Stratacoustic Bliss

[Jimmy Dean]

Wasn't sure where to post this so I decided to post here. Maybe there are a few of you out there with a Stratacoustic or a Teleacoustic who might have some interest.

I like acoustics, but have never been a traditional acoustic player. I have a background in jazz & rock. I don't play too many songs with cowboy chords & I never learned to finger pick. I had a Yamaha APX-400 that was good for my style of playing. I bought it used & didn't notice the fret wear in certain places. I have been curious about the Statacoustic & Teleacoustic for years, but most dealers don't stock them. GC had one in stock around the 1st of June, I tried it & liked it. Took advantage of their trade in trade up promotion. Traded my APX & 3 pedals, had enough credit for the Stratacoustic & a case of strings.

After I got it home I had to lower the action & put new strings on it. The bridge pins were cheap plastic so I got a set of ebony pins. I have always preferred sound hole pickups as piezo's can sound a little harsh & too bright for my taste. Got a good deal on a Barcus-Berry Maplebar. I hard wired it in. Tried several different wiring schemes to get a good pickup blend. Finally added a tone & volume control & wired it to a stereo jack. I run a stereo cord into a small mixer & out to my pedal board. Gives me great control of my blend.I just got an Earvana compensating nut & bridge saddle set. I have an Earvana nut on my Squier '51 & can't live without it.

I had thought that I may have to get an acoustic amp or PA to run it through, but it sounds awesome though my electric rig. I get some beautiful jazz tones from it & I can make it rock, too. It has a nice neck, similar to my '51. It sounds good unplugged (although it wouldn't impress an acoustic purist) & it is built like a tank (similar weight to a Strat or a Tele). Plugged in it is pure bliss to my hands & ears. I haven't put it down in 2 weeks.

[LGOberean]

There's a guy down here that has a Squier Stratacoustic. I don't have a pic of his specific axe, but here's one I found through a Google search.



He found it in a local pawn shop for $120. Checked around, found it was discontinued, offered the pawn shop $80, got it for that. Hardwired into it a Strat-like pup in the soundhole, right at the top like a neck position pup. Blends it with the piezo undersaddle. He can play through that pup alone, blending the two or through the piezo, but most of the time he plays through both blended. He replaced the plastic saddle with brass so as to ground the strings so that "neck" pup won't pick up the hum of neon lights.

[pontmercy]

I just got mine, lowered action by shimming neck, sanding saddle, reshaping to get intonation, put 10s phos/bronze on. Love it! I pick it up all the time to noodle and practice when I don't feel like cranking up the super-sonic and shaking the whole house!

These are very underappreciated guitars capable of making great sound and are extremely playable. I feel like I have a secret and can't understand why every fender tele or strat owner doesn't own one on principal alone! They are cool!

[Jimmy Dean]

I looked for one in every pawn shop & music store in the Portland area for two years. I guess either no one in the area has one or they didn't want to part with it. I don't believe in buying guitars on line. I have to play it before I buy it. I'm glad I waited, it was worth it.

[taylor110fender]

I've never really cared for those too much. I guess I'm more of a traditionalist! Either way, I can't argue about the sound! The back is compostie, but doesn't sound as "plasticy" as a lot of Ovations. The neck is good, too. I play 'em all the time, see them everywhere here in Seattle!

[rand z]

ive had mine for about 9 years... put a danelectro pup in it. took out the stock piezo pu and put in a fishman piezo. have two outputs (would like to go stereo, soon) to run separately or blend.

ive been using electric strings on it for max output on the lipstick pup. anyone using bronze or brass with a magnetic pup? would be a better sound for the piezo, but not so good for the magnetic.

???


rand z

[Jimmy Dean]

I can't remember the last time I bought bronze strings. I have always put steel electric strings on my acoustics. I also shimmed the neck on my Stratacoustic so the action is the same as my Squier '51. I guess that I am basically an electric player even when it comes to acoustics.