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Post subject: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 6:50 pm
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I have been a freelance musician since 1983, but as a Commercial trumpet player. Today as brass gigs have become harder to come by I have decided to put down my horn and chosen to pick up my guitar.

Now that I am working with a great teacher/musician I have been asked to audition for a new band here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now I am currently playing a Road Worn Telecaster which I love but I find it inappropriate in all musical applications and I am considering purchasing a Stratocaster and would like to know which model and configuration would be the best choice and most useful in most situations.


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 7:45 pm
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That is a mighty subjective question, but you can't go wrong with a American Standard Stratocaster.


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 9:21 pm
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My brother is a session bass player in the Bay area and also plays at various local vineyards and clubs. Still a lot of good music in SF.

What kind of music does the band play that you are auditioning for? I have several Strats with different pickups. Which one I pick depends on what kind of music I'm going to be playing. If I only had one I would want it to sound right for whatever music I played the most.


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 1:05 am
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Minnesotastrats wrote:
That is a mighty subjective question, but you can't go wrong with a American Standard Stratocaster.


That would be my recommendation. The others are either variations on a theme or Les Paul impersonators. If you want a Strat get a Strat not a Les Paul with a Strat shape ;-)

If the visual aspect of the guitar is an issue perhaps a Les Paul or PRS single cutaway model would be more discrete. You could play a plain PRS with a swing band when a Strat might seem a little incongruous.

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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 1:49 am
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This is a pretty ethereal question -- much like being forced to take your obnoxious five year-old nephew to a Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor then having to explain to the brat all of the thirty-one available flavors when he asks what each of them tastes like.

:mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 3:29 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
This is a pretty ethereal question -- much like being forced to take your obnoxious five year-old nephew to a Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor then having to explain to the brat all of the thirty-one available flavors when he asks what each of them tastes like.

:mrgreen:

Arjay


:lol:


8)

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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 3:55 am
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G_Mancillas wrote:
Now I am currently playing a Road Worn Telecaster which I love but I find it inappropriate in all musical applications


What's inappropriate about it?
There are countless players out there playing Telecasters in most genres of music.


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:31 am
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G_Mancillas wrote:
I have been a freelance musician since 1983, but as a Commercial trumpet player. ..... Now I am currently playing a Road Worn Telecaster which I love but I find it inappropriate in all musical applications .....


You are strumming it, not blowing it, aren't you?

Sorry. Welcome to the world of guitarists. :-) At least you aren't a drummer. :roll:

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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:28 am
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There's really no end to what a Tele can do actually

But depending on the music you'll be working with, perhaps something with humbuckers verses another guitar with single coils? Keep the tele for those times when it's the right sound.

I know we're in the stratocaster forum here, but have you considered something like a Gibson SG, or Les Paul Studio, or perhaps one of the new Epiphone Les Paul Tributes (which are very nice guitars for the money they are fetching)

I've got 16 electrics, fenders and gibsons are all welcome in my home!


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 8:09 am
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Hi G_Mancillas and welcome to the forum.
G_Mancillas wrote:
... I am currently playing a Road Worn Telecaster which I love but I find it inappropriate in all musical applications and I am considering purchasing a Stratocaster and would like to know which model and configuration would be the best choice and most useful in most situations.
If you could tell us which applications you feel are inappropriate for your Telecaster and the type of music you're going to be playing, perhaps we would be able to give you some helpful recommendations.

Having said this, I would echo what others have said in that you can't go wrong with an American Standard Strat and that a Telecaster is pretty versatile.

HTH

Cheers!
BM

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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 8:48 am
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This is kind of like asking which car is the best choice.

I'd go with an American Standard Strat.

Good luck!

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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 1:04 pm
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Considering that the Telecaster has been, still is, and forever will be in good use in every imaginable music genre, I'd tend to support that ice cream flavor theory presented above.

But if you really feel there is music that a Tele won't cover, I'd suggest a HSS Strat in the price class that suits you.


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 11:55 pm
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jmattis wrote:
Considering that the Telecaster has been, still is, and forever will be in good use in every imaginable music genre....


Marching band?
Chamber music?
Medieval Folk?
Gregorian Chants?

;-)

Sorry, I just can't take this whole thread seriously.

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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:15 am
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Marching band? Telecaster Marching Band Chowder Society
Chamber music? Julian Lage at "Chamber Music in the Barn"
Medieval Folk? Knut Reiersrud, "Somewhere along the road he also rediscovered the folk music of Norway and found that adding a cora, a Fender Telecaster or an Oud would reveal totally new qualities in a traditional Norwegian "Slatt" (dance tune). "
Gregorian Chants? You almost got me there, but then I remembered that "Still I'm Sad" (Yardbirds) is based on gregorian chant - and we all know Jeff Beck started with a borrowed red Tele...

You talking about serious? Seriously, you don't mess with Telecasters... :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Which Stratocaster is the Best Choice
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:57 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
This is a pretty ethereal question -- much like being forced to take your obnoxious five year-old nephew to a Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor then having to explain to the brat all of the thirty-one available flavors when he asks what each of them tastes like.

:mrgreen:

Arjay


Nephew - "Uncle Arjay, what does pistachio taste like?"
Arjay - "Pistachio!"
Nephew - "What does that taste like?"
Arjay - "If you ate what your mother puts on your plate instead of pulling faces and picking at it you'd know! Now do you want some or not?"

:lol:


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