Hey everyone! First time poster. Okay, so here it is. I've been playing guitar for 12 years and I raised myself on heavy humbucking axes from Gibson, Epi, and ESP. I've had G.A.S. since I started playing, and have been through probably 20 guitars, but I've never owned a Fender. I've always adored them and am now considering buying my first one. I play A LOT of hard rock and metal, and tend to toy around with blues from time to time. I know single coils are not great for the style of music I play, though I don't want an HSS Strat, because I think they're not as aesthetically pleasing as standards. My question is, do you guys think it would be in my benefit to go ahead and get one since I've always thought about it, or stay away because of my personal style?

P.S. Is it authorized to play thrash metal on a strat?

First of all welcome!

History offers us an interesting illustration of how great players have defied the status quo and the “assumptions” that certain guitars are intended for certain styles….
I am of the opinion that it would be unwise to label a particular brand or guitar or model as only intended for a particular style.

A few examples of guitarists who have defied the status quo…

Jimmy Page who is mostly identified with an LP actually recorded most of the first Led Zep album with a Tele.
Blackmore used to play Gibson ESs but switched to Strats
Clapton used to play LPs and SGs but switched to Strats
Kirk Hammet’s first proper guitar was a Strat.
Dave Murray of Iron Maiden plays mostly a Strat.
Etc.

The other thing you need to consider is that guitars are not often played as they are offered by the company out of the box. Example – SRV played a Strat, but not one fitted with standards (0.10) strings. Eric Clapton uses guitars with a mid boost circuit. Richie Sambora has Strats with Floyd Rose. The examples are really countless…

It also depends what your set up is, in terms of band - are you the only guitarist, are there any keys in the band and so on... It also depends what equipment you hook your axe to. Many guitarists will tell you that a particular guitar will sound lifeless when played at room volume and will sound beautiful when played through a 100W valve amp on volume 10.

In my opinion Strats can sound heavy, even with single coil pick-ups. Nowadays there are so many effects and good emulation amps out there – that heck, you can make an acoustic guitar sound like a Les Paul with EMGs. OK, may be a bit of an exaggeration… But you get the gist.

Personally I have both single coil and humbucker equipped guitars and use them for different songs, but I actually use my Strats on heavier songs, because of that screaming definition that I find they have over the fuller humbucking tone.

The best thing to do is try for yourself – try different pickups and different amps and see what your years tell you.

Good luck on your quest!

Amazing! Thanks for the reply Trem. I appreciate your input. That was exactly the answer I was looking for. Now I just gotta figure out which Strat I want. I've been considering either an American Standard, 60's RW, or Classic Series 50's.

There are so many models out there, that one is really spoilt for choice...

Of course, a good starting point would be to consult the technical specs on this site to find your ballpark model. Some people will rev about this model and others recommend a different model. I personally love the big 70s peghead, so I tend to favour models that feature that, but having said that my absolute favourite is a 62 reissue (with a... you guessed it - small peghead).

To me, the one that I find the best is the one that feels most comfortable to hold and the one that makes me want to pick up the guitar and play without wanting to put it down.

I recently bought the above mentioned 62 reissue and that is exactly the feeling I get every time I hold it.

I have been guilty of this sort of thinking in the past. Probably still do actually. To me, a strat is an instrument for clean tones - upto a maximum of mid gain distortion. Nothing 'heavier' than that. It seems to me that is what the strat favours, almost by design. For me, if I want a high gain sound I'll probably reach for a Gibson or my Charvel - certainly something with Humbuckers - rightly or wrongly I acknowledge.

But of course you can plug the Strat into anything you want, at any level of distortion. You can modify your strat with high output pickups. Whatever you want to try, and evaluate the results. All is fair and probably nothing should be rejected due to conventional wisdom or perception. Look at Yngwie Maramalade and Dave Murray, as just 2 examples

I'm not surprised that some guitar players come to the strat later on in their playing days - maybe when they're ready to turn down that gain control. A previous poster referred to the number of name players who turned down the wick and ended up as strat players. So maybe there is something in my own personal opinion.

As for choices - I'd probably steer you away from the Classic 50s. It's a tight neck radius prone to choking out, and the pickups are brighter than many single coils I've played (nice guitar tho)

Good luck on your explorations and welcome to the world of Strat!

Guitar Bandit,

Welcome to the Forum. There are many options out there. This is what I play on...



It is a Highway 1 Stratocaster (modified). The humbucker is a Dimarzio Super Distortion. It used to be a SSS configuration when I bought it, but felt I needed more umph after a while...especially when I played Metal and Thrash.

I play Blues, Hard Rock, Metal, and Thrash on mine. You can even buy a Strat style single coil looking humbucker if you are looking for the SSS look.

If you are into Thrash/Metal-type music, it may be to your advantage to get this:



It is a Fender with a Floyd Rose Tremolo. It may be better suited to play the music you are used to. These usually run $700 new. You may still need to change the humbucker out, but the one I played in the store sounded pretty good stock.

Good luck with your search for the next guitar...even if it happens not to be a Fender you get, I would still love to see pics of whatever you decide on. I love all guitars...just some more than others.

RK

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Guitar Bandit, welcome to the forum.You may want to check out the new American Sandard.If you roll off the tone knob on the bridge pickup to say 6 or 7 , you can get some humbucker like tones.I really like mine.

Thanks guys! These are all very insightful suggestions. Thanks for the warm welcome as well.

If you listen to Ritchie Blackmore's live guitar work with Deep Purple he is playing his Strats with single-coils through his cranked up Marshalls and his tone is sizzling.

I personally put Dimarzio Area 67's and a Virtual Vintage 54 Pro in my Strats. They are humbucking Strat pickups that look like stock Strat pickups so you can't tell you've replaced the pickups but because they are humbuckers they can give you a little more muscle depending on which model you buy. Plus they are totally quiet. No more 60 cycle hum. I highly recommend them.

Pay attention to things like the radius of then neck and the kind of frets the neck is fitted with. Vintage radius necks with Vintage frets are going to be more difficult to bend on. You could use a Vintage radius neck and have it refretted with bigger frets. I did and it does make bending easier but it still won't be as easy as say a neck with a 9.5 radius.


But the most important thing to remember is not to choose a stupid color.

I'm just amazed at how someone could go through 20 guitars and never end up with at least 1 Fender in the mix.

You're going to have tonnes of people on the boards start throwing model names and suggestions at you, and no two people will recommend the same guitar. My advice? Just shop around and play as many as you can get your hands on before you buy. Don't rule any out until you try them. I walked into the store thinking I was going to buy an American Standard - I walked out with a Highway One. Try em all!

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I know right? Since I grew up learning strictly hard rock and metal, I always felt, since they were single coils, i wasn't allowed to play them, so I just dismissed the option. Kinda weird right? Not only have I never owned a Fender, I've never owned a single coiled guitar EVER.
I really want one now tho. I can't get over how gorgeous a white strat with maple neck looks.

Your story sounds like me a year ago only I had been playing longer. I wish I had had 20 guitars

I finally got my strat last year and love it. Except I compromized with a sunburst for the wood grain. I also want a PRS style with flame maple top.

I will tell you the strat has tone. The tone you only hear from a strat. But when I play all out thrash the ESP just has a deeper thicker growl and the gain and noise is more controlled. And my Ventura is somewhere inbetween, but closer to the ESP. Both of these guitars can be made to sound alright clean too.

When it comes to clean dynamic tone, the strat wins. If you already have a axe that meets your metal core, then the strat will be a great compliment when your not in that mood. I highly recommend it. As you age your taste may change and the strat will always have its place. But for thrash, it is not my instrument of choice

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst