Jump to content

Vintage strat vs modern strat


IbanezJon

Recommended Posts

  • Members

What's the main difference you can expect to hear from a vintage modifed or classic vibe strat compared to a modern one like "standard strat"?

 

Is it mainly just the pickups? (I'm talking about single coils, no fat strats. )

 

Is it the output? Or also EQ characteristics?

 

Is there styles of music that one is suited more then the other, for example which one would be better suited for funk or blues? Or pop rock?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Sticking with the three listed. Ergonomics-wise, it's a push, very similar necks. The neck is the vintage narrow nut, but the modern 9.5" fretboard radius and medium frets....a popular compromise on vintage aesthetics and modern playablity that is probably the most popular option from their higher-end CS reissues.

 

Classic Vibe...very classic, '50's style PU's... Clapton, Gilmour and others have no trouble with these and rock or blues-rock, but they are that definitely clean, snappy, Buddy Holly style Strat tone.

 

Vintage Modified...stacked humbucking PU's...so-called "noiseless single coils." No hum, a more middle-of-the-road Strat tone, some more mids and output, will do classic Strat tone easily but wound with the knowledge that most players are looking for a rock tone. Also available with humbucker for more rock "umph!" and versatility.

 

Standard Strat...solid Strat tone, but also generically so. I really don't know what to say, if the Classic Vibe is "french vanilla," these are more just plain "vanilla." The other two are more premiere Squires while this is the bottom end of the Fender line.

 

With the exception of the stacked PU's (and optional HB) in the vintage modified, none of these are really trying to Fender Strat mold, they are all Strat-y guitars. If you were to go toward American Standards or American Deluxes, or various other models, that's where you really start to see PU's going off on there own tangents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I can only speak for vintage vs modern pickups.

What I hear in modern single coils are rounder, punchier tones that can handle a little dirt (or even a lot). These are great for most modern blues, pop, southern rock, etc.

 

"Vintage wound" single coils sound thinner to me, but they have those classic strat characteristics like bright, chimey clean tones, and the "quack" in position 2. That's a perfect sound for funk. reggae, & cleaner blues.

 

To my ear, Clapton and Knopfler recordings from the 70s are pure vintage tones. SRV is pure modern 'hot' tones.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Hey Chuck, what about Eric Johnson or John Mayer tones? Where do they fit in?

 

My opinion only... :D

 

I would say that John Mayer has a very modern sound - big, round, beautiful (until he opens is mouth)

 

Johnson's sound...I'm sorry, it's just a blurry mess of reverb, chorus, and delay. I can't hear the guitar for the effects... I'm not a fan. :lol:

 

No offense to fans of either. I really do like Mayer's tone a lot though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...