Hi, I'm thinking of buying a Steve Morse model but I really love the Strat's out-of-phase sound (between neck & middle pu). Can anyone tell me if I can get this sound on the Steve Morse? The comments I've read suggest it sounds more like a Tele. Thanks...
- Thread starter Adrian
- Start date
kbaim
Well-known member
Hey Adrian,
Welcome.
I've got a Morse, though it's not my main axe. And there's no bigger fan of Steve's music than me...except for NORM on this board
. In fact I was just watching Steve's DVD for the umpteenth time last night .
The Steve Morse guitar does position 4 on a strat pretty well, but not position 2 (bridge/middle). But you give up a little and you get a little. Like being able to go from a les paul neck humbucker sound to a strat neck single coil sound with the flip of a switch.
These guitars are almost impossible to find in any store anywhere. And if you did find one, you really need a couple hours playing it to experiment with all the swiching possibilities.
I played one at a namm show, then bought mine (a black sparkle) sight unseen over the phone form Craig at Discount MUsic in Utah. It came really well set up and he even threw in 12 sets of strings which was very cool since steve uses 10-13-16-26-32-42. Basically he sent me 12 of each seperate string.
If you're looking ONLY for strat sounds maybe go with the albert lee instead, if you're looking for a lot of sound possibilities though, it's hard to beat a Morse.
BTW Harmony central has some excellent reviews (including one from me) on the steve Morse model that may help in making your decision. GOOD LUCK.
KEITH
Welcome.
I've got a Morse, though it's not my main axe. And there's no bigger fan of Steve's music than me...except for NORM on this board
. In fact I was just watching Steve's DVD for the umpteenth time last night .The Steve Morse guitar does position 4 on a strat pretty well, but not position 2 (bridge/middle). But you give up a little and you get a little. Like being able to go from a les paul neck humbucker sound to a strat neck single coil sound with the flip of a switch.
These guitars are almost impossible to find in any store anywhere. And if you did find one, you really need a couple hours playing it to experiment with all the swiching possibilities.
I played one at a namm show, then bought mine (a black sparkle) sight unseen over the phone form Craig at Discount MUsic in Utah. It came really well set up and he even threw in 12 sets of strings which was very cool since steve uses 10-13-16-26-32-42. Basically he sent me 12 of each seperate string.
If you're looking ONLY for strat sounds maybe go with the albert lee instead, if you're looking for a lot of sound possibilities though, it's hard to beat a Morse.
BTW Harmony central has some excellent reviews (including one from me) on the steve Morse model that may help in making your decision. GOOD LUCK.
KEITH
kbaim
Well-known member
Oh yeah, I forgot.
There's a used one (blueburst) hanging in Guitar center Fountain Valley California. I think asking $900. It's not in great condition though. Plays good, but there is a major patched up ding on the edge of the guitar above the strings, and not so much birdseye on the neck.
Might be worth offering 6-7 hundred. If you live near southern califonia go check it out. If not, they pop up on ebay once in a while
There's a used one (blueburst) hanging in Guitar center Fountain Valley California. I think asking $900. It's not in great condition though. Plays good, but there is a major patched up ding on the edge of the guitar above the strings, and not so much birdseye on the neck.
Might be worth offering 6-7 hundred. If you live near southern califonia go check it out. If not, they pop up on ebay once in a while
beej
Moderator
Hi Adrian,
I have a Morse as well and hands-down it's my favourite guitar. But while versitile, it doesn't get the bell-like out of phase strat tones that you might be looking for. (Although with the two single coils selected it gets a great twang.)
A fix you can do (one that I did on my SM) is to add a coil split for the neck and bridge HB (in the form of a push-pull pot on the tone knob). With this, I can really nail a lot of those typical strat tones as well as the zillion other sounds the Morse offers.
BTW- there's a nice looking SM on eBay right now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2384&item=3755950958&rd=1
IMHO, the Morse is one of the best axes out there. Love it!
I have a Morse as well and hands-down it's my favourite guitar. But while versitile, it doesn't get the bell-like out of phase strat tones that you might be looking for. (Although with the two single coils selected it gets a great twang.)
A fix you can do (one that I did on my SM) is to add a coil split for the neck and bridge HB (in the form of a push-pull pot on the tone knob). With this, I can really nail a lot of those typical strat tones as well as the zillion other sounds the Morse offers.
BTW- there's a nice looking SM on eBay right now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2384&item=3755950958&rd=1
IMHO, the Morse is one of the best axes out there. Love it!
koogie2k
Well-known member
Welcome to the addiction!
I tried to get the strat sound out of my Morse model but I decided I liked what the Morse sounded like better. The pups are so expressive. Do you want a Floyd model or a hardtail. As of last night I added "Simple Simon" to my set list. Keith was right in that I am the biggest Steve Morse fan on the board. I'm 6'4" and 200 pounds.
mbgreene
Well-known member
Sorry Norm, the height's the same, but I've got you by about 35 lbs.
kbaim
Well-known member
mbgreene said:Sorry Norm, the height's the same, but I've got you by about 35 lbs.
But can you play VISTA GRANDE?
NORM CAN!!!
mbgreene
Well-known member
No
So although I may be the biggest fan
I may also be the worst
But hey, I have fun, and people don't usually make fun of me if I suck
Oh and Adrian
If your looking for that Strat sound have you condidered the Albert Lee
as some people have told me, its what a Strat's supposed to sound like.
Accuellir a la dependance
So although I may be the biggest
fanI may also be the worst
But hey, I have fun, and people don't usually make fun of me if I suck
Oh and Adrian
If your looking for that Strat sound have you condidered the Albert Lee
as some people have told me, its what a Strat's supposed to sound like.
Accuellir a la dependance
beej
Moderator
> But can you play VISTA GRANDE?
> NORM CAN!!!
Sweet!
I'm always working on my SM repetoire but he's such a master that it's takes forever to get any one song down! Simple Simon's definitely one of my faves to play as well.
At 185 lbs, guess I'm not quite the biggest Morse fan on the board ...
> NORM CAN!!!
Sweet!
I'm always working on my SM repetoire but he's such a master that it's takes forever to get any one song down! Simple Simon's definitely one of my faves to play as well.
At 185 lbs, guess I'm not quite the biggest Morse fan on the board ...
Hi all,
thanks for your comments. I love the position 4 strat but also want the flexibility I can get from the SM, so it sounds like a great option. For pure strat, by the way, I've played the G&L S-500 which is absolutely awesome, but that's another story...
I'm in Australia, so if you think the SM is rare in the US..well...I don't believe there is one in stock in any store in this country! Really. I'm expecting to use eBay to buy one.
Thanks again, guys.
thanks for your comments. I love the position 4 strat but also want the flexibility I can get from the SM, so it sounds like a great option. For pure strat, by the way, I've played the G&L S-500 which is absolutely awesome, but that's another story...
I'm in Australia, so if you think the SM is rare in the US..well...I don't believe there is one in stock in any store in this country! Really. I'm expecting to use eBay to buy one.
Thanks again, guys.
Eilif
Well-known member
kbaim said:
Dan's Guitars in Honolulu has one. I can't remember the color, but it's not the Morse Blue Burst. Standard, non-trem. Someone should go rescue it.
