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Post subject: string length and head stock.
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:40 am
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This maybe a dumb question but I've never asked or heard anyone ever say anything about it. I know the distance between the nut and the bridge makes a difference in the sound of a guitar but I was wondering if the type of head stock i.e. straight six (stratocaster) or 3 upper 3 lower (les paul) makes a difference. Mostly wondering if and how does the length of the high e distance is greater than the low e from the nut to the tunin key make a difference. It doesn't seem like it would because I would think the vibration mostly stops at the nut and bridge, but they do have the voodoo strat so there is apparently something there. Any thoughts?


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:04 am
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the string length from the nut to the tuners does alter the sound a bit. especially on the high strings. which is why they have the reverse headstock guitars, to offer a little change in sound and style. and yes, 6 in line, or 3 on a side do make a great difference. in my opinion, 6 in line tends to make the high strings a little twangier, giving that great strat or tele twang.


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Post subject: Re: string length and head stock.
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:34 am
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stephenr66 wrote:
... but they do have the voodoo strat so there is apparently something there. Any thoughts?


Yeah. Thank about why they call that a "Voodoo" Strat and know that it is appropriately named.

Here are the most important things about generating an electric guitar tone, in order of importance:

1. The player.
2. The amp.
3. The pickups.
4. The bridge.
5. The strings.

That makes up most of your tone. The rest is everything else, some in degrees so minute as to be considered homeopathic.

You want better tone? PRACTICE. Everything else is in the domain of guys who would have been just as happy collecting model railroad gear as they are buying guitars


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:48 am
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Trust me I'm happy with my tone if you've ever read any of my other threads you'll see I've been on a mission of tone for 18 years now. I think I have developed my own personal tone sound and technique and am happy but always striving for more. I've only become a strat player over the past 3 years, was always a gibson player, so I never dealt with any other head stok other than the 3 and 3 so I was just curious about the difference in the flip headstocks fender offers


Last edited by stephenr66 on Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: string length and head stock.
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:49 am
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Gravity Jim wrote:
stephenr66 wrote:
... but they do have the voodoo strat so there is apparently something there. Any thoughts?


Yeah. Thank about why they call that a "Voodoo" Strat and know that it is appropriately named.

Here are the most important things about generating an electric guitar tone, in order of importance:

1. The player.
2. The amp.
3. The pickups.
4. The bridge.
5. The strings.



I must agree with jim on this one


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 4:03 pm
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I'd add the body to Jims list.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:28 pm
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I'll add trem or inertia block...


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Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:01 am
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Hey guys thanks for all the answers but the question is really about the string distance after the nut. I have a pretty good understanding of the dynamics of the sound and tone of a guitar as affected buy the wood, bridge, player, practice etc…I’m mostly curious of how this affects the Stratocaster sound


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Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:04 am
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Strataholic wrote:
I'll add trem or inertia block...


I'm primarily a Strat player, so I was mentally including that in "the bridge."

The trem bridge makes a Strat sound like a Strat, just as a Tele box bridge makes it sound like a Tele, or the wraptail bridge on a Les Paul Jr. make it sound like it does.

And I think the answer to your original question is: string length behind the nut would not affect the sound of a Strat in any appreciable way.

This is not to say that people won't imagine that it does, because human perception is a fragile thing. The problem with that kind of "tonal change?" Nobody but the player can hear the effect.


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Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:25 am
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or if you play around with plucking the strings above the nut. :wink:


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Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:00 am
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I've seen where some player damp out the strings above the nut so obviously it's add something to the overall sound.

I suppose if the headstock were reversed you would get sympathetic vibration and sound in the lower registers as the string diameter of the longer strings would be reversed and thus lower in pitch... just a guess though.


Last edited by Strataholic on Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:43 pm
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stephenr66 wrote:
Hey guys thanks for all the answers but the question is really about the string distance after the nut. I have a pretty good understanding of the dynamics of the sound and tone of a guitar as affected buy the wood, bridge, player, practice etc…I’m mostly curious of how this affects the Stratocaster sound


Because of the shorter string lenght on the high E and B strings on
the Voodoo Strat the strings are somewhat easier to bend.
I did own a Voodoo some years ago so i know what i'm talking about.
Differences in sound are harder to detect.


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:12 pm
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This also begs the question as to the purpose of the string stabilizer trees.

_________________
Calling an illegal alien an undocumented immigrant is like calling a drug dealer an undocumented pharmicist.


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:44 pm
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Interesting point. I have an Am Dlx w LSR nut and NO tree. Some have the tree and some don't. WASSUP?


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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:49 pm
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uteowl wrote:
Interesting point. I have an Am Dlx w LSR nut and NO tree. Some have the tree and some don't. WASSUP?


I'll guess you got the staggered tuners.


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