Should Clapton have really played a strat for this?

[elihu]

A lot harder??? 100% b.s.

well, he did grow up with his mum pretending to be his sister.

That would make a guy wonder.

 

[trandy9850]

What????

Yep....that's my response also.

 

[TwangerWannabe]

I’m pretty sure that I saw an interview where either Clapton or Pete Townshend said that a big part of the switch to Strats was that they are lighter and easier to play than a Les Paul. In fact, Gibson came out with a Townshend signature Les Paul a few years back and Pete played it for about half a song at a show before switching back to his Strat. I’m pretty sure that he plays a Clapton Signature Strat himself, or at least he did.

Townshend also played SG’s, which are lighter than Teles.

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

I believe Clapton's Strat works for some songs... but, others fall a little short of "girth."

As we know, humbuckers have a "Creamier" (pun intended) and naturally thicker tone to em.

A single coil, Strat, neck pu, is just going to fall short of that hb tone.

Even with the mid boost.

Especially, at achieving the "woman tone" he was noted for, at that time.

Some of those Cream classics require that "woman tone."

I dont believe a Strat is capable of getting that exact tone.


imo.

100% agree. The mid-boost is nice, but it's nowhere close to the humbucker "woman tone". I think that's why his tone in the late-80's started sounding obnoxious (to me); he went back to heavier overdrive for his solos but it was a strat and lacked the punch, sounding more nasally.

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

What????

Yeah, I didn't want to say anything, but....

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

well, he did grow up with his mum pretending to be his sister.

That would make a guy wonder.

What the heck?! Well, yeah that would confuse things a bit, but if she "self-identified" as his sister, who is he to argue?

 

[rand z]

100% agree. The mid-boost is nice, but it's nowhere close to the humbucker "woman tone". I think that's why his tone in the late-80's started sounding obnoxious (to me); he went back to heavier overdrive for his solos but it was a strat and lacked the punch, sounding more nasally.

Yes.

I much preferred his Strat tone in the 70's (Lay Down Sally).

It certainly was not "over driven" like later in the 80's.

That MID BOOST thing doesn't do much for me.

It lacks "dynamics."

When he plays without the mid-boost, the Strat is ok... otherwise I wish EC would use some Gibson with HB's if he wants to get THAT over driven sound.

Maybe an ES 339?

...................................................................................

I'm under the impression that EC has not been well.

He is 77, and possibly, not always in control of "things."

If you live long enough, we all get there.

However, I still have a lot of respect for him...

imo.

M

 

[brookdalebill]

Poor Eric.
He gave us so much, and he takes a lot of, uh, abuse.
There’s no other guitarist/singer who touches his output, versatility, and longevity, IMO.

 

[blowtorch]

Poor Eric.
He gave us so much, and he takes a lot of, uh, abuse.

I feel he's earned it, in many different repects

 

[elihu]

What the heck?! Well, yeah that would confuse things a bit, but if she "self-identified" as his sister, who is he to argue?

Just theoretical but what if your mom didn’t want to be known as YOUR mom?

How would it affect you?

 

[brookdalebill]

I feel he's earned it, in many different repects

So, you’ve lived a perfectly exemplary life?
I haven’t.

 

[blowtorch]

So, you’ve lived a perfectly exemplary life?
I haven’t.

The fact is, we often give a pass to the artists whose work we enjoy, and besmirch the inevitable failings of artists whose work we do not like.
I don't like Clapton's work, as a whole it bores me, generally. So I feel comfortable calling him out on his failings, much in the manner you are towards Jerry Lee Lewis (RIP)
we humans are funny things, yes?

It's cool that there are varied things out there from which to choose from

 

[brookdalebill]

The fact is, we often give a pass to the artists whose work we enjoy, and besmirch the inevitable failings of artists whose work we do not like.
I don't like Clapton's work, as a whole it bores me, generally. So I feel comfortable calling him out on his failings, much in the manner you are towards Jerry Lee Lewis (RIP)
we humans are funny things, yes?

Indeed, amigo.
We are all multi-dimensional beings.
EC has said and done lots of things I wouldn’t.
That’s how he learned, and survived his, uh, mistakes.
He has given much of his wealth to charitable endeavors.
Being a working musician of my time, he’s inspirational.
My disdain for much of the early rock n’ roll you champion is perhaps largely generational.
They inspired the generation before me.
That generation (Elvis-era) disparaged my generation’s artists (Fabs).
What’s great is that popular music lit our passion to play.
It sure did in my case, and I suspect strongly, yours.

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

Poor Eric.
He gave us so much, and he takes a lot of, uh, abuse.
There’s no other guitarist/singer who touches his output, versatility, and longevity, IMO.

I think much of the "abuse" is probably just people not sure why he reached the status that he has based on what they are hearing. For a long time I was one of those people; but listening to his older stuff (Cream, Bluesbreakers, etc.) pretty much solved that mystery for me. His playing had a definite aggression and almost angry style to it that I think connected with a lot of people. That's where his status came from. Then it seemed he did everything in his power to step away from that, which worked out well career-wise, but also left a lot of people feeling "blah" about his playing. But even when he went to the strat his playing was (is) still quite good, but lacks the fire of the early stuff.

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

Just theoretical but what if your mom didn’t want to be known as YOUR mom?

How would it affect you?

I don't know but I'm sure there's a legal way for her to self-identify as my dad, or my golden retriever, or whatever.

 

[blowtorch]

My disdain for much of the early rock n’ roll you champion is perhaps largely generational.

It's weird, I'm a Gen-X'er and as such, my love for early rock n roll really makes zero sense, demographically, but it makes total sense to me personally, and I actually have a hard time understanding why everyone else doesn't view things the same way.
To me it's just clear and obvious, what the superior is, and what it is not.

I suppose that's everyone

 

[black_doug]

Just theoretical but what if your mom didn’t want to be known as YOUR mom?

How would it affect you?

Hard to imagine.

Motherless and fatherless.

 

[nojazzhere]

So, you’ve lived a perfectly exemplary life?
I haven’t.

The fact is, we often give a pass to the artists whose work we enjoy, and besmirch the inevitable failings of artists whose work we do not like.
I don't like Clapton's work, as a whole it bores me, generally. So I feel comfortable calling him out on his failings, much in the manner you are towards Jerry Lee Lewis (RIP)
we humans are funny things, yes?

It's cool that there are varied things out there from which to choose from

Maybe just me.....but I hope by accepting that my musical heroes are, for the most part, human beings.....with the flaws that we all have to one degree or another, doesn't mean I'm "giving a pass" for their behavior.
And yes, Clapton has had a lot of turmoil and pain in his life, through his own poor choices or possibly even Karma, but I'm not here to "judge". When it adversely affects someone else, I might step in with objections.....but otherwise, I try to stay out of it. I enjoy, and even love some of his work......and find too much of it c**p, but, contrary to the infamous wall graffiti, he's not God.

 

[57joonya]

I heard a interview with Clapton saying that for the first rehearsals got the reunion him and Bruce brought in their Gibson bass and guitar’s with Marshall stacks and it just didn’t work. That said I always will like Clapton better with humbucker pickups.

I read that too somewhere . Maybe it was just that room? I don’t know ,
I think lots of people were a little disappointed about them not using something resembling their old tools . But at the end of the day , they must have thought , let’s make ourselves as comfortable as possible, and just do the songs to the best of our ability.
It still sounded great IMO

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

THIS. They are all already fairly old at that point, Not just guitar but vocal and attitude are different. White room was in his 20's. I also think that's more his attitude in general later on, on purpose.
Clapton still played his Gibsons a bit in concert in the later 90's. The old 335 sounded wonderful.

Yeah, THAT'S the shiznit!