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Author Topic: Strat or Tele?  (Read 5114 times)

CommonCourtesy

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Strat or Tele?
« on: September 07, 2014, 02:08:59 PM »
Teaching this song tomorrow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma9I9VBKPiw

Can't work out which guitar I should use to get the sound, originally I was going to go with the Telecaster (loaded with The Boss) but I know he uses a Strat in his setup, I have the 'SD Everything Set' in mine. Have A/B'd between the two, and there's qualities I like in both of them, the Tele might drive the amp a bit too hard though, whereas the Strat I use on the 4th position pickup (bridge/middle) as the JB Jnr gives it a harsh edge. Some reason this doesn't punchy enough for me.

What do you guys reckon?


Telerocker

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2014, 02:50:12 PM »
Nah, you can do this with a strat and a tele. Just set the preamp gain not to high.
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CommonCourtesy

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2014, 03:07:28 PM »
I can't play both at the same time! Haha.

I might use the strat, the gain is backed off to about 3/4 on the dial (using a Marshall amp). The power and grit will come from the way I'm hitting the guitar.

dave_mc

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2014, 05:24:59 PM »
Sounds more like a tele to me.

Which means it's probably a strat... :laugh:

AndyR

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2014, 07:55:17 PM »
From listening on my laptop speakers (and watching a film and drinking wine at the same time), I'd pick a strat. Depending on the amp and its settings, I'd use bridge or middle with the volume backed off a tad on the guitar. It's not an "inbetween" tone, it's bridge or middle alone (it would be bridge with my amp preferences).

But you could do it with a tele...  :grin: (I'd just find it easier/closer with a strat)
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blue

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2014, 08:23:57 PM »
it actually sounds to me like a tele custom with wide range humbuckers :) 

I don't think it really matters what you use, just as long as the notes are right and the sound is in the right direction.  I always find a Les Paul Deluxe great for these kind of sounds myself
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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2014, 10:40:00 AM »
Whichever you choose it wont change where you put your fingers.
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CommonCourtesy

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2014, 12:53:31 PM »
Haha, yeah well I just wanted to get people's opinions on what it sounded like, seems like I can use either and get a pretty close tone, but I'll end up using the Strat probably, maybe if it was in a band scenario with 2 guitars I'd use a different guitar to what the other person is playing, as there's two parts.

Telerocker

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2014, 12:02:50 AM »
I can't play both at the same time! Haha.

I might use the strat, the gain is backed off to about 3/4 on the dial (using a Marshall amp). The power and grit will come from the way I'm hitting the guitar.

Send me the vid when you (can) play them synchro.  :cheesy:  You got the message: a tele will do, a strat will do.
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CommonCourtesy

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2014, 02:48:20 PM »
Play them synchro? You mean split the screen into 2 or something? I don't know how to do that, the best I can get is recording, but that would be through my Line 6 UX1 Pod, which isn't what I am using to play the track in the lessons. I used the strat on Monday though and it sounded pretty good, lacked a bit of twang however so either not enough treble/too much gain or I should switch to the tele!

Telerocker

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2014, 10:26:50 PM »
Play them synchro? You mean split the screen into 2 or something? I don't know how to do that, the best I can get is recording, but that would be through my Line 6 UX1 Pod, which isn't what I am using to play the track in the lessons. I used the strat on Monday though and it sounded pretty good, lacked a bit of twang however so either not enough treble/too much gain or I should switch to the tele!

Don't take me too serious mate! I was just joking. At that moment I remembered a vid of a guy who played two guitars (tapping) at once.
I agree a tele will do all the Britpop fine. The tonepot on a tele is a very effective tool to tailor your sound. Sometimes I roll the tonepot half way down to get a darker, fatter sound. Especially with a lot of gain.
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CommonCourtesy

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2014, 02:38:43 PM »
Ha! I didn't know what you meant by it that's all, I thought you meant an A/B comparison in one screen!

To be honest I never really twiddle with the tone knobs at all when playing, whether its teaching or for band purposes, only cut volume if I ever find the sound too bright. Maybe I should experimenting with it.

Kiichi

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2014, 10:09:52 PM »
Ha! I didn't know what you meant by it that's all, I thought you meant an A/B comparison in one screen!

To be honest I never really twiddle with the tone knobs at all when playing, whether its teaching or for band purposes, only cut volume if I ever find the sound too bright. Maybe I should experimenting with it.
If you got the right value cap in there for you it can be pretty cool. By now I aim to set my amps so that they are on the very edge of being too bright on the bridge. That way the neck and middle, if present, usually are slightly ever if the mix / rest is not spot on. But that way I have a wide range with the tone pot to go and dial in different sounds. Fattening up the bridge, making it more pushing and subtle. Neck can go really smooth and mellow. Plus everything in between. Imho you do need a cap value that suits your needs though. For me that usually is a bit lighter than what most people do, just the next best thing, cause otherwise the lowest setting is useless to me and the taper is too harsh and gives me little moving room.
In that context I also really like 50s wiring cause the taper of the tone pot changes in a way that I enjoy, while the volume roll off does not take away high end.

Takes getting used to a bit, but I would 100% say it is worth the learning, especially if you are trying to cover a good bit of ground, as you seem to do.


This reminds me that I need to figure out the mod darkbluemurder suggested once where you put a resistor on the single coil middle ,in some way,in a HSH to make it see a 250k pot. I reaaaaally need that one. So highjack if you know how that one goes, preferabbly with visual aid, cause I build my own pedals and am stupid. xD
BKPs in use: 10th set / RY set / Holy Diver b, Emerald n / Crawler bridge, Slowhand mid MQ neck/ Manhattan n
On the sidelines: Stockholm b / Suppermassive n, Mule n, AM set, IT mid

CommonCourtesy

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2014, 11:28:23 PM »
When I got the new Boss pickups installed the caps were replaced I think, I don't know too much about them but I think they were the orange coloured ones?

Kiichi

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Re: Strat or Tele?
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2014, 12:05:34 AM »
When I got the new Boss pickups installed the caps were replaced I think, I don't know too much about them but I think they were the orange coloured ones?
The colour only really hint at quality at best. So the orange ones might be Orange Drops. Those are really nifty ones and I use them too.

However, there are two things when getting caps which you might think about mostly:
1. Brand and kind: Which brand is this cap from and is it your basic metal cap or paper in oil (or another yet). Some people swear by the paper in oil kind, like the BKP Jensens, and I do not want to dispute that, but I also have not confirmed their superiority for myself (the ODs certainly seemed nicer, but without proper testingI do nto wanne claim that).
What is certain though is that higher end caps, like PIO (paper in oil) usually are, have lower tolerance. Just as with pots and so that is a great thing. When you get a cap you can be pretty certain it actually has the stated value and not by chance almost (or actually) the next step in measurment.
For that reason alone a decent quality cap, like the orange drops, which ususally are not that overpriced, are a good idea, possible mojo aside.

2. The actual value you choose is also important, if the quality says you are actually getting that. It means differences in how much you roll off when you turn the knob down all the way. Personally I do feel that most caps end up being unusable when rolled all the way down. Just for those moments when you need a quick change and go from full on to all down I still want to have that be usable, so I choose lighter values. This also to me means that the usable range is much higher. Then again, the established values are that for a reason, they work well, even though they are not optimal for me.
Now this largely depends on personal taste and all, but it can also be easily tried out. Get a bunch of different value caps (just cheap ones which cost jack and do the job here) and put them in using crokodile clamps. Super quick change and you can figure out what you like.
Then when you found the one that feels best keep it for a bit, learn with it, then get a bette quality cap.

That way you really know you got the best one for your needs and once you do it can open up a wide range of sounds, especially on a tele and strat.

Also do not forget that the modern vs. 50 wiring plays a role here. Modern seems harsher to me in all responses to changes, while 50s changes the tapers and makes the pots really interact. Turn down the volume and the tone will react differently and vice versa. For versatility it is shockingly brilliant if your setup can register those changes, which a good brit pop one for example sure does.
BKPs in use: 10th set / RY set / Holy Diver b, Emerald n / Crawler bridge, Slowhand mid MQ neck/ Manhattan n
On the sidelines: Stockholm b / Suppermassive n, Mule n, AM set, IT mid