Malmsteen Strat Vintage White Maple Neck!

[Yngve]

Are your bodies both the same weight factor?

I did a search for weight Stratocaster hoping to get a lot of results but it does not.

So what to expect by knowing the weight of a Strat like they give at Wildwoodguitars on there site.

A 7.50 Lbs Strat thin sounding?
A 8.50 Lbs Strat full sounding?

Is this true or false?

[worldoftone]

False in my experience.

- WOT

[Yngve]

So what are your assumptions? And what do you like, what l mean what is your favourite strat and how much does it weight compare to what Wildwoodguitars claim.

[Tone Slinger]

In general, for 'stock' vintage style strats, which the Malmsteen model essentially is, I think Alder wood is best. I think the Malmsteen strat is Alder. Different weight variables in same wood species guitars is a much harder call, concerning which sounds better. I dislike ash for a stock style strat, cause the inherent attack and 'pop' in the bridge pick up is over emphasized using ash wood, cause ash has alot of brightness with slightly scooped mids, which is at odds with what a strats bridge single coil needs. On the other hand a humbucker works well with ash. But for single coils, alder is generally better.

[Yngve]

Tone Slinger so what Strats do you own?

I thought Fender buolding the Rory Gallager would have the same weight as his original srat but loking at the stock it ranges from 7.1lbs to 8.5lbs.

[Tone Slinger]

Well, I've got my '56 reissue Tokai('84 model), that I have had transformed into a late '68. It has a slightly heavy alder body. I have had 70's reissue strats (ash, on these, but most solid color orignals were alder, Fender for ya, go figure ) I had a custom shop '69, and several other parts type strats. On top of this, I have played hundreds of strats through the yrs, trying to find one that could compete with my Tokai. I really only came close 2 or 3 times, one was a very 'yellowed' olympic White '67 with rosewood board (very 'Axis' - Ladyland looking), another was a '74 maple necked sunburst.I also picked up a fairly light weight '57 that had 'IT'. I couldnt afford any of them at the time I tried them out, so goes the story .
I finally realized that alot had to do with the wood. Alder is warmer sounding than Ash. The actual bridge also has alot to do with it. The Tokai bridges were made EXACTLY like the old Fender ones. I think Callaham is doing the same now.

I was doing a little research and discovered that there might be another explanation as to why the Malmsteen strats tend to be a little bright. The brass nut is a little brighter than a vintage correct bone nut, but not to a fault. I think that the extra 'metal mass' of the 4 machine screw neck pocket might be the reason. Just like how the new double acting super reinforced truss rods cause a sorta 'stiff' brightness, like the Warmoth replacement type necks, the Malmsteen's larger metal plate and 4 fat machine screws add more mass than the normal 70's 3 bolt, which used 2 regular neck screws along with only one small plate and machine screw.

If you get the right amp set up you should be alright, otherwise you could check out a Callaham replacement bridge (this will definatly get you more clear volume, and headroom) or a bridge pu that is super overwound, or evn a mini humbucker type.

[Yngve]

In all honesty l thinbk when Fender and Di-Marzio make a signature item they really base it on the Artist, what l mean is Malmsteens strat and pick-up are designed to run into those 1972 Marshall 50 watt heads which are not high gain and more rounded warmer sounding amps, also the HS-3 and YJM and design to be pushes hard so bedroom level volume aint going to bring these babies into sonic heaven Himmel. So l guess alot of people are getting his sound by using his setup etc.



Would string that you choose make it more mellow. Lets say using Ernie Ball Slinky what would be better.

Nickle Wound
or
Pure Nickle

Cheers Yngve

[Yngve]

Hi all and hi to Yngwie308! Thanks for the Cd's listen to Yngwie new album alot in my car and loving each time.

No regrets in having the two Malmsteen strats. Finding it difficult to go on a normal fret board as it feels weird and feeling like l cant get a grip of the strings. Years ago l wanted to order one but sales person put me off, but l had to do it this time and buy 2 of them, and might further try to hunt down the custom shop version.

Nej Tack!

Yngve

[flieger67]

... and might further try to hunt down the custom shop version.

Nej Tack!

Yngve

Are you talking the $12,000 or so Custom Shop replica of the Duck/"Play Loud" guitar of Yngwie's?

By the way, the Malmsteens are nice guitars. I've have a late '07 in Candy Apple Red with a maple board with the deeper scalloping. It's fun to play on that neck.

[Yngve]

Yeah the Customshop model based on his original. Wonder if they went to the extent doing it the same weight factor of his 72.

[flieger67]

I haven't heard one way or another on the guitar's weight. Maybe yngwie308 would have some info on that one - he's one of the resident Malmsteen-o-philes around here (and I mean that as a compliment). I believe that the guitar being re-created for the limited run is either a late '60's or very early '70's instrument, so hopefully that means it's a lightweight axe and not one of those late '70's logs.

Guitar Player magazine did a review on the Custom Shop model that you are looking it and they really like the guitar. They really praised all of the classic strat tones that it can get, which isn't something that one might normally associate with a scalloped strat.