MIJvintage
Well-known member
stratman323 said:I can't tell, one is metallic green (gorgeous colour, but it has a big old high gloss maple neck - I really ought to sell it), and the other is black. I'm not really keen on SB anyway, most of my Strats are solid colours, so I don't know (or care) how many parts go to make up the body. I remain to be convinced that it makes any real difference - Fender rarely made 1 piece Strat bodies, especially alder bodies.
That really doesn't jive with your recent purchase, because you just blew $1500 on a sunburst example.
You also stated earlier, "I wish it was as simple as that! I have 2 84 Goldstars, but they're just not as good as the Springy. I can only really put that down to the thicker poly finish."
The poly finish (may) only be one piece of why you state the Springy as being better.
Also, it is very common for many makers to utilize multiple pieces, with random grain mismatching in solid color bodies, and the solid paint hides this ugly little fact.
I have consistantly seen that less pieces equals more sound when it concerns the number of pieces that make up a Strat body. This holds true, more often than not.
Much of this depends on the orientaion of the grain, at the join areas.
For example, I have seen where grains opposed at joins tend to deaden the sound aka cut off the transfere of vibration, thus choking off resonance.
My experience doesn't support what your observations are.
I learned this basically via trial & error, and then years later I learned that Eric Johnson prefered 1 piece body Strats, which are nearly impossible to locate. His Signature Strats are made with the 2 pc. center joined method, like 99% of USA Custom Shop models.
The 2 pc. center joined, and the more costly matched bodies, will consistantly offer much better transfere of vibration, and tonal response, over a multi piece, and randomly joined examples.
A thicker finish will also come into play, particularlly a poly finish but the essence of the guitar's resonance is the wood utilized in the body, and how it is put together.
That is where is all starts, and if the body lumber isn't right, then everything this is right won't help much.