Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Generally, yes - for a few reasons. Most importantly, the shorter scale length (24.65" v. Fender's 25.5") means that the strings are at a lower tension for the same note and gauge, so they feel a lot softer. On the other hand, you do lose a lot of the "snap" of a longer scale length/higher tension.
Finally, humbuckers speak out louder and bolder and drive an amp harder without having to put as much energy into playing. They are more compressed, having less dynamic range - which evens out less consistent playing. The downside is that they don't have as much dynamic range for the player who likes to use that in their playing.
I was wondering where that puts an HH Blacktop Strat? I played one briefly the other day and quite
liked it -- it felt like a slightly jazzier/fatter sound, but still had the the Fender snap/character. (But I'd
want to play it and a decent strat side-by-side for a spell). I read a lot of reviews where people say
they are very unimpressed with the Blacktops, but I wonder if that's not the guitar snob coming
through? The question is -- an HH strat...cool, or burn-at-the-stake heresy?
I've always felt that the Strat is a fairly unforgiving guitar, but one with a lot of character. And having
very low/light action feels to me like it's harder to get a decent grip on the strings when bending
them. Some styles of playing...you need to work for the sound to make it sound like your working.
