bamboohead Posted January 29, 2009 Posted January 29, 2009 Xcus my ignance, but what is is/makes a super strat?
Feynman Posted January 29, 2009 Author Posted January 29, 2009 Xcus my ignance, but what is is/makes a super strat? Funny as it may seem to me, Wikipedia has the differences detailed in a chart! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstrat#Comparison I'd go with something like this more informal test: If you were studying this album cover as a sex-starved teen and then glanced up at MTV, you saw one. If it was pink, it would have been perfect.
Jimbilly Posted January 29, 2009 Posted January 29, 2009 Xcus my ignance, but what is is/makes a super strat? I think it's mostly that Strats were virtually unchanged for a long time, and then somebody got the idea that a humbucker would be cool to have at the bridge, on and on it went. A super-strat has a basic Strat shape, but one or more changes, aimed at making it a better rock guitar, a hotter and/or humbucking bridge pickup would be a standard change. A Strat, but even more-better (super).(edited to add) I bought that Boogie Bodies used in June of '85 from a guy who had worked there, it had a single slanted Gibson humbucker at the bridge (I wish I could find that pickup now), it had been routed for a floyd but had/has a standard Fender trem, neck is Walnut. They had been using a lot of different premium woods well prior to that, my dad was in hardwoods sales/importing since the 60s, he remembers selling high end lumber to Mr Ellsworth (Boogie Bodies) prior to that time as well.
veatch Posted January 29, 2009 Posted January 29, 2009 From the wikipedia: Pickguard [Advantages to removing] More sustain, as there are less plastic parts that dampen the sound Now, i've always fancied myself a *bit* of a tone snob, but this has clearly exposed me as a rank amateur: I've never consider removing pick guards to improve tone... Looks like i'll be pulling all those truss rod covers off later tonight...
Feynman Posted January 29, 2009 Author Posted January 29, 2009 It has to be true, or they couldn't put it in wikipedia.
jettster Posted January 29, 2009 Posted January 29, 2009 I've tried out several Jacksons over the years and although they seem to be well made, playing wise I can't find much to like about them. I have two Cali's and have yet to play a Jackson that felt remotely similar, I'd say they are two completely different beasts.
veatch Posted January 29, 2009 Posted January 29, 2009 It has to be true, or they couldn't put it in wikipedia.
FunkyE9th Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 From the wikipedia: Pickguard [Advantages to removing] More sustain, as there are less plastic parts that dampen the soundNow, i've always fancied myself a *bit* of a tone snob, but this has clearly exposed me as a rank amateur: I've never consider removing pick guards to improve tone... Looks like i'll be pulling all those truss rod covers off later tonight... If you use one those see-thru pickguards, like the ones use on paisley teles, it won't affect tone at all. It will produce the most transparent sound.
RobB Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 I think it's mostly that Strats were virtually unchanged for a long time, and then somebody got the idea that a humbucker would be cool to have at the bridge, on and on it went. A super-strat has a basic Strat shape, but one or more changes, aimed at making it a better rock guitar, a hotter and/or humbucking bridge pickup would be a standard change.Back in the day (pre-EVH), the first visual evidence that I'd witnessed of a h/b'ed Strat was the guy from The Sweet (2 h/bs in a 60's Strat) and Glen Tipton (70's, large-headstock, 2 h/bs) and Harvey Mandel (h/b, two single coils, 60's Strat). I'm not sure EVH pioneered putting a Gibson h/b in a Fender, but he sure as hell refined it, no?
Brooks Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 i haven't owned a bunch of shredders; jackson (got it instead of money owed to me; nice ax but i need a neck pup, and i was embarrased by the skull paintjob even back when i was 25, ha) yamaha (which was really decent), usa cali (not impressed, prolly one of the few mediocre ones), import diablo (not bad for $125), SSI (which was great but i didn't like the look), kramer/warmoth partscaster (sometimes the whole is NOT greater than the sum of the parts, ha), and a project ibanez sabre ltd ($75 pawnshop prize, now undergoing stikerizing)... but my fave shredder (this just in); welcome the "bob wilson" chap. steve haynie brought this up from SC this week. 24.75" set 24 fret neck, ebony board, OFR, players wear. i'll prolly switch out the the pups & mini switches (impossible to switch quickly during a gig), but this plays awesome. thanx steve!
cspot Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 There can be only one!!(superstrat)... But truth be told the now infamous BUTCHERED CALI... My number one shredder compared to any jacksons, charvels, etc. I LOVES ME HAMERS!!!!
Doink Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 I can't believe Ibanez hasn't garnered more votes. It seems like the beginning of the superstrat all started with 2 1/2 companies; Jackson/Charvel and Kramer. Both had their own hand in it. By the mid 80's, other companies were on the boat as well, including Hamer. But when Ibanez earned/bought Steve Vai's endorsement, the superstrat was taken to another level. I can only imagine being at the NAMM show in 1987, and seeing the unveiling of the JEM, RG, S series, P series, and R series all at once.With the superior Edge trem, thin Wizard neck, flat fretboards, huge frets, sunken trem, crazy colors, and sharp body edges, Ibanez went on to dominate the late 80's and early 90's. Look through their old catalogs, and their roster of players dwarfs that of Hamer or anyone else.I own at least one superstrat from just about every company, and many companies made high quality guitars. They all have their own feel and personality, but it's tough to say that any one made a "better" guitar than the other.When I think "superstrat", I think Ibanez.When I have to put it all the line, I reach for one of my 2 main Ibanez's.
zorrow Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 Xcus my ignance, but what is is/makes a super strat?Quite simple to me: a Super-strat looks like a Fender Stratocaster (more or less) but has the following additional features:- 24 frets (or more).- At least one humbucker (at the bridge position).- A floating tremolo (Floyd-Rose or Khaler).Edited to add: There are some guitars with 22-frets that might be considered as Super-strats as well -- I'm thinking about those ESP models.
edgar_allan_poe Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 With the superior Edge trem, thin Wizard neck, flat fretboards, huge frets, sunken trem, crazy colors, and sharp body edges, Ibanez went on to dominate the late 80's and early 90's. Look through their old catalogs, and their roster of players dwarfs that of Hamer or anyone else.Ibanez doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Hamer or Jackson. I owned one of those floral print JEMs. It cost me $1800 at the time and it was a *complete* POS. The thing literally rusted apart...I shit you not. The trem and neck plate damn near disintegrated. Ibanez refused to stand by their product, claiming that I had "corrosive sweat". Bullshit. I had a stable of guitars at that time and *none* of them fell apart. Just because they spent more money on endorsements doesn't mean they built a good guitar. Did you ever wonder *why* they had to have so many paid endorsers? They built a POS and then then outspent everyone in advertising...they are the guitar world equivalent of Bill Gates and Microsoft.
Guest pirateflynn Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 They built a POS and then then outspent everyone in advertising...they are the guitar world equivalent of Bill Gates and Microsoft.Okay, now THAT'S funny!
Doink Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 I'm sorry to hear of your misfortune. I've had great luck with Ibanez. I currently have 6 RG's, the newest part being a 2002 neck, the rest are late 80's/early 90's models, and all have withstood the test of time. Sure there's some corrosion and rust here and there, but I can expect that with a 15 or 20 year old guitar, and with the abuse that I put them through.With the superior Edge trem, thin Wizard neck, flat fretboards, huge frets, sunken trem, crazy colors, and sharp body edges, Ibanez went on to dominate the late 80's and early 90's. Look through their old catalogs, and their roster of players dwarfs that of Hamer or anyone else.Ibanez doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Hamer or Jackson. I owned one of those floral print JEMs. It cost me $1800 at the time and it was a *complete* POS. The thing literally rusted apart...I shit you not. The trem and neck plate damn near disintegrated. Ibanez refused to stand by their product, claiming that I had "corrosive sweat". Bullshit. I had a stable of guitars at that time and *none* of them fell apart. Just because they spent more money on endorsements doesn't mean they built a good guitar. Did you ever wonder *why* they had to have so many paid endorsers? They built a POS and then then outspent everyone in advertising...they are the guitar world equivalent of Bill Gates and Microsoft.
edgar_allan_poe Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 I'm sorry to hear of your misfortune. I've had great luck with Ibanez. I currently have 6 RG's, the newest part being a 2002 neck, the rest are late 80's/early 90's models, and all have withstood the test of time. Sure there's some corrosion and rust here and there, but I can expect that with a 15 or 20 year old guitar, and with the abuse that I put them through.I am talking about a brand new guitar purchased in the late 80's early 90's and it fell apart in under 1 yr. Inexcusable IMHO and the fact that they told me "tough shit" is even more inexcusable. That kind of shit would never happen with a Hamer or Jackson. They aren't perfect companies, but I have a hard time believing that they wouldn't at least replace the parts in question, especially after being told by A LICENSED REPAIR CENTER that the guitar was a POS and it wasn't my fault it fell apart.
joshkava Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 I bought an ESP Mirage Deluxe in 1988. Put a duncan Custon in the bridge. Gigged with it for about five years. never went out of tune once onstage.. (though breaking a string with those floyds live is not a good thing). bound ebony fretboard with gretsch-style inlays. just a great playing, great sounding, rock solid superstrat. Miss her. Let me say this as a Hamer newbee here..my Chapparal snakeskin 1987 guitar us easier to play than any Soloist I have played and I have played the real ones from the eighties. Sure the Jackson has binding and bigger frets, but the sheer awesomeness of the Hamer neck and tone from this OFR monster, plus the killer OBL pickups, it is a more versatile guitar than the Jackson, imo. I call my Chapparal, my Soloist! Let's have some respect for Chapparal's, not just Californians Sure the Suhr Moderns are awesome, but built many years later. yngwie308
edgar_allan_poe Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 I bought an ESP Mirage Deluxe in 1988.Put a duncan Custon in the bridge. Gigged with it for about five years. never went out of tune once onstage.. (though breaking a string with those floyds live is not a good thing).bound ebony fretboard with gretsch-style inlays.just a great playing, great sounding, rock solid superstrat. Miss her.Agreed on some of the ESPs.... great guitars.
Brooks Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 *thread hijack****nevermind, i'm starting a new thread***
jettster Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 *thread hijack*my past shredders went out the door due to combinations of playability/tuning/tone.i'm in full honeymoon period w/ the playability & tuning stability of "bob wilson";i'm planning to swap pups and go to a single mini toggle. my question; i have been vocal in my scorn of floyded guitars tone,and many here have claimed that a new oversized floyd base plate makes a huge difference in tone & sustain.i'd like to hear y'alls comments, and perhaps request a link where to get these magic plates.Hell I'd be happy to find a source for any type of Schaller or Floyd base plates.
shredmeister Posted February 2, 2009 Posted February 2, 2009 Ibanez doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Hamer or Jackson. I owned one of those floral print JEMs. It cost me $1800 at the time and it was a *complete* POS. The thing literally rusted apart...I shit you not. The trem and neck plate damn near disintegrated. Ibanez refused to stand by their product, claiming that I had "corrosive sweat". Bullshit. I had a stable of guitars at that time and *none* of them fell apart. Just because they spent more money on endorsements doesn't mean they built a good guitar. Did you ever wonder *why* they had to have so many paid endorsers? They built a POS and then then outspent everyone in advertising...they are the guitar world equivalent of Bill Gates and Microsoft.100% Agree. There are some OK Ibanez's but I don't like any of their Superstrats (except for the looks of them which I really like). I had a Blue Floral JEM - felt like a toy. I found the Wizard necks too thin. Trem felt very cheap.Tone was absolutely terrible - I mean terrible. The only way it sounded good was when it was heavily processed. And I changed the pups to Evolutions.Ibanez has been criticized for using sub standard woods on some of their models. I listen to some of the bands who use their superstrats and they always sound thin to me.I don't usually like to post bad opinions on equipment - I usually keep my opinion to myself if it is not positive.But this has been my experience with Ibanez shredders.I A/B'd it with several Jacksons and they just killed the JEM in tone as well as quality as do the Hamers.
Jeff R Posted February 10, 2009 Posted February 10, 2009 I bought an ESP Mirage Deluxe in 1988.Put a duncan Custon in the bridge. Gigged with it for about five years. never went out of tune once onstage.. (though breaking a string with those floyds live is not a good thing). bound ebony fretboard with gretsch-style inlays. just a great playing, great sounding, rock solid superstrat. Miss her. Agreed on some of the ESPs.... great guitars. +1...
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