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Post subject: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:27 pm
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Hello all, first post here! Glad i found this place. I've been playing for roughly 30 years on and off. First 10 years were all junk guitars and cheap copies, etc. They I played a Les Paul Studio for about a decade or so, now I'm playing through an SG Special. Also, for the most part have played through Fender cheapo solid state amplifiers.

I've always liked my Gibsons, but never 100 percent happy with the tones I'd get out of them. My interest in playing and tones has really spiked in the last year or so, I don't know what rock I have been hiding under, but I finally splurged for a Fender Hotrod Deville tube amp (212). So that obviously made a huge improvement in the tone I've been looking for, but still a little dark and muffled for my taste. (My taste is 70s classic rock as well as clean tones like Jerry Garcia, some jazz tones, etc).

So... I was messing around at the local guitar store, and plugged in an American Standard into a Deville. (I've never been a Strat fan in the past). I my god... there was the tone I've been imagining and trying to obtain from my Gibsons and solid state amps for the better part of 3 decades. Unbelievable... no pedals, no nothing, most beautiful tone I've ever heard, who'd of thought that a strat single coil was the answer all along, I ignorantly thought the single coil guitar would be too weak, I was wrong.

So, I've decided to by a Strat, I have been researching this and other forums for a while trying to get through the different models, etc. I decided to play a deluxe before making a decision. I thought the deluxe was a beautiful guitar and a better all around instrument than the American Standard; however, the sound of the standard blew away the deluxe in my opinion, even with the pickup hum. So, American Standard it is (with Maple fretboard).

I have to hand it to you guys, you've known all along what it took me 3 decades to figure out, Strat is the best sounding guitar I've ever heard. I will be keeping the SG, it has certain things it does better, plus gives me options for tones with the humbuckers, but it might be getting a little dusty in the near future.


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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:53 pm
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Welcome aboard ! Gibsons have their place but for tone.... Strat is the monster. Oh and wait until you try a proper Tele lol ! I have eight now. Lost count of how many Strats. Have an old 69 SG as well I am "re constructing" but that needs a neck set which I have never done.....since I always had Fenders where the neck comes on and off without breaking it.

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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:54 am
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Welcome to the fold (and the forum).

Guitars are akin to tools and no skilled mechanic makes do with a single wrench or screwdriver.

Keep your Gibson but explore and enjoy your new Strat once you decide which one's for you.

As for brightening up your amp, I'm betting that a simple idle-bias adjustment will give you a tone more to your liking. Failing that, a speaker swap might be in order.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 1:37 pm
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Location: In the Land of "Stratocaster"
rlogue wrote:
I thought the deluxe was a beautiful guitar and a better all around instrument than the American Standard; however, the sound of the standard blew away the deluxe in my opinion

Diff pups in those guitars...
does the Deluxe have the noiseless (N3's)?... those are cool for being less noisy but... not as good sounding as fat 50's or decent vintage spec single coils like on a standard.

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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 3:54 pm
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Diff pups in those guitars...
does the Deluxe have the noiseless (N3's)?... those are cool for being less noisy but... not as good sounding as fat 50's or decent vintage spec single coils like on a standard.[/quote]

Yes, it has the n3's. i agree, they don't sound terrible, just doesn't sound as good as the fat 50's.


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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:17 pm
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Welcome to the Forum. Strat ownership is a beautiful thing. And don't worry that it took you three decades to get here...it doesn't matter when you arrive, just that you get here safely!

We do have a rule here, when you get that Strat you got to post a pic or two of it! We all love the guitar porn!

:mrgreen:

T2

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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 1:13 am
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I suspect what you'll find is you will use your Strat to cover a wider range of tones and your Gibson for some very specific tones. The hallmark of the Strat (in my opinion) is it's versatility. But there are some songs that really benefit from that classic mid-scooped sound of twin humbuckers on a Les Paul or SG.

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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 3:33 am
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Congradualtions!

I remember THE moment I played a Strat for the first time and was blown away. It was an '87 Strat Plus and instantly became my main guitar for years.

I've owned several Gibsons, and even a PRS, but in the end, I always come back to my Strats.

Have fun. By the way, learn to use the tone knobs and you'll find YOUR tone. Everyone's is different. When playing some overdrive, my tone is right around 5 or 6.


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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 6:58 am
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different strokes, it's what makes the world go around.

Guitars are a lot like paint brushes, you need a few different ones to make it all work.


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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 3:33 pm
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Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 5:48 am
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I am currently getting pretty jazzed about a Stratocaster, I too have been a long time Les Paul player. I used to own a '92 Strat Standard, and built several for other people when I had my repair shop, but always seemed to gravitate towards Les Paul's. I don't think I will be selling my Gibson collection anytime soon, but I will buy another Strat, just so this one doesn't get lonely! :D


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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:26 am
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Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:14 am
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rlogue wrote:
Hello all, first post here! Glad i found this place. I've been playing for roughly 30 years on and off. First 10 years were all junk guitars and cheap copies, etc. They I played a Les Paul Studio for about a decade or so, now I'm playing through an SG Special. Also, for the most part have played through Fender cheapo solid state amplifiers.

I've always liked my Gibsons, but never 100 percent happy with the tones I'd get out of them. My interest in playing and tones has really spiked in the last year or so, I don't know what rock I have been hiding under, but I finally splurged for a Fender Hotrod Deville tube amp (212). So that obviously made a huge improvement in the tone I've been looking for, but still a little dark and muffled for my taste. (My taste is 70s classic rock as well as clean tones like Jerry Garcia, some jazz tones, etc).

So... I was messing around at the local guitar store, and plugged in an American Standard into a Deville. (I've never been a Strat fan in the past). I my god... there was the tone I've been imagining and trying to obtain from my Gibsons and solid state amps for the better part of 3 decades. Unbelievable... no pedals, no nothing, most beautiful tone I've ever heard, who'd of thought that a strat single coil was the answer all along, I ignorantly thought the single coil guitar would be too weak, I was wrong.

So, I've decided to by a Strat, I have been researching this and other forums for a while trying to get through the different models, etc. I decided to play a deluxe before making a decision. I thought the deluxe was a beautiful guitar and a better all around instrument than the American Standard; however, the sound of the standard blew away the deluxe in my opinion, even with the pickup hum. So, American Standard it is (with Maple fretboard).

I have to hand it to you guys, you've known all along what it took me 3 decades to figure out, Strat is the best sounding guitar I've ever heard. I will be keeping the SG, it has certain things it does better, plus gives me options for tones with the humbuckers, but it might be getting a little dusty in the near future.


I love my Strat. But its not going to replace my SG Special. Its like comparing apples to oranges.

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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:46 am
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It's been said many times ....
Gibsons have their place but I don't think any guitar is quite as versatile as a Stratocaster. I find most Gibsons (and Les Pauls in particular) are sort of "One Trick Ponies". They do one thing VERY well but they're limited to that one thing. My opinion, of course. YMMV. Welcome to the club. There's always room for one one more.

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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 4:09 pm
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I am a longtime Gibson fanatic, and have purchased a couple of Fender guitars recently. I am getting a lot of enjoyment from the different type of sounds, and I can see why so many folks love Fender. I do not, however, see myself "converting". There is no guitar sound in existence that can compare to a Les Paul through a Marshall amp. For me that is THE defining sound of rock and roll, but I must admit that I am loving the crisp, twangy cleans and the bluesy, lightly distorted tones from my Strat. When I'm in the mood to crank the gain on the OD channel, the Gibson is the way to go.

To me, there isn't any valid argument to saying one is better than the other. It all depends on what kind of music you want to play, and on your personal taste.

One other thing: As a "Gibson guy" experimenting with my first Stratocaster, I find the volume knob to be in a very uncomfortable location. I would imagine some other people having the same problem. Nothing wrong with the design, it's just since I am used to the controls of a Les Paul, I find myself accidentally hitting the volume knob with my fingers all the time. I cured this problem by moving the volume down where the first tone knob was, and then just turned the lower tone knob into a master tone. Problem solved! I'm sure some of you hardcore Strat guys wouldn't love it, but for my taste it's working out great.


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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 6:31 am
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I myself go back and forth between strats and gibsons. At the moment Im mostly playing gibsons because of the music my band has been playing. But when not playing with the band I play my strats. There all good. Everything has its place.


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Post subject: Re: Another Gibson Guy Converting to Strat
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2014 8:59 pm
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Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:06 pm
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T2Stratman wrote:
Welcome to the Forum. Strat ownership is a beautiful thing. And don't worry that it took you three decades to get here...it doesn't matter when you arrive, just that you get here safely!

We do have a rule here, when you get that Strat you got to post a pic or two of it! We all love the guitar porn!

:mrgreen:

T2


Well, I pulled the trigger. I freakin love this thing. Best neck I've ever played on!

Image


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