alt ?

 

 

not alt. new identity.