JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Guitars and Guitarist Forum What is the difference between a Standard Strat and a Standard Telecaster?

Hi Jean,

"Does chorus mean it sounds like more than one guitar is playing."

Kind of, but a little different, best thing to do is to try all the positions and hear the differences, here are my perspectives on them, YMMV. The reference to "chours" was in the hopes that you had, or had heard the popular stomp box effect, "chorus". If not, your conception of it from your post is close!

One way to think of the various pickup positions is each pickup is it's own EQ of the guitar sound. The "neck" position has more bass in it. The "neck" and "middle" out of phase position is a warm chorus kind of sound. The "middle" is full of the mid frequencies. The "middle" and "bridge" out of phase position is a brighter chorus sound and the "bridge" position is real bright.

Often times guitarist's will use the neck position for a big warm blend with everything else sound. The "neck" "bridge" combo for a sweet warm sound. The middle position for solo work and the next out of phase position for a bright sweet sound and finally the "bridge" position to cut through the mix like a chain saw! These are strictly generalities and are often done differently.

Of interest, you can acoustically replicate these sounds by strumming real close to the bridge, hear how it's bright? Now strum over the middle pickup and hear how it's warmer? Lastly strum up by the neck and you can hear how it's darker. The same holds true for a acoustic guitar.

"When should I use the different switch positions."

It's a taste thing that you develope with time. Here's a launching point.

"Neck" position: When you want to blend in with other instruments, as opposed to sticking out of the mix. When you want to aproximate a "humbucker" sound. Jazz.

"Neck" and "middle" out of phase. When you want to have a warm, not to out front, sound that blends well. Also a good position if you want a darker sound that doesn't compete with the bass in the sonic sound scape.

"Middle" When you want a full frequency out front sound like soloing. Using the middle pickup during vocal passages will sometimes cloud the mid frequency range of the audio spectrum The mids are where 75% of the song frequencies are, hince it's good to use whilst soloing as you're not competing/covering up the vocal.

"Middle" and "bridge" out of phase. When you want a brighter shimmery kind of sound.

"Bridge" position. when you want a very bright, cuts through the mix sound.

"And when you say bend, do you mean bending the string with my fingers? And why can't I do that with the strat? Am I supposed to use the tremelo to bend them instead?"

Let me clarify this. If you take the cover off the back of the guitar, you will see that the tremelo mechanism is three springs connected to the guitar on one end and to a "fulcrum" on the tremelo apparatus. If you bend one string with your finger, you in effect increase the tention on the springs which in turn pulls the fulcrum a little tighter thus "flating" the other strings a tad. Not noticeable if just that string is being played. In "chicken pickin", players often mimic pedal steel licks that have one or two strings bending over other strings that are sustaing a note. This is where the problem is. If you do a double whole note bend, (two strings bend up a whole note.), while one or more of the other strings are sustaining a note, the sustained notes will noticably flat making the whole "moving" chord go out of tune. Some strat players "block" the tremelo with a piece of wood to give a "fixed" bridge approximation while others put on an additional spring or two to the tremelo which minimizes the problem.Better have popeye fore arms for this one! But most don't do double whole note bends while sustaining other notes! You probably don't need to worry about it! Also of interest, if you break a string, suddenly five strings instead of six are pulling on the springs, this flats the guitar and you are no longer in tune whith the rest of the band. Best to go into air guitar mode or grab a spare if gigging. An alternative that I like to use is continue playing proudly while giving the second guitarist's dirty looks. This will imply to the other band mates and audience that HE is the reason the band sounds like poo poo.

Rob





[This message has been edited by RJC (edited 05-18-2003).]

[This message has been edited by RJC (edited 05-18-2003).]

[This message has been edited by RJC (edited 05-18-2003).]