Strat & Les Paul = a rock and a hard place

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petejt

petejt

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I've been playing a Fender Stratocaster way too much. It's my housemate's Strat, actually a Fat Strat that was made in Mexico. It got a full setup by a local reputable guitar technician (called Nitrovane). I only has 22 frets, which is fine for me.

I just LOVE the sound of this thing. Clean tones it is just MAGIC. Semi-dirty tones are awesome too. I love using the 2nd & 4th positions, and also the neck pickup but picking the strings in different places. That Glassy Twang virtually makes me wet.

The only thing that is lacking is the sound of the stock humbucking bridge pickup, for dirty sounds. As I guessed, there is not enough strength, chunk and low-mid roar compared to the sound of my Les Paul copy (ESP ltd ec-400) loaded with Suhr Doug Aldrich humbuckers.

I like to have just one guitar that can do everything, rather than use different guitars, because when I am playing at home I often jump between different styles & sounds. I do have two guitars, but the old one is a backup- in fact it looks very similar to my main axe, even the colour & style.

If I bought a Fender Fat Strat and replaced the bridge pickup with a Suhr Aldrich, would it help get some chunk when used with a dirty tone? Or will it just be too twangy-sounding & shallow still?



I've had a look into other guitars but prefer the Fender. I tried some Ibanez super-strats and did not like them at all. I even tried an 80s Charvel which is something I really don't like, even if it is supposed to be in between these two types of guitars. I looked into Maton's electric guitars, like their Mastersound 500, but it doesn't have a 5-way pickup switch, which is something I need.


A week or so back I did make a comment on a 1993 Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite !!!, mentioning it could be just what I am looking for. But when I revisited the demo video of it, the neck & middle pickup tones when used with a clean sound, sounded rather bright and thin in a way, at least compared to a real Fender Strat. I know it's a stretch to compare a dodgy YouTube video clip with me playing a real Strat, but still, I was not impressed as much the first time. Yet playing the Strat really blows me away.


Or is it worth just installing a middle position pickup and a 5-way toggle switch? I've asked about that elusive twang, and was advised that it is related to the scale length of the Stratocaster- 25.5".
I know that superstrats that are further modified with special pickups (like Fralins) and used with outboard equalisers, are needed to get a more twangy sound. This draws me back to the fact that I might be better off getting a Real McCoy Stratocaster and hope to beef up its bridge pickup sound.



I gotta do something about this- my housemate is sick of me playing his guitar instead of my own! :doh:
 
I glazed over this...

I just read "Aldrich" and "chunk when I want" and "strat feeling good".

Have you ever looked at Suhrs on the open market?? They've got it ALL!!!!

V. :thumbsup:
 
On your ESP, have you tried splitting those Aldrich humbuckers yet? I have the Aldrich set in my Gibson Les Paul standard and they split well, particularly the bridge. It doesn't get you strat sounds, but does make the guitar more versatile and less thick, which sometimes I want.

As for an aldrich in a strat, I know a few people have tried it and I thought the results were positive. In my strat I have an Anderson H2+, it splits well too. The Key thing about strats with the SSH pickup configuration will have 250kohm pots, which in general are more suitable to Single coil pickups. I wired mine so that on the neck and bridge SC's you have 250k and on the bridge humbucker uses a 500kpot. Its the superstrat configuration. If you are interested, a few people on here, provided me the diagram.
 
I have a MIA Strat with a Suhr FL/FL/SSV and for rock it sounds very good, but high gain doesn't sound that good, it lacks tightness.
 
Had a rehearsal last night. Stage, big p.a.
My Stratocaster sounded absolutely incredible through my JTM45. A little Carbon Copy, Keeley TS-9 Baked and the tone is golden.

Didn't read your entire post, but............I'm just sayin'. :thumbsup:
 
Man I just got an H-S-S Mexi strat a little while back and I don't even play my other guitars anymore LOL! I've been totally sucked into the playability of the strat. Had em before but been playing pointies for years up until now. This one has a JB in the bridge and all the p/u's are wired to 250k pots but it still sounds badass. I don't have any issues playing metal with it but I do have a 5150 so I've got plenty of gain to spare with my head.

Hey Blackba....I'd be interested in that wiring diagram to put the humbucker on the 500k pot but leave the singles at 250 if you can dig it up. Been looking for one but haven't been able to find one yet.

Hellyeah though....strats are the bomb for sure. Position 4 with the neck/middle pickup blend yeilds some really sweet lead tones.
 
I picked up an American Special Strat a few weeks ago for around $700. Those guitars kick ass. Mexican strats are nice as well.

I have an Aldrich pickup in my Les Paul and it is absolutely perfect. I don't know how I would like it in a strat but I'm sure it would kickass. It is not a real bassy pickup but defintely has some nice low end.
 
Ventura":3l5tkqh9 said:
I glazed over this...


Yeah.... :lol: :LOL: , sorry man, I had a long day yesterday and only a few hours of sleep the night before, yet was up past midnight when I wrote this thread. I tend to rabble on when in that state...


Ventura":3l5tkqh9 said:
I just read "Aldrich" and "chunk when I want" and "strat feeling good".

Have you ever looked at Suhrs on the open market?? They've got it ALL!!!!

V. :thumbsup:


I haven't seen Suhr guitars in my local area, unfortunately. The closest was a Custom Audio Amplifiers speaker cabinet, which John Suhr designed and made with Bob Bradshaw. If I do seem them I will check them out.
 
fender+stratocaster+fmt.jpg



I own one of these. Although mine is dark purple, and just generally badass.

I can get pretty much any tone I want from it. Probably my favourite guitar.
 
romanianreaper":10vy5uqo said:
I picked up an American Special Strat a few weeks ago for around $700. Those guitars kick ass. Mexican strats are nice as well.

I have an Aldrich pickup in my Les Paul and it is absolutely perfect. I don't know how I would like it in a strat but I'm sure it would kickass. It is not a real bassy pickup but defintely has some nice low end.

I wouldn't describe the Aldrich as bassy either, well not when compared to a Seymour Duncan Invader. Plenty of strong rich mids though and tight bass. I actually have an Invader in my other guitar- good for metal and hard rock but not so much for other stuff.

If I do get a Fat Strat, I hope the Aldrich can give some oomph to it.
 
Badronald":2yjts5mn said:
Had a rehearsal last night. Stage, big p.a.
My Stratocaster sounded absolutely incredible through my JTM45. A little Carbon Copy, Keeley TS-9 Baked and the tone is golden.

Didn't read your entire post, but............I'm just sayin'. :thumbsup:


It's cool man. I rambled a fair bit there... ;)


I've got an old Marshall amp head, but haven't tried that with my mate's Strat yet. I'll have to do that when I get a chance.
 
blackba":6cukifcn said:
On your ESP, have you tried splitting those Aldrich humbuckers yet? I have the Aldrich set in my Gibson Les Paul standard and they split well, particularly the bridge. It doesn't get you strat sounds, but does make the guitar more versatile and less thick, which sometimes I want.

As for an aldrich in a strat, I know a few people have tried it and I thought the results were positive. In my strat I have an Anderson H2+, it splits well too. The Key thing about strats with the SSH pickup configuration will have 250kohm pots, which in general are more suitable to Single coil pickups. I wired mine so that on the neck and bridge SC's you have 250k and on the bridge humbucker uses a 500kpot. Its the superstrat configuration. If you are interested, a few people on here, provided me the diagram.

Yes I do have a coil split in my ESP. It sounds really good- very gooey, but still not that glassy twang that you get by using the neck & middle pickups. And also the neck pickup even when split, isn't exactly like what I can get from a Strat either.

I guess my options are to either get a single coil pickup and a 5-way toggle switch for the ESP, or get a Fender Fat Strat and put an Aldrich (with 500k pot) into the bridge position.

Unless I also put 250k pots on the neck & (future) middle pickups in my ESP? So it's like a superstrat? I love what superstrats can do, yet I don't really like the look of them unless they are just an (electronically) modified Stratocaster.. The Charvels and Jacksons and Ibanezes don't appeal to me in terms of looks. I think that's way I gravitate more towards the rounder Les Paul style.
 
Another question: does it have to be Aldrich pickups? Or are you just looking for it to be fatter/crunchier?
 
Joeytpg":189bxkxu said:
I have a MIA Strat with a Suhr FL/FL/SSV and for rock it sounds very good, but high gain doesn't sound that good, it lacks tightness.

Is it an actual Fender Strat? Or a strat-shape made by Suhr?
 
kasperjensen":37wvyqhr said:
fender+stratocaster+fmt.jpg



I own one of these. Although mine is dark purple, and just generally badass.

I can get pretty much any tone I want from it. Probably my favourite guitar.

Looks awesome man. If I come across one I'll definitely try it out.
 
grooveHT":3jixechx said:
Another question: does it have to be Aldrich pickups? Or are you just looking for it to be fatter/crunchier?

Nah, doesn't have to be an Aldrich. Fatter & crunchier (with tightness) is what I'd love in a Strat (bridge position).
Or the other way- Glassy Twang in my ESP (neck, middle, combined). Ideally this would be better as then I wouldn't have to buy a new guitar.

The Strat on its own is pretty good for high gain leads, but for (high gain) rhythm I miss the oomph and power that the Aldrich puts out from my ESP.
 
petejt":1w4nuaxj said:
Yes I do have a coil split in my ESP. It sounds really good- very gooey, but still not that glassy twang that you get by using the neck & middle pickups. And also the neck pickup even when split, isn't exactly like what I can get from a Strat either.

I guess my options are to either get a single coil pickup and a 5-way toggle switch for the ESP, or get a Fender Fat Strat and put an Aldrich (with 500k pot) into the bridge position.

Unless I also put 250k pots on the neck & (future) middle pickups in my ESP? So it's like a superstrat? I love what superstrats can do, yet I don't really like the look of them unless they are just an (electronically) modified Stratocaster.. The Charvels and Jacksons and Ibanezes don't appeal to me in terms of looks. I think that's way I gravitate more towards the rounder Les Paul style.

I found this for a tele, its similar to what I was talking about. I also meant to say 5way superswitch, not super strat. The original thread that had the details is gone :(

http://support.fender.com/diagrams/tele ... 02BPg2.pdf
 
petejt":53byhw18 said:
grooveHT":53byhw18 said:
Another question: does it have to be Aldrich pickups? Or are you just looking for it to be fatter/crunchier?

Nah, doesn't have to be an Aldrich. Fatter & crunchier (with tightness) is what I'd love in a Strat (bridge position).
Or the other way- Glassy Twang in my ESP (neck, middle, combined). Ideally this would be better as then I wouldn't have to buy a new guitar.

The Strat on its own is pretty good for high gain leads, but for (high gain) rhythm I miss the oomph and power that the Aldrich puts out from my ESP.

My suggestion, if you were to go with a strat, would be this:

PA-TB3.jpg


SD PATB-3
https://www.seymourduncan.com/products/e ... _parallel/

Awesome pickup, great under gain and clean, but the kicker is that its fantastic TAPPED, both alone and in combination with a middle pickup. I think it would fit the bill very well for you. Additionally, there is a diagram out there, think originally by Suhr, that uses 500k pots and resistors in such a way that in the bridge position, your guitar sees 500k, but in all others it "sees" 250k. Works great, Vlad has been posting some clips with my USACG strat using that wiring diagram.
 
grooveHT":otro4kra said:
petejt":otro4kra said:
grooveHT":otro4kra said:
Another question: does it have to be Aldrich pickups? Or are you just looking for it to be fatter/crunchier?

Nah, doesn't have to be an Aldrich. Fatter & crunchier (with tightness) is what I'd love in a Strat (bridge position).
Or the other way- Glassy Twang in my ESP (neck, middle, combined). Ideally this would be better as then I wouldn't have to buy a new guitar.

The Strat on its own is pretty good for high gain leads, but for (high gain) rhythm I miss the oomph and power that the Aldrich puts out from my ESP.

My suggestion, if you were to go with a strat, would be this:

PA-TB3.jpg


SD PATB-3
https://www.seymourduncan.com/products/e ... _parallel/

Awesome pickup, great under gain and clean, but the kicker is that its fantastic TAPPED, both alone and in combination with a middle pickup. I think it would fit the bill very well for you. Additionally, there is a diagram out there, think originally by Suhr, that uses 500k pots and resistors in such a way that in the bridge position, your guitar sees 500k, but in all others it "sees" 250k. Works great, Vlad has been posting some clips with my USACG strat using that wiring diagram.


Thanks very much for the suggestion.

What is the difference of amps and pedals "seeing" 250k, and 500k?
 
I've got an idea for the neck & middle pickups- is it possible to physically separate the coils in the Suhr Aldrich humbucker, then install one of them in the neck position and the other in the middle position so they operate as separate pickups? That way it will be a H-S-S configuration like the Fat Strat, and I don't have to buy a new pickup. I don't really need a humbucker for the neck, so it would be good to recycle it this way.

To me it sounds logical in theory, but I don't know if it's practical or not.
 
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