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The sound of the Stratocaster

The sound of the Stratocaster
January 8, 2020 Cecca Guitars
How does the Stratocaster sound and why? Photo Stephen Niemeier

How does a Stratocaster sound? Or more precisely: Why does a Stratocaster sound that way, with that characteristic snap and shine? We could also ask the question for the different guitar models. The Les Paul, the Gibson ES-335, the Telecaster, also have their signature sound.

The unique sound of each instrument depends directly on the way the guitars are constructed as well as the woods and components used.
So let's go into detail for this icon of electrified music since 1954.

Which Stratocaster?

We can note that there are several periods in the life of the Stratocaster and many models. Consequently, the sound of a strat sometimes varies enormously depending on the eras and models. Double coils, Floyd Rose vibrato, exotic wood species: all variations are possible for this instrument which was designed, by its creator Léo Fender, to be modular. We will focus here on models from the 50s to the end of the 60s.

Sunburt Stratocaster maple fingerboard from 1958
How does the Stratocaster sound and why? Photo Stephen Niemeier

Wood

The two original species used to manufacture the Stratocaster are alder for the body and maple for the neck.

The body's alder will transmit the different frequencies in a fairly balanced manner. the result will therefore be rather neutral. The maple will bring out the highs. The rosewood fingerboard that we found a little later in the sixties brought a little more roundness to the sound.

Body/handle junction

Fender guitars are characterized by the use of a neck bolted to the body, unlike Gibson which uses set necks. This assembly option will allow great modularity, facilitate production, especially later when CBS launches industrial production in the 70s, but also reduce the sustain of the instrument.

The body/neck junction of a stratocaster. The handle screwed onto the body, seen from the back
Floating Bridge/Vibrato Block of a Stratocaster

The bridge/vibrato block

The stratocaster has a very specific vibrato which includes the bridge with bridges adjustable in distance for intonation and height (unlike the Gretsch and Gibson equipped with Bigsby with the vibrato block on one side and the Tune-bridge on the other o-matic). The floating nature of this vibrato reduces the general sustain of the instrument (sustain: the lifespan of a note).

The microphones

The Stratocaster characterizes it from this point of view by the use of 3 single coil pickups . The magnets are in the center of the copper wire coil, unlike the P90 (the direct competitor of the time) where the 2 magnets are under the coil. The coil is higher than that of a P90 and the number of turns is lower (around 8000), the surface of the microphone is therefore quite narrow. The magnetic field being therefore less wide, we obtain a fine, slightly hollowed and very open sound. These microphones have a relatively moderate output level which makes them perfect for use in clean and crunch sound. The first models will quickly be monopolized by Surf music players who took advantage of this slam, then the Blues men, then Jimi Hendrix.

If the structure of single coil pickups is always the same, the different components have varied over the years. We will analyze here the first two periods.

First period: the 1950s

When the Stratocaster , the pickups were made of Alnico 3 magnet and Heavy Formvar wire. Alnico is an alloy mainly of Aluminum, Nickel and Cobalt except… Alnico 3 which does not contain Cobalt. This magnet is characterized by a fairly low magnetic power (and therefore an output level as well) and will put the mediums more forward. However, at the end of 1954, Fender replaced the Alnico 3 with the Alnico 5, with a higher output level and more treble and snap. If the copper wire used for the winding is always the same, it is the material of the covering, the insulation, which varies. The first to be used was the Heavy Formvar, until 1964. From a sonic point of view, it will highlight the highs. It is easily recognizable by its fairly light orange color. It is the alliance of Alnico 3, then Alnico 5 and Heavy Formvar wire is the true sound signature of Stratocasters from 1954 to 1964.

Second period: from 1965 to 1970

In 1965, under the direction of CBS, the new owner of Fender, the stratocaster pickups were modified. The magnet chosen is always an Alnico 5. The winding is made with a copper wire called “Plain Enamel”, brown/red in color, then used by Gibson for its P90s and Humbuckers.

The latter does not directly impact sound but Formvar, based on formaldehyde, was highly carcinogenic. It's the sound of Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock.