My strats are collecting dust...

[The_Sentry]

Well....sorta kinda. They don't come out of their cases too often.

Man...I'll admit that for years...that's all I wanted. A strat. I got one. Played it for years. Got another.

Then I got into the Les Pauls...since then, my strats are only broken out once in a blue moon, mostly for recording.

I tried gigging with one a couple of weeks ago. It felt odd in my hands and nowhere near as sweet as my Gibson either from a tonality or playability perspective. It was a rememberance towards the notion of playing the strat...if you want tone, you have to beat on the bloody thing...fight it tooth and nail.

I'm at a loss here. What should I do? The 2 strats sit off on the side, away from the guitars I pull out every day to play. I tried selling one of 'em...it sat in a shop for months...no buyers. So I took it back, and cleaned it up.

I don't know if it's worth selling 'em...and they'll probably stay where they are...but it's kind of sad that 2 of my guitars rarely get played...

 

[Jason]

pics?

I find that my cheapo p90 SX SJM sounds better through my Valve Junior than my CV Strat... But, plugged in to something like my Amplug, that brings out more tonal details... It seems like my VJ amp is cutting off a ton of the tastey top-end detail on my Strat, which makes it not nearly as fun to play through that amp. So the p90s sound best on the VJ, and the Strat sounds best on the Amplug (which is supposed to be a Marshall, for what it's worth). I've heard that guitars will have much more upper detail if your amp has a high impedance input...

 

[zplapplap]

Bad time to sell. You said so yourself. Leave them in the case unless you need the dough or wind up gassing for one of those Heritage lefty H 150's.

 

[The_Sentry]

Bad time to sell. You said so yourself. Leave them in the case unless you need the dough or wind up gassing for one of those Heritage lefty H 150's.

Oh, you're right about that. Even locally there are some amazing strats and strat variants for sale. (Including a Suhr which is off the hook.)

I may just have to hold onto them for a long, long time...who knows...maybe someday I'll warm up to 'em.

pics?

I find that my cheapo p90 SX SJM sounds better through my Valve Junior than my CV Strat... But, plugged in to something like my Amplug, that brings out more tonal details... It seems like my VJ amp is cutting off a ton of the tastey top-end detail on my Strat, which makes it not nearly as fun to play through that amp. So the p90s sound best on the VJ, and the Strat sounds best on the Amplug (which is supposed to be a Marshall, for what it's worth). I've heard that guitars will have much more upper detail if your amp has a high impedance input...

Thanks for the input, Jason. I'll admit that the toughest thing to deal with here is simply playing one after getting done with my Gibsons...and even my Epiphones....hell, even the SX 335 clone I own. They have a different feel, and I've really grown accustomed to it. I don't know what it is...the strats don't even feel or sound right anymore. I think I'm becoming a humbucker TOM snob or something.

 

[73roadrunner]

Try a pickup swap & some other customizations

 

[Yogi]

Well how much do you want for that 67 reissue. I could flip the nut and strap buttom, and have some Jimi Mojo

 

[leftyguitarman]

If you decide to let them go, keep me in mind. I'd buy that natural one if I have some cash.

 

[Cookie-boy]

Long term relationships go through phases and changes. What has the greatest tone in the world seems damp and soul-less nine months later. I've been through it a hundred times. Stick with 'em and one day you'll fall in love all over again.

 

[The_Sentry]

Long term relationships go through phases and changes. What has the greatest tone in the world seems damp and soul-less nine months later. I've been through it a hundred times. Stick with 'em and one day you'll fall in love all over again.

You might be right about that, Cookie Boy. Either way...the natural has Abigail Ybarra Vintage '69's in it and the bridge blocked off. Maybe I'll get into some EMG's for the red strat.

I think I'll mull it until this winter. I know if I try to sell 'em right now I wouldn't get much....(another advantage to the Pauls...it's sooo much easier for parts and what not. I don't have to order custom hardware for the Lesters or my archtops like I do the strats.)

 

[randelli]

...the natural has Abigail Ybarra Vintage '69's in it

Do you still have the original neck or middle pup?

 

[The_Sentry]

Do you still have the original neck or middle pup?

Eh, maybe. If I do, it's a stock pup....the guitar is a 90's MIJ model. ('68 reissue).....

I'll admit if I do sell....I'd get rid of the red HWY1 before the '68 reissue. It's also been refitted with jumbo frets.

 

[zslane]

Sentry, my natural Ash Strat used to look like yours and it never got played either. New pups, and lots of cosmetic changes turned it into a whole new instrument:

 

[The_Sentry]

Sentry, my natural Ash Strat used to look like yours and it never got played either. New pups, and lots of cosmetic changes turned it into a whole new instrument:

Sweet!!!

The funny thing...for years and years I ran SD aftermarket pups in the neck and bridge...liked it OK...went back to a vintage tone with it....

I think my biggest issue right now is just the playability factor. I don't know how it is for other people, but it's different playing on a strat. My picking hand spends less time planted on the bridge and more strumming almost directly over the neck. It's also a guitar ya gotta beat on for tone.

Sigh...I think it's just the sad fact I've crossed to the darkside. As far as where Strats fit into my sensibilities, the natural does have a wide tone palette...I can make the damned thing sound like a tele with the right dials in...but it's just not a tone, or a feel I'm in love with right now.

I think Cookie Boy had it right. I may just sit on 'em. As far as my natural...I'll eventually get around to new pots and a rewire job along with a new cap...but if money's to be spent...I'm actually more interested in dropping some EMG's into the HWY1 down the road.

PS: Dude....your strat looks badass. Seriously......

 

[Harpozep]

You might be right about that, Cookie Boy. Either way...the natural has Abigail Ybarra Vintage '69's in it and the bridge blocked off. Maybe I'll get into some EMG's for the red strat.

I think I'll mull it until this winter. I know if I try to sell 'em right now I wouldn't get much....(another advantage to the Pauls...it's sooo much easier for parts and what not. I don't have to order custom hardware for the Lesters or my archtops like I do the strats.)

Cookie's right. I fall out with a certain guitar, sell it then find it's tone missing later. Oy!
Keep'em. But then again, Lefties are rarer so you would think that would have some sale appeal to those that require them.

It took me 20 years to find a Strat I liked. So even though I'm not playing it now, and it feels weird for the first half hour after bringing it out. It never loses its tone to my ears. I even put EMGs in it and all that did was open its tome up more. Go for some EMGs. they may reunite you with your Strat.

Here's my happy trio:

I don't have the Strat blocked off, but five springs pull it down nicely. I never trem. Just not something I'm comfy with. Probably because I was weaned on my '68 LP Custom BB.

 

[leftylover]

how much was your strat going for in the shop?

 

[The_Sentry]

how much was your strat going for in the shop?

$600 with a case. It was funny...that guitar sat in that shop for almost 4 months.....Nature 'O the Beast....and this is what it was competing with...

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/search/msg?query=left+handed&minAsk=min&maxAsk=max

(as far as general sales go on used equipment)

Here's my happy trio:

I don't have the Strat blocked off, but five springs pull it down nicely. I never trem. Just not something I'm comfy with. Probably because I was weaned on my '68 LP Custom BB.

Dude...that strat kicks ass!

 

[53 Strat]

This one has been collection dust for 56 years except for a brief period in 1980.

 

[LEFTY LES]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sen, I did not just read that from you!!!!! I'm devastated

I'll tell you what, My GT for that unbelievably gorgeous Strat (not the red one) straight trade Shit I might even throw in my Epi!!!!

I mean why not you don't play the dam thing anyway.

I feel so betrayed.

Your still my best MLPF mate thought. But you got a lot of making up to do buddy!!!!!!

 

[The_Sentry]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sen, I did not just read that from you!!!!! I'm devastated

I'll tell you what, My GT for that unbelievably gorgeous Strat (not the red one) straight trade Shit I might even throw in my Epi!!!!

I mean why not you don't play the dam thing anyway.

I feel so betrayed.

Your still my best MLPF mate thought. But you got a lot of making up to do buddy!!!!!!

Hahahaha......Well, hell Les....I've crossed over to the dark side, ya know?

That natural is a '68 Reissue with Abigail Ybarra Vintage '69 pups. It's also been refretted (jumbo frets). I'm so enamored with my Lesters and my archtops...well......



Granted...it's no '53 like the post above (NOW THAT IS A STRAT)...but it's a great hunk of alder from Japan.

I dunno....I'll admit I'm half tempted to drag that red one down to Guitar Denter along with a Line6 Spider II and put a down payment on something else....

If you like the Natural though....



I don't really want to sell it....but I may horse trade with you on it, Les. Bear in mind that even the reissues are not easy to find...

 

[The_Sentry]

This one has been collection dust for 56 years except for a brief period in 1980.

Holy shit.....

That's amazing. I have to admit I don't think I'd want to play that either. That's more like a museum piece. Damn....