But the things it does well - the neck pickup cleans, the quack tones - no other guitar can touch. There are some things the Strat struggles to pull off: the true depth and meat native to PAF-type humbuckers and the bridge pickup twang native to Telecasters. The model has led to countless 'Super Strat' iterations that fueled hair metal in the '80s and plenty of 'partcasters' with odd pickup combinations. On one hand, you have a very defined, iconic character (see calling cards above). It is this double-life that has made the Strat so enduring. Even Ritchie Blackmore put one to good use: 'Smoke on the Water,' that iconic heavy riff, was played with a '68 Stratocaster. Yngwie Malmsteen shreds a Strat to this day, albeit with plenty of gain and scalloped frets. But there are other players who have built careers playing one in less obvious ways.īilly Corgan played a Strat with with tons of gain and fuzz (his signature model had DiMarzio humbuckers) for most of the earlier Smashing Pumpkins years. They played in ways that leveraged the unique character of the Strat and made that a part of their sound. The players above are responsible for the sales of millions of Stratocasters.
Players can keep it in their hand to articulate in real-time (watch latter-day Jeff Beck at work). Listen to Mark Knopfler milk these in the video example below.Ī vibrato bar (trem arm) with more give than a Bigsby. When the selector had only 3 positions in earlier years, players would stick the switch in these sweet spots. The 2 and 4 positions on the 5-way selector, sometimes called the quack tones. But it would take a few artists, who were revolutionary themselves, to turn people on to this new paradigm.Ī neck pickup tone like no other. Not just 'Parker Fly' new, not just a postmodern reimagining. Its body shape, three single-coil pickups, and futuristic vibrato bridge - now an endlessly copied template, a universal shorthand for electric guitar - were completely new concepts. And here comes the Strat, eagerly showing players the virtues of extra pickups and a crazy lever for detuning before they knew they wanted it. People were still trying to figure out exactly where solidbody electric guitars fit into the picture. The Fender Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul had just come out a few years prior. When the Strat debuted in 1954, players weren't sure what to make of it. But what are the real characteristics that polarize people around these two models? Stratocasterįender Stratocaster: Glass, Bells, and Quacks There are some superficial differences: body shape and a neck pocket geometry (square on Teles, rounded on Strats). For the sake of consistency, I'll reference what players consider the classic specs for each. The same finishes are usually available for both, and the body wood has been interchangeable (there have been plenty of ash-bodied Strats and alder Teles through the years). The Stratocaster and Telecaster at a Glanceīefore you start arguing that some Teles have Bigsbys or extra pickups or that some Strats have hardtail bridges, keep in mind that the table above shows the high-level comparison between the current Fender American Standard offerings for both models. Whether you're looking to buy or wondering which guitar would be best to record that particular sound you've been hearing in your head for weeks, here's a primer.
These differences have led to divergent histories, player endorsements, lore and fan bases. The headstock logo on those looks amber or even gold because the lacquer over it is not as clear.Īt the same time, Strats and Teles are different in some significant ways. Another difference you may be noticing is that some guitars have 'antique' finishes where they add a little amber or yellow color to the lacquer. Together, they carry the coat-of-arms of the family Fender: single-coil pop, bright articulation, and endless versatility.Ī guild headstock logo, now that's mother of toilet seat. If you looked at electric guitars through the lens of genealogy, the Stratocaster and Telecaster would seem like brothers born three years apart.
0 kommentar(er)
