Ash / Maple board Strat ideas..

[proby73]

Newbie here.... This is my 1st post, be gentle lads, please!

I'm just finishing a Strat build using a one piece ash body and maple board neck. I'm interested in the guitar sounding really stratty but also able to cover territory normally associated with rosewood board acts as well as the usual 50s stuff.

I'm playing through a jcm900 combo with a V30 and g12h. I already have a Les Paul so i'm not bothered about anything too heavy, really.

Any help would be gratefully recieved. Thanks.

[Telerocker]

Welcome here. If you want versatile, punchy, but thick strat-cleans with some 50's twist, have a look at the Apaches. A lot of users on the forum rave about them. For early sixties-style stratpickups the MM's are the way to go. I wouldn't recommend IT's for a mapleboardneck.  If you want prof. advice, you can mail the BKP-team.

[Foxter]

I agree probably the apaches or mother's milk  :D

[Nolly]

Yep, the Apaches would be my vote - wonderful and definitive strat tone, plus with the slightly warmer and smoother sound that the AIII magnets afford, they are perfect in maple board instruments.

[38thBeatle]

Another Apache devotee here too.

[AndyR]

I'd recommend the Apaches too.

And welcome to the forum :D

[proby73]

Well, I just wanted to say thanks for the advice. I ended up with an Apache set and I have to say I'm blown away... especially with how usable the bridge pickup is (almost like a Tele! )

Thanks lads. Top products.... believe the hype.

[38thBeatle]

Superb- glad you like em. I was messing with my Apache Strat last night and the tones were great.

[Telerocker]

That's great proby. In my next strat there will be a Apache bridge and MM's.

[AndyR]

Nice one :D

I was recording the other day and needed a strat for overdubs (there's SGs with Riff Raffs, an Explorer with MQs, a wall of organs, a double-bass, backing vox choir, and who knows what else going on at the same time...).

I tried all three of my main strats (in the order I thought they would be best suited):

CIJ 62 with Sultans - nice but not enough "meat" for the track
60s Roadworn with ITs - better, actually very nice, but a little bit too woody for the track
50's Roadworn with Apaches - oh f*ck me this is it!!

With the amount of processing I used afterwards, probably all three could have done the job, but the Apache guitar was nearer to what I wanted "out of the box", and it just put a huge smile on my face the minute I plugged it in to the amp and started jamming to the track... and that probably meant I could play the part better.