Talk Me Out Of Buying A Strat!

[Mr.Grumpy]

Reasons NOT to get a strat:

 

1) Single coil hum

2) Everyone and their grandma plays strats.

3) Longer-than-Gibson scale might hurt your widdle fingers

4) Lousy sustain

5) Vibrato bridge hassles

6) Thin, trebly "tone"

7) weak pickup output

8) Only good for country, surf or disco music.

[blingdogg]

frampton

Ah, that's it.

[Eddie]

Since I started playing I always wanted a Strat. I still have a very nice Korean(?) Squier Strat. In the words of a guy who worked at Fender, I got one of the good ones.

Over the years whenever I've been close to buying a Fender Strat, I end up with a better alternative for my money, such as Melancon, US Masters or G&L. I did like the Rory Gallagher model quite a bit, but I would never pay that much for that guitar.

There are many great alternatives out there. Some I never had but wanted were a Hamer Daytona and a Levinson Blade.

[Muddslide]

I wish I could help dissuade you, but I'm a recent convert myself.

 

After 30-odd years of owning Strats on again/off again and never really giving two figs for them, I found myself in a position with no functioning electric guitar available to me and almost no money to get my hands on one.

 

Until I went into a pawn shop a couple weeks back and scored a Squier Strat for $35 (talked down from $50.)

 

Now I've really bonded with it and I "get it."

 

The Tele is still my favorite all time solidbody electric, but the Strat serves me perfectly in what I am playing these days.

 

Yeah, they don't have a lot of hipster cred at the moment, if you give a {censored} about that. And yeah, everyone and their brother's dog owns at least one it seems. And yeah, a lot of Strat playing sounds really "meh" in the hands of certain people, but screw the haters.

 

Hell, mine's even black which is even more boring than many Strats.

 

But I couldn't be happier really.

 

They are very versatile and have been an industry standard for almost 60 years with damn good reason. I think we forget how important they were to the development of the electric guitar just because they are so ubiquitous and iconic.

 

They have their problems, and can be tempermental, but at base they are really marvels of engineering and design.

 

I don't know if anyone "needs" ANY guitar.

 

But if you are going to have more than one, a Strat is a great one to have in your quiver.

[faberbz]

well, if you're thinking you need a Strat to complete your collection, then, in your minds, you collection will never be complete without a Strat.

 

Good thing that a Strat is a classic! And it's a classic for a reason.

 

Stick to your budget, and play lots of 'em before buying. There are Strats for every budget.

 

Post pics when you get it.

[Pine Apple Slim]

Do you have a trem?

Do you want one?

If not, I wouldnt bother.

Unless your like me, and like the tone a strat trem produces, but dont really use the trem.

Like everything else, certain things about a Strat tone cannot be replicated. The spoingyness of the trem/bridge are unique to the design IMO. If you real gotta have that, go ahead.

[poolshark]

You don't need a Strat, and I am quite serious. Here's why:

 

1. They hang weird, unless you play at nip level.

2. Completely inoffensive and non-unique looks. They are the oatmeal of guitar aesthetic.

3. Unless you *want* to be 45 and copping tired SRV licks, in-between positions are stupid.

4. The bridge is a nightmare. If you float it, it's fragile. If you deck it, it won't stay in tune.

5. Unless you're blasting through a 100-watt stack, your tone will always be acceptable for elevator music.

6. What a terrible bridge pickup.

6a. Strats breed neck pickup heroes.

7. It's basically a neutered Telecaster, complete with a few curves and fiddly bits attached to appease the women.

[Roy]

the only reason to not buy a strat is if you already have 3.

[jonPhillips]

 

the only reason to not buy a strat is if you already have more than 10.

 

 

Fixed.

[HanSolo]

Please, quick someone GIVE him a strat!!!!!!!!!

 

Nurse, get this man Strat ... Stat!

[benzem]

Do I? Yes, you need a strat.

 

Which? 100 more and get the US strat

 

WHY? cuz you need stratty sounds

 

[Cobalt Blue]

You need a Strat. Even if it's only for a couple of months to find out that a Strat is not for you, you need to buy and play and live with a Strat so as to find that out.

[cratz2]

L. It's going to make me look like Jimi H or Dave Gilmour, if i have the right clothes, or male pattern baldness. But it sure as hell 'aint going to make me sound like either of them.

 

Wait a tick... did he just say an unkind thing about Mr Gilmour?

 

Get a rope!

 

 

 

[Willyguitar]

M. Tony Blair plays a stratocaster (apparently)

 

N. Dave: What's that funny fizzy, plinky noise? Roger: It's your guitar Dave. Dave: Hang on a minute, let me rack up a few more effects. Roger: Ahhh. That's better.

 

O. Mark Knopfler headbandtastic. Jeans with white trainers.

[d_dave_c]

Would Corey Parks ever look twice at a guy with a strat? No

 

Would Blaine Cartwright or Ruyter Suys play a strat? No

 

End of discussion. YOU don't need a strat.

 

It might be okay for other people, but c'mon... you? You don't need a strat. You don't really want one.

[PunkKitty]

Why would we, a bunch of gear addicts, talk you out of buying the Strat? Find one that you like and buy it already.

[burton4snow]

I bought a Tele to get the single coil experience and I am happy with it. What is going to be the big difference between the Tele and a Strat?

[Deadbeat Son]

I bought a Strat and regret it. Want it?

[NHLfan2010]

No. You need the strat. Road Worn's are good value, the american specials, i think are a little cheaper than the standards, but still quality guitars. Or you can jump on the new blacktop wagon?

 

Ok he said he has humbuckers...why would he get a blacktop?

 

But to the OP, YES!!! you do need a strat. Everyone on this earth needs a strat! The "quack" at 4 is something that I cannot live without anymore. And the cleans with the neck and the mid+neck are just awesome! I say buck up and get an american one...if you really want to you can "road wear" that one yourself.

[Orange Jackson]

If you have to ask, you'll never know.

[Alexbiscuit]

i never use #4, sounds too cheese for me

[DaleH]

Why the hell not.

[d_dave_c]

tele > strat.

 

Let's move on. Nothing to see here.

 

If you feel like you need a 3 single coil guitar, at least get one with a little personality, like a vox phantom or a Yamaha SGV:

 

 

[burton4snow]

I am looking seriously at the Highway One Strat. My Tele is a Highway One and I really like it. I put SC noisless in it and it sounds pretty good but I don't know if the noisless pickups take away from the Tele vibe because I never compared any other Teles. Maybe someone could set me straight on this because I think I might need a pickup upgrade on the Highway One Strat. Maybe not. What are people opinions on this? Are the pickups good in the Highway One Strat and if not is Noisless a good option or do you ruin the Strat vibe with those? And what would be a good pickup upgrade?

[steve_man]

Reasons NOT to get a strat: 1) Single coil hum 2) Everyone and their grandma plays strats. 3) Longer-than-Gibson scale might hurt your widdle fingers 4) Lousy sustain 5) Vibrato bridge hassles 6) Thin, trebly "tone" 7) weak pickup output 8) Only good for country, surf or disco music.