The Strat and the Tele are no doubt the most iconic guitars in the world. Both guitars have been played by countless legends and influential musicians and have appeared in every genre imaginable. This article is not about which one is the best, it is about how awesome these two guitars are in their own right. 

Other than the body shape, the first noticeable difference between the two is the headstock. The strat has a larger headstock. Now some people claim that the larger strat headstock gives it more sustain and tone. However, that debate has been raging for years.

The body shape of the Tele has a single-cutaway and has no body contours. It has a hard edge cut body compared to the Strats more refined shape. The smoother and rounder edge of the Stratocaster is preferred by some because of the comfort it gives the player. The additional cutout in the upper horn also makes it easier for players to comfortably play higher notes. The belly cut on the back of the strat gives players the added comfort while performing.

The way the strings are anchored to the guitar is the biggest distinction between the two. The Tele's hardtail bridge means that the strings go through the body at the back of the guitar. This gives the guitar a more stable tuning also making the structure more durable. The strat on the other hand has a floating trem system. This design allows the strings to vibrate. The strings are fed through a trem block which is attached to springs, allowing players to lower or raise their pitch when the whammy bar is used.

The pickups of the Tele and Strat are pretty straightforward. The Tele has two pickups and a three-way selector, giving it three different sounds. The original strat has three pickups and a three-way switch. It was right around 1977 when the strats started coming with five-way switches which gave it more sound options. Before that, players just slid the selector carefully halfway between pickups to get that two pickup sound.

In our next issue, we'll focus more on the technical side of these legends and know more about the musicians that made these two guitars the icon they are now.

 

 

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SPECIFICATIONS

Scale Length: 25.5"
Body: Alder / Mahogany / American Basswood
Pickguard: White
Hardware: Chrome
Pickups: Ceramic
String Spacing: 10.5mm
Neck: Maple
Fretboard: Maple / Rosewood
Neck Joint: Bolt-on
Neck Profile: C shape
Fret: 22 Nickel
Inlays: Dot

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