What is a superstrat? (NGD)

Yorkie · October 2023

And do I have one now?

Backstory: I got myself a lovely MiM Fender Stratocaster a couple of weeks ago. It has essentially obsoleted my Squier, so I didn’t hesitate when a mate offered to trade the Squier for his Ibanez AZES40, which he defined as a superstrat. Here it is:

So in essence it’s a HSS guitar with the socket on the side (love it), a very fast neck, and a cool switching system that does roughly what I got the Squier to do before trading it. It puts some pickups in series, does weird combinations, etc.

It doesn’t particularly sound stratty. It sounds bold and hot, and plays great, so it is believably super at least.

But is it a superstrat? What the heck is a superstrat?

Discuss.

BigPaulie · October 2023

To my mind a Superstrat is any guitar based on the classic Fender Stratocaster design with modifications intended to be "improvements" over the vintage spec.

That could be a more modern bridge, HSS or other pickup config, pointy horns/headstock, flatter radius, bigger frets, different control layout, active electrics, locking tuners/nut/bridge etc etc etc...

Philly_Q · October 2023

Yeah, I think it's a superstrat. Edward Van Halen was using a Strat with a humbucker and a traditional trem before he got a Floyd Rose. Jake E. Lee was using an HSS Strat with a hardtail bridge. They were definitely superstrats.

stufisher · October 2023

Thought this might help ...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstrat

maltingsaudio · October 2023

IMHO a Superstrat has to be Strat shaped with a floyd and at least one humbucker, no Floyd no then not a Superstrat..

GoldenEraGuitars · October 2023

To me, a “Superstrat” needs a bridge humbucker and Floyd/schaller.

elstoof · October 2023

Two cutaways with an extra deep one on the treble side, humbucker bridge and high output pickups is the minimum

Dave_Mc · October 2023

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorites_paradox

I can point to a guitar at either extreme and say it's definitely a Strat or definitely a Superstrat, but I'm not sure exactly where one turns into the other!

hollywoodrox · October 2023

Congratulations it looks very nice & technically qualifies as a superstrat

roberty · October 2023

That's cool. For me a superstrat doesn't need a locking trem. A two point with locking keys is enough. Flat or compound radius with big frets. And a full size humbucker in the bridge

stickyfiddle · October 2023

I don't think a Floyd is important. My instinct is is that a bridge hum bucker and any other modernisation is what gets you there - big frets, flatter boards, garish colours, locking bits, no pickguard, etc.

RichAC · October 2023

I’m a child of the 80s, A superstrat has to have a Floyd, and preferably an airbrushed image of a Barbarian waving a sword and standing on a pile of skulls.

RichAC · October 2023

Forgot to say: nice guitar! Ibanez do good stuff.

horse · October 2023

In my head a superstar usually has a locking trem. Maybe a HSS with a more modern body shape might qualify too (or without a pickguard).

To my mind the guitar in the OP is a fat strat. Looks very nice too.

skullfunkerry · October 2023

Think all of my guitars are superstrats, and one is a hardtail - so I don't think a Floyd is a must. Congrats on your new superstrat!

Bigsby · October 2023

Of course, it's an ill defined term, and yes your new Strat can easily fit within it, though clearly not for some folks! (Happy HGD by the way, like the colour).

My first Strat was a Fender Contemporary Strat in the mid 80s (as was my second one). HSS, locking trem, two controls (TBX), side mounted jack, and intended as Fender's answer to the SuperStrats from their rivals. Now, looking back, I can't believe it then took me another 30 years to own a non-super Strat!

OilCityPickups · October 2023

I used to have a 1980s Fender HM Strat ... which I take as my definition of a Superstrat:
BIG frets, Floyd Rose, side mounted jack, HSS (though HsH and HH are also Superstrat spec guitars), and most often no scratch-plate (Ibanez being an exception to that). .

I would call the OPs Strat (which is lovely by the way) a HB equipped Strat with a vintage trem.

Offset · October 2023

Might sound like a non sequitur, but I think a Tele-shaped guitar can be a superstrat. I have two, and that's how I perceive them.

HAL9000 · October 2023

So… if you can get superstrats, then why not superteles, superlespauls, etc?

theatreanchor · October 2023

Superstrats are just really good Strats.

imalrightjack · October 2023

I’ve had a few shitstrats.

Not sure a humbucker alone qualifies it. Nice though.

hollywoodrox · October 2023

HAL9000 said:

So… if you can get superstrats, then why not superteles, superlespauls, etc?

You can , they just never seem to have got the moniker applied to them
Mick Mars played Super Teles &there’s a few players who had LPs with Floyds
I guess Strats were overall more prevalent . I personally like a flatter/compound radius on them & cool paint like solid bright/neon colors / graphics etc . Dimarzio or SD pickups and mega easy access to high frets

ICBM · October 2023

stickyfiddle said:

I don't think a Floyd is important. My instinct is is that a bridge hum bucker and any other modernisation is what gets you there - big frets, flatter boards, garish colours, locking bits, no pickguard, etc.

I think it needs more than one - although I'd add "not Fender" as another qualifier. eg, if you have a Fender Strat with a bridge humbucker and big frets, it's just a "Fat Strat" not a superstrat. But if the same guitar is made by Ibanez, and especially if it has a flatter board as well, then it probably just crosses the line.

When you get to a locking vibrato as well then it's definitely one.

OilCityPickups · October 2023

HAL9000 said:

So… if you can get superstrats, then why not superteles, superlespauls, etc?

Because:
Strat with Floyd Rose = good
Tele with Floyd Rose = moderately good-ish

Les Paul with Floyd Rose = abomination

:-)

ICBM · October 2023

OilCityPickups said:

Strat with Floyd Rose = good
Tele with Floyd Rose = moderately good-ish

Les Paul with Floyd Rose = abomination

:-)

But Les Paul with Kahler = perfect

.

Philly_Q · October 2023

OilCityPickups said:

HAL9000 said:

So… if you can get superstrats, then why not superteles, superlespauls, etc?

Because:
Strat with Floyd Rose = good
Tele with Floyd Rose = moderately good-ish

Les Paul with Floyd Rose = abomination

:-)

To be honest, I think anything with a Floyd Rose is cool. I've had one guitar with a Floyd and I didn't like it at all. I didn't like setting it up or changing strings, I didn't like the feel. I'll probably never buy another guitar with a Floyd. But they look fantastically cool.

Mattharrier · October 2023

I would have said that a Strat with a bridge humbucker would be a Fat Strat. Maybe a locking trem as well. A Superstrat would be a more outlandish pickup combination (HSH for example), super skinny neck, extra frets, more aggressive cutaways, all the bits for more extreme playing.

My Focus (by Kramer) 211S has a bridge humbucker but it's definitely not a Superstrat.

guitars4you · October 2023

ICBM said:

OilCityPickups said:

Strat with Floyd Rose = good
Tele with Floyd Rose = moderately good-ish

Les Paul with Floyd Rose = abomination

:-)

But Les Paul with Kahler = perfect .

Sorry but I wouldn’t have a Kahler near anything

Horrible feel - just feel spongy to me

LionAquaLooper · October 2023

Middle position with the alter switch on is apparently both single coils in series and the humbucker in parallel. I'm curious as to what that sounds like.

Yorkie · October 2023

Thanks everyone for leaving your thoughts. And special thanks to those lovely people who have said nice things about the guitar and/or congratulated me.

The guitar definitely has a flatter fretboard radius than my Fender strat, and better accessibility at the higher frets.

It also has rounded saddles, which are nice.

The tremolo discussion is interesting but doesn’t really affect me because I don’t use them.

The crazy switching options are what really makes it super to me. The coil-tapped bridge + neck one is fairly close to the tone I was chasing on the Squier. The ones with all the pickups and series middle+neck are great. It sounds hot but still defined. The dominant character of that sound is brought by the neck pickup, I think. Can’t wait to lift the pickguard and have a look inside.

The guitar is lighter than a Fender. I love that it has the jack socket on the side.

The colour is a bit off on the Ibanez pics. It looks a bit more turquoise. The shops have done a better job at capturing the real thing.

Dave_Mc · October 2023

stickyfiddle said:

I don't think a Floyd is important. My instinct is is that a bridge hum bucker and any other modernisation is what gets you there - big frets, flatter boards, garish colours, locking bits, no pickguard, etc.

Yeah I would broadly agree with that- just looking at how Fender names them, just adding a bridge humbucker alone is a Fat Strat. (Granted, they often have some other mods too!)

I forgot to say too, awesome guitar @Yorkie ! Your guess is as good as mine as to which that is

EDIT: Yeah I agree with the "non-Fender" thing @ICBM However maybe the HM Strat is the exception that proves the rule? It looks like a Superstrat to me. And some of the signature models too e.g. Richie Sambora etc.

If you ask me those Charvel Teles with Floyds and humbuckers are Superteles @HAL9000 ;;

EDIT: Ah I think I'm just sticking with my original post... Sorites paradox it is.

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What is a superstrat? (NGD)

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