Fender... why do you like them?

[gwEm]

Quite an obvious question I suppose, but I've been thinking about it alot recently - well Fender guitars really.

I've always been into Gibson style, Flying V, SG, and to a certain extent Les Paul. The reason for that is frankly the look, and I strongly prefer Gibson designs.

Lately though I've been bored with buying guitars, removing a load of hardware, and replacing it with decent gear... Which seems like a bit of a waste of money. And each time I have to install a neck pickup, which I'd rather not do as I dont use it /that/ often - but its harder to get custom pickguards for gibson types with one pickup. you can get a Fender one "off the shelf".

Also I'm going to the decision that I like single coil cut, as I play my P90 guitar more and more often.

So it seems logical to throw together a Fender style guitar from parts, and save a bit of cash.

Still cant shake the idea that I prefer the Gibson look though, and I dont like tremolos. I probably couldn't bring myself to buy a Strat or Tele, as they are a bit mainstream (for a reason - probably they are very well designed). But Jazzmasters, Mustangs or Cyclones do look nicer, and are more unusual.

I've tried several Strats from friends, and didn't have any problems playing them.

So a open ended question I suppose (even if it might sound lame and obvious to some) - why do people here like their Fenders? Are their any other advantages?

[maliciousteve]

l like strats because they're just comfortable to play. Plus you can bash them around a bit and they'll be fine. All the parts available for strats is a bonus too.

One thing I don't like though is the single coil pickup hum. Alot of the time it can be solved but it's just annoying.

[Mr Ed]

Strats have THE most comfortable bodies and necks to play.

[JonnyScaramanga]

I was always a Strat hater, and I slowly was converted... then I joined a functions band where I needed to be able to play every style of music under the sun without changing guitars. A Strat is just the only guitar that can really do that.

I am a Gibson man too; I think they always look great and for what they do, there's nothing better. But I do like the responsiveness of the Fender scale length. They're just so fun to play and versatile... For a combination of playability and versatility, there's nothing to touch 'em.

[Mr Ed]

I was always a Strat hater, and I slowly was converted... then I joined a functions band where I needed to be able to play every style of music under the sun without changing guitars. A Strat is just the only guitar that can really do that.

I think that's a very good way of describing it.

I personally prefer humbuckers and, even with a coil split, it's impossible to make one sound like a decent singlecoil... but I've found it possible to recreate the humbucker sound with a true singlecoil. All I use is position 2 (bridge and middle), a clean boost for extra volume and an eq pedal set to boost the mids. You get more output and saturation on your gain and can control the top-end and really mellow it out.

Good stuff, I love my Strat.

[TwilightOdyssey]

I think influences have a lot to do with it, too. I always thought Richie Blackmore was the epitome of cool, and he was a Strat player, so I gravitated towards Strats.

I love the headstock design, and I think they are elegant looking. Plus, you can snap the neck and have it replaced in a matter of minutes, which you can't do with a set neck or neck through guitar!!

[Twinfan]

I like Strats and Teles for their specific tones - you can't do SRV properly on anything else.  Same goes for country licks and Teles.

However, as a great all rounder you can't beat a superstrat.  My Ibanez RGs are superb for that.

[maverickf1jockey]

I like Strats and Teles for their specific tones - you can't do SRV properly on anything else.  Same goes for country licks and Teles.

However, as a great all rounder you can't beat a superstrat.  My Ibanez RGs are superb for that.

Albert Lee...

[lulusg]

I like their tone, feel, and look. I have some Gibsons, and they are great, after I got my first set of BKPs, I found that there is life beyond the usual pickups out there in the market. No more black, white or grey. Now I truly  appreciate all of these  different  tonalities. Everything just got richer.

[apmaman]

i like fender because of the Splatocaster.....I wanted one of them so badly..I still do but parents have decided that 3 guitars is enough.

[Muso]

I have a Fender HM strat which I adore as the playability and neck is superb. I think Fender make guitars which feel natural to play, you can sit down and play em easy enough unlike Les Pauls and other guitars.

Oh yea and the best tone I ever heard was from a Strat Yngwie live with alcatrazz no one can touch his tone  8)

[Bob Johnson]

I think that the Stats popularity stems from the fact that it was really the first volume produced electric guitar to make a big impact on the music of the day and the Strat sound came to be what everyone expected from an electric guitar. There are lots of guitars around today that are better than even the best Strats (with the possible exception of those custom built for the really big names) but everyone else is still playing catchup to the Fender Strat image. To me the F word is just a license to print money.

The Who have never sounded the same since Townsend switched to a Strat :(

[TwilightOdyssey]

Oh yea and the best tone I ever heard was from a Strat Yngwie live with alcatrazz no one can touch his tone  8)

Some of the guitar on Live Sentence is an Aria Pro II, and a flying V was used on Desert Song. The Strat tone is particularily good on that album and video, though!!

[ToneMonkey]

i like fender because of the Splatocaster.....I wanted one of them so badly..I still do but parents have decided that 3 guitars is enough.

That's a damn funky guitar.  Have you seen the distortocaster though, I'd much preffer one of these beasties:

http://www.brianeastwoodguitars.co.uk/bent.html

[TwilightOdyssey]

I think that the Stats popularity stems from the fact that it was really the first volume produced electric guitar to make a big impact on the music of the day and the Strat sound came to be what everyone expected from an electric guitar.

Yep, the manufacturing definitely helped Fender to saturate the market. But their guitars also captured the imagination of people at that time. There are countless stories of a readily-available, superior product that was relegated to the dust bins of history just because it never caught on with people-at-large. (Think Betamax)

There are lots of guitars around today that are better than even the best Strats (with the possible exception of those custom built for the really big names) but everyone else is still playing catchup to the Fender Strat image.

Yep, see my comment above.

To me the F word is just a license to print money.

Well, even Fender isn't infallible. They came to the brink of closing not-too-long-ago. They now seem to be doing just fine, though.