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Thread: Strat Surprised Me

  1. #1
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Strat Surprised Me

    I was a Strat guy for decades. However, when I got my Tele five years ago, the Strat was relegated to the position behind my Tele and LP. Since then, I've looked at my Strat out of the corner of my eye and had some hard feelings about it. A buddy came over to jam last night, and I picked it up. As soon as I strapped it on and felt it in my hands, I remembered why I love Strats--more than any other electric out there, including my number 1 Tele. So no 3 Strat has become no 1 again. I can't believe I ever questioned my love for Strats. I enjoyed playing it last night more than I've enjoyed playing any guitar in a long time.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  2. #2
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    You know, I'm kind of like you, Willie. I go through phases of which guitar I want to play. I currently have within reach my Eric Clapton Strat and my Classic Player Triple Tele. The Tele is a weird bird, as it has three nocaster pickups and a five-way selector switch, which makes it my "Tele-Strat-or." Every time I pick up one of these guitars it quickly becomes my favorite. Until I pick up another...

  3. #3
    Forum Member CoyotesGator's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    I go back and forth between guitars at a surprising slow speed.

    It might be months before I change my daily player but, when I do, I'm reminded why that particular tool was loved before.

    They're a pathway to touch our inner soul, each with its own voice and personality.

    Kinda like us.
    What happend?
    Who let the magic smoke out?

  4. #4
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    I'm still honeymooning hard over my SG. I think it if came down to it, I could live with a Tele for my fender scale, bolt neck goodness and my SG for my Gibson scale set neck humbucker needs. The neck just feels like home and it is light and almost as comfortable as a strat, plus that upper fret access is second to none

    but I'd still prefer to have a strat in my stable. And a Les Paul. And a Jazz bass. And a P bass. I wouldn't mind having an SG Jr, Flying V, ES-339 either
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  5. #5
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    I love my Strat, but it's not my number 1. That's my Tele- it covers more of the ground that I need to cover- the bright, yet fat bridge pickup, the warm jazzy neck pickup and the round sound of both pickups combined. But, I love Strats- they're my favorite guitar. The shape, sound feel... Those other sounds are just more useful to me.

  6. #6
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    My favorite guitar will always be the strat

  7. #7
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Quote Originally Posted by Sérgio View Post
    My favorite guitar will always be the strat
    I said this for over a decade, then a Telecaster surprised me!

  8. #8
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    I'm glad I play one of each. I'd have a hard time making Sophie's choice.

    The necks on my Strat and Tele aren't that much different from each other, and yet the Strat neck has some sort of edge in comfort and playability.

    I don't know which god shone his beam on the Strat the other night. I hadn't even felt like jamming with my friend. I was reluctant. Played the Tele; I wasn't happy with it. Grabbed the Strat and something happened immediately. My buddy and I had a special time improvising, going from punk to jazz, to pop, to rock and back. The Strat was the perfect tool for the job, but I'm telling you, something amazing happened when I held that guitar in my hands.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  9. #9
    Forum Member kaicho8888's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Too many guitars; too little time!

    I rotate and play mine every month or so. I purposely keep the other guitars out of sight. This makes playing more familiar with it. Of course, when picking up the next guitar, it's inspirational again... On and on again on the merry go round of guitars!

    Life's good for old farts!

    Old Rockers never die; we just fade away!
    会長

  10. #10
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Quote Originally Posted by kaicho8888 View Post
    Too many guitars; too little time!

    I rotate and play mine every month or so. I purposely keep the other guitars out of sight. This makes playing more familiar with it. Of course, when picking up the next guitar, it's inspirational again... On and on again on the merry go round of guitars!

    Life's good for old farts!
    True on all counts!

    You're right about switching guitars and getting inspiration. Next month, I'll pick up the LP and fall in love with it all over again. I just know that my Strat is the most comfortable to play guitar that I own. I have a small collection of 3 electrics, a Strat, a Tele, and a LP, and over years of buying, selling, and trading, I've wound up with 3 that sound and play exactly as I've always wanted.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    I took the strat out last night as i was recording. First time in ages and it was like old times. The strat was my first real guitar, even if my first one was a steaming hunk of poo. I gravitated towards them consistently for the better part of my early gear whoring. The Les Pauls and Teles weren't really a factor until about a score or so ago.
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  12. #12
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    My problem is I love them all.

    Probably LP's the best, but there are always the things that make each one great.

    Some day when I have to put them away for good is the day I grab my knife and go hunting Griz.

  13. #13
    Forum Member smitty_p's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    I guess I’m not really any kind of “guy”, like a “Les Paul Guy,” or a “Strat Guy.”

    But, I’ve really been getting into my Strat more and more, lately. It really is one of my most indispensable guitars.

    I’ve also been listening to a lot of Eric Johnson lately. I really like that singing quality he gets from his Strat.

  14. #14
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Quote Originally Posted by smitty_p View Post
    I guess I’m not really any kind of “guy”, like a “Les Paul Guy,” or a “Strat Guy.”

    But, I’ve really been getting into my Strat more and more, lately. It really is one of my most indispensable guitars.

    I’ve also been listening to a lot of Eric Johnson lately. I really like that singing quality he gets from his Strat.
    His Venus Isle is one of my favorite albums.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  15. #15
    Forum Member smitty_p's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    His Venus Isle is one of my favorite albums.
    That's next on my list of album purchases!

    I can't believe I've spent so much of my life and never even bothered to listen to Eric Johnson. What a wonderfully articulate and musical guitarist.

    I've purchased and downloaded "Ah Via Musicom" and the relatively recent "Collage" albums via iTunes. I also purchased and downloaded "S.R.V" off the "Venus Isle" album, but I'm gonna go ahead and get that whole album, too.

    I guess what hooked me on Eric was hearing "Cliffs of Dover". That is a fantastic piece. I've seen the video where he also plays it with a Gibson SG. I like SGs - I have two of them. But, I prefer the more singing sound of the Stratocaster in that tune.

    I suppose one reason I like Eric is that he will compose whole songs that are just instrumental music...and done very well. My first love in music is Classical Music. Consequently, I enjoy listening to all-instrumental compositions...but I also love electric guitar. Eric Johnson fills that role very nicely!

    The cool thing is that all this has made me revisit my Strat and really dive into the tonez!

  16. #16
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Quote Originally Posted by smitty_p View Post
    That's next on my list of album purchases!

    I can't believe I've spent so much of my life and never even bothered to listen to Eric Johnson. What a wonderfully articulate and musical guitarist.

    I've purchased and downloaded "Ah Via Musicom" and the relatively recent "Collage" albums via iTunes. I also purchased and downloaded "S.R.V" off the "Venus Isle" album, but I'm gonna go ahead and get that whole album, too.

    I guess what hooked me on Eric was hearing "Cliffs of Dover". That is a fantastic piece. I've seen the video where he also plays it with a Gibson SG. I like SGs - I have two of them. But, I prefer the more singing sound of the Stratocaster in that tune.

    I suppose one reason I like Eric is that he will compose whole songs that are just instrumental music...and done very well. My first love in music is Classical Music. Consequently, I enjoy listening to all-instrumental compositions...but I also love electric guitar. Eric Johnson fills that role very nicely!

    The cool thing is that all this has made me revisit my Strat and really dive into the tonez!

    Great to see you here, Smitty!

  17. #17
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Eric Johnson will be embarking on a "Classics: Present and Past" tour beginning January 8, 2020 and whirling around North America through March. Dates and ticket availability may be found here.

  18. #18
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Oh, cool, he's coming to Tupelo's in Derry, NH again. Saw him there a few (4-5?) years ago. Great show, we had greet and meet passes from a friend who's bought and sold gear with him. Really nice guy.
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  19. #19
    Forum Member smitty_p's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Quote Originally Posted by Sérgio View Post
    Great to see you here, Smitty!
    Yup, Sergio. It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?

    But, I’ve really been digging my Strat, lately. And, I’m thinking through a Strat project, so things are definitely Stratified in Smitty World!

  20. #20
    Forum Member smitty_p's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Quote Originally Posted by OldStrummer View Post
    Eric Johnson will be embarking on a "Classics: Present and Past" tour beginning January 8, 2020 and whirling around North America through March. Dates and ticket availability may be found here.
    Dude...

    One of the cities he’s visiting is real close to me!

    I just told my wife...we ARE going!

  21. #21
    Forum Member smitty_p's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Quote Originally Posted by smitty_p View Post
    Dude...

    One of the cities he’s visiting is real close to me!

    I just told my wife...we ARE going!
    I just bought two tickets!

    Yay!

  22. #22
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Strat Surprised Me

    Quote Originally Posted by smitty_p View Post
    Yup, Sergio. It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?

    But, I’ve really been digging my Strat, lately. And, I’m thinking through a Strat project, so things are definitely Stratified in Smitty World!

    Hehe then you are most welcome to stick around!

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