Which guitar?

[dave52]

Hello everybody,

I am new to this site and am keen to get as close to the HBM sound as possible - I particularly like the sound on Phil McGarrick's YouTube videos. I am currently using an American standard Stratocaster with Kinman FV-HMS pickups and have been considering purchasing a Custom Shop 56 Nos Stratrocaster. Can anyone tell me whether this will improve my sound or not? The guitars are very expensive and I would probably not change if there was no improvement to the sound. I realise that a lot is down to technique, amplifier and echo etc but would be keen to understand the differences on a guitar to guitar comparison. I hope someone can help.

Cheers Dave

[Steve Reynolds]

Hi Dave personally i dont think you would gain much from buying a custom shop strat. Personally for me the only reason i brought one was because i wanted the birds eye maple neck and the gold hardware etc like Hanks first one but as a guitar goes the Squier Classic Vibe Biffy Clyro is the guitar i use most of the time live just because its a great guitar.

In what ways are you trying to improve your sound? The kinman pickups will give you Hanks later sound but they are much more mellow and dont have the strat bark for Hanks early tone.

[bor64]

Hi Dave,

First of all....welcome to this echo/shads/Hank looney bin

This question is kinda like opening a can of worms...all kinds of opinions will fall on top of each other and will claim there fame....
Your question isn't exactly clear...
I tell you why, which sound are you after??
I guess the old hits (hence your pointing out the CS 56)
But you like Phil's sound too and with the highest respect for Phil, he's a briliant player... but he's not always choosing the exact Hank sound of a specific period e.
He does that because he can and he has a great sound of his own!
Remember everybody sound as himself on all kind of equipment.
I've tried Hanks equipment and I sounded close but still as myself, I've all the same stuff at home as Hank and I sound still as myself.
I've heard Hank playing on a different rig as usual...and he still had a great Hank sound.
A friend of mine has a good sound of his own and his equipment is excellent too, but he has a sound of his own and that same sound comes back with my equipment which is the same as Hanks...
The most important piece in the sound is the player....his ears and fingers, timing and his technique.

Before going head first and cashing out the money for a CS 56, you can try cheaper ways and try how your "personal" sound is coming over to you on that equipment.

But if you like to splash out some cash....
The CS56 isn't a bad guitar it looks the biz, but it's not the one who is the closest to the original strat the 343436 used by Hank on the big hits.
There is now a 59 maple neck version that's closer in specs...
The EF86 driven AC15 is a really good amp to start from.
The best echo is the Hall and Collins Signature Echo...

The most important things is enjoy the music whatever the stuff your using...

Cheers Rob

[asimmd]

I have had my CS NOS56 for about 14 years now and it's my go to guitar.
Yes I have 8 other guitars but I still come back to the CS.

I agree with what Rob has said above but if you want to spend some cash you
will not be disappointed with an NOS56.

Perhaps Rob would tell us more about the 59 model he mentions as I would be
interested to know more about it.

Alan

[baz]

Hi Dave..............one of the regular members on this site has recently posted some highly impressive soundfiles using a Harley-Benton Strat-a-like which cost well under£100.

I'd concentrate on your playing technique and enjoy producing your own "sound"..........it would be much cheaper.

Regards

Baz

PS If I bought the same golf clubs as Tiger Woods, I'm totally sure I wouldn't score any better.

[sandra]

Apr 13, 2016 15:26:27 GMT baz said:

PS If I bought the same golf clubs as Tiger Woods, I'm totally sure I wouldn't score any better.

Are you talking about on or off the golf course there Baz

[baz]

Cheeky

[sandra]

Have a look at Steve's video to see how good a sound you can get without spending a lot of cash, the guitar is the same make that Baz mentions Ian (sixchannel) has been using with some impressive results that you can buy from Thomann, but Ian splashed out an extra tenner or so on the posh version



A couple of Ian's threads here :

Peace Pipe

Frightened City

[rosemary]

Hi Dave
As a relatively new player of only a few years I've often wondered the same or whether I at least needed to change pickups but have since found that both my Strats have a nice sound when played through the gear of the members at our club as they have great gear and know all the best amp and other settings. Also another factor in my perception of sound either at home or playing with the band is that the balance of the backing track and/or band makes a big difference. Good balanced backing makes the lead sound a lot better I think and has a lot to do with the overall tone of the lead guitar (but that's just a personal observation from a non technical perspective).
Best wishes
Rosemary

[bor64]

59 strat maple neck


Hi Alan,

Here's a link to a '59 maple neck strat.
This one is closer to the 34346 specs(pick-ups,body and neckprofile) exept in this case the 3tone sb instead of frd.


Cheers Rob

[asimmd]

Thanks for that Rob I'm off to YouTube to see what
it sounds like.
It's not as expensive as I thought it would be.

Love to know how the sound compares to my NOS 56.

Alan

[rjanuarsa]

I recommend the AV '59 Strat, I use one with Rosewood fingerboard. It sounds great,

But it doesn't really matter which Strat you use, it's not very critical. The American Standard will also sound great, probably change the pickups with CS'54 or 57/62 an heavy strings for the early sounds.
- with the right playing style and techniques of course (most important!)

Regards,
Robby

[kipper]

surly it has to be fiesta red or salmon pink. peter

[Ims]

Hi Dave,

A couple of years ago I decided to treat myself to a vintage sounding guitar, (on a limited budget), and after spending hours reading past threads about pickups etc, watching/listening to countless sound files, it came down to 3 guitars.

The Classic Vibe Simon Neil,

Fender's Classic 50's series,

Fender's 50's Classic Player, (Has the 57/62 pickups as standard).

Bought a used 50's Classic player for about the same price as a New CV Simon Neil and really happy with the sound I get.

Just some options you may want to consider.


Ims

[peterbower]

I saw a band at my local pub a few months ago, they played lots of Rock N Roll and country blues and very good they were. The lead guitarist was playing a white US standard Strat with no mods at all, and although they were not a Shadows band, they played Apache and Wonderful Land (done to death in my view) as part of their set, but, it was the most convincing shadows numbers I have heard in a long time, He was using an old Roland RE3 Digital echo through a Marshall 2x12 all valve combo.Yes, I know, totally wrong gear for the Shadows I hear you cry, But!
I thought at the time, wow, i'm wasting my time and money here. This bloke had got it off without trying and was not even a Shadows fan. So often bog standard gear comes up with the goods on occasions.
I always say look before you leap.

[bor64]

As I wrote before, most comes from the players fingers,timing,attack,ears and technique...
Anyone of us on that rig sounded diffrent!

Cheers Rob

[biggs1946]

It's too subjective to say which guitar is right I think... I have a CSRelic62 and a CSMOS56 and both are superb guitars, however my favourite Strat is one I have owned for about 20 years and was custom mad, fiesta red with a beautiful 4AAAA birdseye maple neck...

I have many echo units, favourite is my old Binson 27TE, Also have Quad Q20 and Q2, Mk2 Watkins Copicat, Watkins Digital Copicat, ESE Echomatic...etc. Too much stuff really but I like collecting echo machines

My advice would be to try before you buy with your search for a guitar...

Regards,
Jeff

[baz]

I play second guitar in a party band. (all but two of us are 70 or over)...we only include. Foottapper (our signature tune) and Wonderful Land in our sets. Our lead guitarist uses a MIM Strat thru a Zoom G2 (without EFTP) into a Roland Cube GX80.

If I had a £GB for every time we've been told how well we do these two numbers ..............well I'd have several £zzzz.


Baz

[dave52]

Thanks everybody for your replies - they have been a great help. The general consensus of opinion seems to be that the sound of the CS56 NOS Strat will not be significantly different to my present American Strat with FV-HMS pups. I have decided to take all your advice and concentrate on my playing technique for the time being and save myself a big wedge of cash. However, that nice birdseye maple neck and gold hardware still look very appealing !!

Once again, many thanks for all your help.

Dave

[bor64]

My wife fell in love with the yorkie pup on Steve's demo.
Great demo so you can see and hear you can have a decent sound for a few bob.....


Cheers Rob