Is there a need for more than one Strat..?

Kuroblack

I realise I'm asking the wrong crowd here, but am I mad for considering a second Strat..?

Serious question really, as I've been lusting after an SRV for years, and now I'm thinking about the Hendrix Monterey (yes, it's the paintjob that's sold me)

But; I'm a bit nervous that they will be just too similar to my 1989 American Standard - am I nuts for thinking of dropping £800 or £1900 for the SRV? (And in terms of the MiM Monterey, am I likely to notice massive differences, my assumption is that they'll be incredibly similar build..?)

So to those with more than one Strat, is it a good idea? Are your Strats wildy different specs (that would seem sensible) Or maybe just variations on a theme? Maybe even just a different colour - it's mad but I can see the appeal!

And before any suggests it. no I'm not needing a Tele..!

antifash

I have one Strat and love it. I was thinking of getting a rosewood board '62 type to go with its '57 leanings, but I think I'd probably only play the one. I don't know if I can keep up with playing more than a couple of guitars. Others can, but I dunno. Suspect lusting after one is OK, and of course, each one is different, but then I don't want to end up with loads of guitars and only play one or two. But that's just me.

BRISTOL86

Kuroblack said:

I realise I'm asking the wrong crowd here, but am I mad for considering a second Strat..?

Serious question really, as I've been lusting after an SRV for years, and now I'm thinking about the Hendrix Monterey (yes, it's the paintjob that's sold me)

But; I'm a bit nervous that they will be just too similar to my 1989 American Standard - am I nuts for thinking of dropping £800 or £1900 for the SRV? (And in terms of the MiM Monterey, am I likely to notice massive differences, my assumption is that they'll be incredibly similar build..?)

So to those with more than one Strat, is it a good idea? Are your Strats wildy different specs (that would seem sensible) Or maybe just variations on a theme? Maybe even just a different colour - it's mad but I can see the appeal!

And before any suggests it. no I'm not needing a Tele..!

I’m very much a one guitar man at present. I plan on one day having a collection rather than just one. My next will be a Les Paul just to cover another base but I definitely wouldn’t rule out adding another Strat! 

The day this place starts thinking it doesn’t need additional guitars will be a sad day indeed  

slacker

There's two valid reasons for having a second guitar like the first...

1 You genuinely need a backup as you gig a lot and you play a genre that needs a certain guitar. 

2 You want it. 

DrBob

You might find they feel & sound quite a bit different to your USA as a consequence of having the vintage 6 screw type trem rather than the two post one with the block saddles on your USA. Also I think the Texas Special pickups in the SRV are quite "other" as compared to normal Strat pickups.

Do it.....

xscaramanga

I've got three Strats and I can just about rationalise them. One's ash bodied with a maple fingerboard and is the most resonant guitar I've ever played. It sounds a lot more twangy and funky then my Tokai ST50, which has a rosewood board and is much darker. My third is an FSR US Standard with a Bare Knuckle VH2 in the bridge. It's hard to justify because I also have superstrats, but I'm putting some high output single coils in it to give me a tone I don't get from the other guitars.

So yeah, for me now I have to make my guitars tonally distinct enough from each other to justify keeping them. But even then I'm sure it's more a rationalisation. I *could* get everything I need from one Strat.

crunchman

It's good to have a backup of some kind.

Also, at timesit's worth having one that's a bit less valuable.  You might not want to take a really expensive one to certain places.  It's not a bad idea to have a Squier or Mexican one.

Lebarque

Nah, get something different.

Lestratcaster

I have a Squier Strat which I upgraded the stock pickups, it plays good but I can't help but want a "proper" American standard strat, after all we all need more guitars!

guitarfishbay

I have a Fender and a partscaster. Though I utilise the routing - one has singles and the other has a bridge humbucker. I’d only have them both the same/similar if I needed a direct backup 

Funkfingers

The downside to having two nice examples of any guitar is the temptation to draw comparisons between them.

Using the Fender AVRI series as an example, before the 2012 revisions, if you wanted a rosewood fingerboard, your neck profile options were the slim '62 style or sod off. Post revisions, the chunkier '65 profile is also available. For my tastes, the '65 yields a more satisfying sound than the '62 - even after pickup upgrades.

These preferences are largely subjective.

Old age and familiarity/contempt causes me to prefer the 7.25" fingerboard radius of vintage style Fender guitars. There is no denying that the 9.5" radius of the American Standard/Professional range is easier to play on and that the compound radius of the Deluxe/Elite/Select models is easier still.

Kuroblack said:
to those with more than one Strat, is it a good idea? ... am I nuts for thinking of dropping £800 or £1900 for the SRV? 

What is it that you think the SRV and Monterey Stratocasters can offer that your Am Std can not? 

The pickup cavity routing pattern of your Strat should facilitate the installation of alternative pickup and control assemblies - even one with the bridge pickup reverse slanted à la Hendrix. This option would cost only a few hundred Pounds. The downside is that the rod magnet lengths of late Sixties replacement pickups would not match especially well with a 9.5 fingerboard. (Depends how retentive you are about replicating Everything Hendrix.)

Sassafras

You are sooo needing a Tele.

Whitecat

All Strats mostly sound like Strats, but not all Strats sound the same... so I say go for it.

Pickups, neck shape, body and fingerboard woods all contribute to small differences... some of which are smaller than others, but nonetheless quantifiable between examples.

stratman3142

I've got two Strats. I like to have a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge position and also a Strat with a single coil in the bridge position.

munckee

Lestratcaster said:

I have a Squier Strat which I upgraded the stock pickups, it plays good but I can't help but want a "proper" American standard strat, after all we all need more guitars!

I have a squier strat, I couldn't get a US strat as well because a) it might blow my theory that my modded strat is as good as the 'real' thing like I'm some kind of guitar whisperer or b) it might back up my theory that my strat is as good as the 'real' thing meaning I've just wasted a load of money!!

strat1990

Nobody in the world can have enough Strats. I've got multiple MIM Strats and love them all. 

blueskunk

I’ve found my rosewood board Strat plus bucket in the bridge to be as good as it gets.  Custom shop 50s plus oil city Brassknuckle in the bridge covers loads of tones 

lovestrat74

Both the SRV and JH strats will offer something different to your standard.  Standards generally have the shallow, modern C neck with 9.5 radius.  The SRV has a BIG neck and a 12" radius. The Monterey has the 7.25 radius and I believe a mid-60s neck profile.  So the feel of the guitar will differ.  Also, both these have Pau Ferro boards...  You can pick up a second hand SRV for just over a grand as well!

digitalscream

Frankly, I don't think there's a need for one Strat, much less more than one

meltedbuzzbox

blueskunk said:

I’ve found my rosewood board Strat plus bucket in the bridge to be as good as it gets.  Custom shop 50s plus oil city Brassknuckle in the bridge covers loads of tones 

Soon to be in the classifieds with a wtt post for a tele/offset etc. :-p

Fez

This is a classic example of first stage GAS. Seriously though as has been said it can be good to have a second guitar either as a back up or as something completely different in sound and feel. I have six strats hmm rather a lot really. 3 are SSS and 3 HSS. They all get played in rotation and two are my main gig guitars along with an Epi Les Paul.