Uh oh....saw an old friend today....88 stratocaster

[Vass]

And I fuckin loved it. No Floyd, no jumbo frets, no compound radius.......this one is my baby that I saved up for and bought as a kid. I stopped jamming it because frankly I don't play strat music.

But holy shit it's been in a case for years at my parents house. Took it out, fucker was in tune. No fiddling, no tweaking. Ready to go. Felt effortless to play.

How different is floyd string spacing from a strat bridge? I have been playing floyded guitars for years now but for some reason my right hand has never gotten totally happy with the spacing. The strat just felt right.

Am I fucked? Am I going to be stuck chasing after Eric Johnson models and shit? OMG am I going to become that penatonic guy making Hendrix faces through a fender reverb amp? SOMEONE HELP ME there has to be a solution. Charvel???

[Rich#6]

I think the guitar needs a new one hum pickguard.

[Vass]

Arggghhh Rich that is exactly what I was thinking.....you aren't helping! I was like, fuck I can fit an 85 in here...

[straycat]

Spacing is the same as a floyd.
Thats not helping I'm sure.

[roodyrocker]

Nothing wrong with a good Strat. I still have my Strat Elite from the early 80's which I bought new. As Straycat said, spacing is the same as a Floyd. And yes, you may start chasing Eric Johnson Strats next. I got one of those and its a killer Strat

[Shawn Lutz]

I love strats...yep, even don't mind the smaller frets and fretboard radius.

[84sups]

I loved my 80s jap strat.....played amazing just couldn't stand the single the bridge. I just couldn't bring myself to mod it.

[MetalHeadMat]

Oh man you have a disease... The only way you can cure it is to send the guitar to me, (where I'll dispose of it thoroughly) and then take up smoking, swearing at the TV, or another wholesome family friendly activity.

[RacerX]

You strat lover you

[tonemonster]

If you MUST go full strat...... then remember this..... Iron Maiden. Floyds......dual humbuckers.....lock nut..... fuck yea.

[markD]

you have matured as a player!! the day you can pick up a strat, play it well and enjoy the tones it offers means you have grown up!!! fewer issues of guitar world and more issues of guitar player....less gain on your amp and more TRUE tone...



also, along with maiden don't forget the maestro - yngwie malmsteen!!!! and even maiden has gone a bit more "true" strat - dave murray's latest custom shops have 3 dual blade pickups instead of full sized HBs....and the twirling dervish of absurdity jannick gers using single coil sized JBs in his strats!!!

[vklobucar]

Funny that that this thread popped up!

I just got my '88 MIJ back from the tech today. He had installed Dunlop 6150 jumbo frets and a nice bone nut. It just sings so well!

I have NEVER managed to bond with any strat MIJ, MIM or USA and yet this guitar is simply brilliant!

Still have not had time to install the Gold Lace Sensors and as such am running the stock (read-ok at best pups) and still awaiting the revised brass block from Adam at www.floydroseupgrades.com.

But even with all that said and done it just has this great quality to it. I simply could not put it down yesterday.

The fret work was not cheap mind you given that this is a Fender Gold Certified Shop but the quality of work was awesome. Excellent attention to detail and I even had them round over the edges like a worn in strat should.

Gotta post some new pics tonight!

[DonP]

I'll give you a few days or weeks and it'll be back in the closet. I have a handful of "real" strats - i.e. v-trem, single coils. Those with humbucking pickups, jumbo frets, thin necks or Floyds I don't really call "real" like my 3 HM Strats. I don't know why, but I really love the tone in my 1996 MIM strat with the stock MIM pickups and vintage frets. It plays nice. But I get bored with it after a while.

I never get bored with my Lesters.

[markD]

i am the opposite. i can sit and play my vintage strat all day and night...it never bores me. the tonal options when using different effects/pick up configs/gain levels is always inspiring. now, my HB loaded shredder guitars usually sit on the wall or in a case until i play live. then they come out...live all i really use is the bridge pick up anyway. even the PRS "collection" got whittled down to one - a 20th anniversary McCarty with a wrap around tail piece. they weren't as inspiring as that old strat. no gibson/gibson style guitar has inspired me the way a strat has either....

[VitaminG]

Gotta post some new pics tonight!

looking forward to it! I've been on a real Strat kick lately so any pron is welcome