STRAT ATTACK!!

Nice article!

I guess I am a traitor to my generation. the only one that I could pick out of a lineup is bonnie raitt and that is only because we share a birthday. A couple of the others are familiar but most of them are well outside of my sphere of musical knowledge. Of course, I like barry manilow so what do you expect.

Question - does the guitar make the artist or have the artists made the guitar?

" The one I don't get is John Mayer. Sorry, I just think he is a douche bag. "

Spartan...have you heard some of the stuff he's doing with Clapton?

" But Tim, I did enjoy this especially since I said to myself tonight when is Tim going to write another article? "

Sequel..I was trying to come with an idea for an article tonight..and kept drawing blanks. Then a friend called telling me about the Stratocaster that he just built..so that gave me an idea...do a Strat article!

Chuck.Thanks for dropping by!

" Question - does the guitar make the artist or have the artists made the guitar? "

Nanci..the answer is ' Both '

Malmsteen and Hendrix
A 10 for you
Help me get a publishing deal with a 10 rating and comment. I comment back.

Raymond...thanks!

Michelle...I'm no a huge fan of John Mayer overall, however when he gets off of the boring pop stuff that he records, he can play some killer blues!

I think I'm old. LOL I don't know who John Mayer is. Can you give me a hint? I've probably heard him just don't pay much attention to the names anymore.

I'll remember a few to add to your list. The brain isn't working too good. Just got back from HellMart. God, I get aggravated when I go there. I'll be back.

"Just got back from HellMart. God, I get aggravated when I go there. "

Lynn..I thought that I told you to stay away from that place! LOL


" Mark Knopfler - Dire Straits had a sound that completely separated him from all of the others, "

Candace..he sure did. Hey...good to hear from ya..where you been?

" Now do an article on the Gibson Les Paul model! "

Spartan...you just gave me some ammo for what could possibly be my next music article..how about Slash and Jimmy Page?

Spartan...good ones...but I'll have to admit that I've never heard of Randy California or Dave Murray.

Nice

Thanks Ruth!

Great article. The Strat is the choice guitar for blues and a lot of rock. Spirit was a great band. A lot of folks will debate whether Page stole the riff to Stairway from a Spirit song. It's possible as Spirit was the opening act for a Zep tour before Zep 4 came out. Fender just re-released the Strat Lone Star. Nice tone. The Tex-Mex model is sweet as well. If you have $1000 + to blow on an axe, you can't go wrong with an original Strat.

To add to your list:

Tommy Bolin

The Edge

Eric Johnson

Tom Morello

Richie Sambora

and I think Zappa played one as well.

Oh yeah, major props to Candace for the inclusion of Mark Knopfler. He is one of the best guitarists of that generation and rarely gets mentioned any more.

I was thrilled to see Hendrix and Clapton on your list. Thanks for another great article on music.
btw- Cuzz, your comment did make me feel better, I laughed.

Nick...very nice additions...how about those relic guitars being put out by the Fender Custom Shop?

Apryl.....Glad you're feeling better...thanks for atopping by!


Sparky...No I haven't heard of Poker Face, but I'll be sure to check them out...thanks!

" also Eddie Van Halen's home made guitar, Frankenstrat, was essentially a single-humbucker Stratocaster. :-) "

Spartan..They have a re-issue of Eddie's Frankenstrat out now...did you know that?

I loved your article and already knew about the stratocaster as my brother is a guitar player as well and has quite the collection! I recognized all of the pictured artists except Dale. Is he a blues man?? If so then I probably do know who he is. I am a great fan of Clapton as he is still one of the best guitarists in the world from way back!! Gilmour has released a new cd for those who like him called "The Lake" I believe with guest spots from Crosby and Stills on one song and Bowie on another.

Hendrix and Stevie Ray will always be on my playlist and was so fortunate that Vaughn was a Dallas native so I got to see him live countless times, even went to his funeral and burial when he passed.

I love these music articles and you guys have got to write more, more, more of them!!

Thanks for the info, Tim. I've never paid much attention to the brands of instruments my favorite musicians play. I just know what I like to hear.

"you push the middle valve down, the music goes round and round.....and it comes out here".....

Esther, Dick Dale is the KING of surf guitar. Amazing. Simply amazing. I saw him a few years ago. He's in his seventies and still plays louder and harder than most anyone else I have ever seen. He is a left handed player and flips his Strat over. What's really interesting though is that he doesn't re-string it. The high e string is on top and the low E is on the bottom. That's just the way he taught himself to play.

He has a 14 year old son that plays as well and joins him on stage some nights. His kid plays as fast as the old man!

Nick...Intersting info about Dick Dale. I knew he was left handed, but I didn't know that he didn't reverse the stringing like Hendrix did.

Garden Witch...Thanks.

Esther....Interesting that you went to Stevie's funeral. He's definetly my favorite of all time.

BTW......Turns out that Fender will be releasing a new Stevie Ray Vaughan model ...." Lenny "...which is modeled after a Strat that his wife gave him. He used that guitar to record the songs " Lenny " ( his wife's name) and " Rivera Paradise". Fender actually had the original guitar in their custom shop while making the new model. Check out the guitar at www.fender.com

I remember Roy Clark had somethng with Fender once, I looked it up, and thought you might like this. :)

"I recall reading an interview with Mr. Fender one time, when they asked him about his favorite guitar players. He said, "Roy Clark; he plays the guitar the way a guitar should be played." But at that time I was playing a Byrdland, and the guy interviewing him told him I played a Gibson. Leo said, "You can't win 'em all," and I thought it was so clever of him to come back like that. And Bill Carson was the guy who had the answers with Fender if you had a question about something."

Good article!

Dan...Thank so much for that interesting info. Speaking of Country...Doesn't Vince Gill play Stratocasters from time to time?

I don't know, he is from the groups that came after I quit listening to this modern country. Just not the same as the older C&W greats.

Spartan...I'll do the Spice Girls article just after I do my next article " Boy George..The Man..The History" LOL

Spartan..great news! At last a classic performance at the Super Bowl!

A question though...Do you think the Tom Petty will have Janet Jackson ( Michael..both are one and the same) come out and show his/here boobs midway through the performance? Just askin'

Spartan...LOL!!

Ahhh.... Spartan, I'd be careful what you ask for......(Spice Girls Reunion article).....So soon we forget.....Or should I remind you about the "Village People" article.....LMAO......

Tim,
How the fuck did I miss this and see the Les Paul article???

Oh yeah,
I agree with Spartan....Shit-can John Mayer, he might as well play a fuckin Harmony cigar box with strings.....

Yay for Eric Clapton! My son would agree with you Tim. He owns one.

The strat probably defined more music genres and more artists over the past 53 years than any other instrument. It's an extremely versatile instrument that lends itself as well to country as it does to pop, as well to fusion as it does to rock, etc. It's just a great sounding instrument, period, which is why there are more artists who've become famous playing them than any other instrument. You could literally write volumes of books about the artists who've relied upon them throughout their careers.

Clapton is my overall guitar hero. I grew up adoring Page, and he's the reason that I started playing, but in the longterm, it's really Clapton who's shown himself to be, by far, the more rounded, true musician, and the more balanced person overall. I finally got a chance to see him in concert a couple years ago. He opened with one of my all-time favorites, "Let it rain," and it literally brought tears to my eyes. God, he's got tone.





"The one I don't get is John Mayer. Sorry, I just think he is a douche bag."

You haven't heard his live recording, or his blues stuff. He's moved away from that schmaltzy pop crap and solidly into blues, and he's a brilliant writer, singer, and player. If you get a chance, rent a copy of Clapton's 2007 Crossroads concert...terrific show.



EVH's guitar...Lordy, let's not go into the Strat copies!

" You haven't heard his live recording, or his blues stuff. He's moved away from that schmaltzy pop crap and solidly into blues, and he's a brilliant writer, singer, and player. If you get a chance, rent a copy of Clapton's 2007 Crossroads concert...terrific show. "

Clark..exatly. I think that most people associate John with the pop crap. Clapton's 2007 Crossroads concert shows Mayer's talent with the blues and is a must watch for all guitar players who are interested in some quality guitar playing.

Thanks for the post on my guitar of choice. The single coil pickups, the whammy bar, and especially, the volume control right next to the strings, where you can reach it. Some say you can't play metal on a strat. Well, then how did Ritchie Blackmore get to be know as a great metal guitarist?

N.K., Frank Zappa played a lot of different guitars, but in 1978, he was touring with a strat that was made from pieces of guitars Hendrix had burned, and Frank had restored. I saw this on a few web sites, a few years back.

I really don't think John Mayer belongs in a list with Hendrix and Clapton. He's kind of a fucktard.