One of my favorite clean single-coil Stratocaster tunes is Dire Straits' old classic "Sultans of Swing".

Love those great Mark Knopfler snappy quack sounds.

Yes that strat is in a mueseum i want it so bad so i can play his stuff and finish off the tour.

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Musos can be a pain!!!

But if you have 15,000 they will give you free Fenders

Hi stratocaster tone all the way, p90 are cool to..Cheers..From..Aus...

Depends on the Strat or Tele - there are numerous variations re wood, neck, p/ups, potentiometers and wiring. Whilst most people look to change p/ups if they're not happy with the tone, it should be remembered that with any guitar you can get some fabulous tonal changes by simply changing a resistor which is a darned site cheaper, quicker & easier.

There are lots of other guitars with great sounding single coil tones too (eg PRS Custom 24 with 5-way rotary, and Godin guitars). Gretsch & Rickenbacker also have unique clean tones and nothing else sounds like a Rick. But its the wiring of the Strat and the 'middle' 2 & 4 positions that make it somewhat unique and much copied. Nothing else sounds quite like a Strat - or even a Tele - the latter having a much more powerful bridge p/up than a standard Strat.

As ever, this is all subjective & highly personal. We all like different things, and every guitar has its own unique characteristics - good & bad. Some players love Fenders, others prefer Gibsons, Ricks, Gretsch etc.

I like all my guitars! Which one I use depends as much on my mood as well as the amp I'm using or type of music I'm playing. I have a PRS Cu24, 3 US Strats, an '89 US Tele, Epi Sheraton (with Seymour Dunc '59 SHi's)& a Gibson Les Paul Cusom. They all sound different so it's also about using the right tool for the job. My '69 Strat sounds totally different to my 2009 US Standard. If I'm playing SRV or Hendrix obviously it's gotta be a Strat. If I'm playing Gary Moore, AC/DC or Led Zep its my Les Paul (although the Tele is great for early Led Zep stuff). Jazz it's the Epi Sheraton.

As far as cleans go, sometimes i'll want a Strat or Tele single-coil clean, other times I want a fuller Epi/LP clean with the middle position (both p/ups). The PRS Cu24 is just a fabulous all-round workhorse that can be used for anything and is now my main gigging guitar because it saves me switching guitars. I've tried HSS strats - hate them - neither fish nor fowl. Others love them - so as I said, it's all personal and horses for courses.


Rich

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"I started out with nothing ...and I've still got most of it left!" (Seasick Steve)

Agreed!

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1992 MIA Stratocaster Plus
2005 Squier John Mayer TBO tribute
1980's Ovation 1111-4
Various Marshall Amps

"I can't seem to shake these Vultures off of my trail"

Can't beat the strat 4th position.

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1992 MIA Stratocaster Plus
2005 Squier John Mayer TBO tribute
1980's Ovation 1111-4
Various Marshall Amps

"I can't seem to shake these Vultures off of my trail"

i personally love an ssl-6 on the bridge of a strat

The Stratocaster has the best single coil sound, to my ears.
I am 54. Got my first Fender Strat when I was 13. That has been my main guitar since then, and I have played/owned everything you can buy. I keep going back to the strat.
I also agree that one good strat is all ya need. My CS ltd. ed. blue Clapton strat proved that for me.

once you love a strat you can never go back!!!

Go by bus..

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

Get a '57VRI, don't tour in February, and stay out of private aircraft.

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"Another day in paradise!"

For me a Strat defines the single coil sound, but I still prefer playing my Teles. And my P-90 equiped Epi LP, well it's always going to be in my stable.

Nothing can beat or emulate the sound of the Strat.I bought my Epi Traditional Pro Les Paul because it had a coil split single coil/humbucker function but even with the singles engaged it sounds more like a cross between a Jag and a Mustang so I still have to keep a Strat close at hand when I need that spank and quack.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.