The Gretsch Pages: Discussions: Other Guitars: Help a Brother Out...

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Help a Brother Out...

- Rated: 13 ↑
Nov 19, 2008 8:49 p.m. Bujin:

Okay... so some of you might remember that I just recently put a set of Texas Hot Leads in my Standard Strat in an effort to breathe some life into it and give myself a reason to like it again. It does sound 100% better, no doubt... but I'm still just not feeling it. I enjoy playing my 5120 and my Pro Jet sooo much more that I'm seriously thinking about putting my Strat up on the block.

Main thing for me now isn't the way it sounds, but the way it feels. I love the feel of the back of the neck, but there's something wrong with the way the action is set on the top of the neck that is making it very difficult for me to play like I want to play. Particularly if I do any string bending up around the 12th fret or so, I'm finding that when I do a bend on say the G string, the tip of my finger will get stuck under the D and make an annoying little sound when I release the bend. Now this is not a string height issue. The action is very low already. It may be a technique thing, but it doesn't happen on either of my Gretsches. The only way I've been able to remedy it is by setting the action of the D string much lower than the G. It has to be so low that the D almost buzzes, and it kind of feels awkward to step down from the G to D when doing scales, etc.

This post is getting long, but I guess what I'm looking for are some opinions to either confirm that the Strat isn't worth keeping, or to talk me into keeping it as a worthy segment of my arsenal.

Main reason I'm keeping it so far are because I love music by Hendrix (obviously), The Police, SRV, Buddy Guy, etc., so I've always told myself that I can't recreate that fat Strat sound with a guitar like a Gretsch. But can I? I've heard a few people say that they do.

Is there anything I could try to make it better? I've been thinking about changing the bridge on it. I'm kind of stuck with a vintage 6-screw type since that's what's on there now. Best suggestion I've had so far was a Wilkinson bridge, but I don't think that would help me much in terms of adjustment since it's basically the same deal. Might improve the tremolo, which is another one of my beefs at the moment.

So, anyway... thoughts?

== Sean
- Rated: 48 ↑
Nov 19, 2008 10:18 p.m. dmanlow:

Do you know what the radius of the fretboard is?
- Rated: 102 ↑
Nov 19, 2008 10:41 p.m. Setzer:

are your standard pickups avail.? If so I would be interested in them. Keep the strat they are a great tool to have around. I like all those players you listed and also bands like the fixx and jeff beck etc. Gotta have a strat. I think you just need to adjust your touch and fretting hand style when wranglin' the Caster. Leave the vintage style(on a standard? I thought those were two post) alone unless it has the cheaper lite block. When it is set up proper and your strings are wound right at the tuners the vintage tremolo is nice.
- Rated: 13 ↑
Nov 19, 2008 11:01 p.m. Bujin:

dmanlow - Not sure if it's accurate or not, but I have a book that says current Fender USA/Mexican Strats have a radius of 9.5"

Setzer - Maybe I should have clarified that this is a Mexican Standard. I usually hear the American's referred to as American Standards and the MIM as just Standards. So, being Mexican, it has the 6-screw bridge. Pretty sure the block is definitely lighter.

I do still have the old pickups if you're interested. They were carefully de-soldered at the pots and put in the box the new ones came in.

I know I should break down and have another tech look at it and see if they can improve the setup. It just seems like my Gretsches are far less trouble and fit better.

== Sean
- Rated: 13 ↑
Nov 19, 2008 11:16 p.m. Rex:

If your using 9's, Try going to a heavier gauge string. Harder bending but better tone.
- Rated: 49 ↑
Nov 19, 2008 11:43 p.m. Ric12string:

I fully agree with Setzer. You can't paint a picture of a sunrise, sunset, afternoon light, etc., without having red paint on your palette. Similarly, there are some songs that just demand a Strat sound. You can't get that clucky out of phase sound with a Gretsch and its typical two pup set up. You just have to have a Strat for that.

As for the fretboard radius, I actually find it easier to do string bends on a 9.5" radius Strat than I do on all of my Gretsch guitars. Sounds like heresy, doesn't it? But, I am just telling you the truth. It sounds to me like it may be more of a technique issue than an equipment issue.
- Rated: 41 ↑
Nov 20, 2008 9:23 a.m. dubkitty:

you may have an issue with having the string height consistent with the fretboard radius. Stewart-Macdonald sells radius gauges which you can use to help, but given that you've already been having trouble getting the setup you want i'd just take it to a tech...there could be additional contributing factors such as fret condition/fret wear or truss rod adjustment that need to be corrected.

in terms of using a Gretsch to "sound like a Strat," i don't think so...to me Filters totally lack Strat characteristics, and Dynas are way closer to Tele PUs than Strat PUs to my ear. a rough tone scale from "thin" to "fat" would go Strat-->Tele-->Dynas->P90s.
- Rated: 13 ↑
Nov 20, 2008 9:24 a.m. Bujin:

Rex - I'm actually already running 11s on it. Partly convenience and partly because I like the way they feel and sound, but I put .11 GHS Boomers on all three of my electrics.

I'm actually glad to hear the encouragement to keep the Strat. I really do love the sound. Especially since putting in the new pickups, it's really got a nice pronounced Quack. The playability has just been so frustrating compared to my two Gretsches.

I guess I'll bite the bullet and take it in to have a full setup done on it. I suppose I'll pick up a new bridge first and have them work on that. Hopefully that will take care of the playability issues.

Ric12string - I can definitely lessen the issue with catching the string, but there's got to be a way that I can fix it. It's like I said, my normal technique works perfectly fine on both my Pro Jet and 5120. There's got to be a way to set up the Strat to give me the same feel.

== Sean
- Rated: 102 ↑
Nov 20, 2008 10:53 a.m. Setzer:

Sean, I was in my local county library and the music section had a book dedicated just for the Fender Stratocaster and set ups. I already knew about alot of it but am always wanting to learn more and checked it out. It was a great read with lots of photos and I took some notes and did some extra adjustments to my Caster. I'll check it out again in the future. Point is it is not that hard and you'll benifit from it and at the same time save some money that you can use to buy some strings or tools to work on all types of guitars. It is worth a shot. There really is not much to a Stratocaster...the basic design. But for me when it gets to frets I'll take it to a tech that I know and trust.
- Rated: 30 ↑
Nov 20, 2008 8:24 p.m. Wishinfora(nother)Falcon:

OK Bujin, just so you don't feel alone, I have the same problem when playing my Strat. It may possibly be a set up issue, but I think, for me anyway it is definitely technique. I am used to playing Gretsches with a 12" radius. When I do a bend on a 12" radius it's just flatter and harder to get under that G string. I attack it harder I suppose (now that I think about it). When I play the Strat (which is only occasionally) I have to be more mindful of how hard I push those strings around. Even just fretting feels pretty different to me b/c I am so used to the different radius. It just takes a little adjustment swapping guitars.

I played the Strat quite a bit when I was in between Gretsches and had no problem. It's the switching back and forth thing. Same thing happens on the Rick.
- Rated: 41 ↑
Nov 20, 2008 9:36 p.m. dubkitty:

if you're using only one finger to bend with, try pushing the string with the finger(s) next to the one you're using as well: e.g. if you're bending with the third finger, use the middle finger and the third finger to push the string over. this may help keep you from getting hung up under the adjacent string because the force of the string bend is distributed along a longer section of string; it's also helpful when bending heavier strings.
- Rated: 30 ↑
Nov 21, 2008 11:32 a.m. Wishinfora(nother)Falcon:

Thanks dub. I will try that. I am definitely a one finger bender but I do see guys using two. Must be why.
- Rated: 3 ↑
Nov 22, 2008 7:34 p.m. Mike_Martin:

I use 2-3 fingers for bending. The thing I try to get my students to do is bend more with your wrist than your fingers. It`s all in a flick of the wrist! I just setup my strats by balancing a dime under each string on the 12th fret. Lower the string till it just touches the dime. The 6th string may need to be just a tad higher. Cheers!
- Rated: 13 ↑
Nov 22, 2008 9:35 p.m. Bujin:

I already use two fingers for bending most of the time. It's actually my second finger that's getting stuck...

I decided to put down the Strat for a little while. I think it will be better if I get the new bridge I want and have a professional setup before I mess with it much. Otherwise, I'm just going to get too frustrated and the guitar will get traded. I'm already starting to wish I had a pro-line Gretsch. Only way I could afford that would be by selling my 5120 and probably the Strat.

== Sean

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