Conference napalm::guitar

    I'd just pinch my beer and egg money and buy both !		8^)
    
    
    				Scary
    
    (who thinks every guitar player should own at *least* 2 axes !)

    
    > You love the look and sound of the 335  but you love the versatility
    > and feel of the Strat.
    
    That's funny, I love the look and sound of a strat, but my ES-345 is
    much more versatile (in my opinion). The feel is really a personal
    thing.
    
    > In other words you're confused.
    
    Now you're even more confused :')
    
    - Ram
    

    I don't know of any axe that'll satisfy the need or love of both those
    sounds....buy one of each.  Sorry, it's easy for me to say, but I have
    a Les Paul and I need to add a strat to the collection, 'cause I AINT
    partin' with my LP!!   I know how ya feel, dude!
    
    Steve D.

    About 8 years ago, Gibson put out a guitar that was billed as having
    all the classic sounds (strat/paul/335).
    
    I took one home for a couple of days and well... it was pretty good
    and versatile, but it wasn't quite as good as a strat in "strat mode",
    or quite as good as a Paul in "Paul mode", etc. 
    
    I just came to the conlusion that if I got it, I'd still want a strat,
    and I'd still want a Paul, and I'd still want a 335.
    
    At the moment, I really only have 2 electric guitars (Carvin DC200 Koa
    and Steve Morse model).  I play only the Carvin, and basically have
    no plans to get any other guitars except maybe a strat someday if
    I come across one that feels special and affordable.
    
    To me, Strats are sorta unique.  Strat tunes just don't seem to
    "happen" on any of my other guitars even though I can do 335, Paul,
    even Tele type things on my Carvin and not feel very compromised.
    
    	db

    Ya can't argue with the sayings:  "if you want yer axe to sound exactly
    like a Les Paul(or strat, 335, etc.), buy a Les Paul (or strat, 335, etc.)
    
    Steve D.

	I couldn't decide if I wanted a strat or an LP. So I bought a
	moderately heavy guitar with 2 single pole pickups. Now I've
	got the worst of both worlds. It's a bear near EMI sources but
	it sounds incredible.

	Next guitar will probably be either a Steinberger, a Gretch Duo-Jet
	(in dark green!), or the Coral sitar/guitar reissue.

	I say KEEP LOOKING

	Charlie_B_who_really_wants_a_Tiesco_Spectrum

    Strats sound particularly bright because of the solid maple neck.
    Look Ma, NO FINGERBOARD! Those frets are pounded in there and the highs
    sustain forever. Les Pauls really sustain those lower harmonics though
    sheer body mass. The strat sound is not in the pickups, it's in the
    neck. Those frets are pounded into maple and, to put in physics terms,
    they are very elastic. No device I know of can reproduce the frequency
    envelope of those maple necks.
    
    							John.

    I my opinion you really can't compare the two guitars. They sound
    totally different. I have a Gibson Les Paul and a Fender Strat and
    if I wanted a 335 sound...  I'd buy a 335. Nothing sounds like a
    335 except...
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    a ES-335!   ;^)
    
    My 2� worth.
    
    Fred

    I play my Strat for everything (it's all I've got).  But I don't try to
    get a "335" sound.  What I go for is a "jazz" sound.  There's plenty of
    good jazz to be had out of a strat (as well as rnr, blues, etc.), but
    it won't sound like a 335.
    
    It saves me money! ;-)
    
    Will

    My knew toy (Strat with Dual Blade Humbuckers) covers both worlds, to a
    degree ... but the ONLY way to get everything you want is to BUY
    everything you want.  And it helps to have a wife that says "whatever,
    babe ..", to my crazy ideas.  The quest nevers ends, until the bank and
    VISA say so ....
    
    
    				Scary

    Yeah, I agree with all of you. A strat is a strat and a 335 is a 335,
    and anything different is different. Reply .4 said "Strat tunes just
    don't seem to "happen" on any...other guitars...." Exactly so!
    I have a Strat and a 335 clone (Guild Starfire V, DiMarzio pickups). I
    modified the neck pickup of my Guild to be selectable between series
    and parallel for the two coils, and installed a phase switch between
    the two pickups. It gives me a Strat type of sound, very mid range, but
    it is not a Strat.
    
    Beyond the sound, theres another thing about the difference between the
    two. If you're trying to play the damn thing like Steve Vai or any of
    those big hairs on MTV who leap around the stage, lick their guitars,
    sling it 360 degrees around their neck, (and never seem to miss a note)
    you'll look stupid if you got a 335!

    I went throught the same thought process, and decided on a 335 because
    of the greater range of tone (though I ended up with a Heritage H-535
    because it played better than the new 335s I tried).  However, having
    had the opportunity to jam with Greg House in Colorado this week and
    play his strat, having both seems to be gaining on me as a long term
    goal.
    
    - Evan
    
    ('course I need better chops a whole lot more than another axe -- my
    money is now going into lessons!)

    
    RE:-.1
    
    Hey, Evan!  Does that mean you'll vote for Greg if he runs for Prez?
    8)
    
    J.  Who_thinks_Greg_shows_up_for_practice_to_make_him_look_bad 8)
    

                                 STRAT VS 355

                               End of Chapter I

RE: ALL


Thanks to all who contributed.  I ended up finding a nice totally factory
84' Strat (light sunburst) at Harvey's Music in Milford, NH ($445 with case).
He's a seemingly honest, forthright, very low key guy who does all his own 
service work (including fret replacement).  

I really like the Strat.  It should keep me occupied for a while....but I
can't help wondering if the 335 would........


    

    
    Mr Tim.  No one ends a chapter on us!  Just kidding, congrats on the 
    Strat.  I just bought a natural wood finish ES-335.  I also signed up
    for lessons - time to put this great gear to work.  It's becoming 
    embarrassing to have all this gear and no damn skill!  I still have
    a good attitude tho'.

RE: -.1> One of each is the way to go

Nhaaaaa, one of ALL of them is the way to go...

jc (Who can never have enough toys!)

    Well I played my one an only 73 Stratocaster for 15 years before I
    said... "I need a change".  So I got an ES-335.  And for the
    jazz-inflected music I'm playing these days, I can't imagine playing 
    the Strat.   The 335's been 'it' for the last three years.  It's got
    great warmth, sustain, etc.  
    
    Then again - to put on a Hendrix hat, it'd have to be the Strat.
    
    Kinda like comparing a Ferrari and a Rolls-Royce...
    
    How come my family gets uncomfortable when I take 'em out for a Sunday
    drive?   How come my Rolls won't do 0-60MPH in 4 seconds?...
    
    /paul