Hardtail Strat is great for jazz (vid)

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I’m not a fan of whammy bars, but I do like Chet Atkins’ approach to the Bigsby. So I tried a Strat with term way back when I was learning the tunes on CA’s Teensville album about 60 years ago. Every trem Strat I tried had tuning problems - they wouldn’t stay perfectly in tune after a few pulls, even with all the springs. So I never bought anything but hardtails.

I assume this is not the case with everyone’s now, or you wouldn’t be playing them. Yes?

[RobbieAG]

Great tone on the video here for jazz. Strats were my guitar of choice pre archtop. I've owned six of them and still have one. I remember being frustrated that I couldn't get the jazz tone I wanted out of it. I probably didn't do enough tweaking and experimenting with different amps and strings etc.

[Stringswinger]

For some reason, I have been a Strat fan since the 60's when I first heard Hendrix (who had a profound influence on me) and I have almost always had a Strat around (still do). I used to justify having the Strat as a tool for a rock or blues gig, but seeing as it has been over a decade since one of those has happened, I should just admit that I simply like having a Strat. I tried a few Teles and never bonded with them over the years, but for me, a Strat just feels.....right.

My current (and probably last) Strat is a 1995 American Standard. She is a limited edition model with a painted headstock in Ocean Turquoise. For a few years I had modified her to be a single humbucker (neck position) jazz machine with flatwound strings, but I have put the guitar back to stock with 10 gauge roundwound strings. I do have five springs on the trem and it is also blocked with a wine cork. The first generation American Standard Strats had a big rout for a variety of pickup options (the so called "swimming pool rout") and so she has something of a semi hollow tone which works pretty well for a jazz tone that is different (but totally acceptable) from my Les Paul and my archtops.

Stratocasters for jazz? Count me in.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I do have five springs on the trem and it is also blocked with a wine cork.

There's an apocryphal tale that Eric Johnson can tell the vintage of the wine cork from the tone.

[lammie200]

Very nice rp. You inspired me to play mine tonight and for the next couple of weeks until I change and rotate something else in.

After I swore off actual Fenders in the mid ‘80s my only electric for many years was a strat partscaster hardtail. I would like to say that I still have it but I have changed parts on it so many times over the years that probably only the neck plate and output jack remain from my original build. I have probably actually built three of them over the years but sold parts as I was changing them out.

Obviously I learned some things along the way. I like Graphtech Stringsaver Classic saddles over monolithic metal saddles. They tame the attack as advertised. I like tuners that have the push in bushings as opposed to the screw/bolt type. Just a little less heavy. I also like the Allparts neck that I have on it now. I have tried a lot of other custom necks and for some reason a particular model of Allparts is best for me. I think it is a Fat model. I also have Kinman Kick in the Arse pickups on it which are really great pickups but are overpriced for sure.

[timmer]

I too have a Japanese Squier Strat from the 80s. Not a whammy guy, and this thing has that ridiculously huge System One trem bridge. Was going to get rid of it at one point, but it is such a comfy couch guitar, and I realized how extraordinary the neck is. So I replaced the cheap electronics with Mojotone. Sounds awesome, although the hum is infernally loud. Time for a shielding project.

At the same time, I decided to remove the wood blocking from the trem, buy a whammy bar, and let the Strat be a Strat. Tried floating for a bit, but ended up putting five springs on, and going decked. Gotta have SOME tuning stability--my Teles have me spoiled on that.