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  #1  
Old 10-21-2016, 01:34 PM
Northward Northward is offline
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Default What guitar sounds like a strat but doesn't look like one.

I've allways hated the look of a Fender Stratocaster. But you can't argue that they're comfortable to play.
And sound really great when a John Frusciante or David Gilmour play them.

Now, Fender and Gibson beeing INCRDIBLE conservative and boring when it comes to innovation and new designs, -googling something like this title feels a bit claustrofobic. These companies are so dominating and still keeps spewing out the same year after year with some new colours. All of them last century designs. A car manufacturer would be dead with this policy(!)

Fender did some cool stuff with their Pawn Shop models a couple of years back. That got shot down by corporate thinking.

Ok rant over ;-)

What options are there for a nice playable guitar like the Strat or a Jazzmaster, but not looking anything like these. (And I don't mean a silly Paul Stanley's Washburn either.) I've read it can be can be a bit of a hit and miss Eastwood. They make some fun guitars. I like Gretsch too, but not Bigsby's.


I've been considering a Tele Nashville, but ain't so sure about that twangy sound.

I wish to discover something cool I've overlooked.
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Last edited by Northward; 10-21-2016 at 04:14 PM.
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Old 10-21-2016, 01:49 PM
mechanic1908 mechanic1908 is offline
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Not sure if it qualified but Jay Turser made a Jazz master Ish guitar body that was set up like a strat.

Sent from my 6045I using Tapatalk
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Old 10-21-2016, 01:59 PM
Northward Northward is offline
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Originally Posted by mechanic1908 View Post
Not sure if it qualified but Jay Turser made a Jazz master Ish guitar body that was set up like a strat.

Sent from my 6045I using Tapatalk
I was hoping to avoid Fender looking classics :-)
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Old 10-21-2016, 02:40 PM
moon moon is offline
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Originally Posted by Northward View Post
What options are there for a nice playable guitar like the Strat or a Jazzmaster, but not looking anything like these.
Basically anything to which you can fit Strat pickups will sound like a Strat. The plank of wood might have some subtle effects but it's the pickups (and the rest of the chain ie amp and speakers) which really defines the sound.
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Old 10-21-2016, 02:59 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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how about this guy :

http://www.eternal-guitars.com
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  #6  
Old 10-21-2016, 03:12 PM
Northward Northward is offline
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how about this guy :

http://www.eternal-guitars.com

Can't get the link to work. I've heard there is a massive cyber attack tonight, a lot of sluggish websites..

What's the models name?
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Last edited by Northward; 10-21-2016 at 04:11 PM.
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Old 10-21-2016, 05:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by moon View Post
Basically anything to which you can fit Strat pickups will sound like a Strat. The plank of wood might have some subtle effects but it's the pickups (and the rest of the chain ie amp and speakers) which really defines the sound.
True but you gotta have single or split coils and that middle pickup to get that Strat honk. I saw a guy in a country band who sounded for all the world like he had a Strat, but it was a Les Paul with humbuckers. Hadda be split coils.
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Old 10-21-2016, 05:23 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Northward View Post
...What options are there for a nice playable guitar like the Strat or a Jazzmaster, but not looking anything like these...I like Gretsch too, but not Bigsbys...
In reverse order:
  • FYI not every Gretsch cones with a Bigsby, and never did - as a quick look at the following will illustrate:

    http://www.sweetwater.com/guitargall...wiOCIsIjkiXX19

    FYI those instruments that have a Bigsby that's not screwed down to the top can be retrofitted with an easily-obtained Gretsch "G" tailpiece in about 15 minutes - so if you see something that suits your needs don't let the Bigsby discourage you. In addition, MF is marketing a killer-looking '63 Jet Firebird double-cut (G5448) with gold hardware, honest-to-Chet split-cover Filter'trons, and a "G" tailpiece, for $649; I've lusted for one of these since I got the '63 catalog as a kid, and if I can unload some stuff that's seeing minimal use I might just grab one while they're still available...

  • If you're looking for something in a solid-body check the used market for an early-80's Yamaha SSC-500; this one combines a 3-PU/25.5" platform with visual elements of the Gretsch Corvette and Gibson SG, and a wide-flat neck profile that predated PRS' adoption of a similar carve by a decade. Never terribly popular in their day - most players gravitated toward the Carlos Santana-approved SBG models - these are exceptionally well-made and fine-sounding/playing guitars, among the last lower-priced Yamahas made in Japan; they're also extremely versatile - the overwound pickups are tapped about 2/3 of the way through, allowing for both Strat and P-90 tones, and they're individually switchable for you Tele fans who miss the neck/bridge combination (or Strat players who would like to use all three). The good news is that there's no real collector interest - I've seen them selling in the $250-350 bracket depending on finish and condition - and my '82 served as my first-call electric for over 25 years, so I speak from experience here...
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Old 10-21-2016, 05:39 PM
Eric_M Eric_M is offline
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Ibanez Talman?



Or a Music Man Albert Lee? Arguably both are Fenderish-looking but you wouldn't mistake either for a Fender.
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Old 10-21-2016, 05:48 PM
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Gutch Gutch is offline
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+1 on the Music Man Albert Lee... (Although I find the Strat design to be the top of the pops...):

http://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/albert-lee
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  #11  
Old 10-21-2016, 05:52 PM
Northward Northward is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
MF is marketing a killer-looking '63 Jet Firebird double-cut (G5448) with gold hardware, honest-to-Chet split-cover Filter'trons, and a "G" tailpiece, for $649; I've lusted for one of these since I got the '63 catalog as a kid, and if I can unload some stuff that's seeing minimal use I might just grab one while they're still available...
I've actually been looking for a sparkle Gretsch double pro jet for some time (sans Bigsby). Cool guitars! Here's a AC/AC tribute model Eastwood in the pipeline:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
If you're looking for something in a solid-body check the used market for an early-80's Yamaha SSC-500; this one combines a 3-PU/25.5" platform with visual elements of the Gretsch Corvette and Gibson SG, and a wide-flat neck profile that predated PRS' adoption of a similar carve by a decade. Never terribly popular in their day - most players gravitated toward the Carlos Santana-approved SBG models - these are exceptionally well-made and fine-sounding/playing guitars, among the last lower-priced Yamahas made in Japan; they're also extremely versatile - the overwound pickups are tapped about 2/3 of the way through, allowing for both Strat and P-90 tones, and they're individually switchable for you Tele fans who miss the neck/bridge combination (or Strat players who would like to use all three). The good news is that there's no real collector interest - I've seen them selling in the $250-350 bracket depending on finish and condition - and my '82 served as my first-call electric for over 25 years, so I speak from experience here...[/LIST]
I take your word that this is an underrated guitar. But I'm shallow and need to dig the look too ;-)
I have a nice black Yamaha Dreadnought.

Yamaha SG's are fantastic! Too bad they're so insanly priced. You never see kit's or clones of the Yamaha SG's like all other classics. I wonder why that is..
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Last edited by Northward; 10-21-2016 at 05:58 PM.
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  #12  
Old 10-21-2016, 06:06 PM
Northward Northward is offline
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+1 on the Music Man Albert Lee... (Although I find the Strat design to be the top of the pops...):

http://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/albert-lee
That Albert Lee looks like a Strat with Rickets..
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Old 10-21-2016, 06:17 PM
Eric_M Eric_M is offline
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Quote:
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That Albert Lee looks like a Strat with Rickets..
Sooo that's a yes?
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Old 10-21-2016, 06:22 PM
Northward Northward is offline
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Sooo that's a yes?
H*ll no!

Appreciate the suggestion though.
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Old 10-21-2016, 06:41 PM
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David Eastwood David Eastwood is offline
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Without having a clue what your tastes are - apart from the fact that you don't seem to like anything double cutaway or offset, I offer this - the MusicMan St. Vincent.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s...trument-40.png
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