Scott Henderson Discussion

[mikoo69]

Hey Scott,

I'm looking to purchase your Suhr Scott Henderson model Strat and had a few questions.

First is that I've always used my trem on my 62 reissue fender strat with the trem blocked, so that I can push down on the bar (but not pull up)...With the way you set up your trem, how do you compensate for the fact that when you bend, the bridge moves? For bending individual notes, it seems it's just something I'd have to get used to since it's like "hitting a moving target. What about double stops, or licks where you bend a note on 1 string (G string for instance), and want to fret a note on another (B string). The B string is flat when I bend the G since the trem moves. What kind of techniques do you use to deal with this?

I really like the 16" radius spec on your model, as well as the jumbo frets. My 62 reissue is a 7.5" radius with vintage frets, and I am primarily a lead player so the larger radius and frets seems like a good move...but I also notice that Landau and David Gilmour, who both are known for their lead playing, and wide bends without fretting out, that they use 7.5" radius guitars, and with Gilmour, it seems he uses vintage style frets too. Is it possible to set up my 62 reissue strat so I can get larger bends without fretting out, and a similar playability to your Suhr model. Any insight into how Landau and Gilmour do it? I think Landau uses larger frets, but Gilmour seems to use vintage style frets, and he gets bends up 4 semitones at points with sustain.

I'm going to pull the trigger on a Henderson Suhr, though will keep one of my 62 reissues as a backup incase I break a string live, and interested in any modifications/setups I can make to it to get it to function similarly to your Suhr. Already planning on installing an Ilitch Backplate so that's the first thing I'll do. Willing to replace parts, refret, do modifications or set things up differently (I'm also starting to learn to do my own setups so I can always keep the guitar in good shape).

Thanks!

[Scott Henderson]

Sorry, a floating bridge means you can't play bent double stops in tune. I manage to do it sometimes, but I have no idea how... I guess it's some kind of left hand technique that I'm not aware of, but it definitely isn't 100% - more like 50.

The traditional neck radius is improved with bigger frets, but your action will need to be higher - that's how those guys do it. I've played Mike's guitars, and his action is higher than mine, but not by much. It's something I could get used to if I needed to.

I don't believe I'm bad mouthing Suhr or any other modern guitar company by saying this, but alder isn't always light anymore. My Suhr guitars are light because I requested it, and sometimes had to wait for over a year for light pieces of alder to come in. I don't know if they take requests for light pieces anymore, but I would ask them before ordering my model.

Just to rag on Fender - they made an Eric Johnson signature guitar, which was supposed to weigh 7 pounds 8 ounces. That's very light, just like the old strats. They promised in the ad that every guitar made would be just as light as Eric's, which is total bullshit, since alder that light doesn't exist anymore. I'm sure they chambered them, just like Gibson has been doing with their Les Paul's for the last 20 years.

[Ampersand]

Hi Scott,
I'm also thinking of ordering your model from Suhr and have settled on most specs (roasted body and neck, ML standards) but am just not sure about the neck and bridge and don't have access to any Suhr dealers.

Can you tell me which guitar has a similar neck profile to your model? I had an SG, is it anything like that?

Also, I've read comments by John Suhr where he states that he doesn't think much of the Fender 6-screw bridge, have you ever tried or do you have any thoughts on the Gotoh 6-screw bridge?

Really enjoying Vibestation and GuitarWank by the way.

Thanks for your time, Alex

[Scott Henderson]

ha ha - He doesn't like the Fender 6 screw bridge because they make him pay full price for it. Make him put it on anyway! I don't know the Gotoh bridge but I'll bet 100 bucks it isn't as good.

The neck shape on my model is a "D" shape. It has more wood on the sides and less in the back, as opposed to the traditional "C" shape which has less wood on the sides and more on the back. The D is somewhere in between Gibson and Fender - I love it, and I find it really comfortable to play. But please don't take my word for it - go to a music store and ask to play a guitar with a D shape neck.

I think you'll dig the roasted body and neck - I do!

[peter_heijnen]

Scott, is weight the reason why you haven't been seen with a Les Paul ever?

[Scott Henderson]

I played a Les Paul for years - it wasn't a vintage one so it was pretty heavy. Our keyboard player knocked it off the stand and broke the headstock. He couldn't afford to buy me another Les Paul so he got me a strat - I've been playing them ever since.

Now I have a 90's Les Paul which I've used on many of my records - it's the slide guitar on the first track of Vibe Station. I use it mostly for rhythm guitar parts since it sounds so different from the strat.

[guitarplayer]

Hi Scott,
Speaking of the Les Paul, do you prefer the 24.75 scale length of the Gibson for humbuckers, as opposed to the 25.5 scale length strat with humbuckers?
Do you perceive a tonal difference or is it just a feel thing with less tension on the shorter scale guitar?
Thanks!

[Scott Henderson]

I have a Thornbucker in my SSH strat and Seymour Duncan's in my Les Paul, so a real comparison between the two guitars would require having the same pickups in both.

There's a huge tonal difference though, and no matter the pickups, the Les Paul is known for it's low midrange, while the strat is known for it's full range sound. I did a comparison between the two on my tone video which I hope will be released soon.

[Yusstyna]

Hey Scott,

I'm looking for a Les Paul to add to my arsenal and I'm wondering if you have any tips on what to look for in a Gibson LP guitar (weight, year, model, pickups etc).

I'm looking for an open, clear, "tele on steroids" type sound. A lot of the LP's I've tried have quite a heavy, chunky sound that doesn't really sing..

Any tips would be appreciated! What do you look for in a Les Paul?

Thanks in advance!
W.

[Scott Henderson]

I bought my Les Paul in the 90's - the only comparison I've made was about 10 years ago when a friend of mine brought a vintage 60's Les Paul over. It sounded better than mine - clearer and sweeter sounding, but I sure couldn't afford one.

I still like the sound of my Les Paul - it's light but that's because it's chambered, which is something Gibson has been doing with Les Pauls for a long time, otherwise they'd weigh a ton. The pickups which came on the guitar were horrible, so I put a Seymour Duncan '59 in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck. I also took out the 300k pots (Gibson changed to 300k many years ago to darken the shrill tone of their poorly made pickups) and put in 500k pots, which really improved the tone of the guitar.

I wish I had more info for you - I have no idea what a 2016 Les Paul would sound like, but knowing Gibson, I wouldn't get my hopes up.