All Strats Sounds the Same? with Aynsley Lister

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Edit: I just lowered the pickups on my Case strat by a fair bit... it ain't so polite any more!! 🤘 So I decided to keep a very low level of room mic (just the shotgun one on my camera) in the mix this time to see what you all thought? Does it sound more lively than my normal mix? cheers

[@andreasannito7913]

Man when you played this one I shouted "dude's got the blues" this one's which fits you!

[@HiHello-ku1fl]

Was the 74 an alder body or ash? They made the switch to ash sometime in 74 .....was it heavier of lighter? If 8.5 lbs or more probably ash. If closer to 8 lbs or less most likely alder. Very curious. I have had both and both were 74 as well. They sounded very different to each other. The ash had big bottom and was brighter with less mids. The alder was not harsh in the bridge position at all and just had more detail in the sound of the pickups. Alder didn't sustain as much and weighed 7.5 lbs compared to the ash at 8.6 lbs. I preferred the alder body as it was lighter weight and had more mids.

[@mrthorbs]

F***ing love anysleys playing. Could listen to him all day.

[@bm7760]

Love the outro.

[@d9nnis]

The 74 sounds best to me. Classic tones like the records. Thanks for the shootout.

[@johnmirabile3535]

I like that Macmull its got that spungy, snappy thing happening..

[@MarkLeach-h9i]

Late to this, my two favourites are the his ‘74 and your ‘89.

[@carlo6485]

All beautiful guitars and in easily usable voice. I was a little surprised that with these overall, I liked the sound of the '74 with Fender stock pickups. Thanks to you and friend for the demo!

[@steveturner6770]

Yes me too

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Yeah that one was something special 👌🏽🤟🏼

[@j.rozman7016]

Great episode!! I can see that 74 strat has Highwood saddles, which are great upgrade in terms of playability and sound! I have a fender CS postmodern strat (ash, rosewood, 0.790 - 0.920 C shape _quarter sawn_ neck, 6105 frets ) with Ancho Poblano PUs (N AIII 5.90 KOhm, M AIII 6,43 KOhm and B AV 6.06 KOhm). I upgraded the vibrato unit to Wudtone CP 50 (54 mm string spacing) and Highwood saddles, installed Ulbrick NRS hum canceling system (zero tone loss!!). It weighs 3.1 kg and got the CYRO tuning. Guitar resonates and sounds killer - nice bottom end with roundend highs ...similar to blonde strat here!!! I also love Radioshop ID 63 GT PUs in my Squier MIJ 1986 strat, which has vintage radius rosewood slab board (small vintage frets), slim U shape neck - feels great, basswood body, poly lacquer..its also heavier 3,7 kg...But it resonates like semihollow-kudos to ageing wood, japan craftmanship, callaham steel block and highwood saddles! Love strats because they are most expressive guitars ever made!

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Hey - cheers for the comment. I asked Aynsley about the bridge and he says it is the original cast ‘Mazak’ bridge from the factory. He tried changing it to a supposedly superior earlier trem unit but didn’t like it and the guitar lost a lot of its special mojo so he changed it back within a coupla days! Amazing how there are so many variables 👍🏼

[@MelodyCarroll-rx8tk]

I love the sound of the shoreline gold!

[@johnmirabile3535]

THAT GOLD ONE! OOOOOOOOOFFFFFF! DONT CHANGE IT! VERY BRITTLE AND VINTAGE LOVE IT!

[@johnmirabile3535]

Wait a second, your white one may be better then all of them! and i love that white with the rosewood board, EYE CANDY!

[@johnmirabile3535]

Watching your videos more and more, your AS SICK AS I AM! HAAHAAHAHAA! I dont even answer my phone no more! lol....This is becoming my favorite show.....Tell ainsley i wanna battle him hahaha! The kid is nice! He Knows how to caresss that guitar, AWESOME FEEL! I think i can take him though! lol nooooo wayyyyy!

[@tom9239]

That first segment omg. And that first guitar. Gargh.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

😃🤟🏼

[@willsutton3767]

Yep, that blonde one. Wow. But… your ‘89 ain’t too shabby. Matt is a genius. I’ve got a set of Monty’s in my Strat and they’re pretty magical.

[@djt6546]

Sweet contrast in tones on offer James thanks. Sure it's easy in isolation to pick out differences but as you say in a live context, the right guitar is the one that makes you and your performance come alive. As you're in a Strat mood, I must ask have you seen Matthew Scott's video 27th Jan about the '54 Strat he borrowed from a friend? OMG what a sound and what great condition it looks to be in. Plus Matthew 's playing is fantastic as usual. Be sure to check it out if you haven't done so already. Cheers

[@voxshall]

Great content, I agree it's hard to hear a difference recorded or in a band context and yet strats vary so much and can inform the player to express in different ways, as we tend to move towards getting the sounds that each particular instrument does best. I'm not so into strats that sound narrow or hard, spiky trebles sound disconnected to the rest of the tone to me and cause the vol and tone knobs to become less usable. My favourite strats sound big and full, they almost have subtle Les Paul qualities in the way they sustain effortlessly. The high end has fatness to it and sounds more connected to the rest of the tone, giving the vol and tone knobs more usable range. The bridge pickup never sounds weak, thin or bright. These strats are so hard to find but well worth the hunt.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

That’s one thing i love about strats - they can really fit all sorts of tastes! You’re right - totally worth the treasure hunt! Cheers

[@sroelit]

So you’re just there in the room with Aynsley Lister while he plays vintage Les Pauls and S-style guitars through great amps? Tough job. Seriously though, thanks for this.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

I don’t want to make it sound like I enjoy my ‘job’… but I also had a beer in hand 😀

[@stanislavmigra]

Great video. The Blond strat sounds more like big hollowbodynwith p90ties then Strat. PS: Yngwie is not crazy, when he says all his strats are different.

[@IceCreamGuerrilla]

sounds like a Suede tune at the end on the Macmull

[@CLK500COUPE]

I wonder if Aynsley's 74' has the rare Black Bobbin pick ups? My 74' does and it sounds ridiculously good.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

I'm not sure if that one did, but I know I tried another more recent one of his that did have and it was great!

[@richman6100]

Really interesting comparison, James. I agree, Strats can sound very different. I know mine do. All the ones Aynsley played in this video were great in their own way and it's ultimately personal preference, or the specific sound that you're after, that might lead to a favourite. For me, the 1970 model would be the one I'd choose, followed by the 1974, then your 1989.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Cheers Rich. For me, the blonde 74 was magic in the room - so much breadth to it! But i am ok with my 3 - the white is more hendrixy, the burst more glassy and the black one more modern sounding 👍🏼 but yeah, and i know aynsley got a steal on these 2, i’d be happy with them!

[@keithbriscoe99]

Really want one of these large headstock strats, but without the 69U necks that FCS seems to always use... (btw, I don't expect I'll be buying a true vintage one). Really thought I'd want a maple headstock, but damn, that shoreline gold with rosewood...

[@TheStudioRats]

James now you are really into the Rift amp, do you want to sell your Bloomfield? I’m in the market.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

I have actually been thinking about it the last few days

[@Utube-s8m]

My first playable guitar because I started off with unplayable guitars. I bought this but it came from the factory so it’s actually an 88. Bought in March of 89. It’s the only strat I have left. Read in Guitar Player mag that I bought it where Seymour Duncan got his start way before I existed in that store winding pick ups on an old record player. Switched to hbs. But I miss strats tbh. I never gelled with this one for some reason. Would prefer a slightly relic’d candy apple red with a bit of sunburst under it. Mine played great. So great my teacher went and bought one but I think it’s the pick ups I didn’t like. Like I said at the time wanted higher gain etc. but would like one in my arsenal. Cheers.

[@thetakenking7061]

Where can you get the 74 neck pickup?

[@randomstranger2472]

Take measurements of the pickups in the yellow strat!

[@JamesOnGuitar]

I should have!

[@johnmirabile3535]

I need a strat, but my 335 has that rubbery strat thing, i put these AMAZING tyson tone p&g's in it! I know im gonna buy a strst and its not gonna be anywhere near the 335, its just so stratty somehow! Love it! The strings are like plucking rubber bands, i played many 335's none come close.....Also have a beautiful goldtop, both new gibsons, Dave Stephens sent me a set of his genius paf's, it has vintage all over it, but its no rythm guitar, its a heavy blues machine! But, i must admit, im falling in love with the strat more everyday! Bit im so sick i feel like im cheating on my Gibsons lol This guitar disease is among theworst of addictions, im sure many ppl concur, best drug i everv took! lol

[@Kevin-the-Just]

Hi James, is that 70s Strat the one that is now owned by Mick Taylor of TPS? They did a show recently about Mick's Strats and apparently he got a 70s Strat from Aynsley that looks very like the one in this video.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Yup - that’s the one 👍🏼

[@frankcarter6427]

my columbus cheapie and japanese fender strats sound a bit different, but not much, the fender keeps tune slightly better and I prefer the neck width on the cheapie

[@curtahnlund3758]

What do you think of Fenders 57/62 pickups compared to Montys?

[@Jodyrides]

I have never liked Stratocaster’s. I have had five of them. I have forced myself to try to like it.I like the Yamaha Pacifica 611 much better. Has a better neck, and more tone out of the P90.. after owning Les Pauls, Schecter blackjack, Brian Moore, Gibson 330, I have been spoiled by the tone those guitars have.. I really tried over two decades to bond with all the Stratocaster‘s I have tried. But when I go on a gig, I always end up taking one of my other guitars. I love the looks of the Stratocaster. It fits whether you’re sitting or standing. It stays in tune, I don’t get why it has two tone knobs ..I tell you the truth, I never use the center pick up.. when I sell my Stratocaster‘s call me to tell you the truth they don’t seem to hold their value. They’ve made over 1 million of the genuine ones from fender, who knows how many burrito casters and parts casters there are out there that are fakes.. I can’t tell anymore, so I shy away from them, especially the ones on eBay or reverb. I played a Squier Stratocaster at guitar center just before last Christmas. That thing was fantastic. I played a USA Stratocaster that same day. I couldn’t feel or see much difference except for the price. Those CNC machines That they are using to make the squire’s make perfect guitars.. I learned that with epiphone.. I have several Gibsons, and several epiphones, same models, Les Pauls, 335s. I honestly cannot tell the difference playing them or looking at them except for the headstock. I actually like my EPI Les Paul 56 replica gold top with P 90s better than my USA gibson les paul classic w/ p90s.. they don’t sound exactly the same but I like the sound of the 56 replica better. The 56 replica actually has the Gold top changing to green, just the same way a real 1956 gibson les paul gold top will do with age.. The gold top it’s a green hue to it.. Maybe someday I will find a Stratocaster that I will fall in love with. I hope so

[@raytorvalds3699]

Burrito caster. Never heard that one before. That is pretty funny (I have 2 MIM Fenders). One of them will be named Burrito Caster from now on (probably the Strat). Thanks !

[@raydowley1038]

74 then 89 then 70 would be my top 3 to my ears anyway, case guitars headstock shape is a turn-off for me but that's just me. not sure about the MACNULL pups to coin a phrase a bit plinky.

[@DGoetz26]

Not a bad sound from any of them. But my favorite was easily the 1970 gold one.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Not a bad choice!

[@ursafan40]

Two Strats made on the same day, in the same factory, with the same pickups, will sound a bit different from each other.

[@vox1962]

Your 89 puts your custom strats to shame; it’s definitely a firm number two after the 74

[@HiHello-ku1fl]

If the 74 had the original bridge it will sound different as it is a cast one piece bridge with cast saddles vs the original 2 piece steel bridge with screw on block underneath as well as stamped bent steel saddles. The 70's bridge with cast saddles doesn't sound as good to me. The cast saddle alloy seems soft. The original style bridge and bent steel saddles sounds more alive and resonant. The 70's bridge maybe why the 70's strats didn't sound as good. I always felt like I had to keep new strings on both of my 70's strats as they sounded dead if the strings got a little old where as the strats I have with 50's / 60's style bridge the strings seemed to last longer without sounding as dead in the same amount of time. Change the bridge on the 70's strats and they sound better.

[@DubLubb]

Wow.....was interested in hearing all these different strat tones until you said something about "in Israel".......now I think I'm gonna puke....you just soiled some of my favorite things in life.

[@graemero5532]

I'm no fan of strats, they just sound weedy to me, so my opinion is probably meaningless. Sorry James, but I thought the 74 Blonde/yellow one was head and shoulders better than the others. Funny you call Aynsley a strat guy as he played Les Paul's for years.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

I really blow hot and cold with them, but something about them lures me in from time to time. Oh yeah, it was no competition really in this one. Although i lowered the pups on my case strat after this and it improved it a lot - much hairier! Ultimately Tele or Les Paul grab me the most, but I can appreciate strats for what they do. Aynsley is good on all the guitars 😃🤟🏼

[@johnmirabile3535]

that white 89 strat is as good as any of them...

[@keithbriscoe99]

This is pretty much the other porn channel I watch.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

😂