Recommend me a nice stratocaster!

martyfriedman86 · #1 08-04-2009, 04:02 PM

Hi everyone, I'm currently playing a lot of pink floyd/gilmour, dire straits and clapton stuff and looking forward to learning some eric johnson as well, and while my ancient RG performs outstandingly for metal, progressive and so, i'd like a guitar that can suit vintage tones better, especially the ones i mentioned above.

unfortunately most guitars are seriously overpriced in our country

a fender american standard sells for 1800 dollars new

1250 for a highway one
1400 for a highway one upgraeded (don't know the difference between these two).
900 for a mexican standard
1200 for a mexican deluxe

i was hoping some people strat owners would be able to give me some advice on this.

i accept all kind of suggestions, including other brands.
i was about to buy a fernandes revival, but the day i made up my mind, someone bought it a couple of hours before i did.

Thank you very much.
looking forward to your comments/suggestions.

Martín.

6fingers · #2 08-04-2009, 04:27 PM

Sorry man I can't recomend you a stratocaster cause I hate all fender instruments.
I played for about 6 years in Pink Floyd cover and everybody always told my tones were exactly like Gilmour tones.
How did I get his tones?
ESP MII with evo bridge and hot rail neck,evo has a split switch to get a single sound.
Depending on the size and importance of gig I was playing,sometimes I used a digitech rp 12 valve(if I can remember its name),sometimes triaxis+GMajor+2.90+Marshall 1960B cab.
Everybody use to ask how could I get his tones with a shredder guitar ?
Well it only needs a split switch to sometimes sound as a single,and effects are the same to everybody,you just have to learn how to use them.
And before someone says Gilmour used this or that amp well only a millionaire could buy Gilmour's equipments so get your ears used to his tones and you'll be able to achieve them even with a digitech floor processor.

Hope this helped you .

martyfriedman86 · #3 08-04-2009, 04:37 PM

i actually added a single coil switch to the rg but, it's a completely different world, but it's definitely not a real strat.

6fingers · #4 08-04-2009, 04:41 PM

well so buy Gilmour pups.

martyfriedman86 · #5 08-04-2009, 04:48 PM

Don't think so,

i still like the sound of the guitar as it is for other kinds of music I play, and a sinle coil would totally affect that.

Apart from that, the fact of having 24 frets increases the distance from headstock to the first pickup, which also changes the tone, and basswood sounds different in it's own way.
you can tell both guitars sound different even when unplugged, i get the impression alder is kind of brighter and more resonant.

6fingers · #6 08-04-2009, 05:03 PM

Oh Yeah Gilmour always payed attention to all that stuff LOL
He only plays pentatonics,I mean he never spent time studying(don't get me wrong I love Pink Floyd) so about guitars and woods,he couldn't care less about them.
I saw so many guys doing the same thing you're doing.
They bought the same guitar,pups,amps,not all Gilmour's equipments but the basic ones and still they couldn't achieve Gilmour's tones.
Why?
It doesn't matter if you have even all his equipment if your ears can't reproduce his tone.
A friend of mine played with my equipment and he said with him my equipment wasn't sound the same as with me.I was at his side and I told him YES it's sounding the same.
So our ears are a problem LOL
But that's your money and time so if you can ,buy the same strato Gilmour uses.

martyfriedman86 · #7 08-04-2009, 05:20 PM

I won't buy gilmour guitars, amps or effects.
i don't even buy pedals or amps, i try to make my own as far as they're not so complicated, and most vintage amps aren't.

I just want a strat, which i beleive is a totally different guitar than my RG that's all.
i've been playing for more than ten years now, and had the chance to try strats thru the rest of my setup, and beleive me the change is huge. I'm not saying you can't use ibanez for that type of music, i've been doing it all this time, and this guitar is probably on of the most versatiles out there, but i beleive that you're kind of restricted in some ways.
no matter how much you process your signal between guitar and amp, all guitars have their own sound.

if one guitar and a magic pedal could do all sorts of stuff then there would be no need for other stuff.

gusman2x · #8 08-04-2009, 05:27 PM

If you can still find one, I'd recommend one of the Mexican CLassic 50's (not the Classic 50's player).

I have 3 strats, a JV squire, a Vintage 62 reissue and a Mexican Classic 50's. Granted teh 50's has had a real nice set up but it's probably my favourite strat to play, and what I learn most of my stuff on when I'm sitting on the sofa in front of the TV.

Strats are cool, and everyone should own one at some time or another. Good luck dude.

6fingers · #9 08-04-2009, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyfriedman86

i try to make my own as far as they're not so complicated, and most vintage amps aren't.

if one guitar and a magic pedal could do all sorts of stuff then there would be no need for other stuff.

agreed.
But don't forget some people can only buy pedals.
So if you're going to make it how could we recomend you one?
Follow your needs and ears and make your own strato then post it here for all of us.

martyfriedman86 · #10 08-04-2009, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gusman2x

If you can still find one, I'd recommend one of the Mexican CLassic 50's (not the Classic 50's player).

I have 3 strats, a JV squire, a Vintage 62 reissue and a Mexican Classic 50's. Granted teh 50's has had a real nice set up but it's probably my favourite strat to play, and what I learn most of my stuff on when I'm sitting on the sofa in front of the TV.

Strats are cool, and everyone should own one at some time or another. Good luck dude.

Thank you very much man!
what's the difference between a classic 50's and a classic 50's player?

i beleive i can find classic player 69s here in my country

martyfriedman86 · #11 08-04-2009, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6fingers

agreed.
But don't forget some people can only buy pedals.
So if you're going to make it how could we recomend you one?
Follow your needs and ears and make your own strato then post it here for all of us.

i can build electronic thing such as amps and pedals (to some extent), but definitely not a guitar :P

that's why i'm looking for recommendations here

gusman2x · #12 08-04-2009, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyfriedman86

Thank you very much man!
what's the difference between a classic 50's and a classic 50's player?

i beleive i can find classic player 69s here in my country

The Classic PLAYER has slightly hotter pickups and has a 9.5 radius board. The 50's vs the 60's (either plaer or standard) has a maple board which is kind of integral to the classic floyd look/sound although Gilmour has had a rosewood board on his black strat before.

I played both and found the earlier 50's Classic better built than the 50's Classic Player. Also, for all teh floyd solos, I like the feel of the more rounded fretbord more. You won't be doing much shredding, but it feels nicer for the pentatonics and unison bends that are Gilmour's signiature.

Prob best to play a few and see which you like. One of the best strats I've ever played was still an old japanese made Squire with a rosewood board. Weak PUs but that's easily solved.

Let us know how you get on anyway man.