NGD SRV Stratocaster

Hello All. New to Fender here. Been a Gibson man all my life until the other day. Here's my story and I'm sticking to it. I accompanied my BIL to a guitar store near Madison, WI a few weekends ago, Dave's Guitar Shop. We were in Madison for a wedding and had a few hours to kill and he wanted to check this place out, asked if I wanted to go. Sure, why not. I'm quite happy with my current menagerie but I'll help you find something. So he and our wives (their favorite place, NOT!) go in and he's off checking out some Dobro's. Now if you've ever been to Dave's Guitar Shop, there are a lot of guitars and since I had time to kill I thought I check out a few types that I don't usually play. Or even consider. Picked up a Tele, it was OK. American strat, OK. Buddy Guy sig model, pass. SVR model, well, I'm not a fan boy and don't go for signature guitars but what the hell else was there to do on a Saturday afternoon in Madison. Wow. What a great sound. Texas bluesy to the max! Anyway I was just plunkin' away on it killing time, maybe lingered a little too long with it, and my wife says (do you already know where this is going?) My wife asks if I like it. I said yeah it's nice, good sound, plays great. She says good I just bought it for you. Stunned silence from me. What? I just bought it for you? I tell ya, I don't know what I did to deserve it but I hope I do it again.

So now I'm a Fender man too. Somethings I'll need to get used to compared to my Gibby's. I don't like to left handed bridge with the whammy bar attached, very uncomfortable. I understand its an accurate replica but that has got to go. Will a right hand bridge drop in without modification does anyone know? This question was the real intent of my post but I wanted to share the story of how I got here. Cheers everyone !

Sorry, I don't have photobucket or other sharing service but if you interested in seeing it here's a link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xz9...ew?usp=sharing


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xz9...ew?usp=sharing

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Originally Posted by mromolino

I don't know what I did to deserve it but I hope I do it again.

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As "insurance", buy her some shoes.

:dude

Welcome. Nice guitar indeed, the SRV is a great model!

Looking at my American Standard Strat, I "think" you will have to route out the slot that the bridge fits in more on the bottom part of the body (closest to the volume and tone knobs). And then you will have an exposed area of the existing route that the left handed bridge is currently covering. I could be wrong. I wouldn't do that to a brand new guitar, I would probably not use the whammy bar at all.

About that bridge… If I were you, I’d play that sexy beast a lot before deciding to change anything.

Give yourself some time to get acquainted to it.

A right handed six screw bridge might fit (American Standards have different fitting parts) but why change something that’s iconic? Play it until you really know the feeling of it and then decide :)

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Originally Posted by S. Cane

About that bridge… If I were you, I’d play that sexy beast a lot before deciding to change anything.

Give yourself some time to get acquainted to it.

A right handed six screw bridge might fit (American Standards have different fitting parts) but why change something that’s iconic? Play it until you really know the feeling of it and then decide :)

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My American Standard is over 20 years old, and I realize they may have changed how they route out the cavities on newer guitars. One way to tell would be to fully depress the whammy bar and have a look underneath the bridge plate. That's what I did on mine to determine the route extended further on the end of the body where the whammy bar screws into.

But I agree, I wouldn't do anything drastic until playing the guitar for a while.

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Originally Posted by Michael Smith

My American Standard is over 20 years old, and I realize they may have changed how they route out the cavities on newer guitars. One way to tell would be to fully depress the whammy bar and have a look underneath the bridge plate. That's what I did on mine to determine the route extended further on the end of the body where the whammy bar screws into.

But I agree, I wouldn't do anything drastic until playing the guitar for a while.

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BTW, Michael, I’m an American Standard player too! I love mine.

Very nice, and welcome to the forum! I haven't visited Dave's but I bought a guitar online from them earlier this year, and they couldn't have been nicer, more efficient, or more pleasant to work with. JR was my online rep (acoustic sales) and he holds the record for response time, in my book. Answered every question, confirmed everything I asked for, and couldn't have been nicer.

As for the whammy bar, I confess I don't use one. I have one on my 50th Anniversary Strat, but the arm just dangles there. I suppose I could remove it, but I never notice it. Since I'm not a tremolo player, I have no idea about "blocked" versus "unblocked," but I toss those terms out there in case checking on it might help.

Stick around. Let's get to know you.

For the longest time, I had my tremelo blocked, but during my last guitar set up, I had them set it to floating where the trem plate is flush with the guitar body (i.e., so the trem only works in one direction - to lower the pitch). If I were to change the gauge of the strings, it might be necessary to adjust the tension of the trem springs to retain this floating set up.

I don’t use trem arms either.

Thanks guys. Good advice all. I've never owned a guitar with a whammy bar and was kinda looking forward to having one but the years of using the tune-o-matic bridge as hand rest may have made me a little lazy. But yes I suppose I need to give it time before making changes. A fine guitar overall but I do get a Gibson 'ting' while tuning the B string which surprised me. Same solution I guess, a little pencil graphite is the cure for that.

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Originally Posted by mromolino

Thanks guys. Good advice all. I've never owned a guitar with a whammy bar and was kinda looking forward to having one but the years of using the tune-o-matic bridge as hand rest may have made me a little lazy. But yes I suppose I need to give it time before making changes. A fine guitar overall but I do get a Gibson 'ting' while tuning the B string which surprised me. Same solution I guess, a little pencil graphite is the cure for that.

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Lol the two main things that Tune-o-magic guys gotta learn how to deal with when they switch to strats: the floating bridge and the volume knob. I posted a funny story that happened to me years ago, I’ll try to retrieve it.

Here it is. :D

https://www.thefenderforum.com/forum...ht=Volume+knob


Seven years have passed, and not only I’m a strict strat player, but also can’t cope with Gibsons having the damned volume knobs so far from the strings.

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Originally Posted by S. Cane

Here it is. :D

https://www.thefenderforum.com/forum...ht=Volume+knob


Seven years have passed, and not only I’m a strict strat player, but also can’t cope with Gibsons having the damned volume knobs so far from the strings.

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Embarrassing :laughing: Come to think of it the volume knob does seem to mysteriously get turned down all by itself :doh

Stratocasters are my favorite guitars. They're just so comfortable. I've been playing S-style and LP's side by side for a long time and the switch is natural and I don't think about it, but you do approach the two types a bit differently. Mostly for me it's picking hand technique.

I implore you to work a lot with the 2 and 4 positions, since to me, that's where the Stratocaster magic lives. Agreed the bar is an unnecessary appendage unless you're playing 80's hair metal and need to do the "shifting gears" cliche. For light vibrato just palm the bridge and wang the neck, you won't break it.

Congrats on the new guitar.

[QUOTE=I implore you to work a lot with the 2 and 4 positions, since to me, that's where the Stratocaster magic lives. Agreed the bar is an unnecessary appendage unless you're playing 80's hair metal and need to do the "shifting gears" cliche. For light vibrato just palm the bridge and wang the neck, you won't break it.

Congrats on the new guitar.[/QUOTE]

I have discovered those positions and 1 agree. That's where I find myself most of the time.

Transitioning from a Les Paul to a Strat takes time. Give it it's due. Playing technique and your amp's EQ controls will need to be adjusted to fit the new paradigm.

Indeed, if you just plug a strat into a rig with Gibson-oriented settings it’ll probably sound weird.

And though the 2 and 4 positions are tasty, remember: nothing “sings” as beautifully and as clear as a strat’s neck pickup, when it comes to soloing.

One piece of advice: strats sound better when played L O U D

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Originally Posted by S. Cane

nothing “sings” as beautifully and as clear as a strat’s neck pickup, when it comes to soloing.

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+1

Especially if you install a super-hot pickup in the neck position. Roll the tone control back, then dial in some OD and dirt. You'll be rewarded with some tasty Claptonesque "woman" tones.

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Originally Posted by phantomman

+1

Especially if you install a super-hot pickup in the neck position. Roll the tone control back, then dial in some OD and dirt. You'll be rewarded with some tasty Claptonesque "woman" tones.

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I believe Clapton's 'women tone' came from a SG. Which I have. And she's beautiful.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3w...-no?authuser=0

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1Q...97JaCUokL5aK7wOK Google Photo can host pictures. I'll take more soon

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z5...-no?authuser=0

To transition from Gibby to F, and you rest your picking hand: same idea, on the bridge post/ fulcrum point. It is easier from TOM to 6 point than 2 point.

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Originally Posted by mromolino

I believe Clapton's 'women tone' came from a SG. Which I have. And she's beautiful.

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Eric's "woman tone" came to the fore with his work with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers.

And the guitar he played during that era was his '58 Les Paul which was ultimately stolen at the beginning of his Cream era.

Clapton's use of the SG (aka "the fool") is well-documented and the technique for achieving the "woman tone" is similar. I saw him play that guitar in May of 1968 at the Civic Auditorium in Sacramento, California. An awesome concert!

Here's a video clip from 1968 where Eric Clapton discusses and demonstrates some of his guitar techniques. The "woman tone" is at about the two minute mark (a five minute clip).

https://youtu.be/p4vxOoSS5RY

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Originally Posted by S. Cane

Indeed, if you just plug a strat into a rig with Gibson-oriented settings it’ll probably sound weird.

And though the 2 and 4 positions are tasty, remember: nothing “sings” as beautifully and as clear as a strat’s neck pickup, when it comes to soloing.

One piece of advice: strats sound better when played L O U D

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I'm not sure I agree with most of that. Strats are the most beautiful to me at lower settings where you can let the shimmer take center stage. You know, Wicked Game and all that. Strat neck pups- meh, I find them generally blah and generic and devoid of cut. The middle and bridge are the money-makers for me.


Others may vary, but when I'm playing live and switch from a Strat to a Lester I don't change EQ. I like to let each instrument be itself and really, at a live show you don't have time to be tweaking.

My approach is to let the uniqueness of each guitar I play come to the forefront. I also play clean most of the time.

The only thing I would change is compression between the two as the effect is pretty different between the singles and PAFs. I usually don't use compression on the Les Paul, so no problem there.

The above is for the time-tested tube amp and pedals approach. For a rack it's academic, since the setlist is generally programmed.

Others may have varying experience or opinions.

Chuck

The major amp EQ change for me is, I have the "bright" switch on for humbuckers and switch it off for Strats.

If we’re talking about typical Gibson humbuckers, say PAFs, and Fender Single Coils, as Fat 50s, I notice a huge difference in volume and balance if I just plug them into the same rig.

And though Chuck is right when he says you can just let each guitar be itself, it doesn’t necessarily work for what one is doing onstage. It depends on what you play and what effects and settings you’re using. For instance, Chuck loves compressors. He also plays clean a lot. I don’t.

Of course, YMMV

Sergio, you need to play cleaner.

The #1 mistake I see aspiring guitars player make - by a WIDE, WIDE margin - is using too much effects, especially OD and distortion. Delay is the third. Hey, SRV played pretty danged clean if you really listen. Hendrix did too most of the time.

It almost always ends the same way. The player doesn't have clean playing down to where they get the sustain and fullness they want, so they add an OD, that mushes the signal and they then say " I can't hear myself'. So they turn up and the mush is worse. Next thing you know there's a hideous mix onstage and the whole band is too loud. Plenty of dB's but not much music. Many newbs actually tend to use the dirt box more for it's ability to add compression, they just don't realize it yet.

I grew up playing with old blues guys and they cured me of that habit toot-sweet. As I moved through southern rock I learned how effective a clean guitar is. Synyrd, the Dregs, Hatchet, Outlaws, etc., all pretty clean solo styles. Yes, the amps' power sections are pumping it out, but the front side is usually very clean. Maybe an Orange Crush style sound on the front but that's really more of a dirty compressor.

In my band, for example, I almost never allow effects on the rhythm guitar. That's the number one way to keep the mix sounding tight.

YMMV,

Chuck

Great advice. Now if I could only play someplace where I can crank my amp up to the start of it's sweet spot (4.5)

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Originally Posted by mromolino

Great advice. Now if I could only play someplace where I can crank my amp up to the start of it's sweet spot (4.5)

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He he, that's all of us. Enjoy your Stratification process. Like I said earlier the 2 and 4 positions make beautiful music. The built-in reverb tank is nice too. I often play my Strat with the delay off. Learn to keep your hand off the bridge when you play it clean and you'll hear the springs doing their thing. Palm it to tame it. Move your picking forward to make it sound sweeter and back to make it brighter. There's so much nuance to the Stratocaster you'll never run out of "Wow!" moments.

Your SRV is a really nice Stratocaster. Enjoy!

Chuck

I didn't consider that the springs would add to the overall sound but I will definitely be listening for it. Still has all springs on but I understand sometimes a few are removed. Good tips all, glad I stopped by :)

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Originally Posted by mromolino

I didn't consider that the springs would add to the overall sound but I will definitely be listening for it. Still has all springs on but I understand sometimes a few are removed. Good tips all, glad I stopped by :)

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I never use tremolo arms but I don't deck the bridge either, exactly because I like the effect the springs add toa strat's tone!

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Originally Posted by S. Cane

I don’t use trem arms either.

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Me too :biglaugh: