AHH Yes the Stratocastor

Interesting watch even without anything definitive regarding the switch.

All I know is the day EC picked up a Strat is the day he castrated his tone. Damn, the dude had swagger with a Gibson and the balls just got cut straight off of his tone with the Fender. Saw a concert a few years ago and he played a 335 for a couple songs and, BAM, there it was again - the tone of God.
 
Clockworkmike said:
Though I never was a big Clapton fan, I actually preferred his Gibson SG and ES-335 sounds against any of his others.

For Strat converts? Ritchie Blackmore, Robin Trower and Jeff Beck I thought pulled it off better, though Jeff's famous Oxblood Les Paul and Teles were great too.
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I hear what you're saying there. Trower is the definitive Strat player to me, moreso that Hendrix even, who I always felt sounded kinda messy and often out of tune. Never really liked Blackmore's tone with one, and to me Beck lost the plot entirely when he just could not keep his hands off the wang bar for 5 seconds. Also, like Clapton, saw him pick up a Les Paul for a minute (the LP tribute concert) and he just slayed with it.
 
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gball said:
Interesting watch even without anything definitive regarding the switch.

All I know is the day EC picked up a Strat is the day he castrated his tone. Damn, the dude had swagger with a Gibson and the balls just got cut straight off of his tone with the Fender. Saw a concert a few years ago and he played a 335 for a couple songs and, BAM, there it was again - the tone of God.
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Would definitely agree. He was responsible for making the Les Paul famous throughout the UK the 60s with the Bluesbreakers, but his best tone wasn't even with that, rather the 335 as shown in the Cream Farewell concert. Very roaring, sustained and thick, unlike how you said, the castrated Strat tone lol

Ironically, the only time I thought his Strat sounded good, namely Brownie, was on Layla and that was largely due to it being ran into a tiny Fender Tweed Champ.
 
gball said:
I hear what you're saying there. Trower is the definitive Strat player to me, moreso that Hendrix even, who I always felt sounded kinda messy and often out of tune. Never really liked Blackmore's tone with one, and to me Beck lost the plot entirely when he just could not keep his hands off the wang bar for 5 seconds. Also, like Clapton, saw him pick up a Les Paul for a minute (the LP tribute concert) and he just slayed with it.
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Yeah. Although I very much like Fender Stratocasters, I have to agree about Blackmore. I don't like his sound with one.

Conversely, I really like Eric Johnson's sound with a Strat.
 
smitty_p said:
Yeah. Although I very much like Fender Stratocasters, I have to agree about Blackmore. I don't like his sound with one.

Conversely, I really like Eric Johnson's sound with a Strat.
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He's one of the guys that can make the work. That being said I do prefer his tone with the SG.

smitty_p said:
Another one who is often associated with a Strat is David Gilmour, but I actually prefer his tone on his P-90 equipped Les Paul.
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Another one that I agree completely with. He's a monster with the LP.

TBH, I really can't think of a single player in any genre whose tone I prefer with a Strat over a Gibson (maybe Trower?). Not to say they don't have their uses but not so much in any music I personally like to listen to - guys like Dave Murray don't really count because he has humbuckers in his.
 
gball said:
Interesting watch even without anything definitive regarding the switch.

All I know is the day EC picked up a Strat is the day he castrated his tone. Damn, the dude had swagger with a Gibson and the balls just got cut straight off of his tone with the Fender. Saw a concert a few years ago and he played a 335 for a couple songs and, BAM, there it was again - the tone of God.
Click to expand...

I have to admit Gary, you bring laughter to my life.. this is a good thing, I like to laugh and smile it keeps me happy.(y):cheers:
 
gball said:
He's one of the guys that can make the work. That being said I do prefer his tone with the SG.



Another one that I agree completely with. He's a monster with the LP.

TBH, I really can't think of a single player in any genre whose tone I prefer with a Strat over a Gibson (maybe Trower?). Not to say they don't have their uses but not so much in any music I personally like to listen to - guys like Dave Murray don't really count because he has humbuckers in his.
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Mr. Hendrix another great Strat player, and the list could go on and on..
 
gball said:
I hear what you're saying there. Trower is the definitive Strat player to me, moreso that Hendrix even, who I always felt sounded kinda messy and often out of tune. Never really liked Blackmore's tone with one, and to me Beck lost the plot entirely when he just could not keep his hands off the wang bar for 5 seconds. Also, like Clapton, saw him pick up a Les Paul for a minute (the LP tribute concert) and he just slayed with it.
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Only the Strat as the video explains, could give Eric the sounds he was looking for, that's why he switched and made it his main guitar. And said he wished he could have met Leo..
 
Session 5 said:
Mr. Hendrix another great Strat player, and the list could go on and on..
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Hendrix defined the Strat and what it could do. He had a white SG Custom and his famous 2 Flying Vs ( I actually got to hold the second one he had custom built with the arrowhead inlays at the Hard Rock Cafe vault in London 2005, which was humbling and life changing) and he made them all sound wicked. But yeah, his Strat is his sound and image
 
My father was friends with Eric I got to talk to him at my dads service he said the Professor will be missed
that was in 2003 Christmas 2017 my wife gave me a 1958 LPS and a Dumble amp both real
Last May I got a phone call from Eric wanting the guitar and amp back offered me stupid money I sent him the amp
I told Eric that Anna gave me that no I did how is Anna ?? dead sorry I have the Guitar at my house in Auckland NZ
and no way can I get it now. I never bonded with that amp but the guitar is one of the best I have ever played.
 
Far Rider said:
In the past couple of years I have added an Epi Explorer, LP, and my Dean Schenker V. All great guitars. But when I want some "comfort food", I go right back to my Strats. Especially my 70's Reissue. It just feels right.
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Like you , I have a Gretsch 5220 Jet and a Jr. Les Paul style guitar, 2 Strats and aTele. I just have the right feel for the Tele and the Strats, and find they have the right tones and sounds I prefer the most. Everything just comes together for me when I play them..
 
Clockworkmike said:
Though I never was a big Clapton fan, I actually preferred his Gibson SG and ES-335 sounds against any of his others.

For Strat converts? Ritchie Blackmore, Robin Trower and Jeff Beck I thought pulled it off better, though Jeff's famous Oxblood Les Paul and Teles were great too.
Click to expand...
Far Rider said:
In the past couple of years I have added an Epi Explorer, LP, and my Dean Schenker V. All great guitars. But when I want some "comfort food", I go right back to my Strats. Especially my 70's Reissue. It just feels right.
Click to expand...

I use my Spray Can Yellow Stratocaster for tremolo passages only. It never leaves the trunk of my car, so no matter where i go, i have it on hand...and its always in perfect tune, even after weeks in the trunk.


Beyond a tremolo.passage, i play a Gibson Les Paul unless our producer mandates something different.
 
Session 5 said:
Mr. Hendrix another great Strat player, and the list could go on and on..
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I'm gonna need to don a helmet for this comment, but I am not really much of a fan of Jimi's guitar playing. I prefer a lot of his contemporaries and many more that came after (while acknowledging the influence he had on all of them). One example: Trower, who I think played circles around him.

What I feel he was best at was songwriting, and he never gets quite the credit he deserves because everyone is so fixated on the guitar playing. And I believe an underrated singer - the guy didn't have a "classically" good voice but damn he could emote.
 
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gball said:
I'm gonna need to don a helmet for this comment, but I am not really much of a fan of Jimi's guitar playing. I prefer a lot of his contemporaries and many more that came after (while acknowledging the influence he had on all of them). One example: Trower, who I think played circles around him.

What I feel he was best at was songwriting, and he never gets quite the credit he deserves because everyone is so fixated on the guitar playing. And I believe and underrated singer - the guy didn't have a "classically" good voice but damn he could emote.
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I still think Hendrix was the best rhythm player at the time, or maybe still. Everyone raves about his lead playing, but totally miss what is going on in the rest of the song. That is why his songwriting was so good. After years of backing up so many soul, R&B, and funk bands before he changed from Jimmy James to Jimi Hendrix, he had to be the best rhythm player to get the gigs. Listen to Dolly Dagger. That is the best example of his Chitlin' Circuit rhythm playing ever put to tape. Also, his use of Major 9 chords is a throw back to early sixties R&B. It's why I still think he was one of, or the best player ever. He had all the bases covered with his playing styles.
 
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