Recommend me a Strat

P

peckhart

Active member
I've been playing humbucker equipped guitars for years. Mostly Les Pauls and my PRS McCarty, but I have had a few others like my Peavey Wolfgang and some Charvel Pro Mods.
Breaking back into some blues, funk, jam band type stuff and want to get a Strat into the mix for true single coil middle and neck sounds.
Pretty sure I want to stick with a humbucker for the bridge though.

Anyone have any suggestions of American made HSS Strats I may like? I liked those Pro Mods at times, but in the end the thin neck was an issue. I like bigger necks and generally prefer rosewood. I'm not asking to find what Strat plays like a Les Paul, but rather which ones make for a fairly easy transition between the two. I have to imagine there are players on here that have Strats and LPs that they can get along with.
 
A good middle ground that can get you the sweet bite of a good single coil, while maintaining some of the humbucker edge is a P-90 equipped guitar.
I recently grabbed a Musicman Axis Supersport that has their version of P90's (MM90's) and it's great. You can find them used for around $1K, but can get into a stat for well less than that.

Having said that, I also have a strat, as well as a tele.. sometimes you just want the real thing...
Good luck with your search.
 
If you're looking for a fat neck, find a 62 Hot Rod AVRI. Nice chunky neck, they're SSS but you can always drop in a humbucker (or roll the bridge tone knob down to 4).
 
50s reissue if you like chunky necks...but that usually means vintage size frets too...
 
I have to chime in on this, I too was born and raised a Les Paul guy and never could find a Strat I liked until I ran into the Highway One in 2002. The one I found was from the NAMM show that year and the dealer that I buy from bought the whole line (4 colors of that 1st year) right from the show floor. I took the Walnut Nitro finish. To me they play unlike any other Strat I've ever played. Nice thin neck and Med Jumbo frets. The humbucker in the bridge position helped seal the deal.

I played almost exclusively for 4-5 years I like it that much. Now days with the arsenal of Gibson's I have I don't really need another guitar with a humbucker in the bridge position so I went purist and changed it to 3 single coils. Best move I ever made. The thing sounds wicked, Strat tones for days which is exactly what I was looking for.
 

Attachments

  • 2004 Highway 1 HSS Strat (Modified)_sm.jpg
    2004 Highway 1 HSS Strat (Modified)_sm.jpg
    75 KB · Views: 840
  • Strat 3 PU Pickguard copy.jpg
    Strat 3 PU Pickguard copy.jpg
    72 KB · Views: 837
Are most Strat bodies routed for a Humbucker?

I'll hit my GC and see what they have for American Pro and Elites to try. Wish there were still Standards around to compare although it seems specs change a bit from year to year making it hard to go with a used one unplayed.
About 6 years ago I set out to get a Strat and played some Standards. I recall liking them for the most part but decided to do a Partscaster, which I do still have. It's ok, but doesn't play like I would like. I got a mighty might body that o had to drill myself for the trem posts. It's off a C hair and overall it just seems to play stiffer like a lesser guitar.
I put D Allen pickups in it and when I went to try it through my Bad Cat recently the bridge just seemed so weak compared to my humbuckers. I just don't know if that is right or something is off with that guitar. I know plenty of guys get away with rocking fairly high gain on single coil bridges.
I've got some experimenting to do for sure. I appreciate all the input so far.
 
Spent my lunch at GC today. Played an American Pro with Rosewood neck and SSS, American Pro HSS, '04 Deluxe HSS and a Tom Anderson Tele with a humbucker bridge.

Man that Anderson was nice. Way more $$ than I can even think about right now though.
I did like the neck on the Pros. Action was too high to get a real feel on either one. The Deluxe was set up nice and played and sounded great. I was left wanting more beef on the neck like the Pros had though.
The only Elite they had was a Tele, but I ran out of time. I am starting to lean towards a lot of the features of the Elite, but if the neck is the same as that Deluxe I'm just not sure. Still wrestling with the HSS vs SSS thing too. If I go single bridge would a Hot Rail give me humbucker tone if I end up not liking it? I could also go humbucker bridge and swap out to a single bridge since the route is big enough and it's just a new pup and guard.
I'll hit House of Guitars next week.
 
Had the same experience with Anderson years ago. Happened upon a killer Drop Top while trying guitars. Couldn't get that thing out of my head. Saved up for a few years and finally got one. :) Even so, sometimes only a Strat will scratch that itch. I have a mutt SSS Strat that I love and play all the freaking time.

Too bad about the high action on the Pros you tried. Setup issues and crusty strings can be such a deal breaker when trying guitars.

I've never had a Hot Rails but have had a few single coil sized humbuckers (JB Jr, etc.) IMHO, you're still dealing with a narrower field so they're never going to give you the same fullness as a full-sized humbucker.
 
HellraiserJohnny":a1yu8hak said:
I have to chime in on this, I too was born and raised a Les Paul guy and never could find a Strat I liked until I ran into the Highway One in 2002. The one I found was from the NAMM show that year and the dealer that I buy from bought the whole line (4 colors of that 1st year) right from the show floor. I took the Walnut Nitro finish. To me they play unlike any other Strat I've ever played. Nice thin neck and Med Jumbo frets. The humbucker in the bridge position helped seal the deal.

I played almost exclusively for 4-5 years I like it that much. Now days with the arsenal of Gibson's I have I don't really need another guitar with a humbucker in the bridge position so I went purist and changed it to 3 single coils. Best move I ever made. The thing sounds wicked, Strat tones for days which is exactly what I was looking for.
Click to expand...
I'll second the Highway One Strat. When I decided to get a Strat, I already had an SG and an LP. The Strat that caught me was a 2006 Highway 1. I like the way it sounds and the way it feels.
 
HellraiserJohnny":3nh2ov64 said:
I have to chime in on this, I too was born and raised a Les Paul guy and never could find a Strat I liked until I ran into the Highway One in 2002. The one I found was from the NAMM show that year and the dealer that I buy from bought the whole line (4 colors of that 1st year) right from the show floor. I took the Walnut Nitro finish. To me they play unlike any other Strat I've ever played. Nice thin neck and Med Jumbo frets. The humbucker in the bridge position helped seal the deal.

I played almost exclusively for 4-5 years I like it that much. Now days with the arsenal of Gibson's I have I don't really need another guitar with a humbucker in the bridge position so I went purist and changed it to 3 single coils. Best move I ever made. The thing sounds wicked, Strat tones for days which is exactly what I was looking for.
Click to expand...
Yup! I use the exact guitar as my number one Strat. Mine is an 04' and the finish is called Cocoa Transparent Brown.

 
I got to play an American Pro and Elite side by side today.
I preferred the Elite. I've always liked compound radius fretboards and also found the way the profile changes from C to D really works. I didn't really feel a difference in the depth of the neck profile down low. I haven't checked the specs and I am assuming the neck width is the same, but something was telling my brain the Elite was wider. It actually reminded me more of my LP Axcess necks.
I liked the N4s better than the vmods, but unfortunately the only Elite they had was HSS so I didn't get to try a single coil bridge.
Definitely leaning heavy towards an Elite.
 
I have a G&L Legacy Strat with a lil JB. Also installed a Graph tech Ghost piezo system. Sounds great but sucks down batteries rather quickly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top