:::Is There Any Way To Get A Strat To Sound Like A Wolfgang EVH Guitar?

[NDL]

I know absolutely nothing about guitars, and for years, I have debated learning how to play. Now, I am at the point where I might pull the trigger.

I have listened to several different guitars, and my choice now is between an EVH Wolfgang Standard and a Fender Stratocaster.

I love the Wolfgang because it has balls, although I am a little concerned about the build quality consistancy of the cheapest model.

The other choice is a Strat, and for a little more money than the standard Wolfgang, you're getting a beautifully made guitar whose sound I love. But therein comes the rub: I love the sound of the Strat, but I wish that it had a little more balls. At the same time, I love the sound of the Wolfgang, but I wish that it sounded a little more like the Strat.

Is there a bridge between both guitars? Is there a way to give an "out of the box" Strat a little more of a ballsy sound?

[Brett]

Do you know how to play at all? Is this your first guitar?

[Get The Show On The Road]

I know absolutely nothing about guitars, and for years, I have debated learning how to play. Now, I am at the point where I might pull the trigger.

I have listened to several different guitars, and my choice now is between an EVH Wolfgang Standard and a Fender Stratocaster.

I love the Wolfgang because it has balls, although I am a little concerned about the build quality consistancy of the cheapest model.

The other choice is a Strat, and for a little more money than the standard Wolfgang, you're getting a beautifully made guitar whose sound I love. But therein comes the rub: I love the sound of the Strat, but I wish that it had a little more balls. At the same time, I love the sound of the Wolfgang, but I wish that it sounded a little more like the Strat.

Is there a bridge between both guitars? Is there a way to give an "out of the box" Strat a little more of a ballsy sound?

Well, if you want a Strat to sound like a Wolf what you need to do is pull out the single coil pick up, chisel out the cavity so that you can fit a humbucker in it, and wire it straight to the volume knob if you can't figure out how to wire up the rest of it.

[Brett]

Just buy a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge.

If you’re just learning to play the instrument, it really doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend a lot of money on a guitar. You just need something to learn on at first to make sure you want to keep doing it. It’s a very frustrating instrument and a lot of people get discouraged really easily, so you don’t want to go all out on spending for a great guitar. Plus until you really start to play you don’t know what you like yet or what feel you are looking for.

I mean shit I learned to play on a $50 acoustic.

[Rokgtar]

I started playing electric with a mid 80's Fender Squier Strat, which was about $225.00 in 1986 ( I bought it new). It didn't sound all that great at first, but a few years later I got a Seymour Duncan Hot Rail pickup for it - that really changed the sound of the guitar! And it is a single coil size pickup, so no chiseling required (no offense GTSOTR ). Around the same time I found a couple of used Eric Clapton Lace Sensor pickups for it as well and installed those. That gave me the clean strat cluck I wanted. That $225.00 guitar is still my main axe; its cheap and there is not much value to it but I love the thing.

Just an FYI about Squier guitars - they are Fender guitars, but they are now made in Korea I think. The one I have was made in Japan, and apparently the build quality was much better for the Japanese Squier models.

[marcin]

I know absolutely nothing about guitars, and for years, I have debated learning how to play. Now, I am at the point where I might pull the trigger.

I have listened to several different guitars, and my choice now is between an EVH Wolfgang Standard and a Fender Stratocaster.

I love the Wolfgang because it has balls, although I am a little concerned about the build quality consistancy of the cheapest model.

The other choice is a Strat, and for a little more money than the standard Wolfgang, you're getting a beautifully made guitar whose sound I love. But therein comes the rub: I love the sound of the Strat, but I wish that it had a little more balls. At the same time, I love the sound of the Wolfgang, but I wish that it sounded a little more like the Strat.

Is there a bridge between both guitars? Is there a way to give an "out of the box" Strat a little more of a ballsy sound?

If you want to play Me Wise Magic & Summer Nights...someday, you need an axe with with a humbucker pickup, Floyd Rose bridge (1000 series is OK) and Trans Trem, capo, or a Digitech Drop pedal. However, start with something simple but cool - like Ain't Talkin' Bout Love (VH) or even easier stuff - think Breaking the Law by Judas Priest, etc. Then, maybe you will be able to rip Me Wise Magic...someday.

Just buy a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge.

If you’re just learning to play the instrument, it really doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend a lot of money on a guitar. You just need something to learn on at first to make sure you want to keep doing it. It’s a very frustrating instrument and a lot of people get discouraged really easily, so you don’t want to go all out on spending for a great guitar. Plus until you really start to play you don’t know what you like yet or what feel you are looking for.

I mean shit I learned to play on a $50 acoustic.

Yeah, but he won't be good to go playing VH on an acoustic. In addition, a decent amp with gain channel and built-in reverb is needed. The best price-quality ratio for practice amps... Roland Micro Cube unless you are looking for an amp for gigging. In addition, keep that in mind (when we say goodbye), that you need your gain cranked when playing Van Halen. I remember trying to get those random harmonics by gliding up and down a string with side of your hand while trilling (think Good Enough or SGMAD) on Orange Micro Crush (no gain, just shitty overdrive). There are Youtube tutorials how to do it (no shit), but they usually won't tell you about the need for high gain. Do You believe? Don't you trust me? Me Wise Magic Yeah yeah! Woahohoh!

And by the way - guitar playing does not get chicks:

[Brett]

My point was you don’t need a great guitar to learn on, as I learned on a cheap acoustic. To spend a lot of money on something you don’t know if you’re going to really enjoy or totally understand yet seems foolish.

[marcin]

Yeah, sure. Still, quality guitars tend to sell for good money on eBay. I started playing back in 2001, then stopped just to come back to guitar playing in 2010, haha. The availability of guitar tabs, tutorials, sheet music, guitar lessons has skyrocketed since 2001 for sure. I truly recommend Jeff Fiorentino - EVH style and tone master. Check him out:

Lessons:
http://jfrocksguitarlessons.com/guitarlessons/vinheut/

Brown Sound tips:
http://jfrocksguitarlessons.com/van-halen-brownsound/

Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/jeff-fiorenti...n-style-jeff-1

[danielleesale]

I have a Fender USA Strat w/a humbucker in the bridge and I play it into the same amp as my EVH Wolfgang Special and the sound is comparable. It's probably my second-favorite-sounding guitar, the EVH being the first.

The cheaper Wolfgang Standards will sound good if they have the same pickups as the others in the line, but I don't know if they do. I read one review where someone was let down because of the way it sounded, and he had another EVH to compare it to.

That being said, I don't know what all was going on with that situation, so it could mean nothing. If they *are* selling the Standards with the exact same pickups, then I suppose they're worth a try.

[marcin]

Alternate picking, economy picking, and downward/upward pickslanting... Check this out:






Troy Grady...

[Get The Show On The Road]

I started playing electric with a mid 80's Fender Squier Strat, which was about $225.00 in 1986 ( I bought it new). It didn't sound all that great at first, but a few years later I got a Seymour Duncan Hot Rail pickup for it - that really changed the sound of the guitar! And it is a single coil size pickup, so no chiseling required (no offense GTSOTR ). Around the same time I found a couple of used Eric Clapton Lace Sensor pickups for it as well and installed those. That gave me the clean strat cluck I wanted. That $225.00 guitar is still my main axe; its cheap and there is not much value to it but I love the thing.

Just an FYI about Squier guitars - they are Fender guitars, but they are now made in Korea I think. The one I have was made in Japan, and apparently the build quality was much better for the Japanese Squier models.

I learned on a shitty Ibanez that cost around 180 bucks in 1992. I think I spent another 150 or so on a Fender amp.

Waited until I got decent enough and decided I wanted to continue with the instrument before I saved up and forked over 16 or 17 hundred bucks on my EBMM in 1994 and it's been my main guitar ever since.

Nothing plays like it for me. The Ibanez got repurposed into my blue and white striped Strat that I built in 1996. I got a new body because the Ibanez had three pickup holes but i kept the neck and the electronics.

[NDL]

Just buy a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge.

If you’re just learning to play the instrument, it really doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend a lot of money on a guitar. You just need something to learn on at first to make sure you want to keep doing it. It’s a very frustrating instrument and a lot of people get discouraged really easily, so you don’t want to go all out on spending for a great guitar. Plus until you really start to play you don’t know what you like yet or what feel you are looking for.

I mean shit I learned to play on a $50 acoustic.

Brett - I appreciate your time, and sharing of knowledge. This would be my first guitar, and as of today, I cannot play anything.

What you've said makes a great deal of sense, but here's my thought process behind the purchase:

- I can get my hands on my Dad's acoustic, but it doesn't have the draw that an electric guitar has (in my mind). And if I don't get the same degree of enthusiasm that I might have over an electric, it might discourage me to the extent that I will put the instrument down.

- From there, if I go with a cheap electric guitar, it makes sense - not knowing if I will stick with the instrument - but if I am going to pluck down a couple of hundred on a cheap guitar, I might as well go the extra hundred or two for something better.

(In all of this, I am not saying that my thought process is correct - I could be wrong - but I wanted to share my line of thought. Either way, I plan on moving in the Fall, so this isn't a purchase that I would make right now, but I am interested enough to ask questions. I do thank you for your time and council)

Well, if you want a Strat to sound like a Wolf what you need to do is pull out the single coil pick up, chisel out the cavity so that you can fit a humbucker in it, and wire it straight to the volume knob if you can't figure out how to wire up the rest of it.

I thank you for your time, and sharing of knowledge

If you want to play Me Wise Magic & Summer Nights...someday, you need an axe with with a humbucker pickup, Floyd Rose bridge (1000 series is OK) and Trans Trem, capo, or a Digitech Drop pedal. However, start with something simple but cool - like Ain't Talkin' Bout Love (VH) or even easier stuff - think Breaking the Law by Judas Priest, etc. Then, maybe you will be able to rip Me Wise Magic...someday.



Yeah, but he won't be good to go playing VH on an acoustic. In addition, a decent amp with gain channel and built-in reverb is needed. The best price-quality ratio for practice amps... Roland Micro Cube unless you are looking for an amp for gigging. In addition, keep that in mind (when we say goodbye), that you need your gain cranked when playing Van Halen. I remember trying to get those random harmonics by gliding up and down a string with side of your hand while trilling (think Good Enough or SGMAD) on Orange Micro Crush (no gain, just shitty overdrive). There are Youtube tutorials how to do it (no shit), but they usually won't tell you about the need for high gain. Do You believe? Don't you trust me? Me Wise Magic Yeah yeah! Woahohoh!

And by the way - guitar playing does not get chicks:

Thank you for your time and sharing of knowledge. Strats don't come with a humbucker pickup from the factory, or can they be specked that way? Or should I keep my eyes open for a used Strat with a humbucker?

Either way, I don't plan on doing anything soon, but y'all are giving me a lot of knowledge when I do make my purchase.

Thanks to all!

[NDL]

I have a Fender USA Strat w/a humbucker in the bridge and I play it into the same amp as my EVH Wolfgang Special and the sound is comparable. It's probably my second-favorite-sounding guitar, the EVH being the first.

The cheaper Wolfgang Standards will sound good if they have the same pickups as the others in the line, but I don't know if they do. I read one review where someone was let down because of the way it sounded, and he had another EVH to compare it to.

That being said, I don't know what all was going on with that situation, so it could mean nothing. If they *are* selling the Standards with the exact same pickups, then I suppose they're worth a try.

I appreciate your input. Thank you!

[Rokgtar]

My point was you don’t need a great guitar to learn on, as I learned on a cheap acoustic. To spend a lot of money on something you don’t know if you’re going to really enjoy or totally understand yet seems foolish.

You know, I too learned the basics on a cheap acoustic guitar. I didn’t even own it; a friend who had a Les Paul and an Ampeg stack lent it to me. I’m not even sure after all these years what possessed me to learn to play. It wasn’t visions of stardom, nor did I care about impressing anyone. But something clicked, I was hooked and it’s been a real joy to be able to play guitar all these years. I never get tired of it, and when I play it’s my escape. Its truly therapeutic.

[NDL]

You know, I too learned the basics on a cheap acoustic guitar. I didn’t even own it; a friend who had a Les Paul and an Ampeg stack lent it to me. I’m not even sure after all these years what possessed me to learn to play. It wasn’t visions of stardom, nor did I care about impressing anyone. But something clicked, I was hooked and it’s been a real joy to be able to play guitar all these years. I never get tired of it, and when I play it’s my escape. Its truly therapeutic.

How long did it take you, as an adult, to learn some licks?

***

I understand about the therapeutic effects of music; as much as I can't play anything, whenever I listen to my favorite band, it's almost as if I am in my own "space" - though the feeling is tough to describe.