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Hi all

Looks like BIAB has inspired me to try out something new.
Had a lot of fun with the Amplitube styles and plug ins got me really interested in electric guitar sounds.
So after lots of research on the web I thought I would have a go at a Fender Strat, not the American or Mexico versions costing hundreds or thousands of ponds, but still a Fender made for them in Indonesia I went for the Squire Bullet HSS Tremolo. So that’s a Humbucker bridge and single coil middle and neck pickups 5 way switching.
25.5 inch scale 9.5 radius neck 9 gauge nickel strings so not to hard on the old fingers.
Cost me £110 new. So won’t break the bank.
This is an entry level instrument I know but that’s fine, as I have not picked up a guitar since I was 16 when I had a brief encounter with a jumbo acoustic never could master it and gave up. So at the ripe old age of 79 I am having a big learning curve.
The big difference now is I know a lot more about music, and there is so much on the web for the technical stuff like setup, intonation, truss rod adjustment etc etc so on, should keep me out of mischief.
Let’s say at the moment I am getting some very interesting sounds! But it may be a while before I am making backing tracks to play along.
So don’t laugh! I’m sure all you seasoned guitar players on here will chip in with any help and advice, maybe a tip or two on the way.
It’s 02-15 am here so you can see I am having fun. sleep

All the best
Mike
Originally Posted By: Mike Head
Hi all...Looks like BIAB has inspired me to try out something new.
So after lots of research on the web I thought I would have a go at a Fender Strat, Let’s say at the moment I am getting some very interesting sounds!
So don’t laugh! I’m sure all you seasoned guitar players on here will chip in with any help and advice, maybe a tip or two on the way. It’s 02-15 am here so you can see I am having fun. sleep All the best Mike


Ha....excellent story to pass on to us.

I'll shout out some envy in getting a new axe and offer some respect for taking on your new found interest will some real zeal. smile

I'm mainly a rhythm player so a Strat never fit my playing style.
So, I bought a 1977 Ibanez Silver Series Tele back in 1979. (avatar)
Perfect for me and I just had it all set up and fret jobbed late last year so I'm happy camping in that context too.

What recording software are you using, if any at all?

You might want to throw up a couple of pics of your axe or no one will believe you. smile

Enjoy the journey weed hopper....carry on.
If you are handy with a soldering iron, there is a very simple wiring mod you can do to turn the neck tone control into a master tone, and the middle tone control into a variable coil tap on the humbucker. I had my mim HSS Strat wired that way for the last 90% of the time I owned it. You can also upgrade the existing ceramic magnet pickups by removing the ceramic magnet and pole pieces and swap in alnico magnet pole pieces for about 5 quid per pickup. Lots of YouTube videos on that process.
Nothing wrong with the Squier series from Fender, I played in a band back in the 90's and the other guitarist in the band had a squier strat, I think his was made in Japan. But playing wise it was just as good as my American Standard strat, it had a great neck.

Congrats!
Hi guys
Thanks for your interest and encouragement.
No prob with soldering iron been into electronics since a kid.
Spent 30 years or so in the Hi fi trade , and then moved to education as an AV and later IT technician. So I am sure I will be doing a few mods, once I get used to the basic as is built, instrument.
Just about to try a 2.54 mm =.1inch = 3/32 sett up height need to keep it easy on the old fingers at the moment. Takes me all my time converting from the various measuring units you see quoted on the web. I don’t mind measuring in bananas as long as I know how big a banana is .
I know set height is a personal thing but I would appreciate any views from Strat players. But I guess its as low as possible without getting fret buz.
My tremolo is down at the moment so not floating so no big movement but will try setting it up 1/8 or so when I get used to tuning. For now it stays fairly well in tune.
All the best
Mike
You'll be having a blast. There's so much more available to getting information and instruction now days. I look forward to some shredding guitar solo battles between you and Brent Mason before too long..
That's great, Mike. Best wishes on it.
I changed guitar horses mid life, for the third time, really,
and embarked on something of a more analytical approach, taking written music to the front of the line. That means much of what I have learned, over the past several years, you already know. My guess is you will be learning the chords and the fingerings. Adding the triads and their inversions opens up interesting new possibilities. Here, again, that's something most keyboard players know about, on piano. As far as tone goes, there are fabulous effects modules available. The Big Sky reverb pedal by Strymon comes recommended.
It would be interesting if you were to write down some goals.
Band in a Box is an amazing learning tool, adaptable to a variety of circumstances and learning tracks. I was using a synthesizer and drum machine to create practice tracks, until, that is, I found Band in a Box.
Mike,

I never thought I read about you picking up an electric guitar, and a Fender at that! shocked I would have imagined you getting a Yamaha guitar! crazy Anyhow ...

Have you ever heard of a guitar cable with a built-in analog to digital convertor and USB plug? +++ HERE's +++ one to check out. Great for playing into a laptop while using amp sims and effects. It uses USB drivers built-into Windows.

Also, who better to learn how to properly set up a guitar from than Joe Walsh? +++ THIS +++ is likely one of the more entertaining, yet instructive, video series you'll see. Six segments with each segment about three minutes in length.
That's really great to hear! Learning something new is good for the mind and fun, and it's never too late to learn an instrument. Plus I really believe having music in your life makes life so much more enjoyable.

Have fun learning and don't be shy about sharing your progress!
Cheers to you!!!

Don't worry about modifications.... play it like it is.... and don't think you have to play like Vai to be a player.... learn to play some clean chords.... rhythm is king.... when playing lead, one note with feeling can say more than 250 notes by a technical wiz with no soul.


One more note: Use Ernie Ball super slinky strings.... you can thank me later. ( they are in the bright pink package )
Hi all

Thanks again to you all, I can see you are all going to be a great help.
Yes Herb, I certainly will try those strings I have read good things about them.
Got a couple of Fender sets to work through yet but I don’t expect that will take long at this stage in the game.
So thanks in advance.
Best regards
Mike.
Originally Posted By: Mike Head
Hi all


Yes Herb, I certainly will try those strings I have read good things about them.
Got a couple of Fender sets to work through yet but I don’t expect that will take long at this stage in the game.



I started using EBSS in 1972. I've tried other brands but always ended up coming back. Fenders are good. They came out with a gimmick called the Fender Bullets.... those things sounded good but tended to break easily at the "bullet" so I quit using them.

The main thing is that they are 9,11,16,24,32,42. The strings can vary from that a little, but I like the lighter gauge since it lets you bend notes and it doesn't kill your fingertips to fret them cleanly. Of course, the gauge size you ultimately settle on is totally dependent on you, your playing style, and to a certain degree, the kind of music you play. If you change to a different gauge, either lighter or heavier, you will want to readjust the action on the guitar. My action is low. I set the action just slightly above the point where I get fret buzz if it's lowered. Very easy on the fingers.

During the time I was playing for a living, I was changing them every 2 weeks. I discovered that I got a very reliable 2 weeks on a set based on how often we played and rehearsed, and I practiced. Cleaned them after each use, and they would do well. I was buying them by the case at that time. Now days, I change them only when they start to sound dull/dead. Yeah I know.....
I read an article some time back about session guitar players and the habits some develop. All carry multiple sets of strings for use as backup. Most have extra first and third strings since they seem to break the most.

Typically new strings are broken in by putting them on the guitar and letting them stretch overnight prior to first use. New strings may also be tuned and rest a little high before being tuned to the desired note.

Some session players admit to removing strings after they have been used so they can be remounted and used during punch-ins or other times when the sound of new strings is not desirable.

I guess attention to detail is one of the reasons these musicians constantly get work.

hi

Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
Cheers to you!!!


One more note: Use Ernie Ball super slinky strings.... you can thank me later. ( they are in the bright pink package )



You are right! just bought my first set of super slinky 9s
very nice to play and good sound.
so THANKS.
Best regards,
Mike
Originally Posted By: Mike Head

hi

Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
Cheers to you!!!


One more note: Use Ernie Ball super slinky strings.... you can thank me later. ( they are in the bright pink package )



You are right! just bought my first set of super slinky 9s
very nice to play and good sound.
so THANKS.
Best regards,
Mike


When I was playing professionally in my younger days, I used to buy EBSS strings by the case lot and Fender white medium picks by the gross. I'd change them every other week. I found I got really good service and sound on a two week schedule. I was fairly abusive to my strings and going beyond 2 weeks was risking a string breakage in the middle of a set. My SG didn't handle string breaks very well.

They served me well and I still use them.
re: Mike being inspired by BIAB to buy a guitar

just one?
;-)
Originally Posted By: Pat Marr
re: Mike being inspired by BIAB to buy a guitar

just one?
;-)


That's funny but true.... like ham radios, guns, and dogs.... one is never enough.
Hi

Yes Pat for now I am busy building pedal boards and buying pedals .

Tuner , Compressor, Wah Wah, up front pre input,

Memory Toy delay ( analogue bucket brigade echo), at insert effects point (between pre and Power amp).

Channel change and Reverb switches for main amp. Plus multi isolated pedal power supply.

So still spending money without more guitars, might have been cheaper to go Acoustic

Lol
Mike
Originally Posted By: Pat Marr
re: Mike being inspired by BIAB to buy a guitar

just one?
;-)


Pat, he is just starting! Give him a year and then ask him how many he has wink
I’ve tried a number of amp sims and these days mainly use TH3 which I found more to my liking. I added some Celestial impulse responses to actually have it sounding fairly real (so to speak). A few months back I added a Behringer FCB1010 midi foot controller which I have set up to a number of pedals and stomp boxes giving me even more control particularly when playing live.

On the FCB I set up a couple of banks one for TH3 and another for Guitar Rig 5 as they are functionally a little different if for some reason I want to use GR5 I simply hit the up switch on the bank selector a few times and away I go.

All very simple. I have my backing tracks on the laptop with the amp sims. The tracks and the amp sims are set level wise. I simply plug into the USB sound card which goes into the pc with output to the pa and away I go.

No issues (I hope but been fine for the past 6 months). My Tele however is probably older than a number of people on these forums (I bought it new almost 50 years ago).

Tony
Originally Posted By: Teunis
My Tele however is probably older than a number of people on these forums (I bought it new almost 50 years ago).

Tony


Probably worth a small fortune, Tony, there is a big market out there for vintage guitars.

I have a strat that is almost that old, it's a '74, and like you I'm the original owner.
Originally Posted By: Mike Head
Hi

Yes Pat for now I am busy building pedal boards and buying pedals .

Tuner , Compressor, Wah Wah, up front pre input,

Memory Toy delay ( analogue bucket brigade echo), at insert effects point (between pre and Power amp).

Channel change and Reverb switches for main amp. Plus multi isolated pedal power supply.

So still spending money without more guitars, might have been cheaper to go Acoustic

Lol
Mike


So basically, BIAB is a gateway drug to GAS addiction. (GAS = Gear Acquisition Syndrome)
Welcome to the club!
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