For the strat haters

[John A.]

I have owned many 335's and currently own none. I never bonded with that model (and not for want of trying). I have owned many Strats and currently own three. I have done many jazz gigs (solo and with a band) with just a Strat and an amp (tube amps and SS amps).

Does that answer the question? Sorry, but in my view, if you cannot get a good jazz tone out of a decent Strat combined with a decent amp, it ain't the gear.

What about an indecent amp, such as a JC120? I find it tough to get a sound that doesn’t annoy with any guitar out of one, but can get closer with my semi than my strat. That’s my experience, and all I’m saying is that to my ears strats work well with a narrower range of amps than more typical “jazz guitars”. If that experience is less common than I thought, interesting to learn.

[Stringswinger]

What about an indecent amp, such as a JC120? I find it tough to get a sound that doesn’t annoy with any guitar out of one, but can get closer with my semi than my strat. That’s my experience, and all I’m saying is that to my ears strats work well with a narrower range of amps than more typical “jazz guitars”. If that experience is less common than I thought, interesting to learn.

One can get a good sound with the big Roland amps and a Strat, but it requires a lot of fiddling with both the tone knobs of the guitar and the tone knobs of the amp. The JC 120 is not my favorite amp, but I would still put it in the "decent amp" category.

I would not want to play a jazz gig with a Strat and a Pignose (though if it was a fusion gig and the Pignose was miked into a PA, even that could work). There is no doubt in my mind that a humbucker equipped guitar like a 335 will often be easier to dial in a good jazz tone than a guitar equipped with Fender single coil pickups. You just have to work a bit harder with the Fenders.

Guitarists who don't like Strats (and I know this does not include you John A.) shouldn't play them. End of story.

[Christian Miller]

We get all bent out of shape about thunk and wotnot, but the truth is for many modern band leaders any guitar with a clean amp will do fine and everything else is just optics. Probably not a BC rich lol.

It’s guitarists who get into the sound in a detailed way.

It might just be me but I see lot of younger players with strats these days.

If you are playing old school style music a period appropriate guitar is a good idea, but even then it really depends on the bandleader.

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[Stringswinger]

[Stringswinger]

[John A.]

One can get a good sound with the big Roland amps and a Strat, but it requires a lot of fiddling with both the tone knobs of the guitar and the tone knobs of the amp. The JC 120 is not my favorite amp, but I would still put it in the "decent amp" category.

I would not want to play a jazz gig with a Strat and a Pignose (though if it was a fusion gig and the Pignose was miked into a PA, even that could work). There is no doubt in my mind that a humbucker equipped guitar like a 335 will often be easier to dial in a good jazz tone than a guitar equipped with Fender single coil pickups. You just have to work a bit harder with the Fenders.

Guitarists who don't like Strats (and I know this does not include you John A.) shouldn't play them. End of story.

I’d pay good money to see you in a big band with a strat and a Pignose.

[Stringswinger]

I’d pay good money to see you in a big band with a strat and a Pignose.

And I would pay good money to have a better amp for that gig. Or any gig.

[Hep To The Jive]

This video is a good example why you don't wanna strat for jazz. That plink plink plink even Birely couldn't dial out. Of course his chops compensate for everything, but don't do it at home kids. Or actually in public.

[djg]

This video is a good example why you don't wanna strat for jazz. That plink plink plink even Birely couldn't dial out. Of course his chops compensate for everything, but don't do it at home kids. Or actually in public.

nahh. it's only an example of bireli giving zero fucks.

[garybaldy]

nahh. it's only an example of bireli giving zero fucks.

I've seen him use a Peavey

[Alter]

Have played many jazz gigs with a strat, but it wouldn't be my first choice, i much prefer a tele for solid body jazz. That's the closest i have come to a jazz sound with the strat below:

[mr. beaumont]

Sax player Jack Hubble (RIP) had a cable access show here in Chicago in the mid 90s. It's not an exaggeration to say that this show was the single biggest influence in me getting into jazz.

His son Brad always got a good tone out of his strats, but he has moved on to playing a tele these days. But because of this show I never thought of a strat as being unsuitable for jazz.

[John A.]

This video is a good example why you don't wanna strat for jazz. That plink plink plink even Birely couldn't dial out. Of course his chops compensate for everything, but don't do it at home kids. Or actually in public.

I think his grabbing the whammy bar in the middle of the solo and quoting “Secret Agent Man” later on are telling quite a different story from that. Seemed much more like an enthusiastic embrace of stratiness than an attempt to neuter it.

[Cunamara]

Strats and a blackface style amp may not be great for jazz. Leo Fender was a country music guy, after all, and he liked that pedal steely kind of sound. Although Bill Frisell makes it work and sounds the same on a Strat or a Tele.

I find anything with single coils works well in my tweed Deluxe (Strats, Teles, P90s, CCs so far) and can sound good for jazz. Humbuckers take more judicious handling to not get farty (and feedback-y with archtops on the low strings). My 5E3 has a switched mod from Mission Amps (Humbucker I and II) which uses the unused channel volume control to roll off the bass, very useful. Flip the switches, back to stock 5E3. I couldn't tell you anything about the actual circuit changes, I am a solder-by-numbers guy.

With electric guitars, the instrument includes the entire signal chain. Some amps and some guitars are suboptimal combinations.

[Cunamara]

Sax player Jack Hubble (RIP) had a cable access show here in Chicago in the mid 90s. It's not an exaggeration to say that this show was the single biggest influence in me getting into jazz.

His son Brad always got a good tone out of his strats, but he has moved on to playing a tele these days. But because of this show I never thought of a strat as being unsuitable for jazz.

Huh. Never heard this, but then I moved from the Chicago area to Minnesota to go to college in 1977 and never really came back. I guess it's not a surprise. What a nice thing to have on TV!

[Peter C]

The Biréli Lagrène solo clip where he's playing a Surf Green(?) Strat-shaped guitar with a P90-ish bridge pickup is a masterclass for any solo player. It sounded like a Tele, trem action notwithstanding. What a great player.

[AKA]

Jubu Smith’s original solo on Golden Time of Day is inspirational. And his mugging is funny as hell.

AKA

[Hep To The Jive]

nahh. it's only an example of bireli giving zero fucks.

Of course, and he earned that privilege. Not all people have.

[djg]

Of course, and he earned that privilege. Not all people have.

bireli got no fear. i think he is a genius.

[m_d]

The Biréli Lagrène solo clip where he's playing a Surf Green(?) Strat-shaped guitar with a P90-ish bridge pickup is a masterclass for any solo player. It sounded like a Tele, trem action notwithstanding. What a great player.

It looks like a Yamaha prototype, in their new Pacifica shape.

[kris]

[John A.]

Beautiful, Kris.

[pauln]

Strat sounds...
11 2 24 moody and cool.mp3

[Christian Miller]

bireli got no fear. i think he is a genius.

I’ve seen these guys live, Birelli playing this guitar. There was something wrong with the jack plug and he worked it into his show.

William Brunard is a beast


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[pauln]

I’ve seen these guys live, Birelli playing this guitar. There was something wrong with the jack plug and he worked it into his show.

William Brunard is a beast


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Bireli quoting Mendelssohn at 1:48 !!