Suhr, Lsl, Friedman What's with the Strats!!? Demo Video by Shawn Tubbs

After receiving so many inquiries about my "strat" style guitars I thought I'd do a video about how and why I chose them.
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[@ShawnTubbs]

Shawn Tubbs "Demolition" album. A collection of short but sweet guitar jams. shawntubbs.bandcamp.com/releases

[@ytb917]

you know you're deep in the game when you have five stratocasters and none of them are made by fender.

[@jea783]

He said Player Fender are good . That's what i 've done . Put Suhr pickups on my Stratocaster . Make it killer tone machine .

[@hangingchad_]

🤣I'm on my way there myself. I have a PRS NF3, two PRS Silver Sky's, a Suhr Classic S Antique, and I'm looking at LSL and Danocaster now. I'm doing the same with Telecasters, except I actually do have one Custom Shop Fender Tele, but next will probably be a Suhr, or PRS NF53...🤔

[@hangingchad_]

Good thing I'm single...😅

[@fivewattworld]

Really enjoyed this. I think all my favorite channels touch on "why this gear works for me?" Not looking for someone else's answers for myself, more just interested in how the process is different for each of us. Loved this. Very casual, dare I say, almost "vloggy", conversational. You do this well. Keep 'em coming.

[@Thecrush145]

I can appreciate your comment about initially wanting all your guitars to feel the same. I have a Clapton edition Strat with Lace Sensors in it. I played it so much it became a part of me. A few years after playing the strat, my wife bought me a Tele because I always wanted one. I wanted to learn how to chicken pick and get that country sound but yet have a versatile thicker rock style too. The Tele however has a maple finger board vs. the Strat which is rosewood. It has taken me 20 plus years of picking up the Tele and putting it down, trying it with different amps and so on to really appreciate how its made. It now serves it's own purpose and I love it but, It took so long to because I didn't force myself to play it out live, leave the strat at home and work things out. Now I'm a 2 guitar guy. lol. Thinking about a hollow body Tele with a trem now ;-)...

[@davidnuzzaci2459]

Thank you for sharing, I also share your love for Lollar pickups. I love the blend set up for the electronics.

[@JasonHobbsGuitarist]

P.S Shawn, what’s with all the Tele’s???!! Joking. ;)

[@meleecritical]

Props for the Mexi Strat!

[@GerryBlue]

"what's with all the strats"? they ask, well, it's the best damn guitar ever made

[@RobertBakerGuitar]

Well hot dawg! Loved it and 100% agree with you on everything man.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Did I just see a flame top cali...

[@UNGETABLE7]

I love the Suhr! Its a 9-12 compound radius btw. Killer and versatile axe! ✌️

[@fatherjacques]

Nice video. You are right about guitars that you connect with. You feel it when you get one you connect with.

[@chrislestermusic]

Your description of how you try out a guitar is sage advice and I am so glad you mentioned it. I do the exact same thing and it has served me well. I did buy a Les Paul without getting to play it (from Honduras), based on how it looked. Somehow I knew it was going to be a beast and thankfully it was. Your videos are incredibly helpful and so valuable. Thank you.

[@rahachi]

Shawn, you’re the greatest! Always helping us, always sharing your knowledge. Thank you

[@algorithm007ify]

Suhr wins but remove SSCII dummy coils (reduces weight and improves tone) and maybe put Fender fat 60s or Bare knuckles in there.

[@gioelevio1626]

I think my next guitar will be a strat! Suhr seems something I might like :)

[@chrisgrabowski2678]

My opinion: find the one that feels good, then change the electronics if necessary. Most players don't need $2-$4k guitars.

[@thatmanonapedal]

Yeah, yeah, they need. Guitar under 2000 (please write 2000 with zeros...!) in most of cases are not professional instruments. With professional I mean an instrument you can trust on, with the right materials in the right place and woods. Very few exceptions and not so far from that price.

[@mickeymassuco2674]

@@thatmanonapedal I hope you’re joking - there are many, many professional musicians playing production line Fenders. I’m sure your expensive boutique guitars make you a MUCH better player…

[@J_C838]

Love the video Shawn! Thanks for sharing your perspective on guitars, and it's cool to see the difference in your strats. I look forward to more videos!

[@boblstclair4023]

Very good presentation Shawn. The Filter Tron was sweet, hadn't seen that before. And I should mention that some time ago listening to your Collings I liked the Lollars and replaced both pickups in my 335 and I'm Really happy with them. Thanks much

[@Bfordandafter]

They all sound great... that LSL with the Dirty Blonde Lollar set sounds especially fantastic.

[@TrevBec]

Oooohhhhh when I heard the LSL's. Nice.

[@lalilalulu]

same with me.

[@dumaflotchy13]

Love your evaluation approach.

[@dumaflotchy13]

I have retired my Stratocaster in favor of 2 G&Ls .

[@just.some.dud3]

Awesome video as always, Shawn. Always love your playing, tone and feel. :)

[@parksed24]

I come from a metal background and I've played a lot of guitars in my life, but a lot of them were built to shred. Last weekend I finally played a Custom Shop Journeyman Strat at my local shop, I knew as soon as they handed it to me that I was in trouble. It's a super unique spec that they special ordered and it turned me into a different guitar player. It's not my favorite color, it's not a brand I usually chase, it's WAY more than I ever would spend on a strat, yet here I am pinching pennies trying to make it happen because you only bond with a guitar like that a few times in a life...

[@d24isDURIAN]

The only fender I still have and enjoy playing is my fender journeyman strat. You won’t regret it :)

[@michaelogden5093]

Good answer.

[@ZachAndMaggie]

Ended up touring with a Suhr Strat and Duesenberg Starplayer this year. Both great guitars and I %100 agree with Shawn on how the different guitars draw out different sounds of you as a player. That Duesenberg is so solid the whole way through I tend to play calmer and more planted cause the guitar carries so much. The Suhr is so much lighter I start to throw it around, but due to it's great construction I find it doesn't act up when I'm getting into it like some of my vintage stuff.

[@joerobinson6199]

Zach & Maggie I had the Doozy starplayer. Well made but did not fit my hand it hurt my thumb consistently. It was not for me in sound, feel and for me overly big. Felt plasticky. Didn’t care for the hbs either. Just my opinion.

[@ZachAndMaggie]

@@joerobinson6199 Yeah I found guys either love them or hate them. I will say I wasn't a fan until I tried the no f-hole starplayer with the split single coil on the neck.

[@nathanross9233]

Sounds awesome! Lollars ALL DAY LONG! There is a new pedal out called the ‘Protein’ from Browne amplification. It rivals the Kot and JHs double barrel, do a DEMO!!!!

[@mathieuvaylet1782]

i think ( but i can be wrong) the pickups on the shawn tubbs black SSS LSL saticoy are 2 "blondes" and one "special" in the bridge ! this is the set Builder Bill Nash mounts on his stratocaster, and after hughe reviews and success, jason decide to sell it as the dirty blonde set . killer set of pickups ! (i have 3 specials in my strat ….)

[@jimmyyoo19]

All the guitars in the video sounds good..but for me James Tyler Classic works the best..thx for the great vid

[@ShawnTubbs]

I used to have a couple Tyler Classics and I wish I didn't used to have a couple Tyler Classics. They're really great guitars!

[@frantisca]

0:33 "What's with the Strats" what a face !! :))) Without letting the guitars "dictate" too much ;-) I do agree they can be differently inspiring. The more I age, the more I tend to go towards chunkier necks. I've tried many: 1 inch super fat and extra-thin are not my thing. I had a wonderful Suhr Tele with P90's but I coudn't play its neck. Hand cramped after 15 minutes. Med .83 to 94 or LP .86 to 97 are my favorites. Also, I dig PRS's DGT: with its monster frets, it plays the most easy of them all. Plus it's very versatile in terms of tones with its 2 splittable HB's. I'm not particularly a Strat guy these days (I was in the 70's), but I kept one that I really like: a Schecter from the good years (1985) with MonsterTones and a passive parametric EQ in place of the 2nd tone pot. Very similar to what Reverend calls now the "bass contour", it allows you to practically dial all the sounds from a harsh, in-the-face tone, up to a Tele on steroids on top of the 5 usual Strat tones. Plus it's light and the neck is one of the best I've played. My shortlist is: LP 59 (not an original, JB put his hands on them all ;-)), a PRS DGT, a Collings I35 and a Tele (Thinline with SDuncan SH2 HB's). Love your vids: keep'em coming !

[@NotAPacifist825]

a friend told me Fender makes a pretty good one.

[@MsSmackass]

They have been way surpassed

[@davidbrucemusicvideo]

Great video, Shawn. Totally makes sense. Speaking of Mexican made Strats, I picked up a Road Worn Series Strat, totally surprised me, I couldn’t believe how perfect it was! Like you talked about at the end of your video, I was playing it for quite a while without plugging it in, and it just felt perfect. The body resonated like it was old, or something. I plugged it in, and I couldn’t believe how amazing and snappy it sounded!

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

You ever thought of posting a few guitar lessons online for us mere mortals? ;) Love your style dude.

[@stevehogan8829]

Yep, Suhr makes some sweet guitars. Love the feel and the tone. Suhr is one of the few that has a certain feel when the tone comes out. Extremely responsive and articulate. That's a great looking Friedman. Lots of Relic'd models out three. That's the first straight up model I've seen played and working. Thanks.

[@mikedenkinger9570]

I completely agree. I bought a Classic Antique S a few months ago and love it. I've been a Gibson guy for about 20 some years but figured that I would give a strat a try. Like many, my first guitar was a really crummy Strat copy it didn't work well, didn't stay in tune, and was generally pain in the ass to play until I got a Charvel. I ended up getting a Gibson SG through chance and it became my number one guitar for at least 15 years. I began to buy Les Paul's as well. I'm sure that this program to me into becoming comfortable with playing shorter scale neck guitars with humbuckers. Recently, I've become obsessed with learning SRV and some fusion licks. I happened to walk into a great local Boutique guitar shop I just wanted to play offender. I had heard of Suhr and saw a pretty Sonic blue one hanging. Just like what Shawn is saying, as soon as it came off the rack it spoke to me. I didn't buy it immediately, matter of fact, I came back 3 months later and bought it as a birthday gift to myself. I couldn't be happier. I found that it is a bit temperamental in terms of slight neck movement with temperature drops and has required a little bit of truss rod manipulation. Otherwise, it's been fantastic and the only guitar that I've ever owned where I didn't think I needed to swap out pickups. It has v63 pickups which are extremely Dynamic and touch sensitive. Love them. Despite all this, Gibson is still home base. I'm taking Jazz lessons and due to my an experience in this field, I'm looking at cheap Epiphone archtop to minimize my investment in case I don't go down the rabbit hole too far.

[@mesfigas]

why Friedman guitars sounds better and more responsice ? seriously very impressed lately with those guitars

[@CoffsRice]

Love your videos. Your playing and sense of humor are first class but what really gets me is how your guitars are always so well intonated and in tune. I often have to stop watching some guys because they just keep banging away when they are out of tune.

[@josiahfaamasino5961]

Definitely loving the suhr tone the most. 👌🏽

[@L.Scott_Music]

Hey, it's Puddles! LoL! Have you ever handed a guitar back to the store employee before they get down from the ladder?

[@ShawnTubbs]

Lol! Having worked in a music store or two myself, I would be more polite than that.

[@xthexadvantagex]

Shawn Tubbs that IS being polite. When you can tell it’s not for you the moment you touch it go ahead and catch him before he climbs all the way down and puts the ladder up and say “nope not for me I can already tell”

[@MrLarrywimmer1]

What was your amp and pedals used to get this sound ? The best sustain,delay, and tone, ever !!!

[@ShawnTubbs]

Thanks for the kind words and the question. I had to think about it for a second but I'm pretty sure I was using a Suhr Hedgehog amp on the clean channel into my Universal OX. I was using the 4x12 "thick" cabinet. The overdrive was probably a Rockett Pedals Majestic. The Delay was in Pro Tools. It was just a standard plugin. I get the same sound now from my Revv Tilt Overdrive into a Revv D20 direct.

[@curtrod]

FENDER Stratocasters!

[@MisterTee]

I have the same model Suhr. I love the thing.

[@xavadlp]

Same here

[@alexdayhay]

May I ask what gauge of strings you’re using? I just got my new Suhr classic t custom with the same gauge I always use and I don’t why but it feels tighter and the strings are a little bit tougher to bend. Nothing dramatic and I’ll adapt but I was thinking to go maybe a little bit lighter! Thanks and omg amazing playing, big fan here big fan!!!! Greetings from Montréal!

[@JasonHobbsGuitarist]

It’s all about the necks for me, that’s why I choose to play suhr’s .. \m/

[@VonBluesman]

I like single coil guitars, single coil with bridge humbucker guitars, TV Jones pickups/teletron guitars, humbucker guitars, P90 pickup guitars, mini humbucker guitars, solid body guitars, semi hollow body guitars, hollow body guitars, even steel body guitars (National, Trussart, etc. guitars) I am not bias, I like all of them. LOL

[@Claimjumper55]

That Friedman is gorgeous. It's the first one I've seen that wasn't relic'd.

[@L.Scott_Music]

Friedman guitars can be ordered non-aged.

[@Claimjumper55]

@@L.Scott_Music Good to know. I'll have to check them out.

[@surfrby8876]

I love the lollars, and I’m intrigued by the Friedman , but Floyd Rose scares me, My favorite guitar is a 1982 Gibson 30th gold top I bought off the wall in 82😬, but I’ve been into building my own strats and Tele’s last couple of years be causeI can’t afford most is these guitars , I’m using Warmoth , MJT , Musikraft etc for bodies and necks and buying hardware / pickups on Reverb or eBay ,You can build a great looking relic or non relic for under a grand with high end parts, plus its fun to put your own ideas into the build, anyway great video thanks Shawn 👍

[@DaleBoyle]

Cool video Shawn! I can sooooo relate to your description of trying guitars in stores. I have a very quick, almost instant gut reaction to the feel and connection, and I too typically replace the pickups, so I rarely plug in. I may keep the pickups, but it’s not a priority when first testing a guitar. Ideally, I'll find a quite soundproofed room in the store, so I can clearly hear the guitar acoustically. For me, the biggest connection was to Jaguar guitars in general…the scale length and feel connected immediately. I own three modded Jaguars now (new pickups, bridges, keys), and they all play great: A Squire Jaguar (Indonesia); A Cobain signature (Mexico); and an American Professional Jaguar :)

[@stephengaren2219]

Quite a few years back I picked up a used left handed MIN Strat that the music store couldn't get rid of. The price kept dropping and it sat there forever, so i bought it. Totally uncomfortable to play, for me, but the neck was nice. A few years later i bought a used, dinged up MIM Jimmy Vaughan Strat body. Off came the left handed neck and it went onto that body. A new Tusq nut was put onto the neck, Fender locking tuners were added and a Callaham bridge was put on the body. The first pickups I put in it was the Tex-Mex pickups, I purchased a Hendrix pickguard with the neck pickup slot leaning the opposite direction. I have the same pickguard on two other Strats. Times changed and I realized that all my Strats (5) are SSS configured. So the pickups are starting to get slowly changed out. A new HSS pickguard was added and in went a Seymour Duncan Psyclone Vintage Filtertron pickup. I'm currently waiting on a Mojo Teisco copy gold foil in a single coil housing to arrive from England and a Duesenberg single coil to arrive from California that will go into the middle position. Chrome City but it should come out looking and sounding pretty unique. The interesting thing about the neck and body is that they are both from the same year (1996). The neck is slowly aging and has dark spots in the wood here and there. It looks like the guitar was put together in '96. The body is just as banged up and looks relic'd. Stays in tune really well too. I have it floating with a minor 3rd pull-up. I have roughly twenty guitars in my collection but play Strats and S-type guitars the most. They're just home to me.

[@kailmarinomendez7773]

Great Video! :)

[@keoni927]

Shawn, I'm curious if you have stainless steel frets on the Suhr and what size are they? Medium, Jumbo, Medium Jumbo, etc. I have a Suhr like yours with stainless steel frets but all my other guitars have nickel frets and I'm wondering if you prefer stainless steel or nickel? Thanks!

[@Sthall63]

You are such a great player!

[@ShawnTubbs]

You're very kind. Thanks so much!

[@IvorThomas]

Guitar off the wall that impressed me and resulted in buying: Fender Baja Tele (MIM). Used 2008 SG Classic. Kotzen Tele (MIJ). On the wall guitars I wanted to love but didn't: PRS McCarty (Guitar Center shit setup?), Ibanez AZ Prestige, 2019 LP 50s Standard.

[@TCMx3]

Thanks for sharing. I do have to say though you're lucky to a certain degree that you can so easily find the good in your strats. I am OBSESSIVE about them and go through them like most people go through ballpoint pens trying to find ones that can live up to my favorite one. I decided to go back to Suhr for my main guitar that I can just beat on. Same color as yours FWIW; I really like their Olympic White finish.

[@Stefan-Van-der-Pulst]

Shawn, you make me buy things! After buying the Friedman BE 100 Deluxe I now am waiting on a Friedman Cali! Besides being a phenomenal guitar player , you're one of the best reviewers on the planet.

[@natedogg1777]

I recently traded my Suhr Classic Pro for an LSL Saticoy and couldn’t be happier. I could never get on with the neck profile or narrow/tall frets. I picked up the LSL and it just felt like “home” right out of the gate, and the tone is nice and full whereas the Suhr is definitely on the bright side. No complaints as far as quality goes. You’re right, once you’re in this league it boils down to personal preference, not necessarily one being better than the other.

[@stacks4943]

Fender Eric Johnson Strat just melted into my hands and body... When playing while standing this guitar felt like part of my body... Just awesome for me...

[@ShawnTubbs]

Those are really good guitars!

[@IvorThomas]

I'm *really* wanting to try one, esp the nicotine yellow, and compare to my Kotzen Strat.

[@JJSurma]

As a lefty learning to play in the 80s and 90s, often strats were the only thing I could find pre-internet in stores. Then eBay hit and later Reverb, and with more money to burn I've been trying out tons of other guitar styles...Gibson, Gretch, and eventually offsets. Jazzmasters were just quirky enough to feel like "me", because I consider myself quirky (and what's more quirky than a lefty Jazzmaster?) Later when I needed a backup guitar for church I got a Suhr -- HSS, white, exactly like yours. It is such a versatile, solid and consistent tool, and the trem is so sweet! Now more than ever my JM sits in the stand and I speak through essentially a perfected version of the strats of my youth. Back with my first love, and I'm a better player because of it. Thank you John Suhr! P.S. - now if I could just master the solo on "There Is No One Like You" from Strength I'd be done. =)

[@keoni927]

JJ I have a Suhr like yours and I'm curious if you have stainless steel frets or nickel and what size? medium, jumbo or medium jumbo? Thanks

[@kimwirzenius9955]

I like these kind of videos. It's so much easier to tell how an instrument, amp or any gear in general sounds like if you have a reference, something to compare it to. Without any reference you (I mean me, as listener) really have no way of knowing what a certain piece of gear is supposedly doing in the signal chain.

[@allanvr83]

Great vidéo for strat lovers, thanks Shawn ! What kind of amp/pedals did you used??

[@ShawnTubbs]

That was the Suhr Hedgehog dialed clean. I used my Rocket Pedals Majestic for the OD crunch thing and the delay and reverb you're hearing are plugins. I used my UA OX with the 4x12 Punch Cab IR.

[@allanvr83]

Shawn Tubbs thanks, love your playing by the way !!

[@NickGranville]

Great video Shawn. You have lots of tasty instruments which sound great in your hands, cheers

[@ShawnTubbs]

Thanks so much, Nick!

[@Strumbum01]

Your playing and tone are just fabulous Shawn! I got my hands on one of those Suhr’s at NAMM lastJanuary. Best feeling neck Ive ever played on!

[@avgjoegat8126]

More than 85% is in this man's hands.

[@evanward4303]

I have two MIM Fender Roadhouse Deluxe Strats. Changed out the pick-guards, kept the pickups (Texas Specials).

[@ShawnTubbs]

A friend of mine has a couple of those. They're good guitars!

[@truescotsman4103]

eyes closed i immediately knew it was a strat with a humbucker. what about the silver sky? is it a "strat"?

[@pistache481]

Sorry to tell you that my friend you need to play a telecaster that how you sound.😂😂

[@davidethangraham]

Have you ever tried Music Man Cutlass?

[@ShawnTubbs]

I have yet to check one out. Looks like a nice guitar.

[@chrisquinn9104]

Did this start with explaining your need for Strats to your wife?

[@truescotsman4103]

i want the thinnest neck possible. can you tell me which of the strats has the thinnest neck option?

[@Grant_Ferstat]

I love the LsL with the Filtertron. To me it's just that bit more unique than the typical SSH set-up and it always speaks really well on your demos.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

Well ... they work

[@michael_caz_nyc]

Hey Shawn just subscribed. Love your tone and playing. I've been playing a 78 Vintage Strat (since forever) & just purchased a 2014 Suhr Standard with Lollar Dirty Blonde's . . . OMG - I am in tone-heaven = Gilmour, SRV, Nile Rodgers & Mark Knopfler. The Suhr made me instantly put my Strat up For Sale. Love your White Suhr and the Lollars are Amazing. One Love from NYC.

[@ShawnTubbs]

Thanks so much for subscribing Michael! You can't go wrong with Suhr Guitars or Lollar Pickups!!

[@Travels_Tunes]

I thought a Strat is by Fender only?

[@LA-zc9rg]

Buy a MIM early 90’s squire series strat scrap the crappy HW PUPs & HW for a grand total of $400 you’ll have a guitar that smokes. Look at Jack Pearson playing a Chinese Squire. It’s the player not the gear. Strats and Teles 2 hunks of wood and 4 bolts.

[@ShawnTubbs]

Jack Pearson is top shelf!!

[@petitgary]

Do you like the lollar 64? Also called the blackface? I bought an LSL with HSS. I can only afford to have one strat so I’m thinking about dropping an “el Rayo on the bridge with lollar blackface”

[@ShawnTubbs]

That setup would sound great! You really can't go wrong with Lollar.

[@jeffmazzei8520]

Tom Anderson, and Suhr ! Without a doubt the Best ones ! The necks never need adjusting, And they are Very versatile and the intonation is far superior up and down the neck ! I’ve owed many Suhrs ! I’m sorry the Mexico Strats are terrible ! Frets are badly put in and they 3 piece body’s , the nuts are cut so poorly Lsl is obviously a copy of Suhr , Tom Anderson is the First Supet Strat , If you want to put a few $100 into your Strat , You can

[@ShawnTubbs]

Thanks for watching Jeff!

[@Dailyvids25]

Suhr is a good guitar but man that headstock is damn ugly.

[@germanlungwitz528]

The bridge pickup tone on the suhr is just ridiculous

[@xacalus]

My Tom Anderson

[@jamesgrobertson8024]

HI Shawn, have you tried out many Fender Custom Shop strat's?

[@ShawnTubbs]

The Fender CS strats are great!

[@Rotor-Sims]

So I caved and just bought a Suhr Classic S Antique with the Humbucker, Single, Single in Surf green. I'm excited about the guitar and since the vintage has the nitro I can't wait to see it age over the years. I may have to put an EMG AB in it to boost the gain a bit like I did in my YJM. Your vids helped me seal the deal. Thank you

[@videostar80sduo24]

That’s a great video. Lots of great advice.

[@cesarurbani2294]

I love your videos and reviews, just discoered them... I mean, there´s a lot of folks out there making reviews and talking. But they´re not musicians, they´re not guitar playes. And you are (and a very good one). Great job.

[@oldguysguitarvlog183]

Beautiful guitars! Wow.

[@peachmelba1000]

Friedman does make some really nice instruments, but their relicking process needs some work.

[@donharrold1375]

What’s with the Strats? I just keep buying them. They have different pickups but I love them all. Could I argue that they do different jobs? Perhaps. The real reason is I like having them. What’s wrong with that? Filtertron at the bridge is a great idea.

[@eddiejr540]

Awhile back i picked up an eric johnson strat (turquoise w/rosewood neck)...im not a strat player cuz my strumming hand hits all those knobs and stuff...but OMG...that "soft-v" neck was the best thing i ever put my hands on...(ok 2nd best)...i didnt have $2000 to get it...but i will never, ever, forget how that guitar melted into my soul...hope ya know what i mean!!!!

[@pwrmac7600]

I just don't understand the super inflated prices of these strats. It's a CNC cut bolt on! I can see paying those prices for set neck or neck through guitars, but for bolt ons? just seems these prices are super artificially inflated. Is that Friedman top a veneer? or an actual quilted top?

[@SFBGuitar]

My love for Strats is well documented. Got my first one in June of 81 and been hooked ever since. Love your collection there, Shawn. I really need to get a Suhr in my arsenal. I have so many friends that swear by them.

[@markholmes2665]

Mr. Shawn.......what's your take on stainless steel frets? Too bright? Too hard? Never played a guitar with 'em......

[@rickwallace2361]

After 54 years of playing, my outlook is a lot like yours. It’s not what it is, it’s if you connect with it. For years I could not leave my guitars alone, always changing them, pickups, painting etc. Now days, I almost always accept a guitar for what it uniquely brings to the table as is, why make all of your guitar the same right. Now if I connect to a specific guitar, and the pickups are just plain bad, like maybe a Squier Strat that plays nicely, I do install a wired pickguard with other pickups, but can always put it back at it was later. Funny now, I have a lot of guitars, a lot ha, and guitars I bought many years ago that I could just not get a long with with the style I was playing at the time, I put away, and again, a lot of them. Now in retirement I am going through them, getting ready to start unfortunately, selling them. So I will pickup up say my 73 thin line tele that just did not work for me back in the hard rock days when I was playing out, but now I look at it for what it is, and brings to the table and now, I do connect with it, and don’t want to let it go, ha ha. So you get what I’m saying, before you go and do something you regret later on, (like painting my original 76 LE explorer), maybe take a look at what the instrument does bring to the table, and use it in that content. It’s nice to have the unique sound variations of each guitar, again, why follow one mold in your guitar collection. If you want one sound, find a guitar you connect with, and play it, why spend hard earned money just for a clone of what you have already. Variety is the spice of life and of guitars in my book, Thanks Shawn Rick

[@SteveRienhart]

For me, the one guitar I knew immediately was my 62 reissue strat I bought new in February of 1983. Knowing the sales guy at the old Guitar Center in San Jose helped, as I mentioned to him that I'm under pressure to get a strat for playing R&B / Funk rather than my Les Paul, and he said "boy, do I have a guitar for you". And he wasn't kidding. Still have it, still play it, and it sounds great. Keep up the good work!

[@douglasaxtell]

I like the feel and sound of the G&L Legacy (Fullerton) HSS with the G&L MFD pickups in the single coil positions. You should check one out.

[@Paddy126]

I think Shawn's guitar personality (his "sound") has more impact than the differences imparted by these guitars. The differences between the bridge HBs are subtle and I wonder if Joe Public would notice.

[@misterknightowlandco]

Its not just custom builders knocking it out. Low to mid end production guitars are better than ever. Hell, even squiers are playable now. Really no need for custom shop axes anymore. Not to say we dont want them lol but you dont need one.

[@giancarlopaolini7529]

True ... what you said is perfectly true. Once I grabbed in 10 seconds in a shop a guitar that appealed to me in a bunch of 50 all laying one close to the other. I didn't lift any before that one ....just a quick landscape look to the whole bunch and I took that one, for the pleasure of the shop owner as it was indeed the most expensive guitar in that group, it was a Tom Anderson guitar and I didn't know that chap at that time so it has been indeed a matter of feeling. Great to know that it wasn't only my perception.

[@ajpeagle]

The Jackson/Friedman is the original modern neck.

[@RaoniMaciel]

No matter if you play with a suhr or fender, or prs and etc ... you can make everything go well, you can make the best of the equipment you do tutorial, follow along always and spread to friends, congratulations! Hugs from Brazil!

[@bluwng]

So none of your high quality Stratocaster copies are actually Stratocaster?

[@ShawnTubbs]

Nope. They are all "strat style" guitars.

[@mitcharney1]

When you get to the level of Shawn Tubbs........these guitars were all probably given to him....as well as most of the amp. Once you reach a level of 'notoriety' builders are looking to get their products into their hands.

[@johnmiller9219]

i don't dig 1.stainless frets 2. 24 frets 3. flat radius 4. thin necks 5. high power pickups.

[@jamesjerniganmusic]

It appears that the Suhr is brighter while the black Lsl is darker... bahaha and for the gold Lsl, you got it for the bling didn’t you?

[@ShawnTubbs]

The Suhr has a humbucker in the bridge position, the black LsL has a single coil in the bridge position and the gold LsL has filtertron in the bridge position.