Fender Player Stratocaster

ToTal GuiTar december 2018
102
Head to Head
Melding old-school charm
with modern features
I
t’s no coincidence that these guitars nd
themselves embroiled in the same group
test. Alongside the obvious similarities in
pickup format and bolt-on construction,
all four guitars share a common 648mm
(25.5") scale length. This measurement is
essential for the classic Strat snap in the top
strings, and twang in the fatter ones. Upper-
fret access is easier with the sculpted heels of
the Chapman ML-1 Traditional and Sterling
Cutlass, but we didn’t have too many problems
with the Fender and G&L guitars. It’s worth
noting that the Cutlass has vintage-style
narrow frets. The others have medium jumbo
eorts, which are easier to deal with when
you’re bending strings above the 12th fret.
Tonally, all four guitars live in the same
postcode. Bridge pups are typically bright and
twangy. The middle and neck units oer
increasing levels of warmth, yet unlike muddy
sounding humbuckers, you get loads of clarity
no matter how heavy the overdrive. There are
distinctions. The G&L has just a touch more
warmth than the other guitars. There’s some
real fatness here, which works great for blues
noodling. The Fender’s pups sound like vintage
classics with a bit more muscle. They push your
dirty channel a bit further and there’s crystal-
clear clarity on every setting. We love the
smooth vibrato unit, too. If you want to hear
one of these twin-pivot ‘oating’ Fender
whammy jobs at its best, Spotify Je Beck’s
Where Were You .
Regrets? Yeah, we have a few. The G&L’s
Dual-Fulcrum vibrato is sti. It sticks wherever
we park it, making tuning stability impossible.
It’s a shame as our previous experiences with
this vibrato model have always been positive.
The Chapman plays great but there are some
sharp fret ends to contend with. Don’t get us
wrong, it’s not like arm wrestling with Edward
Scissorhands, but they’re noticeable. Just make
sure your ML-1 Traditional is ne before you
part with your money.
Chapman ML-1
Traditional: a
modern guitar with
old-school charm
Sterling By Music Man’s
vintage-style vibrato
provides tuning stability
the g&L has some
reaL fatness, which
works great for
bLues noodLing
the tg test
TGR313.gear_test.indd 102 11/8/18 5:17 PM