The absolute best part of this weeks episode is the truly honest shared joy Dan has for Mick. It's so easy to be caught up in ourselves, but there's no guile or jealousy, just sheer happiness for a good friend. That lends a great vibe to this video.. It's a very faith in good people feeling. Congrats Mick on the lovely guitars, and thank you both for an enjoyable hour.
I agree, its a blessing Dan is so open and enthusiastic! I do find it irksome that it can be a bit cagey in the other direction for things Dan is more enthusiastic about.. just different dispositions I guess, but the show holds together anyway :)
Absolutely! I love how they’re such different players and react differently in behaviour! Mick has a decent poker face when something is good. Dan on the other hand can’t hold it in! He gets so excited!!! Why I love watching these videos!
Listened to this rather than watched as working from home. Every time I heard that ‘wow’ sound I looked across to see the 61. The others sound great but the 61 stands out, at least to me. You’re a lucky man!
Awesome episode, much love for the Strats. Went through a somewhat similar Strat journey myself going from an American Standard I swapped pickups on, to a vintage '59 which I sold later. Bought an SVL to try and replace it as well as a Silver Sky, both of which I eventually sold to buy back the '59 from the person I sold it to. It is now 'my' Strat and not going anywhere even with the crazy prices they can command right now.
Congrats on the 61! Funny this channel on pedals does guitar better than anyone else, no filler. And to those who say they're close, get a better speaker.
Great episode, really had fun, I actually like the custom shop the most probably, but the bridge pickup from the 61 sounds so nice, and the 70´s really has some great sounds too, blue´s pickups probably wouldn´t be my first choice, but you might want to play with pickup height a bit. I really would like to see an episode on pickup height and how the tone changes moving up and down, that really can be a gamechanger, especially with the inbetween positions
There was a moment where they were each holding at least 10k-15k of strats. Trying to juggle them around so they could actually play one. Felt a bit ridiculous. Id have to relisten through a higher fidelity set up ... cause it didnt come through for me on my phone speakers in a pristine definitive way. Sounded to me like the 61' didnt have as much dynamic range. Almost a 'compressed' sound (for lack of a term to use for it) without the tell-tale spank sound of a compressor. Output volume was definitely lower. Heard the airy-ness.. but i think overall it was the rolled off dynamic range. Which added a smoothness to the sound.
Blue sounds beefier to me and perhaps with less definition, anyway a really cool sounding guitar. The other three, I feel one could get them really close just working on the EQ and gain settings... My personal experiencie is very similar indeed, since I have an AVRI and a Custom Shop. These guitars are really nice 4 strats, I'd say with their unique character each... but well, this 61 blows up in the hi gain setting. Good journey in the strat tone rabbit hole Mick!, it is not easy...
I know I'm late to the party, but the Custom Shop strat (Copper, as I like to call him) is the one that stands out to me. I'm working on a very boring spreadsheet right now and I only look up when Copper is played.
The 61 strat is timeless and has the frequencies that benchmark the strat sound. Everytime it gets played it's just so 'right'. The clarity is next level and you just dont hear that clarity in the CS or Blue. The 70s strat to me is the one to use for clean sound because it has a different kind of clarity but mainly a sweetness that none of the others have I think it's a certain magic in the bass range and the upper upper mids (lower treble lol). You are a lucky lucky boy mick and you deserve it. 👍
Listening through hifi speakers, I found it easier to hear differences when played clean. When any OD or distortion is added, so much gets lost, which is where I am quite blown away by the 61 because while I hear the overdriven tones, I can still distinguish the clean notes. For my preferences, this is ideal. I have always liked the sound of Blue in Mick's hands but I preferred it by far when it has the Ron Ellis pickups. The current ones definitely sound like there is a filtering of the highs, and while not bad, detracts from its sound. I continue to subscribe to the premise that it is the player more than the guitar. While both the 61 and Blue are consistent between Dan and Mick the other two are very different. The gold Custom Shop sounds very good with Dan's playing and picking style, superior to the 70 every time to my ears. However, when Mick is playing, the 70 is the clear winner, even after the replacement of those Texas Specials that came in the CS, which do not appeal to me, I do not think that the CS is favoured when coupled with Mick's style. Obviously these are my opinions and will differ from others. Thank you for the interesting and informative episode. Be well!
I have a theory about the surviving old gear. It sounds good because it was good in the first place. The stuff that didn't sound good has long since been relegated to landfill.
I have always said this, Not every old guitar is good, Most likely most of them weren't! But the ones that were good have survived and been looked after while the bad ones haven't!
@@kieranblacker i think a strats a strat. A 2022 USA strat will sound and play like a strat would. They are all the same. I think people like one strat over another but, its all in their head
In the late 70's, you'd buy a Fender or a Gibson and go straight to the luthier to have it put right. Some of the crappy axes went through a whole evolution and became playable and maybe even ended up fine.
@@Ottophil some truth in that, especially with modern CNC built guitars. But the old guitars weren't built by machines. The did have tolerance jigs and they got good at making the same parts over and over. There are small differences in neck shapes and body sizes, depending on how enthusiastically they pressed them up against the belt sander. Then checked for tolerance, if it was within acceptable limits, then it went out of the factory. So a player familiar with them will perceive small differences, but overall you're right, a strat is a strat
The 70 sounds best overall to me?, to be honest the difference is quite subtle between them , I’m mean they are all very straty with different mid characters to my ears , there all good! I think the feel of the guitar sways one towards certain instruments, ironically that custom shop had probably had more thought gone into it than the others as they are just standard production models from different times .
Granted I’m only listening through AirPods and not some super hi-fi system, but the differences are too subtle. Especially when I’m not looking at the screen. A person who has an extra 5% skill would be able to push any of the four to the top spot against a less skilled player.
Blue just always has my heart, whether I’m hearing with my eyes, or mick’s just so comfortable playing blue, that everything just sounds like he’s feeling it a bit more, it just sounds right to me
You know what is so cool about strats, especially those vintage ones, they sound like the pickups pickup every little thing that's going on when you strike the string, so you get a very clear and detailed sound. And that in turn leads to the personality of the individual player being able to come through the guitar, SO FREAKING COOL!!!
I'd love to see you guys use a frequency analyzer to try and quantify what's going on with the '61, and then use EQ to try and bring Blue closer to the same response. It could be really useful for those trying to chase the sounds without access to the real thing. Thanks for all the great videos
Was thinking the same, where exactly are the differences and how big are they. It would explain the sound and indeed easier to dial in that sound using an other guitar.
@@ThatPedalShow as I stated above, I’d love to give Blue Strat a home. It’s a lovely instrument. Just isn’t finically viable for me right now. Someone will come along and enjoy owning that guitar. Either that, or time to get a glass case and retire it. Still a work of art.
@@ThatPedalShow Can you clarify a bit the settings on Deluxe Reverb? Before 38:52 and after. Are you removed the bright cap on Vib channel? Speaker the same? Your DRRI sounds every time better and better.
Who here wants to see a follow up video with Aynsley so he can show us what guitars replaced that 70's Strat?! Dang that was epic. So ends the Strat journey.... or does it 🤔
It is weird. I’m not a strat person, have tried several times to like them, but never quite bond with them. So this episode for me is not about tone or the guitars. But man, is so rewarding seeing Mick happy for the entire show. Glad for you!! Enjoy your well deserved guitars!
I literally know 7 people who always wanted a Strat, yet after they bought one, sold it shortly after. When I see rock players say, "I need a Strat", I tell most of them, "go play a Tele, and thank me later". I love my Strat, but it is not a versatile as my Tele.
It's SO, SO hard to find one you bond with (even AS a Strat person!), but when you do, it really is next-level. I've played *SQUIER* Teles that have made me like curse being "a Strat guy" bc they give up the goods so easily, but I'm still stubbornly thinking thoughts like, "OK, my Strat gets a bridge saddle upgrade next, then upgraded output jack..." bc sometimes those Strat stars just align, ya know.?. Fingers perpetually crossed 🤷♂ lol
20 years ago had some extra cash and got a 2001 strat ultra, hated it! Then in 2007 bought a beautiful 70s RI strat, hated it (sounded dead). Then recently, grabbed a 2022 American Performer body w/ orig Yosemite PU's and put a MIJ neck on it, totally sings! It's rather perplexing, but some just sing.
I'm not all the way through yet but wow this is great, congratulations! Mick, I'm curious to know how you overcome the potential option paralysis that could come with having a few guitars in the same ballpark like this? It's a nice problem to have but personally whenever I find myself in a position with gear where there is too much to choose from relative to the time I have to use it, I get kind of stressed and don't really enjoy it. I tend to go through cycles of experimenting with new things, maybe hanging onto some of it but ultimately feeling happiest and most musically productive when I strip it back down to the stuff I really love. How is it with you? I get that it could be different when you've been totally in love with strats for several decades and the details and nuances are really meaningful.
Spoken wisely my friend...I have accumulated so much gear that if I don't keep most options out of sight I find myself w option paralysis and it takes the wind right out of my sails...freezes you...sit there like an idiot w blank mind going in way too many directions..I have a pedal cabinet now...I pull 8-10 to a pop and play in the rabbit hole..lol..then whatever else I pull out afterwards is an even swap...pull 3 out...put 3 back.. 😂
The guitar that surprised me the most was the 70. I'm NOT a big headstock nor gold guitar type... But, there's no denying it had a great tone. The CS sounded very "new" as compared to the others. My guess is, it sounded much like the '61 or '70 would have sounded new. Congrats Mick. Long time coming. Enjoy. :-) Many here in the peanut gallery enjoying vicariously. Rick
My ears prefer the tone of "Blue". It just has a fuller, more well-rounded tone. The gold one sounds pokier in the high end. The 61' Strat sounds closer to the tone of "Blue". Great video, guys! Love the story behind these Strats!
I could literally watch you guys play and compare Strats for days and days. Love these episodes! I still love Blue the most. Maybe because the other ones are completely unattainable for a hack like me.
Interestingly, I liked the gold CS sound the best. It is what to my ears the classic strat sound is. Congrats on the purchases, Mick - all great sounding instruments
The 61 sounds amazing. As for the rest, I'd pick the custom shop in a heartbeat. A close second to the 61 - full and rich, yet retains plenty of sparkle and definition. At least from what I can pick up through my headphones.
Well, You could have called it Stratovarius - the long awaited update of Mick’s various strats. In this episode a Strat-egically placed flying beast from the Stratosphere tries to steal the show…
I agree about the evolution of strat tone between 59-71. 50s ones are also pretty special. Woody and spanky. When i had change to test several old strats at the same time one -62 really spoke to me. Next day I was thinking about how spectacular the guitar was. So much so that i forgot to watch rw mirrors and reversed my car into a concrete pole. Ended up buying that thing. The gtr, not the pole.
2 года назад+5
I just need to say that I genuinely love you guys, like one loves family and old friends. Cheers!
61’ …. Buries the rest. Wish I could afford, couldn’t so I got a 66 jazzmaster which kills, harmonic richness and air indescribable like your 61. Thru a 68 Marshall 100 super tremolo ha ha
I’m in love with these videos - 2 intelligent, articulate man sharing their RADIATING PASSION for their instruments. Keep’em coming!! Cheers from Texas lads🤠
Dan’s face when you first connected the ‘61 to the “higher” gain rig said it all. Unbelievable sound. Congrats Mick on attaining “the promised land”, and especially on having the gumption (and the support) to go for it (it can be terrifying financially to be in that situation, but it’s plainly worth it!) We all can only hope to someday meet “the one” (or three ;-) and have the opportunity, presence of mind and financial capacity to hold on to it. Hope you enjoy these singularly awesome instruments for many years to come - I know we TPS faithful will vastly enjoy hearing them on a weekly basis. Cheers!
This one is a long time coming and well worth the wait! There is just something about how the '61 takes overdrive that is absolutely magical! It seems to carry that caving in sound with a grace that the others can't. So happy you got your vintage Strat, it was needed!
Would have been really interesting to hear Blue with the Ron Ellis pickups in this lineup. I remember seeing and hearing it with both the '64 and 50/60 sets in some of your earlier vlogs and it sounded wonderful, even next to the '61 strat. I think you ended those videos talking about how much happier you were with it, and how much more bonded to it you had become, while now it seems to have lost its place in the pecking order among these other guitars. Funny how times change!
Many Strats will come and go, some will even sound better, be prettier or more expensive, but there’s usually only one that sticks around for the long haul…
You always know when you are truely best mates when you are happy for your buddy when he gets something he has wanted. My best buddy has always wanted a Martin D41 and he finally purchased one last week that he is receiving tomorrow. I think I was more happy for him than he is for himself lol. Mick, I see why you wanted that 61 so much. All those strats sound great but that 61 was just like "haha I am here!" Personally I am not a fan of the larger headstocks of the 70s. I much prefer the smaller headstocks.
Always great to see two friends enjoying a common love for great tone, I’m more of a Tele guy like Dan although i do have three strats a 54 reissue one of 1954 made ,a 57 50th anniversary and a custom shop 60s stat with Abby wound pick ups which is an amazing sounding guitar, they all are awesome instruments but my original 67 Tele that took me a long time to find and able to afford is just wow. As always love the show happy for you Mick that the good things are finally a reality and for Dan and his 65 Tele how wonderfull for the pair of you just always remember where you came from and give back to those less fortunate.
61' low mids 5-750(PAF like) CS- upper mids 900-2k 70' upper mids 1k-3k Blue mids 650-1k(PAF like) At least thats what I'm hearing through a nice stereo.
I really enjoyed this video!!! I like them in this order… ‘61, gold CS, ‘70, then blue. They all sound incredible though. I was kind of surprised how much I liked the gold CS. It was the most balanced IMHO, but they each shined in different applications.
They all sound fantastic. To my ears, I think that the CS Strat is the most "rounded" tone of the four in that the palate is most broad and therefore would be the one I'd take a gig if I had to take 1 guitar. That said, they all have their place and are incredible instruments each and every one.
As a Strat guy, that was a real treat! '61 is truly special, and it comes across clearly in the audio. I think your Custom Shop Strat comes the closest to it. I have a Custom Shop Roasted Tomatillo Strat with the Josefina Hand Wound Tomatillo pickups in it. That guitar has a very similar low-output sweet roundness with an airy top end. 9.5" board, but also a '63 C shaped neck, which is Fender's fattest at the 12th fret and has a nice taper. It feels like an old pair of jeans, and I highly recommend it to anyone in search of approaching vintage feel and tones who can't acquire the real deal.
On a much smaller budget scale, had a similar experience recently. Where for ages, ad two Teles and no Strat, since I sold my first electric guitar twenty years ago (a '69 reissue burst MIJ Strat). Then I got a blonde Squier Classic Vibe 50s to dip my toe in the surf. But, it's definitely more of a twangy 50s Strat vibe. So, next I got a Vintera 60s Strat, which is more my type of Strat sound. It's leaning a bit toward Mick's Custom, more midrange solidity, more rounded treble. Now, I think rather than sell the CV, as I originally planned, I'll upgrade the tuners to Kluson or Fender vintage, upgrade the knobs/switches/caps, and put a set of the Fender Pure Vintage '59 pups in. Because I've found that 50's low output Strat with maple neck is quite a different guitar to a 60's rosewood/pau ferro. Which is exactly the conclusion that led to having two Telecasters in the first place, and two Les Paul style guitars too (P90 Special with rosewood board & a Standard-style humbucker with ebony board).
Mick, there are a few moments through TPS where your tone made my jaw drop. The first was hearing the Kingsley Maiden D in your old pedalboard video. The next was when you put the '61 through your Fuzz Face and then boosted it with the Klon. But the '70, to me, is the best strat sound. Cheers, and congratulations on the new and new to you guitars!
The way why all old Strat pups sound “different” is in fact the most simple thing. There were a bunch of women winding the coils for hours and hours…. So they would talk about their families and life while coiling the pickups. Basically they were doing so much coiling that their didn’t even look . That’s why there are some crappy ones. So they were basically coiling the the pickups all over the place, left and right while talking about their families… On top of having the materials that they had at the time. Whatever the providers had is what they were using. Specially military materials. They really sound great but is not rocket science. I’ve played a 64 Strat from my childhood guitar teacher (Rip Riqui Sabatés 🙏🏼❤️ ) that he borrowed me all the time. I was a skinny 54 kg 14 yo kid and it felt like a baseball bat. But it sounded so good. Specially with the TS BDW is not placebo . It can be heard by a good player and measured by any engineer.
I like 'em in that order: 1st Blue / 2nd Green / 3rd Sunburst / 4th Bronze, but hey, that's my taste, and after all it's just a matter of personal taste ! Enjoy playing that's what matters ! And Mick, you are a lucky boy !!!!! Peace & Love to you guys !!!!
1 thing for sure, there's no bad strat in that lot, sir. They seem like they each cover a lot of ground, but each can be really great at different times/needs. Maybe just hold on to blue. You never know when blue might be the thing you need most.
It was long time coming but bette late than never. Congrats Mick on all of them but especially on that 61! That one was always doing something to you and making you play even more special. Not to be forgotten TM Gold top also came about. Another epic instrument. Congrats on all!
That custom shop is so awesome by far my favorite. 61 follows but I wouldn’t say its a close second. I wish I could get a cs like that. Alas I am poor haha
Brilliant comparison. I have to be honest that for drive tones I really dig the way the CS Strat was bigger and fuller but I do see what you’re saying about the 61 carrying a little more definition. All four sound good with Blue being a little more lifeless which is an unfair description because on its own it’s a great sounding guitar. You’re a lucky man Mick.
I so agree with having the lacquer on the back of the neck. It sounds more round and big. When they take the lacquer off, it sounds more bitey and I’m not a fan.
The finish is too thin compared to the wood to have any significant effect on damping, but it does affect how the surface fibers damp on the FB. You may be thinking of how the newer Pau Ferro FB Strats compare to Indian RW. PF damps less highs.
i would want to measure the pot values on the 61 and see how the others compare...maybe compare the tone compactors also... 61, 70, Blue, CS for my ears in that order
For me (knowing nothing about them really... which rules out confirmation bias)... the 61 just as you put it had a massive harmonic depth/more rounded fuller sound (to my ear) and the other 3 (unless I was watching the video) I couldn't really tell them apart... But I'd go 61 (by a mile) then Blue, 70 and Custom Shop but again I didn't really notice much of a difference between them as there was between 61 and the rest
I truly enjoyed this and love the whole story. You both played brilliantly. Dan is scaring me. I heard some of that SImon Jarrett when he had those strats!!! Love it.
The 61 def is on another ball park. The 70 and custom shop sounded almost the same to my ears. Blue has that distinct fat midrange. I guess its from the sd pickups
I don't doubt that there are differences between those 4 guitars. Things are simple for me. Just pick one. One that make you worry the least. One that let's you just play!
I love the 61! What I hear that makes it special to me is a perfectly balanced tone from bass to treble combined with a harmonic complexity, and that harmonic content decays perfectly into the fundamental. And every string does this in perfect harmony with the other strings. Magical tone!
I have to say the sound of all these strats was really damn close to me. All that confirms to me is I'd be very happy with any good quality reissue and don't need to shell out obscene money for vintage.
I've been deeply satisfied with my Partscaster strats finished by MJT. They all have high-end parts and sound and play great. Honestly I don't feel like I'm missing out when it comes to Custom Shop guitars.
The 61!🤯 A little too loud for my taste, but it has a harmonic mojo that is unmatched. Plus, it's a vintage piece. After that, blue wins for me. I love the weaker output. Subtle, soft Stratty goodness. 70s is good. Bloomy, but kinda harsh. CS. Blech!! No subtly. Harsh. Loud. Pass!!!
The playing at 27:14 hit me directly in the feels. Beautiful stuff. I've not watched the video all the way through. But that 61 really sings. I listened to it through headphones and the screen facing down to eliminate listening with my eyes. The 61 really stands out. Congrats on your new guitars. I have not watched your channel for a while as it tends to encourage me to spend money on guitars and pedals..... first video I have watched, now I am eyeing up a CS strat. 😂
@@ThatPedalShow I can see you're the same, hence all the strats you purchased in quick succession! Really happy for you, the 61 is on another level. One of the nicest sounding strats I have heard (through a speaker!) Another name you could have gave this video...... "Strat pedal show." Il get my coat.
I'm very please that you were persuaded to do this overview and comparison on your Starts! Thank You! They're all great! The '61 does stand out as, what I feel has that "Classic Vintage" tone .... or sound. "Blue" definitely sounds more Modern to me. The other two are closer to the '61, but still falling in the middle to my ears.
![Let’s Talk About Fender Strats [Sounds, Bridge Setup, Pickups & More] - That Pedal Show](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-ndkUzSGKNA/mqdefault.jpg)
![Let’s Talk About Fender Strats [Sounds, Bridge Setup, Pickups & More] – That Pedal Show](/img/tr.png)
![Mick’s 1961 Fender Stratocaster Gets A Refret [During A Fascinating Chat With Matt From Monty’s]](/img/1.gif)
The absolute best part of this weeks episode is the truly honest shared joy Dan has for Mick. It's so easy to be caught up in ourselves, but there's no guile or jealousy, just sheer happiness for a good friend. That lends a great vibe to this video.. It's a very faith in good people feeling.
Congrats Mick on the lovely guitars, and thank you both for an enjoyable hour.
I agree, its a blessing Dan is so open and enthusiastic! I do find it irksome that it can be a bit cagey in the other direction for things Dan is more enthusiastic about.. just different dispositions I guess, but the show holds together anyway :)
yup
Absolutely! I love how they’re such different players and react differently in behaviour! Mick has a decent poker face when something is good. Dan on the other hand can’t hold it in! He gets so excited!!! Why I love watching these videos!
Mick you were sounding awesome on that Strat in intro ..props!
Listened to this rather than watched as working from home. Every time I heard that ‘wow’ sound I looked across to see the 61. The others sound great but the 61 stands out, at least to me. You’re a lucky man!
Awesome episode, much love for the Strats. Went through a somewhat similar Strat journey myself going from an American Standard I swapped pickups on, to a vintage '59 which I sold later. Bought an SVL to try and replace it as well as a Silver Sky, both of which I eventually sold to buy back the '59 from the person I sold it to. It is now 'my' Strat and not going anywhere even with the crazy prices they can command right now.
Congrats on the 61! Funny this channel on pedals does guitar better than anyone else, no filler. And to those who say they're close, get a better speaker.
Mate, I'm sooooo glad that the '61. found it's way to you.
Great episode, really had fun, I actually like the custom shop the most probably, but the bridge pickup from the 61 sounds so nice, and the 70´s really has some great sounds too, blue´s pickups probably wouldn´t be my first choice, but you might want to play with pickup height a bit.
I really would like to see an episode on pickup height and how the tone changes moving up and down, that really can be a gamechanger, especially with the inbetween positions
They all sound like Strats to me.
Haircut 100 - Stratastic Day, Lakeside - Stratastic Voyage, James Brown - Papas got a brand new Strat x3 ;)
There was a moment where they were each holding at least 10k-15k of strats. Trying to juggle them around so they could actually play one.
Felt a bit ridiculous.
Id have to relisten through a higher fidelity set up ... cause it didnt come through for me on my phone speakers in a pristine definitive way.
Sounded to me like the 61' didnt have as much dynamic range. Almost a 'compressed' sound (for lack of a term to use for it) without the tell-tale spank sound of a compressor. Output volume was definitely lower. Heard the airy-ness.. but i think overall it was the rolled off dynamic range. Which added a smoothness to the sound.
This is the first time I could hear a huge difference between the clean guitar. its crazy that its with all American strats
Blue sounds beefier to me and perhaps with less definition, anyway a really cool sounding guitar. The other three, I feel one could get them really close just working on the EQ and gain settings... My personal experiencie is very similar indeed, since I have an AVRI and a Custom Shop. These guitars are really nice 4 strats, I'd say with their unique character each... but well, this 61 blows up in the hi gain setting. Good journey in the strat tone rabbit hole Mick!, it is not easy...
Counterpoint; they all basically sound the same and we have all lost our minds 😂
There is that!
L.M.F.A.O.! Reminds me of an Ask Zac shirt: "It's a sickness"
It would make life more simple if they did, albeit less interesting, haha!
Yeah but he obviously has the means to get both a 61 and a 52 year old guitar. Much cooler and I agree not much difference in tone.
I can hear differences, but they are fairly subtle, and can probably be reproduced or even swamped with eq or swapping pickups.
I know I'm late to the party, but the Custom Shop strat (Copper, as I like to call him) is the one that stands out to me. I'm working on a very boring spreadsheet right now and I only look up when Copper is played.
Yep. This one shines.
Congratulations Mick, we're all very happy for you!
Dan, you missed a trick not suggesting 'Strat Pedal Show'
I cannot be happier for Mick on getting to where he is on his musical journey. Bravo, Mick!
Much love to Dan for being such a bro to Mick!
The 61 strat is timeless and has the frequencies that benchmark the strat sound. Everytime it gets played it's just so 'right'. The clarity is next level and you just dont hear that clarity in the CS or Blue. The 70s strat to me is the one to use for clean sound because it has a different kind of clarity but mainly a sweetness that none of the others have I think it's a certain magic in the bass range and the upper upper mids (lower treble lol). You are a lucky lucky boy mick and you deserve it. 👍
Thank you Rich!
Listening through hifi speakers, I found it easier to hear differences when played clean. When any OD or distortion is added, so much gets lost, which is where I am quite blown away by the 61 because while I hear the overdriven tones, I can still distinguish the clean notes. For my preferences, this is ideal. I have always liked the sound of Blue in Mick's hands but I preferred it by far when it has the Ron Ellis pickups. The current ones definitely sound like there is a filtering of the highs, and while not bad, detracts from its sound. I continue to subscribe to the premise that it is the player more than the guitar. While both the 61 and Blue are consistent between Dan and Mick the other two are very different. The gold Custom Shop sounds very good with Dan's playing and picking style, superior to the 70 every time to my ears. However, when Mick is playing, the 70 is the clear winner, even after the replacement of those Texas Specials that came in the CS, which do not appeal to me, I do not think that the CS is favoured when coupled with Mick's style. Obviously these are my opinions and will differ from others. Thank you for the interesting and informative episode. Be well!
I have a theory about the surviving old gear. It sounds good because it was good in the first place. The stuff that didn't sound good has long since been relegated to landfill.
A tech who used to work on my guitars had that same theory. Either that or they got parted out with only the good parts surviving.
I have always said this, Not every old guitar is good, Most likely most of them weren't! But the ones that were good have survived and been looked after while the bad ones haven't!
@@kieranblacker i think a strats a strat. A 2022 USA strat will sound and play like a strat would. They are all the same. I think people like one strat over another but, its all in their head
In the late 70's, you'd buy a Fender or a Gibson and go straight to the luthier to have it put right. Some of the crappy axes went through a whole evolution and became playable and maybe even ended up fine.
@@Ottophil some truth in that, especially with modern CNC built guitars. But the old guitars weren't built by machines. The did have tolerance jigs and they got good at making the same parts over and over. There are small differences in neck shapes and body sizes, depending on how enthusiastically they pressed them up against the belt sander. Then checked for tolerance, if it was within acceptable limits, then it went out of the factory. So a player familiar with them will perceive small differences, but overall you're right, a strat is a strat
The 70 sounds best overall to me?, to be honest the difference is quite subtle between them , I’m mean they are all very straty with different mid characters to my ears , there all good! I think the feel of the guitar sways one towards certain instruments, ironically that custom shop had probably had more thought gone into it than the others as they are just standard production models from different times .
I could see that. But I bet in the room is the only way to tell the real story. The compression from RUclips hampers quite a bit.
Granted I’m only listening through AirPods and not some super hi-fi system, but the differences are too subtle. Especially when I’m not looking at the screen. A person who has an extra 5% skill would be able to push any of the four to the top spot against a less skilled player.
Poor blue. She’s like the girl you dated before you got famous, then got kicked to the curb for the harem of supermodels on the yacht.
That’s about the middle and both ends of it. No kicking tho.
Blue just always has my heart, whether I’m hearing with my eyes, or mick’s just so comfortable playing blue, that everything just sounds like he’s feeling it a bit more, it just sounds right to me
Blue has always been one of my favorite sounding Strats, new or vintage.
You know what is so cool about strats, especially those vintage ones, they sound like the pickups pickup every little thing that's going on when you strike the string, so you get a very clear and detailed sound. And that in turn leads to the personality of the individual player being able to come through the guitar, SO FREAKING COOL!!!
Yep. You can’t fake the front on an old strat either…if you are a subpar player or phoning it in they will expose you real quick
@@GCKelloch That's an interesting insight mate, you've given me a lot to think about as I'm looking around for strat pickups
I'd love to see you guys use a frequency analyzer to try and quantify what's going on with the '61, and then use EQ to try and bring Blue closer to the same response. It could be really useful for those trying to chase the sounds without access to the real thing. Thanks for all the great videos
Spoken like a real engineer. I would LOVE to see that data.
Was thinking the same, where exactly are the differences and how big are they. It would explain the sound and indeed easier to dial in that sound using an other guitar.
Nah. Guitarists never use frequency analysers and don't use words like inductance, resonant frequency or Q factor talking about pickups.
Exactly, EQ a tiny bit and turn the volume to match.. too easy to get drowned in cork snobbery
@@Matt-Wolfcharacterizing it is easy , duplicating is the hard part.
Came for the Strats. Stayed for the Mick. You're such a gem mate. Thanks for the continued inspiration and positivity.
Totally. Dan’s genuine delight for Mick is heart warming
Thank you Bo!
@@ThatPedalShow as I stated above, I’d love to give Blue Strat a home. It’s a lovely instrument. Just isn’t finically viable for me right now. Someone will come along and enjoy owning that guitar. Either that, or time to get a glass case and retire it. Still a work of art.
@@ThatPedalShow Can you clarify a bit the settings on Deluxe Reverb? Before 38:52 and after. Are you removed the bright cap on Vib channel? Speaker the same? Your DRRI sounds every time better and better.
Who here wants to see a follow up video with Aynsley so he can show us what guitars replaced that 70's Strat?! Dang that was epic. So ends the Strat journey.... or does it 🤔
It is weird. I’m not a strat person, have tried several times to like them, but never quite bond with them. So this episode for me is not about tone or the guitars. But man, is so rewarding seeing Mick happy for the entire show. Glad for you!! Enjoy your well deserved guitars!
I'm the opposite, as much as I like the idea of other guitars, the strat is just too practical to pass up.
I literally know 7 people who always wanted a Strat, yet after they bought one, sold it shortly after. When I see rock players say, "I need a Strat", I tell most of them, "go play a Tele, and thank me later". I love my Strat, but it is not a versatile as my Tele.
It's SO, SO hard to find one you bond with (even AS a Strat person!), but when you do, it really is next-level. I've played *SQUIER* Teles that have made me like curse being "a Strat guy" bc they give up the goods so easily, but I'm still stubbornly thinking thoughts like, "OK, my Strat gets a bridge saddle upgrade next, then upgraded output jack..." bc sometimes those Strat stars just align, ya know.?. Fingers perpetually crossed 🤷♂ lol
20 years ago had some extra cash and got a 2001 strat ultra, hated it! Then in 2007 bought a beautiful 70s RI strat, hated it (sounded dead). Then recently, grabbed a 2022 American Performer body w/ orig Yosemite PU's and put a MIJ neck on it, totally sings! It's rather perplexing, but some just sing.
I'm not all the way through yet but wow this is great, congratulations! Mick, I'm curious to know how you overcome the potential option paralysis that could come with having a few guitars in the same ballpark like this? It's a nice problem to have but personally whenever I find myself in a position with gear where there is too much to choose from relative to the time I have to use it, I get kind of stressed and don't really enjoy it. I tend to go through cycles of experimenting with new things, maybe hanging onto some of it but ultimately feeling happiest and most musically productive when I strip it back down to the stuff I really love. How is it with you? I get that it could be different when you've been totally in love with strats for several decades and the details and nuances are really meaningful.
Spoken wisely my friend...I have accumulated so much gear that if I don't keep most options out of sight I find myself w option paralysis and it takes the wind right out of my sails...freezes you...sit there like an idiot w blank mind going in way too many directions..I have a pedal cabinet now...I pull 8-10 to a pop and play in the rabbit hole..lol..then whatever else I pull out afterwards is an even swap...pull 3 out...put 3 back.. 😂
The 61 has the nectar-there’s a balanced audacity to it that’s difficult to replicate. It’s got that humble rumble.
Balanced Audacity & Humble Rumble! Sounds like me and Dan. Hahahaha
Another Strategic show! I’m a Tele player but you might be making me Strat-curious. 🤓
Do you mean: now they have yout Strat-tention?
@@rafalstachura Yes, the ‘61 has my full Strattention
@@stuart_rose There are not enough Strat-djectives to describe how good it sounds. I'll see myself out.
Strategic thinking; I like it.😎
The guitar that surprised me the most was the 70. I'm NOT a big headstock nor gold guitar type... But, there's no denying it had a great tone. The CS sounded very "new" as compared to the others. My guess is, it sounded much like the '61 or '70 would have sounded new. Congrats Mick. Long time coming. Enjoy. :-) Many here in the peanut gallery enjoying vicariously. Rick
That custom shop is insane, not to take anything away from the vintage strats, that '61 is something else...
My ears prefer the tone of "Blue". It just has a fuller, more well-rounded tone. The gold one sounds pokier in the high end. The 61' Strat sounds closer to the tone of "Blue". Great video, guys! Love the story behind these Strats!
Been waiting for this video so happy for you mick!
Thanks John! It might not be everything you’re expecting - it’s an overview of where we are now… more to come over coming weeks and months. Cheers!
I could literally watch you guys play and compare Strats for days and days. Love these episodes! I still love Blue the most. Maybe because the other ones are completely unattainable for a hack like me.
Millionth time watching this as it's so good but I think a blind test would have been really interesting
I know how they all feel so it would be cheating!
Dan is an awesome friend.
Interestingly, I liked the gold CS sound the best. It is what to my ears the classic strat sound is. Congrats on the purchases, Mick - all great sounding instruments
The 61 sounds amazing. As for the rest, I'd pick the custom shop in a heartbeat. A close second to the 61 - full and rich, yet retains plenty of sparkle and definition. At least from what I can pick up through my headphones.
Well, You could have called it Stratovarius - the long awaited update of Mick’s various strats. In this episode a Strat-egically placed flying beast from the Stratosphere tries to steal the show…
I was so looking forward to the second part of the Andy Timmons video. But, that was also great episode….
I agree about the evolution of strat tone between 59-71. 50s ones are also pretty special. Woody and spanky. When i had change to test several old strats at the same time one -62 really spoke to me. Next day I was thinking about how spectacular the guitar was. So much so that i forgot to watch rw mirrors and reversed my car into a concrete pole. Ended up buying that thing. The gtr, not the pole.
I just need to say that I genuinely love you guys, like one loves family and old friends. Cheers!
And the winner is…….PRS Silver Sky!!
Hahahahah! Not for me. Tried 3, none stuck. Cheeers!
61’ …. Buries the rest. Wish I could afford, couldn’t so I got a 66 jazzmaster which kills, harmonic richness and air indescribable like your 61. Thru a 68 Marshall 100 super tremolo ha ha
I’m in love with these videos - 2 intelligent, articulate man sharing their RADIATING PASSION for their instruments. Keep’em coming!! Cheers from Texas lads🤠
Dan’s face when you first connected the ‘61 to the “higher” gain rig said it all. Unbelievable sound. Congrats Mick on attaining “the promised land”, and especially on having the gumption (and the support) to go for it (it can be terrifying financially to be in that situation, but it’s plainly worth it!)
We all can only hope to someday meet “the one” (or three ;-) and have the opportunity, presence of mind and financial capacity to hold on to it.
Hope you enjoy these singularly awesome instruments for many years to come - I know we TPS faithful will vastly enjoy hearing them on a weekly basis.
Cheers!
all nice, but the '61 is a cut above
This one is a long time coming and well worth the wait! There is just something about how the '61 takes overdrive that is absolutely magical! It seems to carry that caving in sound with a grace that the others can't. So happy you got your vintage Strat, it was needed!
the 61 is the business, period amen.
Would have been really interesting to hear Blue with the Ron Ellis pickups in this lineup. I remember seeing and hearing it with both the '64 and 50/60 sets in some of your earlier vlogs and it sounded wonderful, even next to the '61 strat. I think you ended those videos talking about how much happier you were with it, and how much more bonded to it you had become, while now it seems to have lost its place in the pecking order among these other guitars. Funny how times change!
Don’t care….get back to the pedals
Many Strats will come and go, some will even sound better, be prettier or more expensive, but there’s usually only one that sticks around for the long haul…
You always know when you are truely best mates when you are happy for your buddy when he gets something he has wanted. My best buddy has always wanted a Martin D41 and he finally purchased one last week that he is receiving tomorrow. I think I was more happy for him than he is for himself lol. Mick, I see why you wanted that 61 so much. All those strats sound great but that 61 was just like "haha I am here!" Personally I am not a fan of the larger headstocks of the 70s. I much prefer the smaller headstocks.
Always great to see two friends enjoying a common love for great tone, I’m more of a Tele guy like Dan although i do have three strats a 54 reissue one of 1954 made ,a 57 50th anniversary and a custom shop 60s stat with Abby wound pick ups which is an amazing sounding guitar, they all are awesome instruments but my original 67 Tele that took me a long time to find and able to afford is just wow. As always love the show happy for you Mick that the good things are finally a reality and for Dan and his 65 Tele how wonderfull for the pair of you just always remember where you came from and give back to those less fortunate.
61' low mids 5-750(PAF like)
CS- upper mids 900-2k
70' upper mids 1k-3k
Blue mids 650-1k(PAF like)
At least thats what I'm hearing through a nice stereo.
It’s been a hard week and this is exactly what was needed. Always have felt the 61’ is just something special.
That '61 is glorious. Lives up to the hype and then some.
I really enjoyed this video!!!
I like them in this order…
‘61, gold CS, ‘70, then blue.
They all sound incredible though. I was kind of surprised how much I liked the gold CS. It was the most balanced IMHO, but they each shined in different applications.
Guys : That MAGNIFICENT "screech" from @ 36:36 to 36:42 - Uhhhhh - Pure Lust !!!!!!!!!!
P.S : IIRC, that's the Custom Shop version -
Don’t know if it’s a mid-scoop thing, but the 61 definitely sounds like it’s got more bass in the tone than all the others. Very happy for you, Mick!
Wow, over RUclips I perceived the exact opposite. Ears and tongues, eh?
@@fossilmatic and eardrums :)
They all sound fantastic. To my ears, I think that the CS Strat is the most "rounded" tone of the four in that the palate is most broad and therefore would be the one I'd take a gig if I had to take 1 guitar. That said, they all have their place and are incredible instruments each and every one.
61 totally the one you can hear it's ❤ beat. Subtle but lovely 😍
As a Strat guy, that was a real treat! '61 is truly special, and it comes across clearly in the audio. I think your Custom Shop Strat comes the closest to it. I have a Custom Shop Roasted Tomatillo Strat with the Josefina Hand Wound Tomatillo pickups in it. That guitar has a very similar low-output sweet roundness with an airy top end. 9.5" board, but also a '63 C shaped neck, which is Fender's fattest at the 12th fret and has a nice taper. It feels like an old pair of jeans, and I highly recommend it to anyone in search of approaching vintage feel and tones who can't acquire the real deal.
On a much smaller budget scale, had a similar experience recently. Where for ages, ad two Teles and no Strat, since I sold my first electric guitar twenty years ago (a '69 reissue burst MIJ Strat). Then I got a blonde Squier Classic Vibe 50s to dip my toe in the surf. But, it's definitely more of a twangy 50s Strat vibe. So, next I got a Vintera 60s Strat, which is more my type of Strat sound. It's leaning a bit toward Mick's Custom, more midrange solidity, more rounded treble. Now, I think rather than sell the CV, as I originally planned, I'll upgrade the tuners to Kluson or Fender vintage, upgrade the knobs/switches/caps, and put a set of the Fender Pure Vintage '59 pups in. Because I've found that 50's low output Strat with maple neck is quite a different guitar to a 60's rosewood/pau ferro. Which is exactly the conclusion that led to having two Telecasters in the first place, and two Les Paul style guitars too (P90 Special with rosewood board & a Standard-style humbucker with ebony board).
Mick, there are a few moments through TPS where your tone made my jaw drop. The first was hearing the Kingsley Maiden D in your old pedalboard video. The next was when you put the '61 through your Fuzz Face and then boosted it with the Klon.
But the '70, to me, is the best strat sound. Cheers, and congratulations on the new and new to you guitars!
Also if you sell Blue, I'm in!
What happened to transit van? Did it get left in a lay-by somewhere?! 😂
It’s in the process of being sold… sounds better than Blue for pure ‘Strattiness’ but the neck is just too skinny for me!
stratmospheric pressure is building
Hahah! This!
The way why all old Strat pups sound “different” is in fact the most simple thing.
There were a bunch of women winding the coils for hours and hours…. So they would talk about their families and life while coiling the pickups. Basically they were doing so much coiling that their didn’t even look . That’s why there are some crappy ones.
So they were basically coiling the the pickups all over the place, left and right while talking about their families…
On top of having the materials that they had at the time. Whatever the providers had is what they were using. Specially military materials.
They really sound great but is not rocket science.
I’ve played a 64 Strat from my childhood guitar teacher (Rip Riqui Sabatés 🙏🏼❤️ ) that he borrowed me all the time. I was a skinny 54 kg 14 yo kid and it felt like a baseball bat. But it sounded so good. Specially with the TS
BDW is not placebo . It can be heard by a good player and measured by any engineer.
I like 'em in that order: 1st Blue / 2nd Green / 3rd Sunburst / 4th Bronze, but hey, that's my taste, and after all it's just a matter of personal taste ! Enjoy playing that's what matters ! And Mick, you are a lucky boy !!!!! Peace & Love to you guys !!!!
Stratvalanche: A Strattastic Journey Into Stratquisition Syndrome
1 thing for sure, there's no bad strat in that lot, sir. They seem like they each cover a lot of ground, but each can be really great at different times/needs. Maybe just hold on to blue. You never know when blue might be the thing you need most.
I hate when people say it’s cognitive bias - they just don’t have the ears 👂…. trust your own ears.
It was long time coming but bette late than never. Congrats Mick on all of them but especially on that 61! That one was always doing something to you and making you play even more special. Not to be forgotten TM Gold top also came about. Another epic instrument. Congrats on all!
MIck, do you mostly run to Tubescreamer after your other drives, as a boost?
I use the Klon for that. TS is usually a bit further up front, but after fuzz. Erm, and the 59 sound today!
Man, Blue is still the truly best sounding Strat you have to me
That custom shop is so awesome by far my favorite. 61 follows but I wouldn’t say its a close second. I wish I could get a cs like that. Alas I am poor haha
Brilliant comparison. I have to be honest that for drive tones I really dig the way the CS Strat was bigger and fuller but I do see what you’re saying about the 61 carrying a little more definition. All four sound good with Blue being a little more lifeless which is an unfair description because on its own it’s a great sounding guitar. You’re a lucky man Mick.
Wonder how it sounds clean. Distortion makes every guitar a level playing field as the IT system overtakes the basic vibe.
Now we need see a vid on Dan's best vintage and newer Fender Telecasters! 😉😁👍
I so agree with having the lacquer on the back of the neck. It sounds more round and big. When they take the lacquer off, it sounds more bitey and I’m not a fan.
The finish is too thin compared to the wood to have any significant effect on damping, but it does affect how the surface fibers damp on the FB. You may be thinking of how the newer Pau Ferro FB Strats compare to Indian RW. PF damps less highs.
Also, I am quite excited to see Blue back again. I am very fond of that guitar.
Can you please do a comparison video of your original 61' and the new AVR2 61' please!
All four sound incredible and the 61 is clearly special. However, Blue is no slouch.
i would want to measure the pot values on the 61 and see how the others compare...maybe compare the tone compactors also...
61, 70, Blue, CS for my ears in that order
I've had a blast seeing you both get your dream guitars. And they both sound soooo good. Some instruments are just magic and you both hit the jackpot.
less is more with pickups. The best sounding strats and Gibsons I have have underwound pickups.
For me (knowing nothing about them really... which rules out confirmation bias)... the 61 just as you put it had a massive harmonic depth/more rounded fuller sound (to my ear) and the other 3 (unless I was watching the video) I couldn't really tell them apart... But I'd go 61 (by a mile) then Blue, 70 and Custom Shop but again I didn't really notice much of a difference between them as there was between 61 and the rest
I finally bought my dream avri 62 and now that I've watched this, I need to invest in stronger anti depressants
I truly enjoyed this and love the whole story. You both played brilliantly. Dan is scaring me. I heard some of that SImon Jarrett when he had those strats!!! Love it.
The 61 def is on another ball park. The 70 and custom shop sounded almost the same to my ears. Blue has that distinct fat midrange. I guess its from the sd pickups
I don't doubt that there are differences between those 4 guitars.
Things are simple for me. Just pick one. One that make you worry the least. One that let's you just play!
that 61 man, that 61
I love the 61! What I hear that makes it special to me is a perfectly balanced tone from bass to treble combined with a harmonic complexity, and that harmonic content decays perfectly into the fundamental. And every string does this in perfect harmony with the other strings. Magical tone!
I love how committed Dan is to the Tele but man his playing is amazeballs on a strat!
61,CS,70,blue in that order. 61 and CS are really close and far apart from the other two.
I have to say the sound of all these strats was really damn close to me.
All that confirms to me is I'd be very happy with any good quality reissue and don't need to shell out obscene money for vintage.
I've been deeply satisfied with my Partscaster strats finished by MJT. They all have high-end parts and sound and play great. Honestly I don't feel like I'm missing out when it comes to Custom Shop guitars.
The 61!🤯 A little too loud for my taste, but it has a harmonic mojo that is unmatched. Plus, it's a vintage piece. After that, blue wins for me. I love the weaker output. Subtle, soft Stratty goodness. 70s is good. Bloomy, but kinda harsh. CS. Blech!! No subtly. Harsh. Loud. Pass!!!
The playing at 27:14 hit me directly in the feels. Beautiful stuff. I've not watched the video all the way through. But that 61 really sings. I listened to it through headphones and the screen facing down to eliminate listening with my eyes. The 61 really stands out. Congrats on your new guitars. I have not watched your channel for a while as it tends to encourage me to spend money on guitars and pedals..... first video I have watched, now I am eyeing up a CS strat. 😂
Ha! Thanks for that, but sorry to hear about the spending. If it’s any consolation we’re still exactly the same. :0) Thanks for watching!
@@ThatPedalShow I can see you're the same, hence all the strats you purchased in quick succession! Really happy for you, the 61 is on another level. One of the nicest sounding strats I have heard (through a speaker!)
Another name you could have gave this video......
"Strat pedal show." Il get my coat.
I'm very please that you were persuaded to do this overview and comparison on your Starts! Thank You! They're all great! The '61 does stand out as, what I feel has that "Classic Vintage" tone .... or sound. "Blue" definitely sounds more Modern to me. The other two are closer to the '61, but still falling in the middle to my ears.