Stratocaster

Until recently, I’d been playing Telecasters (including G & L ASAT models) almost exclusively. Honestly, I avoided playing the ridiculously iconic Strat precisely because it was so thoroughly associated with legends like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. And complete tools like Billy Corgan and Eric Clapton.

In retrospect, avoiding the Strat for so long seems kind of childish. Especially now that I’ve actually started playing one. Damn, it feels great hanging around your neck. It’s perfectly weighted and even the tremolo-equipped models stay in tune extremely well.

Most importantly, I remembered what a friend of mine said about Teles vs. Strats. Paraphrasing, he said “Teles look cooler but they’re harder to play. They’re less forgiving and require more precision. But the Strat gives you a lot of leeway.”

Basically, you can be complete dumbass who alternately strangles and stumbles around the fret board, and a Strat will still sound great, while a Tele will punish you for imprecision. In my own dumbass way, I’ve confirmed this is true. For an amateur like myself, a Strat makes a lot more sense. Even if it is a visual cliche.

The one problem I didn’t think about in purchasing my Stratocaster was what a terrible time I’d have re-stringing and tuning the damn thing. I’ve never broken so many high-E strings. This is mostly due to the tremolo, and also to the fact that I have no idea how to stretch my strings properly.

I’ve now been told that after stringing the guitar, I should alternately tune the high and low strings until I meet in the middle at the A and G strings. This helps balance the tension on the bridge and should reduce the hassles I’ve been having. I’ve also been told I should learn how to string a guitar properly. This sounds like excellent advice. If you know of any decent instructional videos on the Web, I’d be happy to view them.

My next Strat will be a hard-tail.