I think I find these to be the most interesting threads. Such varying (and valid) opinions on the same thing. It can open up some great discussion. And most of the time it stays pretty civil too!

I still think the Strat is the pinacle of guitar design.

It's got great looks
It's the most comfortable guitar I've ever played
It's a great platform to customize

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

For me it's never any animosity towards anyone! It's more fun and humor than anything else. I don't take myself that seriously personally, but professionally I was a guitar repair tech at one point in my life and still do some of that in certain situations. Maybe that's what has qualified me to comment on some of the things that I comment on? I saw a tremendous amount of misuse and outright abuse of instruments by very nice people, and some that just couldn't care about fine guitars, and some that just didn't know better Maybe that explains why I think the way I do, I don't know.

I do understand Strats fairly well. I tried to count the other day, and I think that maybe I've had 2300 of them apart, from real mid 50's to 60's models to cheaper ones from Mexico to a gorgeous Custom Shop Masterbuilt I had apart yesterday for very specific adjustments. They are reasonably simple things. The volume control for eg. is perfectly placed so you can pot up or down or do V-control swells with just a pinkie finger, and be nicely in control. What this guitar doesn't lend itself to is to be beaten, thrashed or flailed around on. You can do it if you like, and it will physically hold up, but little annoying things like switches being flipped, knobs flying off, and poor performance of the vibrato system will be some of the results.

We have to accept that as part of this wonderful package.

Pete55: Hi. Your comment wasn't one that I was referring to. In fact, it looks like we were writing at about the same time, & I totally agree with all you said. Contrary to what some of these other comments seem to imply, I don't thrash or abuse the thing. Far from it-- I bought it with money I made bussing tables at a yacht club(no joke), so as you can imagine I'm in no hurry to wreck it just so I can repeat THAT distasteful process

Admittedly, you have TONS more experience "luthierizing" than I'll probably ever have. I just thought of (LOVINGLY) bending the switch to see if that would solve my particular and personal problem, and it seems to have. I do play with my hand closer to the bridge out of habit (palm muting being a favorite trick), and the volume swells are a much easier reach than on, for example, the Les Paul.

There I go, getting wordy again I promise: If I ever think about, say, relocating the input jack to the headstock, I'll ask around this neighborhood first Thanks for your responses and insights, Pete55 and all others. Peace!

When I first started playing Stratocasters, I always smacked the toggle while strumming and had a bad habit of turning down the volume pot unconsciously due to where I rested my fingers as I push picked. The more I got sick of doing these things, the quicker I adjusted. 40+ years later, I think the electronics are now, perfectly positioned.

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You dig?

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I tore mine off attempting the Pete Townshend bowling manoeuvre. Not the only time I screwed that move up, and not the worst outcome either.

But then Townshend can say the same, too!

- C

did you draw blood like Pete?

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

No, but it hurt like... ... ...

Orville, the way I tell that story the bass player took that switch cap full on the nose. Now, it's just possible that I may have embellished that a touch over the years - but he certainly caught it somewhere about his person!

BTW: On the Townshend thing, somewhere around '79-80 I was pressed right to the front of the stage between Pete's monitor wedges throughout a Who show. He'd occasionally come over and do the foot up on the monitor thing for a while and I had a star view of how his right hand got more and more bloody as the evening wore on. Amazing: imagine going out night after night knowing you're going to do that to yourself.

I was just re-watching the film Jimi Hendrix on DVD which has a fair bit of interview footage with Townshend, while roadies are setting up a stage behind him. And I notice that his right hand is heavily bandaged as he talks. Some time early '70s that would be. In the '80s he did the hand impaled on the bridge incident - and yet he's still windmilling away to this day!

Will he never learn? I hope not.

Cheers - C

Things are always flying about at gigs, no? Gotta watch out for drumsticks, as they are quite a bit more dangerous than picks or switch tips.




I discovered that kicking a Strat can leave quite a scuff mark on a pickguard (easily rubbed out I also discovered).

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Thats a pretty good solution when you think about it. As a Telecaster player, I'm used to flipping the switch by softly hooking my finger under it, in the bridge and neck positions that is. With the Switch much closer to the scratchplate, it would be much easier to switch from a Tele to a Strat.

Now about that volume control...

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Devon

'08 Standard Telecaster
'80 Gibson Sonex Deluxe
'95 Standard Stratocaster ('63RI)
Hot Rod Deville 212

FenderTelecaster14: Thanks for saying so, and I'm now officially used to the "unique" look of the thing. Also, I would post a photo, but it seems like too much of a hassle right now--y'know, I'm not on Imageshack or anything like that... Maybe I'll do it tomorrow to continue to qualify for the Stratocaster giveaway currently underway

Never had a problem hitting knobs or switches. Aren't they where they should be. I mean they've been right there since the 1950's and haven't been moved yet. My 2 cents. Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

You could grab any major brand guitar in the world, and pick 100 people, and there would be people telling you it was perfect, and people with a laundry list of complaints.

One guys best feature would turn out to be another's worst feature, and vice versa.

Personally I love the placement. I am used to them, so i never (almost ) bump them by accident, but I find they are nice and handy for me to fiddle with.

Good idea, and yeah I can picture your mod being much more to my liking. If I ever fall in love with the Stratocaster, I'll be sure to do that.

I wish I could participate in contests, but I'm Canadian.

Not that I mind

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Devon

'08 Standard Telecaster
'80 Gibson Sonex Deluxe
'95 Standard Stratocaster ('63RI)
Hot Rod Deville 212

Hi, all. Well, here are some pics of my mod. Sorry the quality isn't all it might be--they were taken with my phone. Hope you enjoy!
[img]http://img511.imageshack.us[url=http://www.imagehosting.com/][img]http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6337/toggle2ln2.jpg[/img]/img511/3299/toggle3ay0.jpg[/img][/url]

That looks fine, and I bet it works better too.

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Devon

'08 Standard Telecaster
'80 Gibson Sonex Deluxe
'95 Standard Stratocaster ('63RI)
Hot Rod Deville 212