First, there were Strats. Then, Super Strats were everywhere. And in 2023, your Superstrat options are plentiful. But do you really need a Superstrat, or is a “regular” Strat-style guitar better? Let’s talk about Superstrats: What they are, how they came to be, and why you may want to add a Superstrat to your guitar collection. for your music.
Super Strat vs. Stratocaster
When we refer to a Strat, we are of course referring to variations of Fender’s Stratocaster® guitar. The Stratocaster, known of course as simply the “Strat”, was groundbreaking in its specs when it was introduced in 1954:
- Three Single coil pickups
- Double-cutaway Alder body
- Bolt-on neck construction
- Synchronized “floating” tremolo
- Maple neck and fingerboard with a 7.25” radius
- 21 Vintage size Frets
- Inline tuning pegs
Let’s contrast these specs with a typical Superstrat. Superstrats broke on to the guitar scene loudly and dramatically in the 1980s, fueled by guitarists looking to emulate Eddie Van Halen’s groundbreaking style. Here are the specifications of one of the original and best known Superstrats, the Ibanez RG550:
- Two Humbucker pickups, one Single coil pickup
- Double-cutaway Basswood body
- Bolt-on neck construction
- Edge Locking Tremolo
- 5-piece Maple/Walnut neck with a 16.9” radius
- 24 Jumbo size Frets
- Inline tuning pegs
Which Features Are the Same, and Which are Different? (And Why)
First, let’s list what didn’t change: The Strat body shape, bolt-on neck construction, and 6 inline tuning pegs. It’s a short list! Now let’s look at the chief differences between Superstrats and traditional Fender Strats.
Pickups: Single Coil to Humbucker(s)
By the 1980s, when Superstrats came into existence, rock music had become comparatively louder and heavier than when Fender introduced the Stratocaster® in 1954. Guitarists playing with much higher gain and volume requirements needed humbucker pickups to create the saturated, distorted tones they were after. In addition, humbuckers reduce the hum that is inherent in vintage single coil pickup designs, which is especially useful when playing with high gain. In addition to being quieter than vintage single coils, Superstrat pickups were wound hotter than vintage pickups, resulting in higher output. This enabled rock and metal guitarists to create the heavier, modern tones we all know and love.
It’s worth mentioning that humbuckers in the neck and middle positions are not required for a Superstrat. Many Superstrat players get the majority of their overdriven, liquid, tones from a humbucker in the bridge position. A Super Strat in the HSS format works well for cleaner sounds that a single coil in the neck position allows.
Body Wood: Alder to Basswood
The body wood of the RG500 swaps out Alder for Basswood. Basswood is known for its balanced tonality and consistent midrange response. Basswood’s natural resonating frequencies pair particularly well with humbucker pickups. Given this, it’s no surprise that Basswood became the most popular body wood for Superstrats. That said, Superstrats do not have to be made of Basswood. The Charvel San Dimas is a classic Superstrat that is constructed of Alder.
Bridge: Vintage to Locking Tremolo
The bridge design is among the most important features of the Superstrat. Put simply, the sounds that Van Halen inspired couldn’t be made without locking tremolo systems such as the Floyd Rose, and to a lesser extent, Kahler. A locking tremolo consists of a “locking nut”, where the strings are literally “locked” into place at the nut, and tuned via fine tuning machines at the bridge.
With a locking tremolo system, it was possible to stay in tune during big string bends (bending the string up 1 whole step or more), as well as aggressive tremolo and “dive-bombing” work. Big string bends and dramatic pitch shifting with the tremolo (whammy) bar was a signature technique for players such as Van Halen, Steve Vai, Reb Beach, George Lynch, and many others.
Neck and Fingerboard: Vintage to Modern D Shape
The purpose of a Superstrat neck profile is to facilitate fast, smooth playing. Many hard rock guitarists employ sweep picking and legato runs in their playing, and the Superstrat neck was designed to encourage classical thumb position, i.e., thumb on the back of the neck, instead of wrapped around the neck.
For the most part, Superstrats used bolt-on neck construction like vintage Fenders. Yet, Superstrat necks feel very different from both vintage and modern Stratocasters®. Superstrat necks feel different than regular Strat necks for the following reasons:
1. Thin Neck Profile
The “Modern D” is a term to describe a neck profile that is carved with less depth and shoulder, and the RG550 stays true to its Superstrat heritage. The RG550 comes with an Ibanez’s Super Wizard neck, which measures around .66” (17mm) at the first fret. This is considerably shallower than a typical Fender Stratocaster neck (for more information, see our article on Guitar Neck Shapes).
2. Flat Radius Fingerboard
In addition to a thinner neck, Superstrats also have flatter radius fretboards. The RG550’s radius is 16.9”, which is extremely flat in comparison to both vintage Fender Strats (7.5”), and modern Fender Strats (9.5”). Most super strat style guitars have a fretboard radius of at least 14″.
3. Upper Fret Access
Ibanez’s Wizard neck—and many other Superstrat necks—has a modified neck heel to increase upper fret access. Reducing and/or shaping the neck heel enables a player to reach the uppermost frets with greater ease. This is important for many shred-style players.
4. Fret Size
As we discussed in our article on choosing guitar frets, fret size can make a significant difference in the feel of a guitar neck. Superstrats typically use large, Jumbo frets. Due to their height, Jumbo frets minimize the contact between the string and fretboard, minimizing the “drag” some players feel with smaller frets. This results in a fast-playing feel to necks that have them. Since the definition of “shredding” includes fast playing, big frets are pretty much essential equipment for Superstrats.
Is a Superstrat for You?
Now that we know the differences, let’s answer the question of which type of players benefit from a Superstrat.
You should consider a Superstrat if:
- Your musical style and tones are heavy rock or metal
- You like to bend strings (a lot)
- You like to use the tremolo bar for “dive bombing” and other similar sounds
- You play fast and incorporate legato-style lines into your playing
- You like the look and attitude of Superstrats
Conclusion
If you check any of the boxes in the list above, you should consider a Superstrat. Even if hard rock and metal aren’t your primary musical styles, a Superstrat guitar is nice to have around for a change of pace.
As to our #5 reason, above—looks and attitude—I’ll say this: Looks aren’t everything, but they aren’t unimportant either, especially when you’re talking about hot-rodded guitars. Can you picture 80s hair metal being played on a Gibson ES-335? Didn’t think so. The loud colors, flashy Shark Fin inlay, and often pointy headstock shapes create a style unto itself.
10 Famous Superstrat Players and their Guitars
1. Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen – Van Halen more or less invented the Superstrat when he hit the scene with when he created his Fender Super Strat, a.k.a., “Frankenstrat” guitar. His style inspired countless guitarists to rout their Strats for humbuckers and a Floyd.
2. Reb Beach
The Winger guitarist is best known for playing Ibanez RG series guitars. Beach also had an Ibanez Signature Voyager model.
3. George Lynch
Lynch played ESP guitars in the heyday of his band Dokken. Today he plays an ESP George Lynch GL-200MT signature guitar.
4. Steve Vai
Vai has been a longtime Ibanez player, and has a signature JEM guitar from Ibanez.
5. Vito Bratta
Though Bratta recorded White Lion’s first album on his hot-rodded ‘79 Strat (modified with a Floyd Rose and humbucker), he was known for playing ESP Superstrats.
6. Dave “Snake” Sabo
The Skid Row guitarist has long been affiliated with Kramer, and currently has a signature guitar from Kramer named the Baretta Snake.
7. Paul Gilbert
The Racer X and Mr. Big guitarist was known for playing Ibanez RG series guitars with “painted on” F-holes. Today, he is an Ibanez endorsing artist, and has multiple signature guitars, including the PGMM11 Paul Gilbert Signature guitar.
8. Warren DiMartini
A longtime Charvel player known for his colorfully painted guitars, Dimartini currently has a signature Charvel model called the Warren DeMartini USA Signature Frenchie.
9. Vernon Reid
The Living Color guitarist was best known for playing his Hamer Superstrat, a custom 27-fret Hamer Calfornian.
10. Phil Collen
The Def Leppard guitarist has used multiple brands throughout the years, but now has settled on a Jackson Superstrat from Jackson Guitars, the Jackson USA Signature Phil Collen PC1.