I'was first gravitated to the Strat when I first saw/heard Jimi.I realized that the Strat had to be a large part of his sound so from then on I wanted one.When I turned 20 I bought my first Strat from money that I saved from work.The first time I played a Strat it sold itself,it was like it was tailor made for me-it just felt that comfortable.Of course the beautiful tones that can come from a Strat keeps me coming back to them.Now 37 years and 7 Strats later, I guess you can say that I'm a bona fide Stratoholic.

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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.

My first guitar was an awful 70's Strat copy, I was doomed from the start.

Seriously though, a Strat is the one guitar I'm never without. Gibsons, Paul Reed Smiths and numerous other fine instruments have come and gone over the years, but I've never been without a Strat. Or two. Or three. Oh god, I really am doomed.

I think it's because a Strat may not be the best tool for everything, but it's at least reasonably good at everything. A perfect workhorse. Can't imagine entrusting my living to another instrument, to be honest!

My first guitar was also a cheap Strat knock-off. Got myself a MIM Strat when I grew sick of it because I just thought it looked cool and I liked the body shape. Now I'm on my third Strat-type guitar.

Strats are versatile. I prefer SGs and LPs when it comes to all-out crunch sounds, but for most other things Strats do the trick. I don't like other guitars besides (old) Hagströms so far...they just don't have the same historical heritage and mystique. Silly, I know.

My Strat likes:
1) the thinner, glassier sounds
2) the ergonomic body shape
3) great clean sounds
4) screeching, beautiful overtones in some switch positions when using overdrive
5) great with heavy fuzz tones if you can handle the hiss and hum

dislikes:
1) the relative lack of sustain compared to an LP (which is to be expected)
2) the positioning of the pickup selector switch (I hit it accidentally sometimes)
3) The Single Coil Hum Problem (I'm used to it though and it can be improved)

SSS is the only configuration for me.

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'94/'07 Bastard-o-caster (MIM/Hwy1 hybrid)
'11 Gibson SG Std Ltd
'10 Gibson LP Std Trad Pro
'04 Gibson SG Special w/f with SD Phat Cats
BaCH Telecaster
'97 Marshall JCM900 4500 DR
'64 Selmer Treble n Bass 50 head
Marshall 1960B
Various stompboxes

Why? Good Question.

My reasons are playability, form and how it just seems made for your body, tone, 5 way switch....that's alot of different sounds coming from 1 guitar, versatility, and the one thing that I haven't seen that may be my favorite thing about a strat........the necks. OMG! Strat necks to me are like playing butter. There's nothing like it. If you thought it didn't get better, buy numerous strats with different fingerboards and even shape. I believe everyone should at least own one of each neck with maple and rosewood. Then of course later, you can get ebony....then try different shapes. I'm a huge fan of the vintage neck with vintage frets. It's what I like to play and although I do have other guitars with the vintage style frets, they'll still never have it all like a strat does. Don't get me wrong, I have other guitars (Les Pauls and Hamers) that I play when I need a thicker sound, but a strat is the best guitar out there in terms of versatility and playability. hands down.

For me it's mostly the way it balances when I play it. No other guitar is as comfortable to play as a Strat. The darned thing just feels "right".

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"