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Post subject: Vintage Frets On 7.25" Radius Fretboards - Why?
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:35 am
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I really can't understand why Fender keeps using the vintage specs, mainly on the MIM reissue/classic models...

Where's the market for it? if you're a collector - you'd go for either the real deal 1950's Tele or for a Custom Shop model - but you won't be interested in getting a MIM guitar to replace the one that was built while Leo was in office...

I want an affordable axe that I can easily play when I go for a Mexican Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster, Thinline, Custom/Deluxe 72 Tele, Jaguar...

Anyone else feels like me?


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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:42 am
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I think the MIM guitars with the vintage specs are for those of us in this world who can't afford a "real" vintage Fender, but still want that vintage feel.

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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:52 am
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Ya know, it calls for a poll...


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Post subject: Re: Vintage Frets On 7.25" Radius Fretboards - Why?
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 7:31 am
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JohnnyL wrote:
I really can't understand why Fender keeps using the vintage specs, mainly on the MIM reissue/classic models...

Where's the market for it? if you're a collector - you'd go for either the real deal 1950's Tele or for a Custom Shop model - but you won't be interested in getting a MIM guitar to replace the one that was built while Leo was in office...

I want an affordable axe that I can easily play when I go for a Mexican Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster, Thinline, Custom/Deluxe 72 Tele, Jaguar...

Anyone else feels like me?


In short, no.

When I was starting out I believed I was searching for my perfect guitar with the ideal feel, finish and electronics. Gradually I came to realise you just have to use different tools for different jobs.

Now I want as many Strats as possible (and other guitars) with as many different kinds of pickups as I can get, and with different neck specifications too. Till quite recently I thought a modern C neck with jumbo frets was for me - and if forced to choose I still do, I suppose. But partly under influence from people here I have been giving V necks with 7.25 radiuses (all right, radii) a second chance. And I am finding them an exciting handful to play with. And also further appreciating the different feel of my C shape 9.5 radius necks when I then get back on those afterwards.

Far as the other "vintage" specs are concerned, I just can't get the compressed in between position early Straits sound on my modern spec Strat: I have to use an older style instrument for that. And I sure can't run to a real 50s/60s Strat, or even a Custom Shop job, so it is the more affordable end of the range for me.

Then again, sticking to the Knopfler theme, I can't get some of his more recent sounds on any kind of Strat at all (and neither can he). I need my Les Paul to do something like Speedway at Nazareth on the Sailing to Philadelphia album - it's a great sound, and for it you need the correct implement. Horses for courses.

I think that all makes sense, doesn't it?

Cheers - C

PS Actually, I wonder if tracks like that Speedway one were recorded on an ES335 or similar. Anyone know?


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Post subject: Re: Vintage Frets On 7.25" Radius Fretboards - Why?
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 8:18 am
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Ceri wrote:

PS Actually, I wonder if tracks like that Speedway one were recorded on an ES335 or similar. Anyone know?


Speedway was recorded with a Les Paul...

and in the nineties and late eighties Knopfler used a Pensa Suhr custom strat with a humbucker in the bridge position wich makes it hard to get the Knopfler sound from On every Street/night albums with a regular strat..

i am glad to see that Knopfler finaly has gone back to playing real strats again now hes main two guitars are his signature strat (i belive) and a Les Paul!

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Post subject: vintage specs
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 8:32 am
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IMHO,

id like to point out that 7.25 radii is not a bad thing when compared to other guitars.
they are actually great for beginners who are using barre chords because
it forms to the natural contours of the hand and applies a little more leverage.

i prefer 12 inch radius, because i play lead more often than rhythm.

both my strats are 9.5. and when i play the ibanez 12in fb, it takes some time to adjust to the radius.

would i get a 7.25 radius, no.
only 2 cents.


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Post subject: Re: Vintage Frets On 7.25" Radius Fretboards - Why?
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 8:53 am
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bluestube wrote:
Ceri wrote:

PS Actually, I wonder if tracks like that Speedway one were recorded on an ES335 or similar. Anyone know?


Speedway was recorded with a Les Paul...

and in the nineties and late eighties Knopfler used a Pensa Suhr custom strat with a humbucker in the bridge position wich makes it hard to get the Knopfler sound from On every Street/night albums with a regular strat..

i am glad to see that Knopfler finaly has gone back to playing real strats again now hes main two guitars are his signature strat (i belive) and a Les Paul!


Ah-ha! Someone knew the answer.

Knopfler seems to change his gear as often as most people change their shirt. Last three times I've seen him in recent years he was using:

1. The Suhr (mostly) DI'd straight into the desk in a medium sized concert hall.

2. Exclusively Strats through a Fender amp (blackface, I think) in a small club.

3. Strats and LPs through two Orange half-stacks in a big arena.

And as I've mentioned before, each time he sounded like... Mark Knopfler.

Cheers - C


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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:17 am
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I have 2 Strats one has a 7.25 radius and the other a 9.5 radius. I find both quite comfortable and playable.

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Post subject: Re: Vintage Frets On 7.25" Radius Fretboards - Why?
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:49 am
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PS Actually, I wonder if tracks like that Speedway one were recorded on an ES335 or similar. Anyone know?[/quote]

I own both the studio and live tour Emmy Lou Harris recordings. I have yet to view the DVD of that tour. He does 'Speedway' on that one, but I don't know what guitar he played. The signal processing in that arrangement may be beyond the capabilities of the average player's gear. Much of what he does in terms of tone, relies on this approach.

Ceri 'strikes a chord' when he speaks of what the different neck, fret and radius combos yield in terms of tone. In fact, the 5 way switch does not yield the same effect as the inbetween settings for the 3-way. This little trick was known to us a good 50 years ago and I used it regularly in my playing in the late 50's and early 60's for certain effects. In fact, at one point, the guitar was strung with 08's.

I would not put it beyond Knopfler to have found the right combination of pots and resistors to yield that tone both from his guitars and his amplifiers. Not to mention that it all begins in those hands.

Nothing is rarely stock any more. His stuff is terrific, but a real challenge to reproduce.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 3:48 pm
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I'm not too concerned about radius, it only takes a few seconds to get used to a rounder or flatter neck. I'm not that fond of the tiny vintage frets though.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:04 pm
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cryingstrat wrote:
I'm not too concerned about radius, it only takes a few seconds to get used to a rounder or flatter neck. I'm not that fond of the tiny vintage frets though.


Sometimes I prefer a flatter fretboard and I agree with you about the vintage frets. I have just one guitar, an MIM Standard Strat, with the small frets.

I said this on another thread, my biggest problem is switching between 25.5" (Fender) and 24.75" (Gibson) scales.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 6:42 am
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Having small hands, a smaller radius really helps me get around on the fretboard. I had a Les Paul Standard with a 12 radius. And while it sounded really great, I just could not stand having to work harder to get around. I feel most at home on a vintage style strat. But I do not mind the 9.5 radius on my 08 american tele. Do not have any issues. Just can not stand a 12 or bigger radius.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:07 am
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stratmansteve wrote:
I said this on another thread, my biggest problem is switching between 25.5" (Fender) and 24.75" (Gibson) scales.


That's interesting. Strangely, for me the scale length isn't the issue; it doesn't seem to bother me significantly. What always trips me slightly switching between Strats and LPs is the position of the back of the heel on the latter. No doubt, that's just because I play Strats more; my thumb is a little less familiar with where to put itself when I get up the dusty end of the Gibson.

Anyway. Don't want to harp on this Knopfler thing endlessly. But to me that Speedway track is a very striking example of where you just have to have (roughly) the right instrument to get a certain sound.

That is significant because of all the examples we can think of to the contrary: famous tracks that turned out to be played on a completely different instrument than everyone had thought. Jimmy Page's Telecaster would be a glaringly obvious instance. Duane Allman's guitar on certain tracks would be another.

The fact that we often can't tell with our ears what guitar is being played is frequently cited as evidence that it doesn't matter too much which one you use when trying to achieve a certain sound.

I'm sure that is often the case: but what the Knopfler example showed me is that it isn't always so. Sometimes it does matter.

Cheers - C


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:24 am
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Hmmm...

When I think about it my biggest issue is also with small frets... I mind the fretboard a little less.


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Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:55 am
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I prefer 7.25 for both rhythm and lead playing, it simply suits my hands


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