I know there's a good amount of you that play guitar, so maybe you can help me. I'm thinking about trading my PRS CE24 for an American Deluxe Fat Strat. I'm playing through a Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Ace. The PRS sounds incredible through the drive channel (similar to the mesa rectifier) but sounds thin and weak through the clean channel. I've messed with all the settings on the amp and the guitar trying to find the sweet spot, and it just doesn't cut through. I played a new deluxe fat strat the other day and it sounds beautiful through the clean channel, and pretty good through the drive channel...and it seems to be much better suited for the way I play. The only thing thats keeping me from doing this is the fact that I'd be trading the first guitar I bought myself. The thing has my mojo! So do I go for tone over nostalgia?
Guitar Guys...
- Thread starter CentennialVert
- Start date
Hell, I've got 3 Strats' all different. A real Jap/Fender, an American Standard, and a limited edition Anniversary with Black Pearl pickguard, and Texas Special pickups. They all have their own sound, even though they are similar, and all have the natural fretboard. It's 3 similar but different feel and sound. Keep the PRS, and get the Fender too. If you are a serious player you need more than 1 guitar. I also have 3 6 string acoustics, a 12 string acoustic, 4 basses, and some keyboards just for giggles.
Money is the issue. If I buy the strat, I'll be eating ramen for a month to make rent. It has crossed my mind though. I'd have to downgrade to an American Strat and throw on the roller nut and locking tuners, but it could work.
If clean is what you want, then yeah, go the Fender route. Id personally keep the paul reed smith.
I think you should just save your pennies and keep the one you have now and just buy the one you want later. I wouldn't give up my first guitar for hardly anything.
Fender's are inflated. Personally if I was gonna pay a fender price, I would want that single coil strat sound, so the fatstrat wouldnt really make sense to me. The custom 24 is a beautiful guitar, but the sound is an acquired taste, plus I didnt like the knob style pickup switch. I currently have an ernie ball music man petrucci model and it plays great. Custom ordered from the factory. What kind of stuff do you play?
I've always played my own blend of hard rock and southern jam style rock. Think 3 Doors Down with some Warren Haynes. As I'm getting older though I'm liking more mellow sounds. The only reason I'd go with the fat strat is because I don't want to be completely shut off from playing heavier, and I hate the single coil at the bridge. Ideally I'd have both, I just don't think I can afford it right now.
One option you can always try is a different set up pickups. There are tons and tons of reviews for different pickups on the net. Just look for something for jazz or blues...anything that will put a little beef in the sound.
Do you know the age of your current Strat?
Check this out before you sell it,
http://www.guitarnucleus.com/fenderserial.html
I love the Strat but the Les Paul is my git of choice.
Jeff
I've played guitar for about 8.5 years now....I own a PRS CE22 & An American Texas Fat Strat.
There are many things that come into play..String size, Pick up height, Pick Thickness
1st. Through almost all Mesa Amps your going to get a dull dark clean tone. It wont really sparkle unless you crank the **** out of it.
The Pick Ups on a CE24 aren't the brightest in the world, especially the neck PU. Have you ever played the Tremonti Single cut? I bet u'll like the sound of the Bridge pick up more than the strat.
Have you ever had your guitar set up? I set up my own guitars to my own specs (what feels and sounds right) I've gotten a couple guitars back after having them set up and they feel like a differnt guitar that sounds dull. You might want to mess with the pick up height. Tighten the scew to bring the bring the PU's more towards the strings. U don't want the strings to touch the PU's when you palm mute and you shouldnt hear any distortion when you play it clean. DON'T mess with the truss rod unless you know what you are doing. The lighter the strings you have the brighter the sound will be, but if you want that fat SRV tone you need FAT strings.
Try a couple Marshall amps, you will hear tones out of your guitar that you've never heard before. Not nocking Mesa but its the truth. Also a small speaker size might fit your needs.
Both are very very versitle guitars. Depends on what feels better.
Hope that answers your question.
There are many things that come into play..String size, Pick up height, Pick Thickness
1st. Through almost all Mesa Amps your going to get a dull dark clean tone. It wont really sparkle unless you crank the **** out of it.
The Pick Ups on a CE24 aren't the brightest in the world, especially the neck PU. Have you ever played the Tremonti Single cut? I bet u'll like the sound of the Bridge pick up more than the strat.
Have you ever had your guitar set up? I set up my own guitars to my own specs (what feels and sounds right) I've gotten a couple guitars back after having them set up and they feel like a differnt guitar that sounds dull. You might want to mess with the pick up height. Tighten the scew to bring the bring the PU's more towards the strings. U don't want the strings to touch the PU's when you palm mute and you shouldnt hear any distortion when you play it clean. DON'T mess with the truss rod unless you know what you are doing. The lighter the strings you have the brighter the sound will be, but if you want that fat SRV tone you need FAT strings.
Try a couple Marshall amps, you will hear tones out of your guitar that you've never heard before. Not nocking Mesa but its the truth. Also a small speaker size might fit your needs.
Both are very very versitle guitars. Depends on what feels better.
Hope that answers your question.
You need to go play some Mesa's man. I've been playing for 17 years so I know how to get the tone I want out of an amp. I played everything on the market under $2000 before I settled on the mesa. Just had the PRS set up yesterday...I take it to my guitar tech every 2 weeks and he sets it up to my specs. I play 10's on the PRS, but will probably have 11's on the Strat. Pickups make a big difference in sound, but so do tone woods...and the PRS was never meant to sound like a strat, so it wont. It is a hard rock guitar, and the clean tones are very jazzy.
I just talked to my buddy at guitar center, and he'll sell me a tricolor sunburst American Strat with the hardshell case for 650...retails for 1200 adn usually sells for 950...its cheaper than anything I've found online, so I might do that and keep the PRS. I can turn around and sell it for more than I paid if I decide I need the money more than the guitar.
What kind of amp do you play Chris?
Don't have a strat now, I have the PRS...I'm trying to decide if I should trade the PRS for a strat or suck it up and buy the strat. I like the sound of Les Paul's but I never really liked the way they play...not really my cup of tea.
Considering that the PRS has history and sentimental value, I couldn't recommend that you trade it. I have a Les Paul that is to me what your PRS is to you and I couldn't part with it (unless ofcourse EVH wanted to trade the original Frankenstein guitar or Zakk Wylde offered his original dixie Les Paul Custom)
That said, save up a little while longer and just buy the strat, No trade.
Also, have you played any of the other current strat models? I played the American Delux Fat Strat recently, and it was deffinitely a cool guitar. Great tone, but it sounded a little too "Fat". I guess what i was hoping for when I played it was that Strat twangyness that I could thicken up with the tone knobs. I played the guitar through a Mesa Mark IV and had to boost the treble to keep it from sounding muddy.
I laso played the Eric Clapton Strat. It has the Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups (FKA Fender Lace Sensor) and was really really versatile with regards to the sounds you could get out of it. The Bridge pickup is really hot and sounded more like a humbucker. You could also get that fender twang with the Mid/Neck pickups. It sounded great clean and distorted. I believe the Eric Clapton and American delux fat strat are close in price too.
That said, save up a little while longer and just buy the strat, No trade.
Also, have you played any of the other current strat models? I played the American Delux Fat Strat recently, and it was deffinitely a cool guitar. Great tone, but it sounded a little too "Fat". I guess what i was hoping for when I played it was that Strat twangyness that I could thicken up with the tone knobs. I played the guitar through a Mesa Mark IV and had to boost the treble to keep it from sounding muddy.
I laso played the Eric Clapton Strat. It has the Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups (FKA Fender Lace Sensor) and was really really versatile with regards to the sounds you could get out of it. The Bridge pickup is really hot and sounded more like a humbucker. You could also get that fender twang with the Mid/Neck pickups. It sounded great clean and distorted. I believe the Eric Clapton and American delux fat strat are close in price too.
just save for the fender till you can get it and keep the PRS.
Wintermute
Banned
My mexican strat has been hangin on the wall for about 10 years, so I wont speak in here.
I got the american strat today. Played it back to back with the deluxe fat strat, and the S1 switch was cool, but most of the sounds coming out I could get with the PRS, the only tone I can't is the classic strat tone. So I kept the PRS and just went with the American Strat. I went with the tri color sunburst with the maple fretboard.
Did you play both the 50's and 60's neck?
Seems the Les Paul loves Marshall amps.
I own A Dual Rect with matching 4x12 cab
I've got 4 amps
Mesa Dual rect head
Marshall Mode IV head (I hate solid state but this thing out of this ****in world)
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Fender Side Kick....
+ 9 or so guitars. Cant remember
Nice collection. I almost bought the JVM410 w/ a 1960A 4x12 but it didn't have the bass response that the Mesa has. Eventually I'll be able to afford more amps to get the specific tones I want, but for now, the PRS, Strat and Mesa combo is pretty damn efficient.
CP, I like your poster :beer:
Took this earlier with the phone...shitty, but its all I got.
CP, I like your poster :beer:
Took this earlier with the phone...shitty, but its all I got.
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