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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 6:48 pm
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paris wrote:
This whole thing with the tone knobs came about when I moved away for a bit and didn't take me Clapton Strat with me. The only Strat I had was my Hwy1, but I still wanted that thick Clapton tone. I also found that by turning the tone down my distorted notes actually had a richer sound and with vibrato rang out longer. Kind of like a Big Muff.

Speaking of Big Muff. Using Clapton Strat and my Big Muff I was able to get a ringing notes that lasteed... well until I stopped it. After plucking the note I let it ring for about 30 or 40 seconds. Amazed by this I held the note and called my friend to have him take a listen. He listened for a bit (the same note). After I got off the phone I sat there holding this note that had been ringing for over a minute. I finally got board and stopped the note. I've never been able reproduce it since, but I keep trying.

I can get some awesome substain from my hardtail Strat. Rings like a bell and last forever even with a clean setting and no FX pedals.


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 12:04 am
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MikeRubin wrote:
i now know that the bridge pup on a strat cannot handle distortion whatsoever.


It can't? Blimey, I've been doing it wrong for 22 years. Why did nobody tell me before? :mrgreen:

One point worth noting is that a Big Muff has a big midrange cut going on, wherever you put the tone control. A Strat is not exactly overflowing with midrange. Put the two together with the bridge pickup and you can get a tone which has less depth than Paris Hilton if you're not very careful with your amp settings, or add to the Muff with another midrangey pedal. :lol:


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:42 am
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And all these decades, Jimi was lying to us!

:lol:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:02 am
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Bridge pickup or position 2 (bridge middle) with tone on 3 to 4 (get a TBX control, bridge pu wired to second tone control).
Guitar into "You dirty Rat" distortion pedal (volume 12 o'clock, tone on 10 to 11 o'clock, distortion on 12 to 1 o'clock.
Pedal into tube amp (min. 18 Watts), clean channel, amp volume 75%.

HOLY SMOKE!!!! :shock: 8)

Works perfectly with my Hughes & Kettner Statesman head and my Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister18 (not that you actually NEED a pedal with those! You don't!)

Try the "You dirty Rat" pedal from ProCo!

Still, there will be a difference to humbucker sounds, of course!

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STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:49 am
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I gotta back up John C on this one. I do quite a bit of Floyd and for me, while I know the op said he didn't want to change the pups...yea...on my '96 MIM, it's the Duncans that get me there. I use a Digitech for my distortion, but I've also been able to get it really close thru the amp as well (currently my Burgera V22). I have a number of Strats with a variety of pickups and the '96 MIM is really the only one that gets that Gilmore sound. That said, as others have alluded to, when you're trying to get a good Gilmore-like tone, it's not just about the crunch...he used a TON of effects and those are all going to color your sound as well.

Beyond that, getting a "good distortion" sound out of a Strat....any Strat...is just a matter of listening and twiddling the knobs. I can plug just about any of my Strats into most of my amps (tube or ss) and dial in a pretty decent sound for most things. That said however, I'm not usually trying to replicate any particular artist's sound on stage...I'm listening to -the band- and dialing my sound in to go with the mix. Even if I were in a Floyd tribute band or something, I'd still be listening to the band and working my own sound in there. Whether your on stage or in the studio, it's all about the mix.

As far as pedals go, I never really cared for the Muff's...just always seemed like chunky, noisy little beasts to me. The best sounding distortion pedals I've used are my old Ross and my DOD American Metal. Most others such as Boss, Ratts, Electro Harmonix and most newer pedals, etc., just sound way to harsh to my ears.

Just my own opinion.
Jim


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:36 am
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Given the output of a typical humbucker is 3 times higher than a single coil, distortion is a bit harder. I use a ES335 and a Stratocaster on stage. My pickups are Dimarzio Area's on the Strat and Seth Lover's on the ES335. I use a Tube Screamer and an VS Angry Fuzz. When I want to "rock out" with my strat, I turn to the bridge, stomp on the VS Angry Fuzz and have a good ol time. If I want more of a gritty SRV tone, then I'll use the Tube Screamer. It can get a little dirty when I hit the bridge but I don't use it for that. My ES335 has such a low output and a mellow mid range, sometimes it can't be heard on stage. My strat seems much louder at times..

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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 9:44 am
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Very timely post for me. I finally picked up a new strat, a new Clapton model. I played a whole slew of strats and this one felt the best to me. Now my observation is pretty much the opposite of the OP. I am used to humbucker guitars and was afraid of a thin strat tone. This guitar is very fat. Even with the mid boost all the way down, it sounds very full. The bridge pickup is extremely fat & thick toned. If you add a little mid boost, it's even more so. I'm still experimenting but all in all I find getting a thick tone will not be a problem. If anything, I find the neck and positions 2 & 4 a tad muddy. Clean it sounds great, but I need to keep working to find the dirty tone I know is there. I am using a 68 Super Reverb, and an Analogman TS-9, and a Catalinbread SFT. I use the TS for just a little grit and the SFT for full on OD/ Distortion tones. The SFT is a little dark so that's where I am having my issues. On the neck pup with the SFT it almost sounds like a fuzz. I think this may be just the excuse I need to buy an Xotic BB preamp. Oh jeez.


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 10:17 am
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thenedster wrote:
Very timely post for me. I finally picked up a new strat, a new Clapton model. I played a whole slew of strats and this one felt the best to me. Now my observation is pretty much the opposite of the OP. I am used to humbucker guitars and was afraid of a thin strat tone. This guitar is very fat.


VERY GOOD CHOICE!!!!
Pretty much the same config as the US Buddy Guy Signature strat I have (if you should happen to have Lace Sensors as well. I know they changed that on newer Clapton models).
EDIT: disregard, it IS a new Clapton model, you wrote).
They're FAT! Perfect for Rock, especially whenn adding a little mid-boost!

I recorded this for a test those days (sorry 'bout the playing mistakes) and it's recorded with the cam's internal mike, so it doesn't sound that fat but man, those strats SMOKE!!!


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:33 am
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You can get super fat humbucker sounds with Red Lace Sensors and the mid boost circuit.


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:43 am
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chromeface wrote:
You can get super fat humbucker sounds with Red Lace Sensors and the mid boost circuit.

OH YESSSSS!! 8)

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STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:46 pm
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Here are a few sounds a get with my Deluxe Player strat with Noiseless pups,
ran through a Line 6 Spider IV 75 amp, 1 x 12 combo.
guitar is plugged straight into the amp, as the amp has any effect i need.
practice was recorded so we wouldn't forget the songs.
as i tend to write with the band, not finished, just ideas we can work with.

http://www.bandmix.com/jim-612-584-0060/

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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 1:31 pm
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I like a nice Boss Overdrive to send it over the edge a little myself. About $40

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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 1:39 pm
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I really only have this new 89 standard with a single in the bridge its Hella Hot!
The rest of mine were HSS from the start.

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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 3:44 pm
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Yeah now that's a real fat tone with plenty of gain Smokin Frets! I don't use that much gain but I am so impressed with the big tones coming off this guitar. Here is a video my wife shot on her iPhone when we got home from the store and plugged in in the basement.

http://youtu.be/owjLl3fTV7g


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster Distortion?
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:51 am
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thenedster wrote:
Yeah now that's a real fat tone with plenty of gain Smokin Frets!


Actually, that was medium gain on a Boss GT-10 (that's why the distortion sounds so artificial).

I usually use less distortion but this was just a test. I'll check out your vid in a minute....

Here's what I mostly use as setting: clean to slight crunch:

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My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!


Last edited by Smokin' Frets on Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

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