Pick Me A New Strat!

BassGod · #1 10-08-2006, 08:29 AM

Alright, I have much GAS for a Fender Strat, MIM. But I can't decide on a colour or pickup configuration. Firstly is the choice between three single coil pickups (standard Strat) or a humbucker and two single coils (HSS). I'll be playing a wide variety of music with this thing, including RHCPish stuff, and classic metal as well. So I need a beefy sound that lends well to pinch harmonics and palm muted riffs and such.

And then there's the choice of colour. I've got it down to three, and here they are:

Midnight Wine, maple fretboard:

Arctic White, maple fretboard:

Sunburst, maple fretboard:

So pick your choice. I especially need to figure out the whole pickup thing, because I don't really know which one will give me a more "metal-ish" sound.

Thanks,
Graeme

tplyons · #2 10-08-2006, 10:15 AM

That's a toughie considering that I love all the colors with rosewood, but not so much with maple. IMO, the Midnight Wine and the White both need black guards to look "right" and I'm just not a fan of MIM bursts. Though, I am a fan of SSS pickup configurations and find myself missing that bridge pickup when I'm playing a fat strat.

My vote is white SSS with a black pickguard.

keb · #3 10-08-2006, 01:32 PM

If you need beef, it would probably be best to go with the HSS config.

As far as color, I kinda dig that midnight wine.

hartke20g · #4 10-08-2006, 01:36 PM

since when do they make MIM strats with maple boards?

i would go sunburst SSS.

tplyons · #5 10-08-2006, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hartke20g

since when do they make MIM strats with maple boards?

i would go sunburst SSS.

Long long time. My Y2K strat has a maple board.

It's just basses that are only offered with rosewood.

FunkSlap89 · #6 10-08-2006, 02:00 PM

I have the standard sunburst... and it rocks!

BassGod · #7 10-08-2006, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

That's a toughie considering that I love all the colors with rosewood, but not so much with maple. IMO, the Midnight Wine and the White both need black guards to look "right" and I'm just not a fan of MIM bursts. Though, I am a fan of SSS pickup configurations and find myself missing that bridge pickup when I'm playing a fat strat.

My vote is white SSS with a black pickguard.

Yeah I like rosewood as well. But my bass and my acoustic both have rosewood boards, so I was thinking maple might be a nice change. I'm actually really leaning away from the sunburst. The white on white with maple will look very clean and refined, a nice contrast from my black/black/rosewood/gold Sterling.

One thing that's making me want that humbucker is recording... those single coils will probably be pretty noisy in the studio.

Right now the slant is towards Arctic White HSS. Midnight Wine is in a remarkabley close second.

Graeme

BassGod · #8 10-08-2006, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkSlap89

I have the standard sunburst... and it rocks!

Maple or rosewood?

Graeme

SundanceChile · #9 10-08-2006, 09:22 PM

A.White, SSS. Use the EQ to fill out your tone.

tplyons · #10 10-08-2006, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassGod

Yeah I like rosewood as well. But my bass and my acoustic both have rosewood boards, so I was thinking maple might be a nice change. I'm actually really leaning away from the sunburst. The white on white with maple will look very clean and refined, a nice contrast from my black/black/rosewood/gold Sterling.

One thing that's making me want that humbucker is recording... those single coils will probably be pretty noisy in the studio.

The #2 and 4 positions of the switch are humbucking. The middle pickup is RWRP so it creates a humbucker when coupled with either the neck or bridge pickup.

I usually favor the #1 and #2 positions, and #4 for solos.

Dash Rantic · #11 10-08-2006, 09:35 PM

Midnight wine, two single coils. I've always liked that color...

-Dash

8guy · #12 10-08-2006, 09:48 PM

Am I going to be playing this guitar, If so I will take a red Jaguar. If not isnt it up to you to decide what you want to play? Im not you so why do you want me to pick for you?

markjazzbassist · #13 10-08-2006, 09:57 PM

i vote HSS Artic White w/ Maple.

sinophysiker · #14 10-08-2006, 10:10 PM

I'd choose standard sunburst. The Hss pick up on a strat looks weird to me.

Rick_no7 · #15 10-09-2006, 02:37 AM

I'd go Standard SSS. Though its no secret I'm not a fan of Fender Strats, I do look at it this way:

If you want a humbucking tone, go for someone that is known for solid humbucker designs. Say what you will about recent Gibson body work, but their pickups are top notch quality.

If you want the bright bite of single coils, I'd go to Fender. As much as I don't like strats, I'd buy a Fender if I desired single coil sound.

bigfatbass · #16 10-09-2006, 10:19 AM

Proper screaming pinch harmonics=humbucker
HSS, no brainer.

Pick your own color.

agreatheight · #17 10-09-2006, 11:00 AM

I'd get an HSS for sure, the SSS can be limiting if you ever need more oomf. I think all the color options are sweet, can't go wrong.

Don W · #18 10-09-2006, 05:16 PM

I would go with the Arctic white with the HSS configuration. I think that there's a lot more tonal variety from having that humbucker there. Plus if you want to play any kind of metal on it, the single coil just won't cut it IMO.

BassGod · #19 10-09-2006, 07:45 PM

Well, I've pretty much decided.

Arctic White, HSS.

The only thing I'm thinking of is, while I know that humbuckers sound great distorted, what's the clean tone like? I wouldn't want a muddy clean tone.

Graeme

playibanez · #20 10-09-2006, 08:02 PM

i like the midnight wine color...but it doesnt look good in that picture. i actually want a jazz in midnight wine