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Post subject: Tone Difference Between Elite and American Standard Strats?
Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:42 pm
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How would you describe the difference in tones that are available between an Elite HSS Shawbucker Stratocaster that has noiseless pickups and Humbuckers, and a 60th Anniversary American Standard Stratocaster with three Fat 50s Single-Coil pickups?

1. Would the Elite Strat give me more tonal options than the Fat 50s American Standard?

2. Would the Elite Strat have a mellow tone equal to, less mellow, or more mellow than the American Standard?

3. Which guitar would be best for the most number of musical genres?


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Post subject: Re: Tone Difference Between Elite and American Standard Stra
Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 5:36 pm
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The Elite would certainly be the most flexible, but like they say, "Jack of all trades, master of none"
Split coil humbuckers, as well as noiseless pickups, simply do not sound the same as traditional single coils.
It's not that they sound bad... they just sound "different"

If I were limited to only one guitar, it might be an Elite, or maybe a Dave Murray (3 'buckers).
Not limited? I'd go with two conventional Strats and two Les Pauls.

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Post subject: Re: Tone Difference Between Elite and American Standard Stra
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 6:44 am
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CB91710 wrote:
Split coil humbuckers, as well as noiseless pickups, simply do not sound the same as traditional single coils


There is no coil split option with the Shawbuckers.
They're lowish output humbuckers voiced to work better in combination with single coils.

The N4 pickups on the Elite are probably the closest Fender pickup I've heard to a traditional single coil without all the noise.
Whether you like it or not is down to personal choice - lots of folk like the additional noise a traditional single coil brings to the party.

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Post subject: Re: Tone Difference Between Elite and American Standard Stra
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:02 pm
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stratmangler wrote:
CB91710 wrote:
Split coil humbuckers, as well as noiseless pickups, simply do not sound the same as traditional single coils


There is no coil split option with the Shawbuckers.
They're lowish output humbuckers voiced to work better in combination with single coils.

The N4 pickups on the Elite are probably the closest Fender pickup I've heard to a traditional single coil without all the noise.
Whether you like it or not is down to personal choice - lots of folk like the additional noise a traditional single coil brings to the party.


Thanks, Chris!

When you say noise, do you mean basically feedback from amp. ground hum, and possibly guitar cable noise, home electronic interference, poor home wiring, cheap amp electronics, etc. You're not talking about crunch sound in terms of tone, I guess.


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Post subject: Re: Tone Difference Between Elite and American Standard Stra
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:23 pm
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The noise I'm on about is 50Hz electrical noise (60Hz for you guys across the pond).
It's all pervasive, and it's the bit that the noiseless pickups manage to neutralise.
It's usually only a real issue if you're playing through a cranked amp.

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Post subject: Re: Tone Difference Between Elite and American Standard Stra
Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 1:44 pm
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stratmangler wrote:
It's usually only a real issue if you're playing through a cranked amp.

Or with high gain.
My little Marshall MG15 set to conversational volume but with the gain anywhere above 9:00 sounds like a barber shop with my Texas Specials.

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Post subject: Re: Tone Difference Between Elite and American Standard Stra
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 10:24 pm
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CB91710 wrote:
stratmangler wrote:
It's usually only a real issue if you're playing through a cranked amp.

Or with high gain.
My little Marshall MG15 set to conversational volume but with the gain anywhere above 9:00 sounds like a barber shop with my Texas Specials.


I don't play very often with a cranked amp. I play at home usually with a low volume. My wife thinks its loud, but I have my Master on 1.5 - 2 out of 10! I don't think it would be beneficial to our relationship to prove her wrong! Ha!

I love the "barber shop" analogy! That's funny!

Happy New Year!


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Post subject: Re: Tone Difference Between Elite and American Standard Stra
Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:22 pm
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martycanaday wrote:
CB91710 wrote:
stratmangler wrote:
It's usually only a real issue if you're playing through a cranked amp.

Or with high gain.
My little Marshall MG15 set to conversational volume but with the gain anywhere above 9:00 sounds like a barber shop with my Texas Specials.

I don't play very often with a cranked amp. I play at home usually with a low volume. My wife thinks its loud, but I have my Master on 1.5 - 2 out of 10!

Same here. I actually get more use out of my Mini '57 Twin Amp than the Marshall, or I'll run the POD directly into headphones. I haven't touched the old 1st Gen Blues Junior in a couple of years.

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