It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:14 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 21 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's you
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 7:14 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2019 7:11 am
Posts: 1
Location: Milan
I play metal and I'm thinking about getting an American Fender Highway 1 Strat HSS.
I've heard so many people saying "you can't play metal using a fender strat!",
and people saying "Strats are great for any style and genre, including metal".
What do you think?

Dave Murray and Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden play Strats...
and so does Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple and Rainbow...


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 6:32 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 12:06 pm
Posts: 9
People can and do play metal with Strats... heck, even with Telecasters. Play what you like, and what feels comfortable to *you*. That's the most important step - I like short scale offsets, so that's what I play everything on. If you like the Strat, play it! With a good distortion pedal or modeling amp, you shouldn't have much trouble getting the sound you want.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 12:26 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:34 pm
Posts: 10760
Location: Athens, Greece
Richie Sambora



Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 5:11 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 10:28 pm
Posts: 1594
Location: SoCal, US
Injici wrote:
Dave Murray and Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden play Strats...
and so does Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple and Rainbow...

Murray and Smith are playing Strat bodies, equipped with Seymour Duncan mini humbuckers.
I'm not sure I would describe Blackmore's tone as "metal", though there is no argument that he was one of the pioneers of modern rock/metal and even neo-classical.

_________________
-- Rich


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 7:02 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2017 6:46 pm
Posts: 1209
Location: ʞɹo⅄ ʍǝN
The main "problem" is single coil pickups - they are prone to some "ugly" feedback at high gain/volume settings. It can make live performance unpredictable because the room somewhat effects how much or how little feedback you will get. Humbuckers will feedback, but not as easily.

If you want the best of both worlds, check out a HSS strat. Humbucker for high gain/distortion, but single coils for when you want the clean channel to sparkle.

When they say strats aren't good for metal, they mean this:

Image

Not this:

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:00 am
Online
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 6:57 am
Posts: 2237
Location: UK
Interesting concepts. In complete isolation a single coil Strat might be deemed to sound ugly when driven (by some) but, in a band, it isn't heard in isolation. It is all down to how it sits in the mix.

One might say the over driven guitar was invented on a Strat.

I am almost of the view people think Strats can't be used for "Metal" because they don't think they look right. The sound is an irrelevance in this case. Granted Strats, by virtue of their history, are a rather Conservative looking instrument, perhaps only bettered by the Tele in that respect.

I come from the days when what was deemed Heavy Metal back then has pretty much now been re-branded Classic Rock. Of the original "Metal/Classic Rock" bands Strats were pretty prolific. If you consider today's "Death Metal" or what ever it is called I'm not sure it matters what you play it on. You could probably manage with a stringed chair or amplified dustbin assuming it was loud and you could chug on it.

_________________
John

After all this time I should be better.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 9:58 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:57 pm
Posts: 1089
Location: Rossendale UK
John Sims wrote:
I'm not sure it matters what you play it on. You could probably manage with a stringed chair or amplified dustbin assuming it was loud and you could chug on it.


I nearly choked on my cuppa tea.
:lol:

_________________
Chris :)

Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 9:07 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:34 pm
Posts: 10760
Location: Athens, Greece
EVH was arguably one of the best known guitarists who modded their Strats with humbucking pickups.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 9:58 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26416
Location: Tombstone Territory
John Sims wrote:
Granted Strats, by virtue of their history, are a rather Conservative looking instrument...


Contemporary critics of Buddy Holly and his music didn't seem to think so, especially after his appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:11 am
Online
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 6:57 am
Posts: 2237
Location: UK
Retroverbial wrote:
John Sims wrote:
Granted Strats, by virtue of their history, are a rather Conservative looking instrument...


Contemporary critics of Buddy Holly and his music didn't seem to think so, especially after his appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Arjay


So true. Perhaps I should have said "...have become a rather Conservative looking instrument." I am sure if BH arrived on the Ed Sullivan Show in a Smart car they would have thought he was from another planet back then.

And, of course, Bob Dylan was almost hung for heresy in some circles for hanging a Strat around his neck.

How perceptions change. Odd how the almost equally historic Les Paul or Flying V are deemed appropriate in metal though.

_________________
John

After all this time I should be better.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 5:40 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:50 pm
Posts: 7998
Location: ʎɹʇunoɔ ǝsoɹ pןıʍ
I believe the general perception and commonly held biases of what is suitable or not suitable for metal comes down to the company a guitar keeps, ie: who are the principal users of a type.
There are people who insist you cannot play the Blues on a Gibson because of how so very many Blues players choose the Strat but don't tell that to BB King or a handful of others.
People think the Telecaster is a Country guitar but a huge quantity of the Led Zeppelin catalogue was recorded with a Tele and Metal guitarist John 5 uses one as well.
In truth, some guitars do lend themselves more easily to certain genres but there are no rules about it and there are certainly no physical limitations for which there are no workaround solutions.
Where there's a will, there's a way.

_________________
Image
Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 10:02 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:34 pm
Posts: 10760
Location: Athens, Greece
BMW-KTM wrote:
People think the Telecaster is a Country guitar.


Not necessarily.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 6:06 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:50 pm
Posts: 7998
Location: ʎɹʇunoɔ ǝsoɹ pןıʍ
I said people think.
I didn't say it was.

Keith Richards, Danny Gatton, Mike Campbell, Muddy Waters, Bruce Springstein ...
to name a few Tele users who are decidedly NOT country.

Although, to be fair, Mike Campbell uses ALL the guitars.

_________________
Image
Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 8:31 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:50 pm
Posts: 7998
Location: ʎɹʇunoɔ ǝsoɹ pןıʍ
chromeface wrote:
EVH was arguably one of the best known guitarists who modded their Strats with humbucking pickups.

Image
Oddly, I have not tried any of his gear.
Which is a bit odd given I am a straight ahead rocker sort of guy.
The USA EVH Wolfgangs are appealing to me but the price is prohibitive and I am not usually one to settle for the lower grade offerings.
Go big or go home is my gear buying motto. LOL

I have also never tried any of the Peavey versions.
His amps are also interesting but reading the EVH related threads in the amp forum I get the sense that they are noisy and problematic.

I hesitate to actually try any of his gear for fear I might be stricken with GAS.
I've been such a good boy for such a long while.
I'm even selling off gear that I never play anymore, including some formerly beloved instruments that just seem ordinary in light of better acquisitions.

_________________
Image
Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Playing Metal using a Fender Stratocaster thread. What's
Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:44 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:46 am
Posts: 133
Buy one of these.

https://digitech.com/en/products/the-drop

Play what ever pickup or guitar you want

_________________
This is my guitar, there are many like it but this one is mine.


Image


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 21 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: John Sims and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: