which strat of these two would you pick up and what for??? thank you for the help

Personally this was a debate for me for almost a year now. I was leaning toward the John Mayer strat until I tried them both. I prefer the neck on the SRV strat. It's somewhat of a larger U neck or maybe a large soft V. I can't really tell but it fits my hands well. It's not as large as people make it out to be. I have medium average hands and I can thumb the top. This is only my personal preference, but the modern C necks just don't feel right. Someone once described it like playing a plank...they are right. +1 for the SRV neck...onto the pickups.

Then I had a back and forth debate with myself on the pickup preference. They both sound good in my opinion...just one different then the other. I would say to try them both. The Texas Specials get bashed on these forums but I don't know why. Who the hell cares if they don't sound SRV pitch perfect....they just sound good to me.

For me, like you, it was SRV or John Mayer debate. After trying them. It was only SRV. Then came the American Deluxe V neck and the 62 Vintage Hot Rod. Those two are also nice playing instruments. The V neck is awesome and has all the latest hardware and technology in one nice package. Try that one when you get a chance. The only thing that turned me away from it was the maple fretboard. If only they made the V neck with Rosewood on an American Deluxe.

Like I said, I tried them all, seen every Youtube video and finally I bought the SRV strat. Christmas came late for me and I will be receiving it in a week but I'm glad I made this decision. My advise is try them both and go with the one that feels right. You can always make them sound different later on. And people will tell you why do you have to spend a boat load on money to change pickups on a strat you just paid a lot for...well...that's life I guess. Nothing is perfect. Look at how many times Eddie Van Halen changed guitar manufactures. Everytime he comes out with a new EVH guitar he swears it's the best and has captured the tone he was looking for. Good luck with your decision and I hope this helped.

large u or soft v on the srv strat?

no, its assymetrical. more beef to it on the bass side and less on the treble.
the texas specials are great pickups

i think the srv strat is an awesome strat, i had one. i like the hr 62 over the two though.

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

well today i tried the jmayer strat, and my favorite srvstrat and with your help (thank you very much) i decided... and i bought the srv strat.......... really awesome strat thank you a lot picazzo5150 and i' m looking forward to take your srv strat keep me in touch please

I have had a SR strat since 06 and like it alot.The neck is really comfy and I especially like the 12" radius and tall fret combo.The Texas Special pickups are nice sounding to my ears (not really vintagey) . Build quality is superb.

Another option is the Eric Johnson model, which I think is the best of the three. EJ as I'm sure most of you know is a tone freak so he pays attention to detail. They now come in both rosewood and maple so you also have options. Has the price of the mass produced signature series but quality closer to a custom shop, IMO.

My SRV Strat is my #1, it's one of the best sounding and playing guitars I've ever had the please of playing. With the volume knob maxed, the Texas Specials have a real nice crunch perfect for playing some badass blues, or you can roll off the vol for clean tones. The pickups also have a mid boost perfect for standing out in the mix. The neck is real comfortable and with the 12" radius you can bend all day. The only problem is that you won't to put her down.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

I say play them both and see which one you think sounds/feels better and buy it! You can never know based off of sound clips because everyone plays differently and gives the guitars a different sound. John Mayer for example has over 200 guitars and tours with probably 20-40 of them. He can play the same song on a different guitar and make them both sound great, just a little different. It's all about what feels right to you. But if you want my two cents - I've never played the production SRV sig, but I have the production JM sig and it is a fantastic guitar. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. CS is a different story haha, very different guitars.

Best of luck and Happy New Year!

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FCS JM BLACK1, FCS SRV #1, FCS Hendrix Monterey, FCS La Cabronita, JM Sunburst Strat, Martin 00-45SC, Martin Bellezza Bianca, Martin Bellezza Nera , Martin OMJM, Gibson 1960 50th Anniv LP, Dumble SSS, Two-Rock JM Sig Proto, Two-Rock Studio Pro.

i agree with jdknudson, where your best bet would be try them out.
feel is extremely important when selecting an axe.

_________________
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008