JMguitars
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Here's an excerpt from a 1992 guitar mag article ....
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GUEST REVIEWER RORY GALLAGHER is known for his extremely battered '61 Strat and is just about to begin his 15th solo album since 1971, a follow up to Fresh Evidence.
Before Rory embarked on testing, I asked him how he would improve on Fender's design: 'Well, I've never liked the small frets, I always change them for bigger ones. I've also narrowed the guitar down to one tone control at the bottom of the guitar. So many heavy metal players use just a volume control which is fine, but at certain points I like to back off the tone, especially at high volume.
'I'm quite keen on the midrange boost of the Clapton Strat, I always tend to boost the midrange somewhere. My sound isn't rank and file Strat - it's more like an SG. I've also blocked up the tremolo, apart from the Strat I use in the studio. However, I do prefer the sound of a tremolo-equipped Strat, even if it's blocked, you get the extra resonance.
'But 95% of the design I wouldn't change at all, Fender got it right and I've stuck with it. It's also a guitar you can attack - you don't have to treat it like a Stradivarius - it's like a Volkswagen, it works!
'I used to use the middle pickup more than I do now, I tend to use the combined bridge and middle and for a solo I'll use either the lead (bridge) or rhythm (neck) pickup. For slide (which Rory plays in standard tuning on his Strat) the middle pickup is very good: there's a harmonic in that position, if you get it right you get a great little over harmony. I use the tone control a lot especially for wah wah effects, the volume control I sometimes set around '6' but mainly 7-8 always leaving that bit in reserve!'
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GUEST REVIEWER RORY GALLAGHER is known for his extremely battered '61 Strat and is just about to begin his 15th solo album since 1971, a follow up to Fresh Evidence.
Before Rory embarked on testing, I asked him how he would improve on Fender's design: 'Well, I've never liked the small frets, I always change them for bigger ones. I've also narrowed the guitar down to one tone control at the bottom of the guitar. So many heavy metal players use just a volume control which is fine, but at certain points I like to back off the tone, especially at high volume.
'I'm quite keen on the midrange boost of the Clapton Strat, I always tend to boost the midrange somewhere. My sound isn't rank and file Strat - it's more like an SG. I've also blocked up the tremolo, apart from the Strat I use in the studio. However, I do prefer the sound of a tremolo-equipped Strat, even if it's blocked, you get the extra resonance.
'But 95% of the design I wouldn't change at all, Fender got it right and I've stuck with it. It's also a guitar you can attack - you don't have to treat it like a Stradivarius - it's like a Volkswagen, it works!
'I used to use the middle pickup more than I do now, I tend to use the combined bridge and middle and for a solo I'll use either the lead (bridge) or rhythm (neck) pickup. For slide (which Rory plays in standard tuning on his Strat) the middle pickup is very good: there's a harmonic in that position, if you get it right you get a great little over harmony. I use the tone control a lot especially for wah wah effects, the volume control I sometimes set around '6' but mainly 7-8 always leaving that bit in reserve!'
