Fender Strat tone.

[againstthewind]

Just thinking out loud here. Ya know, I can never get with a Strat and have it feel right unless the sound is completely clean, I.E. Little Wing, or some simple Eagles tune. Every time I try to turn up some...not distortion, but just rock and roll/blues, it never sounds right....it never feels right. I play around and play around, adjust this try that, buy this or that...even after I give up, I come back months later and try again....but, I always come back to the humbucker, for me, this is where it is. Honestly, makes me really appreciate those who can get a great sound out of those damn thin-ass little single coil bitches, I just wonder what they know that I don't....maybe they are just that talented, maybe they just have the know..I dunno'. I know I love my humbuckers, and my Wolfgang, and I really appreciate those out there who can play a Strat and make it right.

[Warmoth]

I'm not a big strat guys either, but what works well is to use two amps at one time. You can do it easily with two simple combo amp for starters. For example, take a Marshall combo amp and a fender combo amp. Run the two amps together simultaneously via a a/b switch. Get a good thick yet midrangy Marshall tone from the combo. Now, Run a distortion pedal to the fender combo. The distortion pedal is key in this formula. It is used to balance distorion tones between the two amps and create the sound you are looking for. What you need to do is dial in the correct amount of distortion required for the sound you want. Adjust the tone (treble) and the amount of the distortion you need or want so it blends well with the Marshall (or other amp you are using) so that the two tones coming out of the amps create a wide and thick spectrum of sound. Too much distortion is not always a good thing. One amp can be gritty, the other one thick. This way you keep some of that true strat sound but give it some raunch as well. My recommendation is a sansamp tech 21 distortion pedal. They have a lot of variations. The Mesa Boogie setting is very cool.

Also ... Try experimenting by adding a delay through one of the amps f/x loops. This will give you a neat "stereo type" effect. Set it at about 30% feedback and 385 delay time. HAVE FUN!

[Space_Cowboy]

Its all the way you play the guitar. I've been playing a wolfie for almost 6 years. I don't have any other guitars so its the only one I play. As the years go on my sound gets better and the gear has nothing to do with it. Play a strat for a while and listen to how your sound gets better.

[Axxman300]

They key to getting that warm Stratocaster sound is in your mid-range. Fenders tend to be trebbly anyway, so you dial-down the trebble to 6 and then boost your mid-range and your bass.

Then you have to fiddle around with your tone knobs on your Strat as well as figure out your pickup selections and combination.

From there you can tried a stomp-box graphic EQ to flesh out that sound a little more . A Chorus is always a nice touch with a Stratocaster too.

I've always wondered if there isn't a comspiracy at Fender because Strats through the Fender Twin have that melted-butter sound.

[Ed shred]

Just thinking out loud here. Ya know, I can never get with a Strat and have it feel right unless the sound is completely clean, I.E. Little Wing, or some simple Eagles tune. Every time I try to turn up some...not distortion, but just rock and roll/blues, it never sounds right....it never feels right. I play around and play around, adjust this try that, buy this or that...even after I give up, I come back months later and try again....but, I always come back to the humbucker, for me, this is where it is. Honestly, makes me really appreciate those who can get a great sound out of those damn thin-ass little single coil bitches, I just wonder what they know that I don't....maybe they are just that talented, maybe they just have the know..I dunno'. I know I love my humbuckers, and my Wolfgang, and I really appreciate those out there who can play a Strat and make it right.

Dude you absolutley have to go to www.kinman.com and check out these strat pickups. Listen to the clips! I installed some of these in my strat and it totally rocks. I have the blues set, but I now want them all as far as strat tone is concerned this is the answer oh by the way they are noiseless!

[lil'devil]

yeah i can't stand strats either.

the only thing that i can maybe see using a strat for is that whole surf sound, but then i can get tapped humbuckers and get that sound anyway.

i think you haveto 'bond' with the tone of the guitar in some way ... it has to inspire you to keep you playing and innovating.

for example, i just had a real floyd rose system installed on my wolfgang standard, done by barry ewart here in vacouver (he does amazing work), and man i can't believe how much improvement in tone and feel there is. it's like night and day, and now i am even more inspired to play than before.

stevie ray vaughn managed to get a good sound of a strat, i just can't it's not the sound i hear in my head.