Some say stratocaster werent built for metal ... But i have a HSS american standard which i play mainly in standard tuning .. for old metallica , iron maiden , punk rock etc.. and i just love playing with my strat


but i also listening to metalcore , nu metal .. stuff in Drop C tuning . modern stuff .

Im thinking about a HSS and put a high output humbucker in it and some .52 string gauge . I want that guitar to be for my drop stuff only cause right now i dont play the music i listen cause i cant really drop my stratocaster and .46 is too light for drop c .


now my simple question :

1. is it a good idea ... >???? when thinking about metal most people think about ESP /LTD and stuff with EMG in it . But a properly set up statocaster ( HIgh output humbucker set on .52 string) would do the job right ??? . ive tried esp , gibson etc.. but i dont like the feel of the neck , i like playing with stratocaster .. the neck is smooth and play like charm ...

2. what humbucker would you suggest for that stuff ?

3. maple or rosewood fingerboard for that purpose ...

4 will the alder body be ok for high output humbucker ??? most metal guitar are made of mahogany .

Ive had an esp ltd explorer 400 before and find the guitar too heavy and unbalanced ( neck too heavey for the body )

i would really to stick with a strat .

anyone into metalcore music ( bullet for my valentine , killswitch engaged ) or nu metal in drop c tuning . ???


why arent strat popular for metal . everywhere i see its all about ESP and EMG active pickup .

There's no reason you can't set up a Strat for C tunings, it's all a matter of intonation and truss rod adjustments. With Fender's use of the single action truss rod you'll need to make adjustments every few months for seasonal temperature/humidity changes. Good luck on your quest!

Hey i hear you on this one man My fav Metallica Vid has Kirk playing a strat in its esp i kow but at the time i was like $@!& yeah that guitars awesome!! and so i got into strats like this
Everything you've said is fine strats arent popular because to make one for that style costs more money meaning it would be a mid range priced strat and if fender produced a metal only strat then people would most likely not buy it due to Fender not being the experts or specialists in producing guitars for that genre fender dont like losing money like any anyone else

also the others are re-invisioned to include 24 frets and such.

If you build this strat chuck somepics of it on here i recommend a Bare Knuckle HB in the bridge as they will do ANYTHING. best of luck with this and i hope this happens for you

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A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. ~Leopold Stokowski~

It's Metallica One btw... Kirk has his strat, James has Wellard

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A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. ~Leopold Stokowski~

I use my HWY One HSS for metal. I use 10s and tune it in D standard. In D my guitar is border line sloppy feeling. The frets are a little too large as well. I'm not sure if the scale is correct for C or strings much heavier than 11s/13s. If you find a way to make it work let us know.

I will say the Atomic humbucker reacts well with my BOSS Metal Core and Digitech Distortion Factory pedals.

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Fender 50th Anniversary Strat
Fender Road Worn '50s Strat
Fender Highway One (HSS) Strat (D standard tuning)
Fender '72 Tele Deluxe
Fender Hot Rod DeVille 212

I use my Strat in drop C# and have no problems with buzz, flat spots or the strings feeling to sloppy.

I have Ernie Ball Hybrid strings on it and they are very nice. I also use from time to time the Ernie Ball Top Heavy Light Bottoms. (Can't decide which I prefer but both do the trick nicely.)

On the pick up, It's really up to your ears to decide. I have at the minute the Seymour Duncan Hot Rails at the bridge and it sounds like a beast. Just find out what sound you like and match it.

Good Luck !

Bryan

i have a question i also play metal music but have not tried my strat in drop c. what tuss rod ajustments would i need to make.

Well a Strat is not popular for metal because Fender does not really get into the humbucker side of things, but I am sure a Dave Murray sig ax could handle it. Checkout Ozzy with Joe Holmes as he is using a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge and it sounds killer.

There's no reason whatsoever that you can't use a Strat for metal. Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Adrian Smith, Jake E. Lee, Yngwie Malmsteen, and the list goes on, I'm sure. If your guitar has the boat route underneath the scratch plate then you'll have plenty of options for full size humbuckers. If it's 3 singles under there may I suggest the DiMarzio Super Distortion S.

I play a lot of Metallica and Godsmack with my Strats. I wouldn't have it any other way.
MULLY

If you're looking for a Strat suited for drop D tuning, the Sub-Sonic Stratocaster is the right solution for your needs. You've decidedly no luck, as this guitar is no longer made. With a good deal of effort, you'll certainly find a secondhand/pre-owned/used Sub-Sonic Strat in excellent condition on eBay.

Some may find this different approach useful. Lately I'm using my Strat in standard tuning, but combined with a Morpheus DropTune pedal plus a partial capo such as a Shubb C7b or C8b. Or even a Third Hand Capo or Spider for yet more flexibility. It doesn't get you exactly the tunings you want, but it works pretty well, and I do like me some Disturbed.

I just got the Morpheus pedal for my bday a few days ago, I think I dig it. I spent all day on it yesterday with my Ibby and remembered why I love that guitar, I have spent all day on it today with my Strat and Once again, the tones... Awesome. Anyway the pedal is worth looking at depending what you expect of it, I usually only play half step down at most BUT I do like to tear apart some airspace with a drop C now and then

i have a MIM strat with a duncan distortion in the bridge and a hotrail in the neck and run it thriugh a boss metalcore pedal its sounds great and i use to only play in drop c but now even though i still use a 12-52 set i have it in standard but with bog strings and high output pickups a strat is perfect for metal. i had an ibanez rg that i bought specifically for death metal but it stayed at home because i always went back to my strat.

try duncan blackouts, distorion, dimebucker or invader. also hotrails have alot more output than you would expect

also as far as fretboard material, if you want a deeper tone go with rosewood or ebony. the truss rodd just has to have the tension adjusted to compensate for larger strings. i play a d'addario 12s but used to even use tens in drop c, it just depends on how much slink you like.

just make sure you file the nut so the stringsfit and dont break the nut. this just happened to me not that long ago, but i needed a graphite nut anyway so it worked out

1. There are VAST differences between LTD's and ESP's. Just like a Fender Squire and a Dave Murray Artist Signature strat. Yes they're made by the same companies, but construction, quality, woods, etc. vary greatly. There's a reason most LTD's are around the $500-1K mark and 'real' ESP's start around $2K. That being said, I've been very impressed with the level of quality of the LTD branding as of late - but still, yeah, no ESP.

2. That depends on personal prefs and the kind of amp your using (solid-state or tube). For 'Maiden, Metallica, etc. I'd use EMG 81's or 85's if you want to go active. Passive I'd dial up a DiMarzio Super Distortion or PAF. For single coils in the bridge position I'd go with what Mully suggested a DiMarzio SD Single or Seymour Duncan Hotrails (used by Dave Murray and Janick Gers in their strats). I've heard goiod things about Blackouts as well.

3. Rosewood, or IMO, Ebony.

4. Alder bodies are fine, again, Dave Murray's Kossoff strat (and his Fender Signature Series strat based off of the Kossoff) are Alder bodies. Heavier woods are used by the likes of ESP, Jackson, etc. for increased sustain (among other variables), but arent a requirement by any means.

Strats aren't popular for metal simply due to their 'rep' and little else (and lets be honest, they certainly don't LOOK metal!). Yes, they typically don't have humbuckers, double-locking trems, locking tuners, properly radiused necks (for metal), etc. that righteous metal tones usually warrant, but that doesn't mean they can't made to be, right?

I find it interesting that you love your strat neck moreso than a LTD/ESP - because one thing I absolutely HATE about Fender necks is they SUCK balls (again, IMHO) for metal. Ideally, you want a neck with a compound radius, and failing that, something flatter that the typical Fender 9.5" radius. I myself love ESPs (I have a George Lynch Kami w/ EMGs conincidentally), there are a lot of quality metal axes out there, one of the biggest names being... Jackson! You can get killer deals of off of Ebay if you don't mind a cosmetic ding or two!

Rock on.

ORC
(IMFC member)